Photos: Jonathan Morgan, Candy Crawford and David Brown
Three people arrested on drug-related charges when a search warrant was served at a residence along Hidden Hills Lane earlier this month appeared during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
Forty-two-year-old David Brown, who was caught up in the event when he pulled into the driveway of the home as the search was underway, was arrested and found to have more than 20 grams of methamphetamine in his vehicle, along with glass smoking devices.
The Hand Cove area residence became a location of interest earlier this month after a spotter in an Arkansas National Guard helicopter saw plants appearing to be marijuana growing on the property. A ground crew converged on the address. Officers reported seeing suspected marijuana growing in pots on the porch. The lawmen were also able to see more marijuana through the windows of the house, as well as glass smoking devices commonly used in the inhalation of methamphetamine.
When 38-year-old Jonathan Morgan and 39-year-old Candy Crawford, the two people reported to live in the home, arrived, they were confronted with evidence the officers had observed and were asked for permission to search the interior of the home. Permission was denied, and the search warrant was obtained.
The search warrant produced various items of drug paraphernalia, including scales, small plastic bags used to package drugs for sale and smoking devices.
A container was found holding an undetermined amount of suspected methamphetamine. A tub was located upstairs containing a substance used to treat horses, commonly used to “cut” methamphetamine to add weight to the drug.
Morgan was found to be a convicted felon who has allegedly pawned firearms multiple times at a Mountain Home business.
Brown was wanted in Missouri for a parole violation. As a result of the visit he made to the house along Hidden Hills Lane, he was charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.He is being held in the Baxter County jail awaiting extradition.
As he made his appearance on a video hookup between the county jail and downtown court complex, Brown appeared ready to plead guilty to his Arkansas charges. Circuit Judge Gordon Webb’s policy is not to accept pleas until the person has been able to meet with a lawyer.
During the conversation about the plea, Brown mentioned the parole hold Missouri had placed on him. When Brown mentioned he had been in prison and was now on parole, Judge Webb commented he was not surprised.
Morgan, who had no attorney Thursday, also seemed ready to enter a guilty plea to most, but not all, of the charges against him. Judge Webb repeated the message he had given to Brown about the no pleas without meeting with a lawyer policy. Morgan said he was not guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Morgan also asked the court to reduce his $35,000 bond, and Judge Webb cut it to $10,000.
Crawford joined Morgan and Brown by entering a not guilty plea to the drug-related charges filed against her as a result of searching the house where she and Morgan were said to live. Morgan and Crawford were ordered to reappear in circuit court Oct. 17, Brown is to reappear Thursday.
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