A devastating crime has shaken the community in Springdale, Arkansas, as James Ray King Jr., a 57-year-old local resident, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on March 26, 2014, officers with the Springdale Police Department were dispatched to a disturbance at Johnson Meadows Apartments in Springdale. Upon arrival, officers observed King outside of his apartment in possession of a firearm. King was taken into custody at that time, and officers determined that the firearm was stolen.
At King’s residence, officers located pipes, digital scales, and numerous plastic baggies used for packaging drugs. Outside of King’s apartment, officers located 14 grams of methamphetamine in yard debris near the location where King was taken into custody. King has previously been convicted of two felony drug charges coming out of Howard County, Arkansas, and as a prior felon is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The stolen firearm in King’s possession was determined to have been manufactured outside the state of Arkansas. On July 8, 2014, King pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. King’s actions pose a serious threat to the safety of our community, and we are relieved that justice has been served.
United States Attorney Conner Eldridge commented, ‘Felons in possession of firearms pose a serious threat of harm to police officers and citizens in our communities. Our office, along with local authorities, will continue to relentlessly investigate and prosecute these types of cases in order to keep communities throughout the Western District of Arkansas safe from senseless violence.’
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States, and we commend his efforts in bringing King to justice. The case was investigated by the Springdale Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. We hope that this sentence serves as a warning to others who would engage in similar behavior.
The safety of our community is our top priority, and we will continue to work tirelessly to prevent and prosecute crimes such as this. We urge anyone with information about crimes to come forward and report it to the authorities.
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Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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