Traffic stop leads to arrest on multiple drug charges
A Missouri man on felony probation was arrested on multiple drug charges early Wednesday by the local drug task force after a routine traffic stop by Hot Springs police.
Randall George Dildy, 44, who lists an Ashland, Missouri, address, was taken into custody shortly after 2:30 a.m. and charged with felony counts of possession of meth with purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison, possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years, and a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Dildy, who also had multiple warrants, was being held on a zero bond and is set to appear April 10 in Garland County District Court. According to court records, he was convicted of committing a terroristic act in Montgomery County on Dec.
3, 2021, and sentenced to five years’ supervised probation; and convicted of possession of a controlled substance, meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia on April 11, 2022, in Polk County and sentenced to four years’ supervised probation.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, HSPD Officer Jose Castenada was patrolling on Central Avenue and got behind a silver Cadillac Escalade traveling northbound that allegedly turned onto Greenwood Avenue without signaling, and then he noted the vehicle’s tags were expired.
He conducted a traffic stop at Greenwood and Third Street and made contact with the driver, identified as Dildy. A computer check showed he had two failure to appear warrants out of Garland County and a probation violation warrant out of Montgomery County and had a search waiver on file.
While speaking to Dildy, Castenada said he noticed “his hands were shaking and he was sweating.” He was asked to exit the car so it could be searched and Dildy initially “would not listen” and stated he was “only heading to a friend’s house to get some cigarettes.”
Dildy eventually complied and was taken into custody without further incident. He was asked if there was anything in the vehicle and Castaneda noted “he would not look at me and he sighed.” He finally stated there was a backpack in the rear with some marijuana inside and some meth in a “dip can” in the driver’s side door panel.
Castenada located the dipping tobacco can, which reportedly held six plastic baggies with a total of 9.6 grams of what later tested positive for meth. There was also a bag with 2.7 grams of marijuana in the can. Inside a cloth bag in the door panel the officer reportedly found two glass pipes and a box with a marijuana cigarette inside.
In the backpack, he allegedly found a mason jar with a baggie containing 7.8 grams of marijuana, a green grinder, and a purple bag with several empty baggies and a digital scale.
Agents with the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force were contacted and assumed the investigation.