The following is a brief compilation of criminal cases that have been adjudicated in Newton County Circuit Court during the fall 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-21-26 - Logan James Ratliff, 34, was formally charged in April 2021 with possession of drug paraphernalia, a class D felony; possession drug paraphernalia, a class D felony; possession of a schedule VI controlled substance, class A misdemeanor; driving while license suspended, cancelled or revoked, an unclassified misdemeanor; insurance required, minimum coverage, violation; turning at intersections, violation and habitual offender sentence enhancement.
According to the case filings, the defendant possessed drug paraphernalia with the purpose to use the drug paraphernalia to inject, ingest, inhale or otherwise introduce into the human body a controlled substance, and possessed to use drug paraphernalia to store, contain or conceal a controlled substance that is methamphetamine, heroine, fentanyl, or cocaine.
On April 5, 2021, it was alleged that law enforcement officers were at a Piercetown residence when they observed a black GMC Yukon pull off the side of the road at a neighboring residence. The vehicle sat at the side of the road for a couple of minutes before turning around on the road and traveling north on state Highway 123.
An investigator went to try and catch up with the vehicle and saw the vehicle make a sudden, quick turn off of the highway onto County Road 4500. Enforcement officers found the vehicle and the driver, the defendant. In plain view were two marijuana cigarettes. Inside the vehicle officers found a container with a crystal-like substance and a can with a similar substance on the bottom. Both field tested positive for methamphetamine. It was noted in the file that the defendant had four prior felony convictions from drug arrests.
The case proceeded through several continuances until a plea statement was made on Sept. 20, 2024.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the drug paraphernalia felonies and was placed on six years of supervised probation and participate in the 14th Judicial District Drug Court. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $500 along with other court costs and fees.
51CR-23-11 - James Floyd Henderson, 47, was formally charged in March 2023 with the crimes of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, a class Y felony; possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, a class D felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor; no driver's licenses, unclassified misdemeanor; no insurance, violation and no tail light, violation.
On or about Feb. 20, 2023, the defendant allegedly unlawfully operated a motor vehicle without at least one tail lamp lighted as required by law. The defendant was pulled over and it was found the defendant also did not have a driver's license or vehicle insurance. During a search, officers found a 22-caliber revolver under the jacket the defendant was wearing and a plastic bag containing methamphetamine in the defendant's front, right pocket.
The case was continued several times and jury trials were scheduled and then cancelled as the defendant failed to appear in court when ordered.
A plea agreement was entered in the case on Sept. 25, 2024. The state dropped the possession of drugs and firearms violation as well as no driver's license, no insurance and no tail light. The state also amended the possession of drug paraphernalia from a class D felony to a class A misdemeanor. The defendant pleaded guilty to the remaining charges.
He received five years of state supervised probation on the methamphetamine possession charge and a year of supervised probation on the drug paraphernalia class A misdemeanor count. The sentences run concurrently.
Henderson was additionally fined $1,000 which he had to pay in addition to court costs and other fees.
The case was formally closed on Sept. 30, 2024.
51CR-23-16 - Ryan Lessley Campbell, 39, was formally charged in May 2023 with reckless burning, a class D felony; criminal mischief in the first degree, a class D felony and habitual offender - enhancement.
According to a court case summary, on or about April 24-25, 2023 at 2 a.m., firefighters responded to a fire at 263 NC 4510, Vendor. The defendant came out of the woods and stated he was performing a controlled burn and had the situation under control. Later that morning around 8 o'clock, a female resident arrived home to find the backyard and a shed on fire. The defendant was found inside of the house asleep. Personal items of the female resident were removed from the house and found dumped outside on the other side of the fence. After firefighters contained the fire it was determined the fire damaged a Ritter Communications Pedestal. The cost of repairs for the Ritter property was $1,644.75 and the value of destroyed shed and its contents was $15,000 to $17,000.
A jury trial was scheduled for earlier this year but was cancelled last May.
A bench trial was set for July 3, 2024, as a jury trial was waived. Evidence was heard and Judge John Putman found the defendant to be not guilty on all counts alleged in the information. The judgment of acquittal was filed Sept. 26 formally closing the case at that time.
51CR-23-32 - Kaytlin Rebecca Beck, 25, was formally charged Sept. 19, 2023, with possession of schedule I/II controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor.
According to an affidavit in the case file, Beck was a passenger in vehicle being investigated by law enforcement officers. As she was exiting the vehicle a glass smoking pipe was found in the seat where she was sitting. A white substance was inside the pipe. It was seized as evidence and Beck was placed under arrest for an active misdemeanor warrant for her arrest out of the Boone County Sheriff's Office. She was turned over to Boone County authorities.
The evidence was field tested and was found to be positive for methamphetamine.
The case proceeded to trial, but it was canceled on Sept. 26, after a plea agreement was reached.
The state agreed to dismiss the possession charge and Beck agreed to plea to the misdemeanor in exchange for 12 months of state supervised probation and paying a $1,000 fine along with court costs and fees.
The case was closed on Sept. 30 with the signed sentencing order being filed on Oct. 7.
51CR-24-1 - Richard Jacob Goldberg, 20, was formally charged Jan. 10, 2024, with possession of schedule I/II controlled substance (not methamphetamine or cocaine) a class D felony; possession of schedule VI controlled substance, class A misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, class A misdemeanor; battery in the third degree, class A misdemeanor and criminal mischief in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor.
An affidavit filed in the case states that on Jan. 6, 2024, a deputy responded to a call from a residence on Cedar Lane in Jasper in regards to a report of a man acting violent and needing an ambulance. According to an individual who met the first arriving officer, the defendant was apparently showing effects of some kind of drug and was acting violently. He was located in the basement where some marijuana and paraphernalia was observed in the open.
Additional assistance was called to the scene. Goldberg was eventually restrained with handcuffs, moved to a police vehicle and transported to the county jail. He was later transported to North Arkansas Regional Medical Center to be cleared by medical staff.
Items collected and sent to the Arkansas Crime Lab for testing.
A plea statement was filed last August. The state did not prosecute four of the filed charges and Goldberg pleaded guilty to possession of schedule I/II controlled substance (not methamphetamine or cocaine), a class D felony and was sentenced to three years of probation and fined $1,000.
The case was formally closed last Sept. 9.
