Photo: Ryan Eberley
Since first being arrested in February, after his 19-month old son tested positive for methamphetamine, a Gassville man has picked up more felony charges, while being locked up in the Baxter County Detention Center.
Photo: Alexandra Neel
Ryan J. Eberley, 27-years-old, and Alexandra Neel, 28-years-old, were both charged in the initial case with introducing a controlled substance into the body of another, endangering the welfare of a minor and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Neel pled guilty to endangering and possession of drug paraphernalia in late August and was given six years in prison.
The state dropped the introducing drugs into the body of another charge against her.
Neel has not been transferred to the Department of Correction as yet and is still listed on the “Baxter County waiting list.”
Eberley picked up the first of his “while in custody” charges in April stemming from an alleged attempt by 23-year-old Sean David Ford to sneak methamphetamine, tobacco and one dosage unit of a Schedule III controlled substance into the jail for Eberley.
On April 30, Ford brought a Walmart photo envelope into the detention center. Because staff was occupied, he was told to leave it in the lobby of the building, and it would be collected and delivered.
When a jailer picked up the package, she noticed it was heavy and bulky. When it was searched, the drugs and tobacco were found.
In addition, Ford had handwritten and signed a letter to Eberley providing evidence of his involvement. He was also recognized on surveillance camera footage bringing the package into the jail.
Eberley allegedly admitted during an interview he was expecting the illegal contents to be in the package.
Eberley is charged with conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, conspiracy to deliver a Schedule III controlled substance and furnishing, possessing or using prohibited articles in the jail.
In mid-September, Eberley picked up his most recent “while in custody” charges, when he is alleged to have assaulted another inmate.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Eberley was being brought into the jail from the recreation yard.
Footage from video surveillance cameras was reviewed, and it was reported Eberley went into the victim’s cell, looked into the hallway then went to the inmate’s bunk and hit him several times.
Eberley is charged with second-degree battery, disorderly conduct and impairing the operation of a vital public facility.
He has pled not guilty to all of his charges.
In the initial case, Eberley and Neel were arrested in February, after a hair follicle test run on their 19-month-old son showed a significant level of methamphetamine in his system.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the methamphetamine level in the boy’s system was 200 times the amount required for detection.
The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) removed the child from the home, when the test results were received.
When the couple’s residence along Opportunity Street in Gassville was checked, DHS staff reported seeing two glass pipes normally used to smoke methamphetamine in a drawer in the couple’s bedroom that they shared with the child.
At the time of her recent arrest, Neel was on probation after being convicted of possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in August 2018 and sentenced to six years probation.
A petition to revoke the suspended sentence was filed after charges in the endangering case were filed against her.
The state dismissed the revocation petition, after Neel pled guilty to the endangerment charge.
Eberley has been an inmate in the county jail since Feb. 14. His bond is set at $60,000.
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