Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

State files suit to keep 'drug' money

Arkansas State Police has filed local

lawsuits asking that the state be allowed to

retain more than $15,000 taken as part of

a major drug bust in April.

According to information on file at the

Nevada County Circuit Clerks office, two

men are named in suits stemming from

the same incident. James Haley, Gladys,

Va., and Jeremy Elliott, Lynchburg, Va.,

were arrested on April 7 by Arkansas State

Troopers after the officers discovered a

bag containing marijuana and cash in the

car driven by Haley.

According to the report on file by State

Trooper Adam Pinner, he initially stopped

Haley, who was driving a Ford Taurus, for

making improper lane changes on

Interstate 30. The report indicates that,

while checking Haleys license and the

registration on the vehicle, Pinner noticed

that Elliott was acting very nervously. He

then asked Haley for permission to search

the car and Haley denied the request.

According to the report, based on

Elliotts nervousness and the fact that he

avoided answering the troopers questions

regarding their travel plans, State Police

K-9 Officer Tommy was summoned.

Corporal Darren Neal arrived to assist

in securing the scene for the K-9 search

and the K-9 alerted to narcotics at the

side window of the car. This provided

police with ample cause to search the car.

Officers immediately found several bottles

of air freshener and a wallet containing

a large amount of money.

Additional cash and the drugs were

recovered from a box in the truck, according

to the report.

Both men were charged with possession

of marijuana with intent to deliver in

April and the lawsuit against them asking

that the state be allowed to keep the

money was filed within a few days of the

charges.

The lawsuit indicates that Elliott had

$1,600 in his possession while $14,000

reportedly belonged to Haley.

Both men were initially taken to

Nevada County Jail and have since been

released on bond.