A felon and known drug dealer arrested last year after a sting operation by the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force was sentenced to 18 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to charges in Garland County Circuit Court.
Charles Lee Camden Jr., 54, who has remained in custody on zero bond since his arrest May 28, 2019, pleaded guilty to two counts of delivery of meth, one punishable by up to life in prison and one by up to 20 years, and was sentenced to 10 years and eight years respectively, with the sentences to run consecutively for a total of 18 years.
Two additional felony counts of unlawful use of a communications device, punishable by up to 10 years, stemming from the sting operation were withdrawn. Prosecutors also withdrew multiple felony charges including simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, maintaining a drug premises, possession of a firearm by certain persons and various possession charges stemming from a search warrant executed in Garland County that resulted in Camden's arrest.
Deputy Prosecutor Trent Daniels, the acting commander for the DTF, told The Sentinel-Record Tuesday Camden's arrest was part of "Operation Blue Sky," a five-month operation early last year targeting meth distribution in Garland County by a group with Aryan Brotherhood ties that resulted in 32 arrests and the recovery of over 4 pounds of meth.
Daniels said he withdrew the charges from the search warrant arrest because the Y felony charge he had against Camden "had more of a bite to it" and would have been easier to prove at trial, noting the guns found with the search warrant were in a separate camper on the property that would have been difficult to connect to Camden.
He also noted Camden agreed to plead guilty without the state having to reveal the identity of the confidential informant used in the sting operation.
According to the probable cause affidavit on the delivery counts, between March 1 and April 30, 2019, DTF agents utilized a confidential informant to make two controlled purchases of meth from Camden at predetermined locations in Hot Springs and Garland County.
From the first purchase, the meth obtained was more than 2 grams but less than 10 grams. From the second purchase, the meth obtained was more than 10 grams but less than 200 grams, qualifying as a Y felony. A portion of each amount purchased was field-tested and showed a positive reaction for methamphetamine.
The affidavit notes a cellphone was utilized to arrange both purchases from Camden, resulting in the additional charges. Based on the operation, a warrant for Camden's arrest was issued on May 21.
According to the affidavit on the search warrant, on May 28, shortly after 4 a.m., DTF agents and an Arkansas State Police SWAT team executed the warrant at a residence on Pocola Road in the area of Thornton Ferry Road.
When the SWAT team first pulled up to the property, they encountered the listed female homeowner and a man standing outside a small camper and took them into custody. The officers then surrounded the main trailer on the property and ordered any occupants to come out.
A few minutes later, Camden and a woman came out and were taken into custody. Camden was arrested at that time on the delivery warrant issued the week before.
Inside the trailer, the agents located 13.8 grams of meth in baggies, digital scales, smoking devices, 47 grams of fake meth, and other items of drug paraphernalia. A small bucket of .22-caliber ammunition, gun holsters and gun cases were recovered along with multiple Nazi photos and a poster. Agents also noted "White Power" was handwritten on the kitchen cabinet.
Inside the camper, agents found a loaded .22-caliber Ruger pistol which was reported stolen in Hot Springs, a loaded 44 mag revolver, two loaded 9-mm pistols, a 12-gauge shotgun and an assortment of ammunition.
Numerous surveillance cameras were located throughout the property that could be viewed from a monitor inside the main trailer. A computer check showed Camden was a felon with convictions out of Ohio and Garland County.
Local on 01/15/2020