Two Forrest City men have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a hostage situation in November where they allegedly kidnapped a woman and her child from their home and forced them at gunpoint to the family's downtown business.
Bud Cummins, a U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, said the federal indictments have been handed down in a Project Safe Neighborhoods case against Christopher Adrian Jones, 27, and Antoine Colby Cantrail Dent, 23, both of Forrest City. The two are charged for their roles in a conspiracy to commit the armed robbery of Unique Fashions, 404 Rosser St., on Nov. 15.
Both are charged 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.
According to the indictment, on Nov. 15, Jones and Dent took money and a vehicle from the employees of Unique Fashions by force and violence while armed with firearms. Both are charged with brandishing a 9mm pistol during this robbery.
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 St. Francis County Circuit Court.
"This indictment is another example of our commitment to bring the full weight of federal prosecution to bear in any case involving the illegal use of a firearm," said Cummins. "Every time criminals illegally use a firearm, they constitute a threat to the community and a threat to the rights of persons who own and use guns legally. The public is fed up with this conduct, and vigorous prosecutions like this one through Project Safe Neighborhoods is the solution."
The indictment is the result of an investigation conducted jointly by the Forrest City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Little Rock.
An indictment is only an allegation of wrongdoing. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Parents of junior high students who will be taking the Benchmark exam later this month, are being asked to attend a meeting this Thursday, March 11, at 6 p.m. in the Forrest City Junior High auditorium.
According to Chaney Murray, parent coordinator for the junior high, all eighth grade students will have to take the exam (so will fourth and sixth graders, but this meeting is for eighth grade parents).
Murray said the reason for the meeting is to get parents more involved in the education of their children.
"It's so we can inform the parents of how important this test is," Murray said. "If the kids don't bring their test scores up, that means we're facing a problem with being on the 'watch list,' and that is not something we want to do."
Murray said parents will be given an idea of things they should review with their children -- for instance, in the areas of math and writing skills.
The Benchmark test will be given the week after the kids get back from spring break, March 29 through April 2.
Murray said it was felt that the parents of the junior high students need more incentive to get involved than the parents of younger children.
"When you get to the middle school age and on up, we don't have enough parents involved in the education process for students," she said. "On the average, we get, maybe, a ninth of the parents. That shows you the problem. We're always sending communications home, but the parents rarely receive them. So we thought we'd do a parents' night."
According to Murray, there will be instructors from each department at the junior high.
"They will inform the parents of what their kids need to study for, look for, things like that."
Parents will also have an opportunity to ask the teachers about the test. They will also be able to see examples of released test items, to familiarize themselves and their kids with the format of the test.
The FCJHS band and choir are scheduled to perform, and there will be refreshments.
A Widener man was sentenced to seven years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on Friday in connection with a sexual assault in 2002.
According to a report from the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, David Pipkin, 36, of Widener, was found guilty of an amended charge of first-degree sexual assault in First Judicial Circuit Court last week. Pipkin was originally charged with rape in connection with an incident in April of 2002. Pipkin will receive credit for time served.
In other circuit court action on Friday, an Arlington, Texas man was sentenced to one year in the ADC on a charge of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. According to a report from the sheriff's department, Paul Sepeda, 43, was arrested in 1999 on charges of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Sepeda was arrested along with five others, after troopers with Arkansas State Police Troop D discovered over 250 pounds of marijuana in a truck Sepeda and his party were traveling with. Sepeda was ordered to serve his time concurrently with a federal sentence he is serving.
A Forrest City man was killed after being thrown from his vehicle as it flipped several times at the Parkin exit on Interstate 40 Saturday night.
Arkansas State Police Corporal Kelvin Stewart said the accident occurred just after 7 p.m. at the 256 westbound exit.
Elzo Woodford, 51, 702 Annette St., Forrest City, died in the wreck.
Stewart said Woodford was traveling west in his 2004 Chevrolet
Avalanche, and struck the exit sign. According to Stewart, Woodford
apparently overcorrected and began to overturn on the north side
of the exit ramp.
It's a busy week for meetings in Forrest City and St. Francis County.
Tonight the Forrest City City Council will have a special budget meeting, beginning at 5 p.m. The Widener City Council meets at 6 p.m. The Madison City Council and Hughes City Council both meet at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, The Caldwell City Council and Palestine City Council both meet at 7p.m.
On Thursday, the East Arkansas Community College Board of Trustees and the Wheatley City Council meet at 7 p.m.
Two Chicago residents were arrested Friday night after police found about 75 pounds of marijuana hidden inside their vehicle.
A trooper with Arkansas State Police Troop D in Forrest City stopped the 1996 GMC van about 6:45 for a traffic violation. After receiving consent to search the van, police found the drugs hidden inside the "natural voids of the interior."
The driver, Antonio Murillo, 29, is charged with possession with intent to deliver and suspended driver's license. Victoria Ortiz, 32, is charged with possession with intent to deliver.
The drugs are valued at about $75,000.
Although the firearm turned out to be a BB pistol, a student may still face disciplinary action.
Forrest City Police were notified of a student having a gun at Forrest City Middle School. Witnesses described the gun as black and silver.
A 14-year old juvenile was arrested and the gun, a BB pistol, was seized.
According to Dr. Alice Barnes, deputy superintendent of Forrest City schools, when a student is found to have a real handgun on school property, there is an automatic recommendation for expulsion. However, cases like the incident which happened Friday are taken on a case-by-case basis. She said there could still be a recommendation for expulsion, but the student's disciplinary and academic records will be taken into account.