Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Littering leads to local's arrest

Littering led to the arrest of a Gurdon woman in Nevada County.

According to court records, Jamie Whatley, 47, was charged with littering, possession of less than an ounce of a controlled substance, namely marijuana, and possession of an instrument of crime.

The controlled substance charge is a class D felony, which carries a sentence of up to six years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The other charges are misdemeanors.

Records state Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AG&FC) officer Frank Sigman turned off Highway 67 on the southwest side of the Little Missouri River. There, he saw a brown Dodge van with a trailer.

A camp had been set up in the area, and Sigman checked it out. He saw a man, identified as Glenn Paul Prince, sitting at a picnic table. Sigman also saw a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana along with rolling papers.

The camp area was also littered with trash and beer cans.

Sigman called the Nevada County Sheriff's Office, as this side of the river is in Nevada County, for help.

AG&FC officer Bill Van Scoy responded along with NSCO deputy Danny Martin.

Before the other officers arrived, a woman, identified as Whatley, came out of a tent, with Sigman asking to see her driver's license.

When Van Scoy arrived, Whatley and Prince were taken to Highway 67, where they were arrested by Martin and taken to the Nevada County jail.

A background check showed Whatley with a prior arrest for possession of a controlled substance in 2000.

This being her second offense, the charge became a felony.