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Sheriff’s department bags marijuana |
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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 |
By James Leigh — Staff Writer
A Malvern man was arrested Sunday after he was allegedly found with over a pound of marijuana in his hotel room.
According to an affidavit from the Hot Spring County Sheriff’s Office, Phillip Edward Cooper, 27, was arrested after deputies found 672 grams or 1 lb. 7.7 oz. of marijuana in his room.
Around 12 p.m. on Feb. 21, a deputy began receiving text messages on his department-issued cell phone regarding marijuana.
Detective Chad Jordan was informed about the text messages, and the deputy was told to continue to talk to the suspect.
The deputy was able to ascertain where the suspect, later identified as Cooper, was located, and he, along with Jordan, made contact with a black male in a Malvern hotel room.
The man (Cooper) told deputies that they were at the wrong room, and after he closed the door, the deputy sent a text to the suspect’s phone number stating that he was at the door. Moments later, the deputies heard a phone in the room ring.
The deputies then left the area, but the suspect continued to text.
Sheriff Ryan Burris went to the hotel’s office, and he asked the clerk who was renting the suspect’s room. The clerk informed Burris that Cooper had paid for the room, and after further investigation, Burris learned that Cooper was on parole.
The Department of Community Corrections was contacted, and Cooper’s parole officer told Burris to arrest him and check for illegal substances.
Burris and deputy Barbi Koder then returned to the hotel, locating Cooper smoking on the balcony of the room.
He was then arrested, and the room was searched.
The search resulted in the discovery of two one-gallon plastic bags filled with smaller bags of marijuana. There were also two smaller bags of marijuana located in the nightstand of the room sitting on a small stack of money.
Cooper was then taken to the Hot Spring County Jail, and he remains there on a parole hold.
His bond was set at $50,000.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 17 March 2010 )
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