RELATED: | Operation Who's Next nets 65 arrests |
One of the 65 suspects arrested over the last nine months as part of Operation Who's Next, an investigation by the local drug task force and other agencies targeting drug dealers in Garland County, was sentenced to 15 years in prison Monday.
Casey Lee Couch, 34, of Hot Springs, who has remained in custody since his arrest Dec. 10, pleaded guilty Monday in Garland County Circuit Court to two counts of delivery of meth, unauthorized use of another person's property to facilitate a crime and possession of drug paraphernalia and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on each count, to run concurrently.
Additional felony charges of unauthorized use and possession of drug paraphernalia from that arrest and felony charges of possession of a controlled substance, meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia from his arrest on June 22, 2019, were withdrawn as part of the plea deal.
"He also agreed to plead guilty without us having to expose our confidential informant in the case," Deputy Prosecutor Trent Daniels, the legal commander for the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force, said Tuesday.
"I think this shows we're committed to following these all the way through from the inception and initial investigation to seeing these people going to prison whether it's at the state or federal level," Daniels said.
Operation Who's Next, which was announced Friday, was the largest "as far as the amount of drugs off the street," Daniels told The Sentinel-Record that day. Over 2,014 grams, or 4.44 pounds, of meth were seized along with 20 firearms in Hot Springs and Garland County as part of the operation. It was also one of the largest in terms of suspects arrested.
According to the probable cause affidavit on the first delivery count against Couch, between the dates of Feb. 1 and March 6, 2019, DTF investigators and Arkansas State Police special agents used a confidential source to make a controlled purchase of a baggie of meth from Couch at his camper on George Street.
The weight of the substance, which later tested positive for meth, was over 2 grams, but less than 10 grams, making it a B felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
During surveillance of the purchase, Couch was positively identified by investigators using previous booking photos.
A check with the Garland County tax assessor's office determined the property on George Street belonged to a couple in Little Rock.
According to the affidavit on the second delivery count, between March 7 and April 7, 2019, a confidential source again purchased over 2 grams but less than 10 grams of meth from Couch at his George Street camper.
A warrant for Couch's arrest was issued on Sept. 18 and he was arrested Dec. 10 with the charges filed directly to circuit court, initially under seal. Couch pleaded not guilty to the charges on Dec. 16 and was set for a disposition hearing on Monday.
Local on 02/26/2020