Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Convicted Crack Dealer Gets Life

For 1993 Undercover Drug Sales There will be one less drug dealer on the streets.

A jury convicted Rodney L. Bragg, 34, of Prescott, most recently of Little Rock, of delivery of a controlled substance, namely crack cocaine.

The jury sentenced him to life in prison and fined him $25,000, on Jan. 19.

According to court records, on March 26, 1993, an undercover investigator with the Eighth Judicial District Task Force made contact with a suspect known as John Nolan at Nolan's home, asking if he could get $50 worth of crack cocaine.

Nolan said there was "a guy" already there who could take care of the agent and invited him inside the residence.

Nolan informed the agent, as they approached the door, there was someone inside ready to deal.

The agent left the room and went to another part of the house. At this time, another male subject got up from the kitchen table and asked the agent what he was looking for.

The agent said he was looking to buy $50 worth of crack.

The suspect returned to the table, and the agent saw what appeared to be a large amount of crack cocaine on the table.

The suspect took one off-white colored rock from the table, handing it to the agent. The officer, through prior training, recognized the substance as being consistent with that of crack.

The transaction was made, with the money and drugs changing hands, and the agent, along with the informant, left.

The agent asked the informant who he had bought the rock from and was told the man was a Rodney Mitchell, but wasn't sure of the last name.

On March 1, 1994, while the same agent was working undercover in Clark County, primarily Arkadelphia, he came in contact with the man he recognized as Rodney Mitchell.

The agent watched as another suspect bought a quantity of a substance believed to be crack from Mitchell. He wrote down the suspect's tag number. It returned to a Rodney Bragg, who lived in Prescott at the time.

Further investigation showed Bragg had been arrested in Nevada County before.

The agent positively identified Bragg from a picture.

Bragg, also known as Rodney Mitchell, was arrested and charged with delivery of a controlled substance on July 15, 1994.

Delivery of a controlled substance is a class Y felony punishable by imprisonment for no less than 10 years nor more than 40 years or life, and a fine not to exceed $25,000.

The jury, after hearing the details of the crime, wasted little time in passing the sentence.

Deputy Eighth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Danny Rodgers said he hopes this sends a message to drug dealers in the area.

He said his office will continue working to prosecute drug dealers to the fullest extent of the law.