A Lakeview man on probation was arrested last Monday after deputies found him carrying a loaded handgun on property he did not own, authorities said.
Baxter County deputies were dispatched to 147 County Road 947 following a 9-1-1 call reporting a white male wearing a denim jacket and cowboy hat walking on private property with a firearm. Upon arrival, deputies located 64-year-old William Eugene Smith near a shed at 149 County Road 947.
Smith told authorities he was chasing burglars and had someone trapped under a shed. When asked if he had any weapons, Smith initially denied possessing any, but deputies found a loaded 9mm handgun in his coat pocket during a pat-down. Smith said he believed deputies would take his word for it.
Smith, who is on active probation and subject to an order of protection that prohibits him from possessing firearms, has five previous felony convictions, including violent felonies. The firearm, which belonged to the homeowner Smith was staying with, was seized along with ammunition and tested by ATF agents.
Earlier the same day, Smith had been involved in a dispute over a mailbox at 231 County Road 947. A real estate agent and the property owner reported that the mailbox post had been removed. Smith, who lives at a nearby address, said he removed the post to allow a tractor delivery and intended to put it back.
Bond is set at $2,500.
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