A local man with a lengthy criminal history labeled a "career offender" by federal authorities was sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison Wednesday on drug trafficking and gun charges.
Bobby Lee Nutt III, 29, was sentenced to 12 years and eight months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possessing a firearm in the furtherance of drug trafficking at a hearing in U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.
A news release issued Wednesday by U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes said Hot Springs police detectives had made a controlled purchase of cocaine from Nutt in September 2019 and he was arrested the next day during an office visit with his parole officer.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Sept. 27, 2019, around 3:45 p.m., Nutt arrived at his parole officer's office, 615 W. Grand Ave., for a scheduled visit. During their meeting, his parole officer asked him at one point if he had anything illegal in the vehicle he was driving and Nutt stated he had "a little bit" of marijuana.
The officer searched Nutt and reportedly found he had $520 in cash on his person, so he was detained. The affidavit notes police had received information Nutt could possibly have illegal drugs in his vehicle and could possibly be "using, selling drugs and posting photos of what could be him involved in criminal activity."
Officers searched the vehicle he drove to his appointment in the parking lot and found two baggies in the center console with marijuana inside, a total of 3.6 grams. In the back seat, they found a backpack with a loaded 9-mm firearm and a set of digital scales.
The affidavit states they also found a bag with 159.8 grams of what later tested positive for cocaine.
Wednesday's release states "approximately 148 grams of cocaine was seized as well as a loaded Glock pistol with a round in the chamber" from his vehicle.
Nutt was previously convicted on Sept. 22, 2014, of felony hindering apprehension and on Sept. 15, 2014, of possession of meth or cocaine with purpose to deliver.
Due to the nature of Nutt's prior felony convictions, he was sentenced Wednesday as a "career offender," the release said, noting HSPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program "bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone," it said.
The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the department's renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. attorney offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.