Photo: Brandon L. Ledford
A Boone County man entered a not guilty plea in circuit court last Friday to charges related to an alleged bomb threat earlier this month.
According to the probable cause affidavit, 43-year-old Brandon L. Ledford of Harrison was arrested March 3 and charged with felony counts of communicating a false alarm/bombing at school, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also faces misdemeanor counts of fleeing, resisting arrest, public intoxication and loitering.
An officer from the Harrison Police Department was dispatched to the area of North Arkansas College’s north campus along North Spring Road in reference to a suspicious male, later identified as Ledford, standing in the roadway stopping cars.
When the officer arrived, he was advised by a second law enforcement member of Ledford running on the west side of the college property between Pace Industries and the North Arkansas College campus.
When the first officer made contact with Ledford and asked to speak with him, the Harrison man reportedly responded he couldn’t, and he had a bomb that would “blow up, killing everyone.”
The officer noted Ledford is not a known student at the college, and, therefore, “had no business being in the area he was located.”
The officer said Ledford’s movement and statements were that of someone under the influence of methamphetamine.
Ledford began to walk away, and while focused on the assisting law enforcement member, was taken to the ground by the officer first responding to the scene.
A search of Ledford’s person led to the discovery of a baggie containing a crystal-like substance consistent with meth and drug paraphernalia.
His bond was set at $25,000.
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