Two residents of Jacksonville have been placed under arrest after police allegedly found drugs inside a home, according to local sources. Arkansas authorities arrested a 36-year-old woman and a 39-year-old man, both of whom now face charges pertaining to drug crimes. As of this report, the woman appears to have been released from custody, but the man remains behind bars in a county jail. No court date has been announced.
According to the police report, officers responded to a complaint of a possible narcotic use at a home in Jacksonville. When they arrived, they were met by the woman at the door while the man allegedly tried to escape out the back door. Upon entering the residence, which they say smelled strongly of marijuana, they found two teenagers, ages 14 and 15 respectively, in the living room.
A subsequent search allegedly revealed drug paraphernalia, including a metal grinder and several hand-rolled marijuana cigarettes. Police did not elaborate as to how much marijuana they believe to have been on-site at the time, but they arrested both individuals. It is unclear whether the teenagers were remanded to the custody of family members.
Drug crimes are taken very seriously here in Arkansas, and if these two individuals are found guilty, they could face criminal jail time and other penalties. However, it will be the burden of the prosecution to not only prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the two actually had marijuana in their possession, but also, that police conducted themselves in accordance with due process. If the rights of either individual were impeded in any way, evidence gathered by police could be deemed inadmissible in court.
Source: arkansasonline.com, “Police: 2 central Arkansas residents arrested after drugs found in home where teens present“, Brandon Riddle, Nov. 22, 2017