MH man’s extensive criminal record keeps growing and growing

wireready_10-28-2019-09-24-03_00275_geraldphillipmorris100919

Photo: Gerald Phillip Morris

A 38-year-old Mountain Home man with a long criminal record was back in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday for a review hearing related to his latest drug-related charges.

Gerald Phillip Morris has pled not guilty to a number of counts of felony possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, as well as simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Morris was ordered to reappear in circuit court Jan. 9.

The charge of simultaneous possession is a Class Y felony, the most serious crime classification in Arkansas not punishable by death.

Morris was one of four people arrested when a search warrant was served at a residence along County Road 1008 Oct. 9. He was listed in the probable cause affidavit as the owner of the property. Officers reported finding 186 grams of methamphetamine, almost 3 grams of fentanyl and several dosage units of LSD. In addition, officers found a loaded handgun and numerous items of drug paraphernalia, including packaging commonly used in the sale of methamphetamine.

In the new case, Morris is being charged as a habitual offender. He has an extensive criminal record dating back to 1999. Records show Morris’ charges are mainly drug-related. Criminal cases were filed against the Mountain Home man in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012 and 2016. He has spent significant time on probation, as well as doing stints in the state prison system. Charges in two cases were dismissed — one charge of intimidating a witness filed in 1999 and a drug charge in 2001.

He was close to completing the 14th Judicial District Drug Court Program, when he was arrested for selling a small quantity of methamphetamine in 2012. His probation was revoked, he washed out of drug court and was sent to prison for 10 years in October 2012. At the time Morris washed out of drug court, Circuit Judge Gordon Webb, who heads the program in the 14th Judicial District, said while he was disappointed Morris was unable to get through the program, he believed he was “a good person who could do well” if he wanted. He admonished Morris “not to give up on yourself.” Morris did pick up drug charges in 2016, but did not show up on Baxter County Circuit Court records again until his recent arrest.

Arrested with Morris were 25-year-old Kaitlyn Johnson, 55-year-old Dawn Thompson and 60-year-old Howard Johnson.



Photos: Kaitlyn Johnson, Dawn Thompson and Howard Johnson

WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI