A Mountain Home man arrested on drug charges twice in slightly more than three months appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court/Criminal Division Monday.
Forty-four-year-old Jerry Lee Brace has entered not guilty pleas to the charges in both cases.
Brace was initially jailed on June 10 after a substance field-testing positive for methamphetamine was found in his vehicle during a traffic stop on College Street by Mountain Home police officers.
The initial reason for the stop was a minor traffic violation but Brace ended up facing the more serious charge of drug possession. He was also found to have an active warrant for failure to appear in court.
Brace’s second case stems from him allegedly selling methamphetamine to a person working for law enforcement in late April.
Officers set up surveillance in the area and saw Brace get into the vehicle with the confidential informant (CI). The pair drove around until they arrived at the Mountain Home Church of Christ.
At that point, Brace was reported to have gotten out of the car and walked to a residence located along East North Street and toward the rear of the church property .
After a short time, Brace returned and handed the CI a small plastic bag containing a white crystalline substance. The substance and the small plastic bag weighed about 19.1 grams.
He was booked into the Baxter County Detention Center on charges of unlawful use of a communications device, delivery of drugs and delivery of controlled substances in proximity to certain facilities.
The law permits an enhanced sentence if a person is found to have dealt in drugs within 1,000 feet of facilities including parks, schools, school bus stops community centers, day cares and churches.
A sentence can be enhanced by up to 10 years. The law does not require the prosecution to prove the person was aware of the protected nature of the facility.
Brace’s bond on the new case is $7,500. He has twice requested a reduction in the bond but has been turned down by the court.
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