Observations by two police officers watching traffic has led to the arrest of a Marion County man, 32-year-old Jebediah Parks of Flippin, and five felony charges involving simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms.
Parks made his initial appearance in Marion County Circuit Court Wednesday, entering a not guilty plea to the charges.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Wednesday, Parks was observed pulling into a convenience store on the afternoon of May 16th in a truck one of the officers knew belonged to someone else. The second officer recognized Parks and was aware he had a suspended driver’s license. A check with the Arkansas Crime Information Center also revealed Parks was a felon.
When Parks exited the store, the officers executed a traffic stop. The Flippin man acknowledged his driver’s license was suspended but told officers he was “just trying to work and make some money.”
When advised he was not the owner of the truck, Parks reportedly told officers the owner had died suddenly in February and left him the vehicle. Parks said while the deceased man was not related to him, he was like an uncle to him. He was unable to produce any paperwork proving the transfer of ownership.
Parks gave the officers permission to search the vehicle where they discovered drug paraphernalia, along with a loaded .45 caliber revolver in the cab. The gun had been reported stolen. A further search of the truck bed led to the discovery of a white crystalline substance, five orange amphetamine pills, two bags of a green leafy substance consistent with marijuana, digital scales, six unused syringes and a hand held Taser.
Parks was taken to the Marion County jail and has been charged with felony offenses of possession of a firearm by certain persons, meaning he is a felon, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of meth or cocaine, possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia, along with five misdemeanors.
His bond was set at $25,000.
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