Three Batesville men have been arrested on drug charges after authorities executed a search warrant late last week at a residence north of town.
The arrests were the result of a combined effort between the Independence County Sheriff’s Department, the Arkansas State Police, the 16th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Batesville Police Department, and agents from the state probation and parole office, a statement from Sheriff Shawn Stephens’ department noted.
According to the department, Jason Laden (pictured above) of Batesville was charged with the following: two felony counts of delivery of methamphetamine, more than 10 grams, less than 200 grams; a felony count of delivery of a Schedule I or II controlled substance — not meth/cocaine, more than 2 grams, less than 28 grams; a felony count of possession with the purpose to deliver a Schedule I or II controlled substance — not meth/cocaine, more than 2 grams but less than 28 grams; a felony count of possession of drug paraphernalia with purpose to analyze meth; and a felony count of maintaining a drug premises.
Larry Caldwell of Batesville was charged with the following charges: felony possession of a controlled substance with the purpose to deliver meth, greater than 10 grams but less than 200 grams; felony possession of controlled substance — a Schedule II narcotic (Lortab), greater than 2 grams but less than 28 grams; a felony count of maintaining a drug premises; felony possession of drug paraphernalia with purpose to analyze meth; and felony possession of drug paraphernalia with the purpose to ingest meth into the human body, the statement said.
And William Donaldson III of Batesville was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance Schedule II — meth, less than 2 grams; felony possession of drug paraphernalia with the purpose to store, contain, or conceal meth; and felony possession of a controlled substance Schedule II — not meth/cocaine, 2 grams or more but less than 28 grams, according to the department.
Laden’s booking information also notes a “habitual offender” status, according to the department’s website. Booking information on Caldwell and Donaldson was not available on the website as of this article’s posting time.
For an update on this story, click here.
An image from the Independence County Sheriff’s Department released after the search warrant was executed on the residence. All images via Independence County Sheriff’s Department.
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