The 26th suspect being sought as part of a multiagency warrant roundup in and around Hot Springs was arrested Wednesday morning on multiple felony drug-related charges.
Heath Michael Edwards, 35, who lists a Bismarck address, was taken into custody shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday in the 3100 block of Albert Pike Road and charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, unauthorized use of another person's property to facilitate crime, punishable by up to 20 years, possession of meth with purpose to deliver and three counts of delivery of meth, punishable by up to 10 years, and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years.
Edwards remained in custody Thursday on zero bond and is set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
Edwards' arrest brings the total number of suspects arrested as part of the warrant roundup to 26, with the other 25 arrested Monday and over the weekend, Deputy Prosecutor Trent Daniels, who is assigned with the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force, said.
Daniels said two more suspects were still being sought as of Thursday on the DTF warrants.
The DTF worked with the Garland County Sheriff's Department, Hot Springs police, Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Community Corrections Special Response Team, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshal's Service, Diplomatic Security Service and the Garland County Detention Center in locating and arresting the suspects.
According to the probable cause affidavit on Edwards, DTF agents were actively searching for him on warrants for the three counts of delivery of meth when they spotted him in the parking lot of McDonald's, 3101 Albert Pike, about to get in the driver's seat of a 2012 Ford Focus.
He was taken into custody without incident and when asked if he had any weapons, Edwards reportedly admitted he had a pistol in the front seat and a shotgun in the back. A loaded .22-caliber revolver was found in the center console beside the driver's seat and a loaded 12-gauge shotgun was found on the floorboard behind the driver's seat.
In searching Edwards, investigators allegedly found a baggie with 0.9 gram of what later tested positive for meth in his pants pocket. A further search of the vehicle reportedly uncovered ammunition, digital scales, a syringe, a glass smoking pipe and a plastic container with meth residue.
The affidavit notes the vehicle was found to be registered to someone else and the location where Edwards was arrested was noted to be within 1,000 feet of Piney Baptist Church and multiple school bus stops.
Local on 04/20/2018