One of two women arrested on multiple felony drug charges following a traffic stop earlier this year who was arrested again on additional drug charges three months later pleaded guilty Monday in Garland County Circuit Court.
Brennan Lorainne Leon, 37, of Hot Springs, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, MDMA, or ecstasy, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and four counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by six to 20 years, and was sentenced to five years' probation on each count, all to run concurrently, fined $4,000 and ordered to pay a total of $980 in court costs.
Additional charges of simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, theft by receiving of a firearm, possession of meth with purpose to deliver and possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver involving various pills were all withdrawn.
The other woman arrested in the first traffic stop, Carol L.S. Johnson, 24, who was arrested on the same charges, is set for a disposition hearing on her case in circuit court on Dec. 8.
According to the probable cause affidavit on Leon's first arrest, on Feb. 22, Hot Springs police Officer Jonathan Smith saw a black 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche stopped at Hobson and Central avenues and noted the front windshield had a large crack covering approximately three-fourths of the glass and "obstructing the driver's view."
He followed the vehicle north on Central to Maurice Street where he activated his lights to make a traffic stop. The vehicle sped up and turned quickly onto Charteroak Street where a passenger in the rear jumped out and fled on foot. The vehicle sped off again south and came to an abrupt stop at Charteroak and Sanford streets where the driver jumped out and fled.
Smith noted there were two occupants, identified as Johnson and Leon, who stayed in the vehicle, one in the front seat and one in the back, who were detained.
In searching the vehicle, Smith reportedly found a loaded Glock 26 handgun on the front floorboard that had been reported stolen out of Garland County. He also found two zip-up cases, one with a baggie of meth, a glass pipe, and 20 hydrocodone pills and another with a baggie of meth, a digital scale, a bag of marijuana and several empty baggies.
On the front seat, he found a plastic Walgreens bag with nine unused syringes and a pill bottle that contained another baggie of meth, and 44 pills identified as clonazepam and lorazepam. He also found a stolen license plate and another digital scale.
Leon and Johnson were both taken into custody and charged with multiple counts. Leon was released on $12,500 bond on Feb. 26 and reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges on July 6.
According to the probable cause affidavit on her second arrest, on May 11, shortly before 2 a.m., HSPD Officer Cynthia Howerton saw a vehicle parked in the 100 block of Pinewood Street with its lights on and a computer check showed the vehicle, a silver Toyota Rav4, had been reported stolen.
She made contact with two occupants of the car, including Leon, and Eric Mitchell Ward, 37, who were both taken into custody. In searching the vehicle, officers found 16 ecstasy pills, three digital scales, and a meth pipe inside a bag where Leon had been sitting. In the front floorboard, near where Ward was sitting, officers found a loaded .22-caliber handgun.
Leon was arrested on charges of possession of the MDMA and drug paraphernalia while Ward, a felon, was charged with possession of a firearm by certain persons. Both were initially also charged with theft by receiving involving the stolen vehicle, but the charges were later withdrawn. Ward is set for a disposition hearing on his charge on Nov. 16.
Leon was later released on July 11 on a $15,000 bond and pleaded not guilty to the charges on July 27.