Parolee facing charges for modifying weapon
A Forrest City man who has been in and out of the state prison system since his conviction in 2017 for shooting and killing a horse is facing new charges following his arrest this week.
Officers with the Forrest City Police Department arrested Brandon Mitchell, 26, after finding a .40 caliber weapon equipped with an illegal switch, making it fully automatic, near the location where he surrendered to police following a chase.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning when police were called to 520 N. Washington regarding a subject trying to break into a home.
According to the report, when officers arrived, they told Mitchell to keep his hands where they could see him, but instead he fled east behind nearby businesses into a ravine, while continuing to tug at his jacket pocket.
A short time later, Mitchell surrendered to police, telling them he did not have a gun, but instead was trying to get his cell phone from his pocket.
However, after being placed into custody, officers searched the ravine where they found a Glock .40 caliber with the barrel shoved in the mud on the embankment where Mitchell stopped before surrendering.
Mitchell, who is currently on parole, is facing new charges of fleeing, possession of a firearm by certain persons, violation of the uniform machine gun act, possession or use for offensive or aggressive purpose and an outstanding warrant for failure to appear.
In January 2017, Mitchell, after pleading guilty, was sentenced to 10 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for first-degree criminal mischief and 10 years for aggravated cruelty to dog, cat or horse, with the sentences to run concurrently. A charge of felony with firearm enhancement was nolle prosequi at that time.
(Continued from Page 1) Officials with the ADC said Mitchell was first released from prison in August 2018, but returned in January 2019 after violating his parole by being charged with first-degree false imprisonment, for which he was later convicted. He was released on parole again in January last year.
ADC officials say they have placed a parole hold on Mitchell due to the charges levied this week by the FCPD.