ASHDOWN — A former sheriff in Little River County has pleaded no contest to obstructing a government operation after a purported altercation with the county's current sheriff.
Danny Russell entered the plea Wednesday and must pay $175 in fines and court costs. According to prosecutors, the incident happened while law enforcement officers were attempting to remove Russell's grandchildren from the home of Russell's son. No one was hurt.
According to the Texarkana Gazette, Russell now has custody of the grandchildren. Russell's attorney, John Pickett, says his client chose to plead no contest to avoid a trial and the risk of a conviction.
Current Sheriff Gary Gregory calls the incident a "serious situation" that could have gone wrong.