HS man pleads guilty to felony drug charges

A Hot Springs man arrested on felony drug charges last summer pleaded guilty Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court and was sentenced to six years’ probation.

Nathaniel J. Ellis Jr., 32, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia and in addition to probation was fined $2,000 and ordered to pay $545 in court costs.

According to the affidavit, on Aug. 26, 2017, shortly before 2 a.m., Garland County sheriff’s Deputy Justin Parker was patrolling in the area of Airport and Adcock roads when he observed a silver Mazda 3 eastbound on Airport that swerved across the centerline.

After a computer check revealed the tags on the Mazda belonged to a different vehicle, he made a traffic stop at Airport and Weston roads and made contact with the driver and a front seat passenger, identified as Ellis.

Parker noted a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and saw a dark brown bag between

Ellis’ leg and the center con- sole that Ellis kept nudging with his leg in an apparent attempt to conceal it.

A computer check revealed Ellis had several warrants, and Ellis admitted he had a small amount of marijuana in the bag.

A search revealed a glass jar containing 13.8 grams of marijuana and a glass smoking pipe with meth residue inside the brown bag. A cigar package in the passenger door contained about 13.5 grams of what later tested positive for meth.

Ellis was taken into custody and later released on $7,000 bond. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in circuit court on Nov. 7, 2017. He appeared at a disposition hearing on June 12, 2018, and tested positive for drugs so his bond was revoked and he was taken into custody.