A North Little Rock man arrested on gun and drug charges by a gang interdiction unit last month has been ordered to remain in federal custody, after he was federally indicted last month on charges of possessing guns and drugs on a Little Rock school campus.
Antonio Deshun Epps Jr., 19, was indicted Oct. 4 by a federal grand jury on one count each of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms in a school zone. The indictment followed an arrest last January on the campus of the Metropolitan Technical-Career Center on Scott Hamilton Drive after school security officers, acting on a tip, discovered three loaded semi-automatic pistols -- one of which had been reported stolen -- equipped with extended magazines and nearly 6 ounces of marijuana in Epps' vehicle.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Givens said that Epps was seen in an Instagram video holding several firearms, and he added that a Little Rock detective had been advised of "potential threats against students at this school."
Epps was initially charged in Pulaski County Circuit Court with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft by receiving. He was bonded out of jail by his mother and had remained out on bond until he was arrested last month in North Little Rock in a separate, unrelated incident also involving guns and drugs.
On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edie Ervin ordered Epps to remain in jail until his case is resolved, citing danger to the community and risk of flight as the main factors in her decision.
On Oct. 3, the day before the indictment was handed up, Epps was arrested at a North Little Rock convenience store after members of the FBI's GET Rock Task Force, conducting a WAVE operation (Working Against Violent Entities), grew suspicious of two men sitting in a car at a gas pump after one was seen walking into the station holding what appeared to be a pistol. Jeffrey Elenbaas, a North Little Rock detective assigned to the task force, testified that the behavior of the two men -- later identified as Antonio Epps as the driver and his younger brother, Alex, 15, as the passenger -- raised suspicions after the pair sat at the gas pump for an extended period of time without making any effort to pump gas but during which Alex was observed walking back and forth between the gas pump and the store entrance.
"Our interest was piqued," Elenbaas said, "when the individual sitting in the front passenger seat appeared to have a pistol concealed in the front pocket of his sweatshirt."
As officers approached the car, Elenbaas said, the driver suddenly pulled away, swerving to miss one FBI vehicle only to collide with another that was arriving on the scene. After traveling about another 200 feet, Elenbaas said, both brothers jumped from the car and fled into a wooded area. Antonio, he said, was spotted holding a pistol in his hand by another officer, who alerted the others.
Alex, Elenbaas said, exited the car first on the passenger side, followed by Antonio, who also exited the passenger side. A short time later, Elenbaas said, Alex was found trying to conceal himself in a weeded area and was taken into custody. Antonio, who he said was believed to be armed, was found only after officers called for a K-9 unit to flush him out of the woods.
Afterward, he said, police searching the area found a Glock 9mm equipped with an extended magazine and converted to fire as a fully automatic weapon by the installation of a "Glock switch," which is used to convert semi-automatic Glock pistols into machine guns. In addition to the pistol found outside the car, Elenbaas said, police also found just over three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana and a set of scales during a search of the car.
In an arraignment Oct. 6 in North Little Rock District Court, Epps was charged with felony counts of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, fleeing, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a minor. His bond on those charges was set at $25,000, which his mother said could be met if he were allowed bond on the federal charges.
Epps' attorney, Latrece Gray with the Federal Public Defenders Office in Little Rock, argued that Epps could be released to the custody of his mother with conditions that would assure public safety and his future appearances in court. She pointed out that no shots were fired in either arrest and that putting Epps on house arrest would enable him to continue his schooling.
"There are options other than incarceration," Gray said.
Givens argued that despite Epps' youth, the circumstances surrounding his October arrest made it too risky to allow him out on bond.
"Cases like this are difficult because you're talking about a young man who, in January 2022, had no criminal history," Givens said. "I don't want to lock up people who are in high school, but I also don't want people running around with guns and running from police."
Givens said in the January incident, Epps had admitted bringing guns onto the school campus, telling police they were for protection.
Ervin, while acknowledging that people carry guns for protection, said the line had to be drawn at automatic weapons.
"I understand feeling like you want to have a gun for your protection," Ervin said, "but not a Glock switch."
Following the hearing, Givens declined to comment on whether additional federal charges may be filed, but he did say, "our office definitely takes Glock switches very seriously."