Felon in Arkansas charged after reporting his guns stolen

James Whitson Davis, 75, of Van Buren
James Whitson Davis, 75, of Van Buren

A felon in Van Buren was arrested Tuesday after police said he called to report that five of his guns had been stolen.

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James Whitson Davis, 75, said he suspected his cleaning woman in the theft, according to police.

Police arrested Davis after an officer remembered that Davis was convicted of aggravated assault in 2001.

It's against state and federal law for a felon to own or possess firearms, said detective Jonathan Wear, a spokesman for the Van Buren Police Department.

Wear said Davis called police Monday to report that he had returned from a trip to Oklahoma and found five of his guns missing.

A police officer went to Davis' house that day to fill out a crime report. While there, the officer reportedly noticed more guns.

A search warrant was executed Tuesday at the residence. Police found 12 firearms and nine boxes of ammunition, according to a news release.

Davis was arrested on a preliminary charge of felon in possession of a firearm, which is a Class D felony punishable by up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The charge falls under Arkansas Code Annotated 5-73-103. Section (d) that states that the governor can restore the right of a felon to own and possess a firearm if the felony didn't involve the use of a weapon and occurred more than eight years previously.

Wear said a gun was used in the 2001 assault.

Davis was booked into the Crawford County jail Tuesday and paid $3,500 that day to bond out. According to a news release, Davis told officers while on the way to the jail that "I'll just get more [guns] because I'm not living in that house without one."

Wear said Davis' house is in an older neighborhood, but not one that he would classify as "dangerous."

Davis said the case is under investigation.

"It is still a theft of property case," he said.

Davis was charged in 2010, accused of intimidating a witness -- which is also a felony. That charge was later dropped.

Metro on 09/08/2016

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