A Gassville man, 44-year-old Michael John McHugh, who went to a towing company facility Tuesday morning to retrieve his wallet, has been arrested on felony drug charges.
Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says the towing company owner summoned law enforcement and told investigators McHugh was at the facility to retrieve a wallet from inside a vehicle previously impounded. When retrieving the wallet from the vehicle, the tow company owner observed what he believed to be a controlled substance.
Upon their arrival at the facility, investigators determined McHugh is a probationer with Arkansas Community Correction and a search waiver for him is on file. The wallet was searched, and investigators found approximately 1 gram of marijuana and a small amount of a grey powder substance testing positive for Fentanyl. Investigators also conducted a search of McHughs person where they found approximately 36 prescription pills of various kinds and a smoking pipe. The pipe contained residue of both marijuana and Fentanyl. All items of contraband were seized and taken into evidence.
McHugh was arrested and transported to the Baxter County Detention Center where he was booked on felony charges of possession of a schedule II, IV and VI controlled substances with purpose to deliver and a probation violation, as well as a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
McHugh was given a bond of $25,000 on the drug charges, but will be held without bond for the probation violation. McHugh is scheduled to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court in November to answer the charges.
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