Photo: Gregory Mayfield
A 20-year-old Mountain Home man appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday to face charges in a number of criminal cases.
As he had done in several previous court appearances, Gregory Mayfield seemed more interested in making complaints about jail conditions than his charges. During his appearance Thursday, he alleged he had been attacked by a member of the jail staff.
Circuit Judge Gordon Webb said if such an attack had occurred, Mayfield should file a formal complaint. He said he had done so.
Mayfield’s complaints have included being denied medicine for an eye injury. According to court records, the injury resulted from Mayfield being pistol-whipped. The event took place when he was not in jail.
He has also told the court about a non-working toilet, and that no one on the jail staff would help him. Mayfield has also let the court know of his allegation that, “the stuff that’s going on in here is ridiculous.”
Mayfield has one active criminal case in which he is accused of attempting to steal a jacket inside a vehicle. The vehicle and the jacket – unfortunately for Mayfield — belonged to an off-duty Mountain Home Police Department (MHPD) officer. The jacket theft case has triggered revocation petitions in earlier cases filed against Mayfield.
The attempted jacket theft happened in early November last year when the officer reported seeing a person inside his vehicle parked in the driveway of his residence along East Eighth Street. The person turned out to be Mayfield.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the victim/police officer placed Mayfield in handcuffs and waited for another MHPD unit to arrive.
Mayfield, who has listed himself as homeless in some court documents, is alleged to have told officers he was cold and saw a jacket inside the victim’s vehicle. He was reported to have admitted he entered the vehicle to steal the coat.
In addition to his late 2019 charge, petitions have been filed seeking to revoke Mayfield’s probation in two other criminal cases.
In one of the cases filed in October 2017, Mayfield was found guilty of entering two cars parked in driveways at addresses in Briarcliff. Cash and personal items belonging to the owners were reported to have been taken. Mayfield was developed as a suspect when a relative reported he had property matching the description of items stolen from the two vehicles.
When Mayfield was interviewed, he admitted to breaking into the two vehicles and also told investigators about a third break-in that had not been reported to law enforcement.
Mayfield said he only took money from the vehicles and claimed a relative had asked him to break into cars and get money so the individual could buy drugs.
The second case involved a vehicle break-in reported Christmas Day 2016. Mayfield was accused of taking three firearms and a hunting bow.
Value of the items was estimated to be several thousand dollars. Mayfield was reported to have admitted to the theft.
Mayfield had been put on probation in both the 2016 and 2017 cases.
He is scheduled to reappear in circuit court Feb. 6.
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