The following is a brief compilation of criminal cases that have been adjudicated in Newton County Circuit Court during the spring session. Circuit court cases are filed by county on the Administrative Office of the Courts CourtConnect Website https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/cconnect/PROD/public/ck_public_qry_main.cp_main_idx.
Cases are listed by file number and defendant. In some instances affidavits explaining the original cause of arrest and charges were not available.
51CR-23-15 - Crystal Barry, 38, was formally charged in May 2023 with firearm possession-restriction, class B felony; aggravated assault on a family or household member, class D felony; endangering the welfare of a minor in the fisr degree, class D felony; enhanced penalties for offenses committed in the presence of a child - enhancement - subjecting the defendant to an additional term of imprisonment of not less than 1one year and not greater than 10 years and habitual offender - enhancement - On count 1: No less than five years nor more than 40 years in prison, Count 2: No more than 15 years in prison. Count 3: No more than 15 years in prison.
According to the court filing, on March 15-16 the defendant fired approximately 18 rounds from her handgun inside the home while her juvenile son and elderly grandmother were present in the living room. The defendant fired the handgun because she got upset after her mother asked the same questions multiple times through the bedroom door. When police arrived, consent was granted to search the home. The defendant was not present. Officers located approximately 18 bullet holes starting from the defendant's bedroom into the bathroom and exiting the outside wall of the home. The handgun was found in a drawer in the defendant's bedroom.
The case continued until an order of nolle prosequi was filed last May 12 on the request of the state.
According to the motion, witnesses in the matter were uncooperative with the state's prosecution efforts making it unable to meet its burden of proof in this matter.
An order was also filed last June 6 returning the seized Taurus PT 809 9mm handgun to the defendant.
51CR51CR-23-18 - Nathan John Rick, 44, was formally charged in May 2023 with domestic battering in the second degree, a class C felony and aggravated assault on a familiar household member, a class D felony.
Court filings show that on Jan. 11, 2023, that the defendant and his some, Nathan Rick II, got into an argument. The argument became physical and at one point the defendant hit his son in the head with the lid of a toilet tank causing him to lose consciousness.
The case was continued and on Feb. 21, 2024, the case file shows that the defendant entered a misdemeanor plea statement. The state nolle prosequi the aggravated assault on a family or household member and amended the domestic battering in the second degree to domestic battering int he third degree, a class A misdemeanor.
Rick was sentenced to 12 months state supervised probation and was fined $1,000.
51CR-23-20 - Jimmy Dale Middleton, 49, was charged in May 2023 with possession of schedule I/II controlled substance not methamphetamine or cocaine (oxycodone), class D felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, class A misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, class A misdemeanor and habitual offender-enhancement subjecting the defendant to an enhanced penalty of no more than 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
According to court filings, on April 21, 2023, the defendant was the subject of a highway stop on the cause of a warrant for his arrest in Newton County. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of some syringes and reside of Oxycodone.
The case proceeded with the defendant entering an agreement for a negotiated plea, thus cancelling a jury trial that was set for last April 3.
Middleton was sentenced to 72 months of probation and was fined $1,000 on the controlled substance charge. The paraphernalia charges were dismissed. He was awarded jail time credit of eight days.
The case was formally closed last April 22.
51CR-23-21 - Amos J. Campbell, 34, was charged in June 2023 with third degree escape, class C felony and possession of a schedule I/II controlled substance (methamphetamine, class D felony.
Court information states that on July 22, 2022, the defendant was stopped by the county sheriff pursuant to a traffic violation. Upon making contact with the defendant, the sheriff saw in plain view a baggie with suspected methamphetamine on the defendant's left leg. The defendant was then placed in handcuffs and removed from the vehicle. It was later determined that the defendant had active warrants for his arrest. The sheriff then formally placed him under arrest. While the sheriff continued with his investigation, the defendant did escape from the sheriff's custody on foot. After a through search, law enforcement officers were unable to locate the defendant.
A plea statement was entered in the case on Jan. 25, 2024. Campbell pleaded guilty to the charges and was given concurrent sentences of four years of state supervised probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
The case was closed last Jan 29, but a revocation petition was filed last April 24 for failing to report for his scheduled probation office visit and evading supervision.
An arrest warrant was issued on May 7.
51CR-23-22 - Connley S. Cooper, 33, was formally charged in June 2023 with possession of a schedule I/II controlled substance (methamphetamine or cocaine), class C felony.
Specifically he was allegedly in possession on May 6, 2023, of more than two grams, but less than 10 grams of methamphetamine.
Last May 1, the defendant entered an agreement for a negotiated plea. The sentencing order was filed last May 22. Cooper was sentenced to 48 months of probation and was fined $1,000. He was given jail time credit of three days.
51CR-23-23 - Chelsea Danielle Campbell, 29, was charged in June 2023 with battery in the first degree, class B felony; terroristic threatening in the first degree, endangering the welfare of a minor, class A misdemeanor; endangering the welfare of a minor, class A misdemeanor and endangering the welfare of a minor, class A misdemeanor. A seventh count called for enhanced penalties for offenses committed int eh presence of a child.
A summary of the charges explains that on June 12, 2023, the defendant approached Rebecca Smith, pulled a knife, and threaded to "kill her and burn down her house." The defendant charged Smioth with the knife. Smith put her arms up in defense and the defendant cut open Smith's arm with the knife. Smith's 12 year old daughter was present in the year when the attack occurred. The defendant's three children were in the defendant's vehicle and witnessed the attack.
Last June 5, a plea statement was entered into the case file. The state dropped counts 3, 4, 5, 6 , the endangerment charges, and 7, the enhanced penalties.
The class count of battery in the first degree was amended to battery in the second degree, a class D felony. The terroristic threatening charge stood as initially filed. Campbell pleaded no contest to the first charge receiving a sentence of five years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. She pleaded guilty to the terroristic threatening charge was was given a concurrent three-year suspended imposition of sentence. In addition, she was fined $1,000.
The case was closed last June 6.
51CR-23-33 - Zowie Castell Durham-Rutledge, 24, was charged in September 2023
With possession of a schedule I/II controlled substance, class D felony; possession of a schedule VI controlled substance, class A misdemeanor and possession of drug paraphernalia, class A misdemeanor.
An affidavit from a deputy involved in the case states that the defendant was a passenger in a vehicle the deputy stopped at Western Grove on July 1, 2023. The defendant had a small amount of marijuana in her purse and a grinder with some edibles. The deputy also found a small plastic bag containing psychedelic mushrooms. The defendant was arrested for possession.
Last May 1 the defendant entered an agreement for a negotiated plea. The state amended the possession of a schedule I/II controlled substance, class D felony to possession of a schedule VI controlled substance, class A misdemeanor. The defendant pleaded guilty. The defendant pleaded guilty to the remaining charges as well. She was sentenced to 12 months of state supervised probation, all concurrently, and was fined $1,000.
The case was formally closed last May 22.
