Drug dealer sentenced to 10 years
A felon classified as a habitual offender was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to multiple felony charges involving drug dealing last year.
Kenneth Lee Garner, 38, who lists a Leawood Street address, pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to three counts of delivery of meth, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of unlawful use of a communication device and was sentenced to 10 years
on each count, all to run concurrently.
Garland County Deputy Prosecutor Trent Daniels, who serves as the acting commander of the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force, who arrested Garner after using confidential informants to buy drugs from him, told The Sentinel-Record Monday Garner was willing to plead guilty without having to expose the informants in open court, which was taken into consideration in sentencing him.
According to the probable cause affidavits from three separate arrests for Garner, all involving transactions in 2019, between Feb.
1 and May 1, DTF agents and Arkansas State Police used a confidential source to purchase meth from Garner and a second man,
38, in Garland County.
“A recorded telephone call was made to Garner to confirm that he could sell meth to the confidential source. A price for the meth was agreed upon and a location was set where the transaction would take place,” the affidavit states.
Garner was the facilitator of the transaction and the second man delivered the meth, which was over 10 grams but less than 200 grams, to the confidential source. Using surveillance, DTF agents positively identified Garner.
Between March 1 and Aug. 1, agents again used the confidential source to purchase meth from Garner, which also involved a recorded phone call. The meth purchased was over 2 grams, but less than 10 grams, and Garner was again identified.
Between Aug. 1 and Oct. 1, agents used a confidential source for a third time to purchase meth from Garner at a predetermined location in Hot Springs. The meth purchased was again more than 2 grams, but less than 10 grams.
Garner was arrested on Feb. 17 on one count of delivery of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful use of a communication device. Additional charges were filed against on him on March 10 and May 18. On Aug. 10, after his attorney filed a motion to reduce his bond, he was released on a $50,000 bond.
On Aug. 19, he was arrested again on misdemeanor charges of third-degree domestic battery and third-degree battery and had remained in custody since then. He is set to stand trial on the battery charges on Thursday in Garland County District Court.
Garner is classified as a habitual offender because he was previously convicted of a felony count of possession of a controlled substance in Garland County in 2000, two felony counts of robbery in Washington County in 2002, and three felony counts of second-degree forgery in Garland County in 2012 where he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.