Crawford Attorney Wants Guns, Firearms Suppressed

FAYETTEVILLE — Lawyers for a woman charged in federal court with threatening someone on Facebook want firearms and ammunition found at her arrest suppressed as evidence in the case.

Daphne Ann Crawford, 29, was indicted on a federal charge of using the Internet to transmit a message threatening to injure another person with a firearm on May 24. Use of the Internet is considered interstate commerce.

Law enforcement officers searched her Fayetteville motel room after Crawford and her husband, Alan, were arrested.

Officers found three AR-15 rifles, a 12- gauge shotgun, six handguns and roughly 2,000 rounds of ammunition, including 721 rounds for the AR-15s, in the Crawfords’ room at Value Place motel, according to the report.

The search also found clonazepam pills and THC wax, the report said. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana. Clonazepam is used as an anti-anxiety medicine.

“The firearms and ammunition were not listed in the search warrant requesting permission to search for digital evidence,” according to a motion filed earlier this week by Joe Alfaro, one of Crawford’s attorneys. Their seizure was unconstitutional, the motion says.

It contends the i tems don’ t fa l l under any ava i l ab l e exception that would allow their seizure.

Crawford isn’t a convicted felon. The firearms weren’t stolen, the serial numbers weren’t defaced and the guns weren’t altered in any way that would make them illegal, according to the motion, and, there was no evidence of drug trafficking or distribution that would warrant a belief they were related to criminal activity.

The verbal altercation between Crawford, her husband and staff happened at Mel’s Diner in Prairie Grove, according to a preliminary arrest report. A customer posted a comment on Facebook about the incident.

Crawford responded online, threatening that her husband would shoot the customer and his or her family, according to court documents.

The Crawfords are being held at the Washington County Detention Center.

Daphne and Alan Lewis Crawford Jr., both of whom list an address in Muldrow, Okla., were arrested early June 18 by Fayetteville police and the FBI.

Daphne Crawford faces misdemeanor charges in Washington County Circuit Court. She pleaded not guilty to possession of clonazepam, possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a minor. The endangering charge is related to the clonazepam tablets and a gun being within reach of Crawford’s young child in the motel room. She was given an initial court date of Aug. 23. Crawford also is charged with felony terroristic threatening. She has pleaded not guilty and is being held at the Washington County Detention Center with no bond set.

Alan Crawford, 28, is being held with no bond set and a federal hold. He is charged in state court with possession of clonazepam, possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a minor.

Crawford