By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
State charges against three men accused in a kidnapping that led to a hostage situation and standoff with police last November were dropped Tuesday.
St. Francis County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chris Morledge said the charges were nolle prosequi Tuesday in St. Francis County Circuit Court because the cases against the men have been transferred to federal court. In November, police arrested Colby Dent, 27, Christopher Jones, 23 and Walter Williams, 22, on charges of aggravated robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault, burglary, theft of property and possession of a firearm by a certain person.
The three are accused of kidnapping Chong Ing and her seven-year-old daughter after breaking into their home on North Division Street. The men allegedly forced Ing and her daughter into the family's van and drove to Ing's business, Unique Fashions, on North Rosser Street, where Jones held her at gunpoint as he escorted her into the store, and Dent remained in the van with the child. Williams remained at Ing's house where her brother and a babysitter had been bound with duct tape, according to court records.
The hostage situation began as Dent was attempting to leave the store with Ing after he had allegedly taken money from the store's safe. When he walked to the door, Dent noticed that police had surrounded the building, so he went back into the store where he reportedly held Ing at gunpoint for about two hours before surrendering to police. No injuries were reported in the incident.
The federal indictments against Dent and Jones were handed down in a Project Safe Neighborhoods case in March. The trial for both men is scheduled to begin Nov. 8 in Little Rock.
Jones and Dent are charged in federal court with conspiracy and attempted interference with commerce by threats or violence, conspiracy to brandish and brandishing of firearms during crimes of violence, carjacking and being felons in possession of firearms. Dent is also charged with attempted destruction of investigative records.
The statutory penalty for conspiracy and attempted interference with commerce by threats or violence is not more than 20 years imprisonment and/or a fine of not more than $250,000. Conspiracy and brandishing firearms during crimes of violence carries a mandatory seven year term of imprisonment consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. Carjacking is not more than 15 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000. Felon in possession of firearms is not more than 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000. Attempted destruction of investigative records is not more than 20 years imprisonment and/or a fine of not more than $250,000.
Jones is charged with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 3559(c), the federal "three strikes" statute. This statute provides for an enhanced penalty for conviction of certain federal serious violent crimes after previous convictions for other violent crimes in the past. As noted in the indictment, Jones, a two-time convicted felon, has previously been convicted of robbery, battery in the first degree and aggravated robbery in Arkansas State Court proceedings. Several of the counts in the indictment expose Jones to a mandatory term of life imprisonment if convicted as charged.
According to the indictment, Dent is a three-time convicted felon with previous convictions for robbery, residential burglary and theft by receiving from SFC Circuit Court.
Williams has not yet been indicted in federal court. However, after the charges in this case were nolle prosequi on Tuesday, Williams was again arrested by Forrest City Police. On Wednesday, officers with the FCPD arrested Williams on charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver near certain facilities and loitering after police found .5 grams of crack cocaine in his pocket.
In other circuit court activity this week, Antione Wilson, 27, of Forrest City, was sentenced to seven years in the ADC on a drug charge, with that sentence to run concurrently with a prison sentence he is currently serving.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The former Arkansas Power and Light headquarters on North Washington in Forrest City is being transformed into an incubator center for small business development.
The building is being remodeled as the future site of the Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation (ALFDC) business complex. J.D. Davis, the executive vice president of the ALFDC, explained the project and how it will affect Forrest City.
"We are renovating the building to install an incubator for small business," said Davis. "A small business incubator recruits small businesses and helps them with developing business plans and a good business infrastructure to ensure that they succeed. The ultimate goal is to create 60 new jobs for low income residents through the program.
"We are federally funded," added Davis. "Our funding comes from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and its Office of Community Services. The ALFDC is a sponsor of the project, along with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Genesis Broadband. The First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas is a supporter of the project. We are hoping to get both East Arkansas Community College and Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute involved in the project as well."
According to Davis, the building renovation should be completed soon, and the program should be open sometime during the last quarter of this year. Small business owners who are interested in the project should contact Davis at 870-734-1140.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The St. Francis County Clerk's office has set the dates and times for early voting for the next two elections this year.
The school board elections in the county will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 21. Early voting for this election will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 7, and continue through Monday, Sept. 20. It will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, in the county clerk's office in the St. Francis County Courthouse. Clerk Elizabeth Smith stated that everyone, not only parents, have a stake in this election.
"In general, school board elections have a lower voter turn out than the general election," said Smith. "Many people think, 'Well I don't have children, so I don't need to vote. It doesn't affect me,' but it does. People who have children vote, but those who don't have children are also affected. You may have grandchildren in public schools, you might have nieces and nephews in school. Everybody, at least, knows someone who has a child in the school system. Who is elected to the school board affects everyone."
The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2, and voters in the area will cast ballots for several positions on area city councils. Voters will also cast ballots in the Presidential election.
Early voting for the general election will be held from Monday, Oct. 18, through Monday, Nov. 1. The hours to early vote will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. There will also be early voting on Saturday, from 1 to 4 p.m. This period will also be held in the county clerk's office.
"One of the biggest advantages to early voting is if something comes up on election day, you have already voted," added Smith. "This is especially helpful to the elderly. If they have a doctor's appointment or if they get sick, they will have already cast their vote. Voting early also helps you avoid standing in long lines waiting to vote on election day.
"I believe that early voting encourages people to vote," continued Smith. "It gives people more time to come in. We want to get as many people as we can to participate in early voting. In 2002, we had 1,991 people early vote (in the general election). This year our goal is to increase that number to 2,000 to 2,200 people early voting (in the November general election)."
The Jim and Kim Jones family of Palestine is the 2004 Farm Family of the Year for St. Francis County.
J&K Farms, which also includes their daughter Megan Jones, comprises close to 3,500 acres of farmland and woodland just south of Palestine. The family plants five primary crops including rice, soybeans, corn, cotton and wheat.
The family operation, which is in its third generation on the same land, also includes Caleb Jones Farms, which is an independent farming operation owned by Jim and Kim's 22-year-old son Caleb and his wife Emily.
The Times-Herald is saluting the Jones family in a 16-page insert included in today's edition.
The St. Francis County and Forrest City 911 Committee will meet at 5 p.m. today at the Forrest City City Hall.
Also this evening, the St. Francis County Transportation Commission will meet at 6 p.m. in the quorum court meeting room at the courthouse.