Rickey Clyde Jones, 34, of Searcy, was arraigned Thursday on two federal indictments accusing him of being a felon in possession of a handgun as part of a major drug-trafficking organization in White County that was recently broken up by federal authorities.
Another target of the investigation, Earl Lockhart III, 44, of Augusta, was released on bond to home detention.
Both Jones and Lockhart are among 33 defendants facing charges in federal court for what authorities say were their roles in a major drug investigation, dubbed "Operation Central Sweep." The investigation began in response to drug-related violence traced to a drug-dealing street gang called the Gangster Disciples that operated in and around White County.
According to White County jail records, Jones was arrested Dec. 14 on drug and gun charges and was being held for federal marshals and for the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
Jones appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe via videoconference link from the White County jail in Searcy.
Volpe explained to Jones that the charges contained in the two indictments each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Jones' attorney, James Winnfield Wyatt of Little Rock, entered an innocent plea and requested a trial date.
"The trial for both cases, which is interesting, is April 26. Case number 75 is before District Judge Susan Webber Wright and case number 76 is before District Judge Brian Miller," Volpe said. "It looks like you'll be a busy man on the 26th, Mr. Wyatt."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Fields requested that Jones be held in jail until both cases are resolved, but said because Jones has been sentenced to the Corrections Department, the question of bail was likely moot.
"He does have some state issues he has to deal with," Wyatt said. "I don't know how long that will take but right now it is moot so we'll just reserve our right to address bond when he gets those state charges resolved."
Lockhart, who was arraigned on Wednesday before Volpe, was allowed to leave the White County jail with his wife assigned as his third-party custodian.
Volpe ordered Lockhart to report to pretrial services to set up location monitoring and told him that he is to stay confined to his home except to work, report to pretrial services or confer with his attorney, or attend church services.
"Pretrial services will want to check up on you and visit with you periodically and if they showed up at the house and your wife didn't know where you were, that would be a bad thing," Volpe cautioned him.
Volpe told him that any violations of federal, state, or local law would violate his release and any contact with law enforcement would have to be reported or that would be a violation as well.
"If you got a speeding ticket that would be a violation of federal law," the judge said. "Now, I'm probably not going to revoke you for a speeding ticket but if you don't let pretrial services know, I might revoke you for that."
Lockhart is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. He is represented by Jordan Brown Tinsley of Little Rock.