A Benton man who stole a boat last year and was found wandering barefoot with drugs and a gun in his possession was sentenced to 12 years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to multiple charges in Garland County Circuit Court.
Jonathan Andrew Garver, 37, a previously convicted felon, pleaded guilty to simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and possession of a firearm by certain persons and was sentenced to 12 years on each count, and to possession of a controlled substance, meth, and theft of property over $5,000, and was sentenced to 10 years on each count, all to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay $315 in court costs.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Sept. 27, 2018, at around 9:30 p.m., Hot Springs police responded to the area of Camelot Point and Chappel Hill Road for a welfare check on a barefoot man walking in the area with a blanket wrapped around him.
Officers found Garver, who matched the description, walking in the 300 block of Chappel Hill holding a beach towel tightly under his neck with both hands so his hands were covered. They noted Garver had red, bloodshot eyes and was unsteady on his feet as he was walking along with no shoes and wearing shorts in 34-degree weather.
Garver, who had a warrant for his arrest, told them he fell asleep on a boat and woke up near a dock on Chappel Hill. He said he had been on Edgewater Circle and the boat might belong to his neighbor.
Officers asked Garver if he had any drugs or weapons on him and he hesitated in answering and finally said, "Maybe." He was told to put his hands on top of his head, but refused and then said, "I have a gun." Officers isolated Garver's hand and lowered him to the ground and it was determined he had a .22-caliber revolver in his hand.
The gun was found to be unloaded, but Garver had 100 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition loose in the pockets of his shorts. He also had a beanie cap with a baggie inside containing 2.6 grams of meth.
Officers located the boat, a Premier Grand Majestic pontoon boat, tied to a dock at a residence in the 300 block of Chappel Hill. They contacted the owner who said the boat, valued at $12,000, was stored at a friend's home on Edgewater Circle and she didn't know Garver and wanted him charged for the theft.
Garver later admitted he was "high on meth," and told officers he would "take that" referring to the gun, but asked them to "throw away" the drugs. He again claimed the boat belonged to a neighbor he only knew as an older female.
It was determined Garver was convicted on April 7, 2014, in Saline County on a felony charge of domestic battery. He was initially held on zero bond, but was released on $15,000 bond on Dec. 14. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on April 10 and the case was eventually set for a disposition hearing Wednesday.
Local on 10/05/2019