Meth, a growing concern

Now that the primaries are over and the victory celebrations have ceased it is time to get down to the issues facing this county. In a recent article in the Log Cabin Democrat both remaining candidates for sheriff feel narcotics enforcement is an important issue in Faulkner County.

According to the DEA's website methamphetamine has become Arkansas' primary drug of concern. While the state's new pharmaceutical laws have reduced the amount of meth labs in operation the number of arrests for possession of meth is still on the rise. Recently we talked with candidate Karl Byrd about this problem.

Byrd, a long time warrior in the fight against illegal drugs,
Says this is due to an increase in the amount of meth making it's way up from Mexico. A fact that is confirmed by information listed on the DEA's website, it states,

The state is encountering locally produced methamphetamine as well as the importation of methamphetamine produced in Mexico. Not only does the state's rural landscape provide an ideal setting for illicit manufacturing, but the wide availability of precursor chemicals also contributes to the ease of manufacturing methamphetamine. Criminal groups are acquiring thousands of cases of pseudoephedrine via wholesalers and use sophisticated schemes to illegally ship, at a considerable profit, pseudoephedrine to methamphetamine producers.

While all these facts and figures give us an idea on the scope of the problem they cannot prepare you when this problem hits your home like it has ours. This past week we have been given an unfortunate education and a new prospective of the problem.

On Friday, May 19th we once again had to call the sheriff's office when a neighbor caused a disturbance in our neighborhood. In a drunken and hyped up state our neighbor was throwing his furniture out the windows, slamming and breaking walls and other objects in his home, and shouting out profanities about his recent separation from his significant other. So I yelled over the fence asking him to take it inside because there are kids out and they didn't need to see or hear that, he responded with threats. Not knowing what he would do next and fearing that someone was there and needed help I called 911.

The deputies responded in force this time and arrested him for disorderly conduct, public intoxication, resisting arrest, fleeing, and possession of a controlled substance. Upon further investigation we found that this was his second arrest in as many months for possession of a control substance and he is currently awaiting trial for having the makings of a meth lab in his shop.

In March of this year the neighbor had a fire in his shop that was believe to have been started by chemicals used in the production of meth. The Drug Task Force (DTF) was called and the burn remnants of the lab were taking into evidence.

About one month later the neighbor called the Greenbrier PD threatening suicide because his wife left him. He says he has a drug problem and did meth the night before. He was arrested for a warrant issued by the DTF's investigation the month before and more drug paraphernalia was confiscated.

He spent only one night in jail and was released on a sheriff's bond, still think the delays at the new jail aren't costing us, only to get out and continue his criminal ways. In his recent arrest he spent 6 days in jail but is now free again and back in the neighborhood.

We understand that in our justice system it takes time to prosecute criminal offenders and in time our neighbor will not be a problem, however he is a problem now and possibly will be for months while he awaits trial and jail, if convicted.

It will be interesting to see what comes of these cases over the next few months. Will the prosecutors and the courts step up and do what's right? It remains to be seen…