Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Judge Releases Man Charged With Theft

After being charged with theft by receiving the case against Jason Hammonds has been nolle prosequi by a Clark County judge.

The theft involved 19 weapons taken from Ed McClure of Okolona shortly before Christmas 2000.

Two of the weapons, a .357 caliber rifle, and a Baretta 9-mm handgun, were presented to two other Gurdon residents as gifts by Hammonds.

An informant told Arkansas State Police criminal investigator Scott Clark about the transaction. Gurdon City Marshal Don Childres confiscated the weapons from Jimmy Sloss and Rusty Jester, with McClure identifying them as two of the ones taken from his home on Dec. 19.

Jester and Sloss told how they came to be in possession of the weapons. The pair said they were at Jester's home when Hammonds showed up and gave Jester the rifle. Hammonds and Sloss then left, with Hammonds giving Sloss the pistol.

When questioned, Hammonds told officers he had been at the Red-E-Mart store on Highway 53 and went to the laundromat behind it when he was approached by an unidentified black man offering to sell the guns.

Hammonds reportedly bought the two for $365, and told officers he had never seen the man before and hasn't since. He did admit giving the guns to Jester and Sloss as gifts.

However, when the case went to court, Ninth Judicial District Judge John Thomas nolle prosequi the case with Hammonds being released.

The state can refile these charges against him within a year.