Edward Everett Call, III of Cotter was unfortunate to have had an alleged marijuana grow operation in the garage of his parents’ residence discovered during an intense manhunt for fugitive Brandon Junek earlier this month. Call blurted out information, while being booked into the jail, which only made matters worse for him.
As officers fanned out across the area searching for Junek, they went to a residence along McClean Avenue in Cotter. One of the owners of the house — identified as Call’s mother — let officers into a detached garage to search for the fugitive.
They did not locate Junek, but did find what was described as the remnants of an indoor marijuana grow operation. Call’s mother said she and her husband had been in Florida for the winter months, and had only returned about a week before the incident.
During their absence, the 30-year-old Call had stayed at the Cotter home.
The mother told officers the room in the garage was normally used to start seedlings for her garden. In the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, officers reported finding loose marijuana leaves as well as multiple pairs of scissors appearing to have marijuana resin on them. Also in the room were “grow lights” and a device used for watering plants.
Call denied any knowledge of the grow operation, but was reported to have made a major mistake after he was brought to the Baxter County Detention Center and officers were discussing the charges to be filed against him.
During the discussion, the officers mentioned 14 grams of marijuana being located in the room. Call, who was close enough to hear the discussion, is alleged to have blurted out from his seat, on a bench in the booking area at the jail, there was “nowhere near 14 grams in there.”
In this case, Call was unfortunate to get his facts straight. Officers noted in the probable cause affidavit this was a fact Call could not have known if he was — as he claimed — unaware of the room and its contents.
Call is being represented by Mountain Home attorney Mark Cooper. In a document filed by Cooper last week, Call waived his appearance in circuit court and Cooper entered a not guilty plea on behalf of his client.
He is currently free on a bond of slightly more than $2,900 and due to appear in circuit court June 21st.
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