Photo: Denver Baumgardner Jr.
A Norfork man was sentenced to 10 years in prison during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday, after pleading guilty to charges of theft by receiving, second-degree forgery and criminal mischief.
The investigation leading to 33-year-old Denver Baumgardner Jr.’s arrest began in mid-April when a Baxter County deputy responded to a stolen vehicle report at a resident along County Road 11.
An 84-year-old woman living at the address reported her car was missing. She told investigators she had left her residence at noon April 12 and returned around 3 p.m. to find her vehicle missing.
It was also discovered someone had entered her residence through an unlocked back door and stole $150 in cash, a pair of women’s house slippers and a woman’s coat.
Information regarding the stolen vehicle was posted on social media. A person called the sheriff’s office shortly after the posting and reported seeing the car in the Arkana area.
Despite an intensive search, officers were not able to find the vehicle at the time.
Later, the Little Rock Police Department made contact with the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office and reported contact with the stolen vehicle.
It was being driven by Baumgardner.
Baumgardner had two handwritten bills of sale in his possession when he was arrested.
The documents showed allegedly bogus transactions involving the vehicle, including a sale by the owner, which never took place.
During his court appearance Thursday, Baumgardner admitted to the charges against him, including having possession of the vehicle when pulled over and arrested in Little Rock, but denied actually stealing the car.
It will not be the first time Baumgardner has been in prison. According to Arkansas Department of Correction records, he picked up 100 major disciplinary violations while locked up on charges in 2006-2007.
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