Local man arrested on multiple felony drug charges, endangering minors

Colbert
Colbert

A Hot Springs man was arrested late Monday on multiple felony and misdemeanor warrants involving drugs and firearms, and he and his live-in girlfriend were both charged for allegedly endangering her three children.

Darnell Darian Colbert, 29, of 1805 W. St. Louis St., was taken into custody at his residence shortly before 9 p.m. and charged with felony counts of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, unauthorized use of another person's property to facilitate a crime, punishable by up to 20 years, possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 10 years, three counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and two counts of theft by receiving of a firearm, each punishable by up to six years, and felony and misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Colbert was being held on zero bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.

His girlfriend, Staci N. Musler, 33, who lists the same address, was arrested at the same time and charged with three felony counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor. She was later released on $7,500 bond and is set to appear March 6 in district court.

Colbert was also charged with a misdemeanor count of third-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to one year in jail, stemming from allegations he repeatedly punched and choked Musler during an altercation on Jan. 23.

According to the probable cause affidavits, on Jan. 23, around 11 p.m., Hot Springs police Investigator Ty Threadgill and members of the department's Special Investigations Division responded to the couple's residence after Musler had called to report being attacked by Gilbert and responding patrol officers allegedly saw drugs in plain sight in the home.

Musler reportedly stated Colbert had been selling marijuana and she and he would get into arguments and fights about him doing it from their residence. Threadgill asked her if there was anything else in the residence he needed to know about, and she said she thought they had already found it all, but reportedly gave officers consent to search.

The affidavit states officers searched the master bedroom and found a loaded .40-caliber handgun, which was determined to be reported stolen in Benton, a bag of marijuana, about 6.5 ounces, and baggies with about 42.1 grams of marijuana.

In the kitchen/dining room area, they reportedly found a .380-caliber automatic handgun, determined to have been reported stolen from Memphis, Tenn., a .22-caliber starter pistol, a marijuana grinder, digital scales with residue and two glass smoking pipes. In a guest bedroom, they found a large bag of "shake" or leftover marijuana.

In other areas, they located ammunition, other smoking devices and numerous baggies. It was noted the guns and drugs were all easily accessible to the children in the residence.

According to the battery affidavit, around 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 23, Musler states she and Colbert got into a fight in their bedroom as she was attempting to pack her belongings to leave because she believed he was cheating on her.

She said Colbert grabbed her by the throat and slammed her on the bed, shouting, "The only way you're going to leave is in a coffin, (expletive)." She said he was squeezing her throat to the point it cut off her air supply and then he punched her several times in the head.

Responding officers noted she had swelling to her cheeks and forehead, redness below her eyes and small cuts and scratches on her neck and was complaining of pain to her face, neck and back.

Local on 02/21/2018

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