Photo: Jacob Walls. Photo: Courtesy Harrison Daily Times
A Harrison man has been arrested and charged in connection with a wildland fire in February of 2019 within the Buffalo National River.
According to a news release from the Department of Justice, 28-year-old Jacob Walls was indicted by a federal grand jury in March. The indictment alleges Walls willfully and without authority and consent of the United States, set fire to National Park Service land.
National Park Service (NPS) firefighters and US park rangers were dispatched to the report of a wildland fire near Pruitt in Newton County in February 2019. The fire was contained by NPS firefighters to prevent its spread onto private lands.
A trial date has been set for Dec. 7, after Walls’ arraignment on Friday. He faces up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000, if convicted.
The case was investigated by the NPS, Investigative Services Branch, the US park rangers at Buffalo National River, the Newton County Sheriff’s Department and the 14th Arkansas Judicial District Prosecutor’s Office.
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