One of two parolees arrested last year on multiple drug charges after a brief manhunt was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to two felony counts in Garland County Circuit Court.
Bryan Jermaine Ellis, 31, who has remained in custody since his arrest Oct. 23, 2017, pleaded guilty to possession of meth with purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on each count, to run concurrently, while three additional felony drug-related charges and a misdemeanor count of fleeing were withdrawn.
Ellis' 10-year sentence is also to run concurrent with the revocation of his parole from a 2013 felony conviction for possession of meth.
The other parolee arrested at the same time, Dennis Lee Wallace, 30, who is facing the same charges, is set for a plea and arraignment hearing in circuit court on Feb. 6.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Oct. 23, around 12:30 p.m., officers with the Arkansas Community Correction Special Response Team, assisted by the Hot Springs Police Department Special Investigative Division and patrol officers, responded to a residence in the 400 block of Cones Road in reference to two felons, Ellis and Wallace, with parole violation warrants.
Officers observed both men sitting in a white Kia Optima, and both fled the vehicle on foot when they noticed two marked patrol units pull into the driveway.
A 911 caller reported a man matching Wallace's description had run into a residence on Boaz Road. A man reportedly exited the residence, appearing scared, and stating "He is in there." At that point, Wallace attempted to flee again from the back of the residence, but was quickly apprehended.
Officer Brandon Jones and his K-9, Keena, reportedly continued tracking Ellis in the same area and eventually located him inside another residence on Boaz Street. Ellis was compliant with officer's commands and was taken into custody without incident.
While searching the vehicle the parolees fled from, officers reportedly located baggies containing suspected meth in plain view, about 30 grams, two glass pipes, a handgun with 13 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition and a set of digital scales.
While searching the trail in the direction Ellis fled, officers also found two baggies of meth, about 15.4 grams.
Local on 01/24/2018