Dennis James Amaral of Mountain Home made a first appearance in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday and entered a plea of not guilty to a string of drug-related charges.
He was ordered to re-appear in court on November 17thby Circuit Judge John Putman.
In one case, the 40-year-old Amaral is charged with selling a total of slightly more than 20 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on three occasions in June and July.
In the second case, Amaral was arrested early this month at a residence on East 8th Street in Mountain Home. According to the probable cause affidavit, the person renting the house said she had allowed Amaral to stay at the residence for the past few weeks.
A written consent to search the home was provided and approximately 54 grams of a crystalline substance, digital scales, used syringes, two firearms and slightly more than $1,300 in cash were seized.
In addition to drug charges, Amaral was charged with possession of a defaced firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Civil suits have also been filed against Amaral to seize the cash found in the search of the house on East 8th Street, along with a 2003 PT Cruiser.
In arguing for a reduction of Amarals $200,000 bond, Andrew Bailey of the Public Defenders Office, said Amaral was a long time resident of the area, posed no flight risk and had, at one time, been active as a drug counselor and in church work.
Judge Putman set Amarals bond at $20,000 and allowed him to enter the Care Center Ministries residential treatment program where he will essentially be under house arrest and subjected to random weekly drug testing.
A representative of the Care Center Ministries was in court and said that Amaral would abide by any conditions the court set.
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