Photo: Karn Castorena
Information that a murder suspect wanted out of Flint, Michigan, was possibly hiding at a residence in Stone County has led to the arrest of three people on felony drug and weapons charges.
According to the probable cause affidavit, a U.S. Marshal task force/Arkansas Community Corrections officer and special response team (SRT) member, along with other SRT officers, made contact March 9 with 55-year-old Karn Castorena at the residence along Arkansas Highway 9 South in Mountain View. While speaking with Castorena, a male subject, later identified as 62-year-old Keith Geurian, fled from a detached garage at the residence and was apprehended in a field.
Castorena reportedly gave consent to search the residence for the wanted fugitive. The task force officers/SRT members cleared the residence and were unable to locate the murder suspect. A third individual, 55-year-old John Rosenthal, was also taken into custody, after he was observed through an open window left of the front door.
Photo: John Rosenthal
While the fugitive was not located, in their search of the residence, law enforcement observed a loaded needle in plain sight and a drug pipe in a toilet. A large amount of presumed methamphetamine and several firearms were also located in a closet.
Officers secured the area and waited for a search warrant. With the warrant, that evening, officers conducted a search just before 8:30 that concluded shortly after 11.
The search produced
– two large vacuumed sealed bags of a white crystalline substance in excess of 200 grams on top of a dresser;
– additional white, yellow and blue crystalline substances in a closet, top dresser drawer and shelf;
– small baggie of green vegetable material;
– unknown fine white powdery substance in a safe;
– seven firearms in a closet — two were loaded and a 12-gauge shotgun had a barrel length sawed or altered to approximately 15 inches;
– two loaded syringes;
– two glass pipes;
– two digital scales:
– three white empty mailing boxes — two U.S. Postal and one FED EX — showed to be received from California;
– an address book; and
– three cellphones.
The search continued and produced on a nightstand
– small shot glass with a white crystalline substance;
– one loaded syringe;
– small bag of white powdery substance; and a
– purple glass smoking device
In a duffle bag on a bed, the search revealed
– two tied baggies with a white crystalline substance; and a
– jar containing a green leafy vegetable substance.
Two cellphones were located on the living room coffee table.
Castorena and Geurian have been charged with
– trafficking a controlled substance, methamphetamine (200 grams or more), a Class Y felony;
– simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, a Class Y felony;
– maintaining a drug premises, a Class C felony;
– possession of drug paraphernalia with the purpose to analyze crystal methamphetamine, a Class B felony;
– possession of drug paraphernalia with the purpose to use crystal methamphetamine, a Class D felony;
– possession of drug paraphernalia with the purpose to store, contain, or conceal crystal methamphetamine, a Class D felony;
– possession of a controlled substance, Schedule VI (marijuana), a Class A misdemeanor;
– possession of firearms by certain persons (meaning they are convicted felons), a Class B felony; and
– penalty enhancement.
Their bonds are set at $250,000.
Rosenthal has been charged with
– possession of methamphetamine, a Class A felony;
– maintaining a drug premises, a Class C felony,
– possession of drug paraphernalia with the purpose to use crystal methamphetamine, a Class D felony;
– possession of drug paraphernalia with the purpose to store, contain, or conceal crystal methamphetamine, a Class D felony;
– possession of a controlled substance, Schedule VI (marijuana), a Class A misdemeanor; and
– penalty enhancement.
His bond was set at $100,000.
According to the national and state crime information center databases, all three suspects have four or more prior felonies.
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