A local man was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court to felony charges stemming from three arrests last year and earlier this year.
Jason Alan Alexander, 35, who has remained in custody on zero bond since his last arrest on June 5, pleaded guilty to possession of meth with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to appear and was sentenced to eight years in prison on each count and to breaking or entering and was sentenced to six years, all to run concurrently.
Court costs were expunged for time served, but he was ordered to pay restitution from a court judgment.
According to the affidavits, on Nov. 28, 2016, Garland County sheriff's Cpl. Josh Cannon stopped a white Chevrolet Malibu at the intersection of Adcock and Marion Anderson roads for having illegal window tinting. He made contact with a female driver, 32, and Alexander, the passenger, and noted both were acting extremely nervous.
Alexander tried to conceal something on the right side of his body and was asked to step out of the car. During a pat down, he admitted he had a meth pipe in his right pocket.
As Cannon attempted to detain him, Alexander pulled away, reached into his pants and threw a bag on the ground that was found to contain 31.2 grams of what later field tested positive for meth. Inside the passenger door, Cannon also located a notepad with several names and dollar amounts in it.
Alexander later made several statements admitting to dealing meth and explaining because he was in "so much trouble" he was unable to get "a legit job" and forced to sell meth "to take care of his kids."
Alexander was later released on $10,000 bond. After he failed to appear for a hearing March 14, 2017, in circuit court, a felony warrant was issued for his arrest.
On April 21, 2017, Hot Springs police responded to A Storage Place, 4730 Central Ave., regarding a break-in to a storage unit and the theft of several boxes of items, including two computer/cash drawers valued at $2,000 each.
The property manager told police he witnessed Alexander, who also rented a unit there, removing property from a unit that did not belong to him and putting the items into his car. He said he yelled at him, but Alexander got into his car and fled the scene.
The lock on the unit had been cut to gain entry and the property manager noted Alexander had signed in at the front office shortly before he was seen breaking into the unit.
On June 5, Alexander was arrested on the breaking or entering charge and the warrant for failure to appear.
Local on 09/07/2017