Man arrested after drugs were found in his car pleads guilty

wireready_11-19-2025-11-50-29_04752_robertjamesriley

When a Baxter County sheriff’s deputy responded to a request for a welfare check on a car parked at a business along Highway 62 West, he found the vehicle with the driver’s side door open and legs sticking out.

The deputy reports approaching the vehicle and seeing 71-year-old Robert James Riley who was “mumbling words.”

Riley, who lists an address in Mountain Home, appeared during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court/Criminal Division Monday (November 10) and pled guilty to the charges against him.

He was sentenced to four years-probation.

During his investigation which was done on August 8, the deputy said he saw a pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine in Riley’s lap. When Riley was questioned about the possibility of illegal narcotics being in the vehicle, he is alleged to have responded he was not sure but then admitted he had “just smoked methamphetamine” with the pipe.

Several illegal items were found during a search of the vehicle, including marijuana, marijuana seeds, a second smoking pipe and a white crystal-like substance suspected of being methamphetamine.

Riley was charged with possession of marijuana and methamphetamine and items of paraphernalia used to ingest drugs.

He has been free on $10,000 bond.

WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI