A Hot Springs man and a reportedly homeless man were arrested Tuesday outside an area homeless camp on felony charges after they were allegedly found in possession of stolen property and one reportedly had drugs on him.
David Dewayne Briggs, 56, who lists a Highway 298 address, and Floyd Lamar Lafitte Jr., 21, were both taken into custody shortly after 3:30 p.m., with Briggs charged with possession of a controlled substance, meth, punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of theft of property, and Lafitte charged with theft of property, a felony, because he had prior misdemeanor convictions in 2022 and 2023 for the same charge.
Both remained in custody Thursday, with Briggs held on a $3,500 bond and Lafitte held on a $2,500 bond. Both are set to appear Wednesday in Garland County District Court. They are both set to appear again in district court on May 3.
According to court records, Lafitte lists no prior felony history, but had prior convictions for four counts of theft in 2023 and one count of theft in 2022. Briggs was convicted in 2006 of felony nonsupport and sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended; in 2016 for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and sentenced to five years' supervised probation; and in 2021 on the same two charges and sentenced to six years in prison, but later paroled.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday, Hot Springs police Officer Matthew Maughan responded to the 2300 block of Albert Pike Road to investigate a possible theft and made contact with Briggs and Lafitte, who were reportedly parked toward the back of the vacant lot.
Both men were walking away from a black 2004 Ford Explorer and Briggs reportedly stated he was there to buy a lawn mower and weed trimmer from Lafitte, who lived in a homeless camp on the property. The lawn mower, valued at $75, and the weed trimmer, valued at $125, were both in the rear of the Explorer.
A witness told police he saw both the men pushing the lawn mower and weed trimmer away from a residence on Sour Rock Springs Road. Police located the owner of that property who confirmed he had lawn mowers and weed trimmers there. He responded to the scene and reportedly identified the items as belonging to him.
Lafitte reportedly told the officers he did have both items at his camp, but "they had been there for a while."
Both men were taken into custody and during a search of Briggs, officers found a metal pill container on his key ring that contained 1.9 grams of what later tested positive for meth.
Floyd Lamar Lafitte Jr. (Submitted photo)