Prosecutors file to get $88,000 in drug case

Pulaski County prosecutors have moved to seize more than $88,000 found with a gun and about a pound of marijuana in the Woodson home of a 37-year-old man on probation for illegally possessing prescription medication.

Deputy prosecutor Jason Ables petitioned Pulaski County Circuit Judge Alice Gray to order Derrick Lashuan Withers to forfeit the money to authorities.

Deputies from the sheriff's drug unit confiscated the cash and contraband from Withers' residence on Arkansas 365 South during a July 24 search of the home with officers of the Arkansas Community Correction department.

According to an arrest report by Deputy Cody Martin, Withers told deputies up front that he had "a little" marijuana, a pistol and about $70,000 in the house. Withers said he got the weapon the night before by taking the firearm away from a "drunk" cousin who had visited.

The marijuana was found in a red plastic tub behind a recliner in Withers' bedroom while the money was discovered in a dresser next to the chair. One drawer held $77,780 and $11,000 was found in a second drawer next to the pistol, the report said.

On the floor at the foot of the recliner, deputies found several unused sandwich bags and two measuring scales, both flecked with suspected marijuana residue, the report states.

Withers said he does not smoke marijuana and buys it only to give to people who want it. He said he does not have a regular job but makes a living buying and selling cars, according to the report.

Withers was arrested and charged with maintaining a drug premises, possession of drug paraphernalia, marijuana trafficking and possession of a firearm by certain persons. Withers was released on $40,000 bond.

Prosecutors have not filed formal charges but filed papers Friday to revoke his probation, citing the circumstances of his arrest. Random searches by probation officers are a condition of Withers' probation.

Withers has been on probation since July 2018 when he pleaded guilty to felony charges possession of hydrocodone and possession of drug paraphernalia in exchange for a sentence of three years on probation.

The charges stem from Withers' Sept. 18, 2017, arrest during a traffic stop at 2715 W. 65th St. by Little Rock police. According to an arrest report, Withers, driving his gold 2011 Chevrolet Malibu, was pulled over for not having an illuminated license plate.

Smelling marijuana in the car, police questioned Withers about the odor and he said he'd smoked it earlier in the day. Police searched the car and found in the console a bottle holding 61 hydrocodone pills along with a digital scale.

Metro on 08/24/2019

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