Parolee arrested with gun, drugs in stolen vehicle after shots fired
A local felon on parole was arrested Monday night on multiple felony charges after Hot Springs police responding to a report of shots fired allegedly found him driving a stolen vehicle with a gun and drugs in his possession.
Sharif Keon Akins, 21, who lists a Runyon Street address, was taken into custody shortly after 7 p.m. and charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, possession of a controlled substance, meth, and possession of a firearm by certain persons, each punishable by up to 20 years, theft of property over $5,000, punishable by up to
10 years, and possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence, each punishable by up to six years.
Akins remained in custody Tuesday on zero bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before
6:30 p.m., police responded to the Days Inn, 2208 Central Ave., regarding the theft of a black
2014 Jeep Patriot from the parking lot. The owner stated he had left it there at 3 p.m. and when he returned at 6 p.m. it was gone. He noted he accidentally left the keys in it.
Around 7 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Cones Road regarding shots fired with witnesses describing a black Jeep SUV that was involved. A few minutes later, Officer Luke Russell responded to the area and spotted a black Jeep Patriot on Cones and made a traffic stop.
The officer confirmed that the Jeep, valued at $7,588, was the one that had been reported stolen earlier, so Akins, the driver, was taken into custody. When questioned later about the vehicle, Akins reportedly admitted to taking the vehicle from Days Inn because “the manager asked me to move it.”
The affidavit notes a computer check showed Akins had a parole absconder warrant from the Arkansas Board of Parole stemming from his conviction in 2019 in Garland County Circuit Court for second-degree battery.
In searching the vehicle, officers reportedly found a black backpack in the front seat that contained a 9-mm semi-automatic pistol with a magazine with three rounds in it and one round in the chamber. The backpack also allegedly contained a box with a baggie containing 10.9 grams of what later tested positive for meth, two syringes and a wallet belonging to the owner of the Jeep.
At the police department, another 9-mm round was reportedly found in Akins’ front pants pocket.
At one point, Akins reportedly put some items in his mouth and tried to swallow them, telling officers it was a glass vial. Officers forced his mouth open using a large Sharpie marker “due to him actively attempting to swallow an item causing him to bleed and choke.”
After they forced his mouth open, a Jeep key dropped out of his mouth. He was transported to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs to be checked out, but later released and booked into the detention center shortly after
11:30 p.m.
According to court records on the previous battery conviction, Akins, then 19, was arrested on Aug. 7, 2018, after punching a man, fracturing his jaw, and stealing the man’s cellphone six days earlier. Akins was initially charged with robbery and second-degree battery, but on April
8, 2019, the robbery charge was withdrawn and Akins pleaded guilty to the battery charge and was sentenced to the maximum of six years in prison, but later paroled.