Search for wanted man leads to drug, gun arrests

Pine Bluff police who were attempting to locate a man wanted in Hot Springs for bank robbery arrested two people Monday on drugs and weapons charges.

Star Rivers, 19, was taken into custody Monday and Anthony Alexander, 26, was arrested Tuesday after Alexander allegedly ran from police Monday.

According to a probable cause affidavit from Vice and Narcotics Detective Michael Battles, police had gone at 9:15 a.m. to 4716 Faucett Road. They were looking for Demontray Hawkins, 21, who was being sought by Hot Springs authorities.

Reading from the affidavit, Deputy Prosecutor Nicole Pugh said in court Wednesday that Hawkins and Alexander ran when they saw police. One of them was reportedly carrying a semi-automatic handgun and the second a long gun.

Battles said in the affidavit that Detective Sgt. Brett Talley and Detective Scott Norton held two people at gunpoint, one who had been sitting in a vehicle and the second who had been in the yard of the residence while other officers went into the house.

After receiving a consent to search from the owner, Rivers and two men were found in a back bedroom where two handguns were located, Pugh said. Officers also found 3.2 ounces of suspected marijuana that had been packaged in 36 individual bags that were inside three larger bags. The bags were found inside a bag of dry dog food.

Battles reported that officers also found a set of digital scales, a glass pipe with residue in the bowl and a box of sandwich bags.

Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set a $25,000 bond for both Rivers and Alexander, ruling prosecutors had probable cause to charge Rivers with possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms. Alexander could be charged with possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver and simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms.

Rivers and Alexander said they would hire their own attorneys.