Valeory Hodges of Mountain Home changed her plea to guilty on a string of drug charges and was given 15 years in prison during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
The charges accused Hodges of possessing various drugs, including methamphetamine, hydrocodone, ecstasy and the paraphernalia used to ingest various drugs.
The 50-year-old Hodges has been in court on a number of occasions, mainly on drug charges, stretching back to 2010, according to electronic court records.
The newest charges against her were filed in February and March.
In one case, Mountain Home police were watching a room at a local motel after receiving complaints of drug activity in the room.
As one vehicle left the area, a Mountain Home officer was able to stop it after observing a defect. The officer reported the “strong odor” of marijuana coming from the vehicle.
Investigators found Hodges, who was a passenger in the van and on parole at the time, was renting the motel room they had been watching. The officer escorted the van and its occupants back to the motel and searched the room.
Drugs of various kinds were found in the room, and paraphernalia indicated illegal narcotics were being packaged for sale.
Hodges’ 26-year-old son, Gary Barker, was also arrested on drug charges at the time. He was sharing the motel room with his mother. He has two cases filed against him alleging drug activity and has entered not guilty pleas to the charges.
Hodges, along with Barker, were arrested again when officers made a compliance visit to Hodges’ residence. They had received tips illegal drug activity was taking place in the residence. Hodges was on parole at the time. Officers reported finding a number of drugs in the possession or control of Hodges and her son.
Hodges asked to remain free on bond until bed space opened in the state prison system, but Circuit Judge Gordon Webb denied the request. He said he has dealt with Hodges at various times in his court and the 14th Judicial District Drug Court Program and did not trust Hodges to remain drug free if allowed to go free. Judge Webb said Hodges “has a very serious disease.”
In addition to the felony charges, Hodges has two civil suits filed against her by the state, both seeking the forfeiture of cash totaling slightly more than $10,300 seized during the home visit and motel room arrest.
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