FAYETTEVILLE -- A woman accused of kidnapping a police informant who was trying to buy methamphetamine pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court.
Zuleima Aguilar, 29, of Springdale is charged with kidnapping, aggravated robbery, retaliation against a witness or informant, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, theft by receiving and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Aguilar was given an initial court date of Oct. 11 before Circuit Judge Cristi Beaumont.
Luis Fernando Salinas, 24, of Rogers is a co-defendant. Salinas is charged with kidnapping, aggravated robbery, retaliation against a witness or informant and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is set for arraignment Friday.
The Springdale police narcotics unit was conducting an investigation on July 6 in which an informant was supposed to buy drugs from Aguilar while wearing a hidden, wireless listening device, according to a police report.
Salinas drove Aguilar to meet the informant, according to the report. When they arrived, the informant approached the passenger side window and Aguilar, who was in the backseat, pointed a gun at the informant and told the informant to get in the vehicle. The informant got in the front passenger seat, according to the report.
An argument then broke out about whether the informant was involved in another person's drug-related arrest, according to the report. Aguilar pressed her gun's barrel into the informant's leg and took $50, according to the report.
Salinas later told the informant he could not leave the vehicle when they stopped, according to the report.
Patrol officers stopped the car at the intersection of Thompson and Pleasant streets and got the informant away from Salinas and Aguilar, according to the report.
Police searched the vehicle and found a loaded Glock 9mm pistol, a small wooden baseball bat and small baton, according to the report.
NW News on 08/25/2016