A local man arrested as part of a multiagency warrant roundup earlier this year was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to felony drug-related charges.
Keith Tremayne Willis, 43, who has remained in custody in lieu of $100,000 bond since his arrest March 30, pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to delivery of meth and unlawful use of a communication device and was sentenced to five years on each count, to run concurrently, and ordered to pay $295 in court costs.
An additional felony charge of unauthorized use of another person's property to facilitate a crime was withdrawn. Willis was previously convicted in July 2012 of possession of a controlled substance, cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia and sentenced to five years in prison.
According to the probable cause affidavit, between Sept. 9 and Sept. 16, 2017, a special agent with the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force used a confidential source to make a controlled purchase of meth from Willis at his apartment at 110 Manor Lane.
A recorded phone call was placed to Willis to confirm he could sell the meth to the source and a price was agreed on. A portion of the product purchased was tested and confirmed positive for meth, more than 2 grams but less than 10, qualifying it as a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
During surveillance of the transaction, Willis was positively identified by DTF agents based on photos of him in the Arkansas Crime Information Center and Justice Exchange from his previous arrests.
The Garland County Assessor's Office revealed the Manor Lane apartment is owned by AMG Polo Run, LLC. It was also noted the apartment is within 1,000 feet of First Christian Church on Central Avenue.
A warrant was issued for Willis' arrest and he was taken into custody along with 24 other suspects as part of the warrant roundup which culminated with a news conference on April 17.
The operation involved officers with the DTF, under the direction of Garland County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Lawrence, the Garland County Sheriff's Department and its Criminal Investigation Special Operations Unit, the Hot Springs Police Department and its Special Investigation Division, Arkansas Community Correction Special Response Team, Arkansas State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal's Service, Diplomatic Security Service and the Garland County Detention Center.
Local on 07/12/2018