Stories by Dale Ellis

Appeals court rules Arkansas death row inmate can sue state over DNA test refusal An Arkansas inmate on death row who came within a day of being executed in 2017 received welcome news from a federal appeals court, which ruled he can sue state officials in his bid to have new tests ... June 6, 2023

Appeals court rules that Arkansas death row inmate can sue state over DNA testing refusal An Arkansas inmate on death row who came within a day of being executed in 2017 received welcome news from a federal appeals court which ruled he can sue state officials in his bid to have new tests r... June 5, 2023

Former football star argues with prosecutor during his federal sex-trafficking trial Sparks flew during the final day of testimony at the trial of a former high school and college football star accused of sex trafficking and witness tampering as the defendant tangled with one of the g... June 2, 2023

Little Rock woman sentenced to a year and a day in prison on drug conspiracy charge The wife of a man who was recently sentenced to life in prison on a conviction for drug trafficking and racketeering was herself sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for drug conspiracy... June 2, 2023

Sex trafficking trial begins for former Little Rock prep, college football star The sex trafficking and witness tampering trial of a former high school and college athlete got off to a late start Wednesday after only 30 jurors showed up to the federal courthouse in Little Rock ou... June 1, 2023

North Little Rock man pleads guilty to federal charge of machine gun possession A North Little Rock man accused of possessing a converted machine gun that was found during a traffic stop pleaded guilty to one count of machine gun possession in federal court Wednesday and faces a ... June 1, 2023

Former Little Rock high school, college football star facing trial on sex trafficking charges Jury selection is set to begin this morning in the trial of a former high school and college running back who is charged with sex trafficking and witness tampering.Deonte Womack, 48, was initially ind... May 31, 2023

Little Rock man charged in federal drug sweep objects to a delay in his trial At least one of 35 defendants named in a sweeping drug conspiracy indictment has objected to a continuance of the trial, and is demanding, through his attorney, to go to trial as scheduled on July 24 ... May 31, 2023

Little Rock man indicted in gang violence and drug trafficking investigation ordered detained for trial LITTLE ROCK -- A Little Rock man who was one of 27 people indicted in a wide-ranging investigation into gang violence and drug trafficking in Central Arkansas and was ordered detained for trial by a m... May 27, 2023

Federal judges dismiss challenge to Arkansas' congressional map A lawsuit challenging Arkansas' congressional map was tossed this week by a three-judge panel that ruled the shift of more than 23,000 Black voters in southern Pulaski County from the 2nd Congress... May 26, 2023

Former Little Rock police officer found guilty of possession, receipt of child porn A former Little Rock police officer was found guilty Thursday of possession and receipt of child pornography and faces as much as 30 years in prison after a jury deliberated his fate for nearly eight ... May 26, 2023

Little Rock man indicted in gang violence and drug trafficking investigation ordered detained for trial A Little Rock man who was one of 27 people indicted in a wide-ranging investigation into gang violence and drug trafficking in Central Arkansas and was ordered detained for trial by a magistrate judge... May 26, 2023

Former Little Rock police officer found guilty of child porn charges A former Little Rock police officer was found guilty Thursday of possession and receipt of child pornography after a jury deliberated for nearly eight hours over two days following a day and a half of... May 25, 2023

Deliberations resume today in former Little Rock police officer’s child porn trial The future of a former Little Rock police officer accused of receipt and possession of child pornography will have to wait at least another day after a jury of nine women and three men told the judge ... May 25, 2023

White supremacist associate from Pope County sentenced to life in prison A Pope County man convicted on federal charges of drug conspiracy, aiding and abetting attempted murder and conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) was sent... May 25, 2023

Jonesboro attorney who threatened 2 federal judges released on bond A Jonesboro attorney accused of threatening to kill two federal judges was released on bond Wednesday by a federal magistrate judge who approved a release plan naming his mother as third-party custodi... May 25, 2023

White supremacist associate from Pope County sentenced to life in prison A Pope County man convicted by a jury in 2021 on federal charges of drug conspiracy, aiding and abetting attempted murder and conspiracy to violate RICO was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday by a ... May 24, 2023

Jury begins deliberations in trial of former Little Rock police officer facing child porn charges The future of a former Little Rock police officer accused of receipt and possession of child pornography is in the hands of a jury following the conclusion of testimony Wednesday morning in federal co... May 24, 2023

Former Little Rock police officer testifies in child pornography trial A former Little Rock police officer fired in 2020 after being indicted on federal counts of receipt and possession of child pornography testified Tuesday after testimony from a former friend-turned-pr... May 24, 2023

Witness denies using former Little Rock police officer's computer to download child porn Jurors in the child pornography trial of Eddie Scott Seaton heard from Kevin Hicks, the man arrested along with the former Little Rock police officer when police raided Seaton's Cabot home Dec. 30... May 23, 2023

Trial underway for former Little Rock police officer facing federal child pornography charges The trial of a former Little Rock police officer on federal child pornography charges got underway Monday with jury selection and preliminary jury instructions to be followed this morning with opening... May 23, 2023

Alabama man gets 6 years in federal prison for transporting methamphetamine into Arkansas A 25-year-old Alabama man was sentenced Monday to six years in federal prison for transporting 58 pounds of methamphetamine into Arkansas in 2021.Abdul Malik Arnold of Florence, Ala., was arrested by ... May 23, 2023

Child pornography trial to begin for former Little Rock police officer Jury selection begins today in the trial of a former Little Rock police officer who was indicted in 2020 after federal investigators discovered more than 60,000 images of child pornography and child e... May 22, 2023

In a first, Arkansas hosts National High School Mock Trial Championship For three days last week, Little Rock became arguably one of the most litigious cities in the nation, as 47 teams of high school students from 44 states, the Northern Mariana Islands and South Korea c... May 22, 2023

Police beat I-530 crash leads to felony chargesA Little Rock man police say left the scene of an accident on Interstate 530 was arrested after calling police to report his car stolen.According to a police report,... May 21, 2023

Former Arkansas Congress member dies at 80 Marion Berry, the former Democratic U.S. congressman who represented Arkansas’ 1st Congressional District for seven terms — from January 1997 until January 2011 — died Friday in Litt... May 20, 2023

Wynne woman files federal complaint over proposed insurance payout on home destroyed by tornado A complaint filed this week in federal court by a Wynne woman whose home was destroyed March 31 by an EF-3 tornado that decimated much of the Cross County city claims that her insurance company underv... May 19, 2023

Prosecutors oppose former Faulkner County circuit judge’s request to wipe out his bribery conviction Federal prosecutors involved in the case that sent former Faulkner County Circuit Judge Mike Maggio to prison for bribery in 2016 filed a response Monday to Maggio's motion to dismiss "nunc p... May 17, 2023

Former private school teaching assistant sentenced to 90 years for child porn production A Pulaski County man who pleaded guilty to molesting children at a private school where he was employed was sentenced Monday to 90 years in federal prison by a federal judge, who called his conduct &q... May 16, 2023

Cleburne County man sentenced to 92 months in federal prison on child porn possession charge A Cleburne County man was sentenced to seven years, eight months in prison Monday for possession of child pornography related to a 2020 indictment.Nathan Moore, 45, of Woodrow was indicted by a federa... May 16, 2023

Former teaching assistant at Little Rock private school sentenced to 90 years for child porn production A Pulaski County man who pleaded guilty to producing child pornography at a private school where he was employed was sentenced Monday to 90 years in federal prison by a judge who called his conduct &q... May 15, 2023

Gun possession charge nets Pulaski County man with multiple convictions to 9 years in prison A Pulaski County man arrested in September 2020 by Pulaski County sheriff's deputies who discovered a cache of firearms, including two machine guns, was sentenced Thursday to nine years in prison ... May 13, 2023

Heber Springs man sentenced to 20 years for production of child pornography A Heber Springs man convicted on six counts of production of child pornography after a jury trial last August asked for -- and was granted -- mercy by a federal judge not often given toward leniency i... May 13, 2023

Craighead County attorney arraigned on charges he threatened federal judges A Craighead County attorney accused of threatening to kill two federal judges was arraigned Thursday on an indictment charging him with threatening a member of the federal judiciary.Donald Ryan Mullen... May 12, 2023

Traffic stop while in possession of marijuana and machine gun nets Tennessee man 15-year sentence A Tennessee man who pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison in a plea deal that saved him from... May 11, 2023

West Virginia man sentenced to 3 years in prison for role in steroids ring A West Virginia man indicted as part of a far-flung steroid trafficking ring based out of Central Arkansas was sentenced on Wednesday to spend three years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.Aust... May 11, 2023

Tennessee man sentenced in Arkansas to 15 years on gun, pot charges A Tennessee man who pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison in a plea deal that saved him from... May 10, 2023

Steroid trafficking plea gets man a three-year sentence in federal court A West Virginia man indicted as part of a far-flung steroid trafficking ring based out of Central Arkansas was sentenced on Wednesday to spend three years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.Aust... May 10, 2023

Heber Springs man gets 20 years on child porn charges A Heber Springs man convicted on six counts of production of child pornography after a jury trial last August asked a federal judge for mercy in his sentencing — and was granted it on Wednesday.... May 10, 2023

State minority health commission discontinues scholarship in court settlement A scholarship offered to minority college students in Arkansas who plan to enter the health care field is being discontinued as part of an agreement reached in federal court this week.A lawsuit claimi... May 10, 2023

Ward postal worker pleads guilty to mail theft charge A former postal worker accused of stealing from mail sent through the Ward Post Office pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to one count of mail theft for which she could be sentenced to a maximum ... May 10, 2023

Texas man facing 15-year minimum sentence on child porn production charge A Texas man is facing a possible maximum sentence of 30 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography on Tuesday.Sean Charles Mueller, 34, of t... May 10, 2023

Kentucky man pleads guilty to distribution of child pornography A Kentucky man indicted in 2021 on six counts of distribution of child pornography pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to one count and faces a possible maximum prison term of 20 years when he come... May 9, 2023

Little Rock man sentenced to time served for role in fentanyl distribution ring LITTLE ROCK -- One of two twin brothers who pleaded guilty to involvement in a fentanyl distribution ring based in Little Rock was sentenced to time served and ordered to serve one year on supervised ... May 7, 2023

Woodson man convicted on two charges and acquitted on two others for shooting at officers A Pulaski County man accused of attempted murder of two federal agents, assault with a deadly weapon and two firearms counts was found guilty Friday of use of a deadly weapon to assault a federal law ... May 6, 2023

Little Rock man sentenced to time served for role in fentanyl distribution ring One of two twin brothers who pleaded guilty to involvement in a fentanyl distribution ring based in Little Rock was sentenced to time served and ordered to serve one year on supervised release.Mathew ... May 6, 2023

Woodson man convicted on two charges and acquitted on two charges in shooting incident A Pulaski County man accused of attempted murder of two federal agents, assault with a deadly weapon and two firearms counts was found guilty Friday of using a deadly weapon to assault a federal law e... May 5, 2023

Jurors to continue deliberations in trial for Woodson man accused of shooting at federal agents A Pulaski County man accused of shooting at two federal officers will have to wait another day to learn his fate after a jury initially deadlocked on two of the four counts against him Thursday after ... May 5, 2023

Judge denies release for man who authorities say was found with $1 million in Arkansas traffic stop A Chinese national who authorities say was found with more than $1 million in cash during a traffic stop in Arkansas in 2020 was denied release by a federal magistrate judge in Little Rock on Thursday... May 5, 2023

Federal judge adds 13 years to Mexican citizen’s 12-year prison term for assaulting police A Mexican citizen sentenced to 12 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for an attempted murder conviction in Lincoln County was sentenced Wednesday to an additional 13 years, 2 months in fe... May 5, 2023