A local felon caught with a gun earlier this year was sentenced to three years in prison Monday after pleading guilty in Garland County Circuit Court.
Paul Kimbell Pfeiffer, 36, of Hot Springs, who was set to stand trial Jan. 16, 2020, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to six years, and was sentenced to three years with court costs expunged for time served since he has remained in custody on zero bond since his arrest on June 2.
An additional felony charge of possession of a controlled substance, meth, filed against Pfeiffer at the time of his arrest was withdrawn July 29 in Garland County District Court prior to the firearm charge being bound over to circuit court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on June 2, around 12:15 a.m., Hot Springs police Officer 1st Class Joey Vanderburg responded to the 800 block of Prospect Avenue to assist a National Park Service park ranger with a traffic stop on a red Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck which had been pulled over due to a broken taillight.
The driver was found to have warrants for failure to appear and domestic battery so he was taken into custody. Two passengers, including Pfeiffer, were removed and asked if there were any weapons in the vehicle.
Pfeiffer stated there was a .45-caliber handgun under the seat and a shotgun behind the seat. An unfired shotgun shell was found in Pfeiffer's back pocket.
In searching the vehicle, officers found the handgun under the seat as Pfeiffer indicated, but a shotgun was not found. They also found a baggie with 0.7 gram of what later tested positive for meth.
All three men were advised of their rights and questioned, but no one claimed ownership of the meth. After it was determined Pfeiffer was convicted of a felony count of grand theft in Florida in 2013, he was charged with being in possession of a firearm.
Local on 11/02/2019