Photo: Juan Carlos Morales, Gage Pinn
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office has made two arrests in connection with a man hunt occurring in Mountain Home on Wednesday.
According to the sheriff’s office, Wednesday afternoon, authorities arrested 27-year-old Juan Carlos Morales on outstanding felony warrants from the state of South Carolina.
The arrest came about after the sheriff’s office received a complaint at approximately 2 from a woman alleging Morales had brought her and her two small children against their will to Baxter County from South Carolina because he was fleeing from outstanding warrants. According to the release, they had been living and hiding out in the State Highway 101 North area near Lake Norfork. The woman told deputies she had left the residence to visit a store. After she left and did not quickly return, the woman alleged Morales began sending her threatening text messages and she became concerned for the welfare of her children and herself.
Officials state, while the woman was speaking with deputies, she received a text video from Morales showing him to be inside the Mountain Home Walmart Store. He had allegedly been given a ride to Walmart by another person. Deputies and other officers converged on Walmart in an attempt to locate Morales and the children, who were potentially endangered.
Walmart personnel assisted by accessing the video surveillance and the footage showed Morales had been inside the store, made purchases through the checkout area and then left the store just prior to officers arriving. Video footage also revealed Morales and the children had been picked up by another person and drove away in another vehicle. The female was familiar with this particular vehicle and knew who the driver would be, so officers began searching the area for the vehicle. The 9-1-1 Call Center “pinged” the cell phone belonging to Morales, which provided an approximate location for the phone. At around 4, the vehicle was located at a residence on State Highway 201 North, a short distance outside of the Mountain Home City Limits.
Officers responded to the residence and made contact with the owner of the residence identified as 20-year-old Gage Pinn.
Pinn allegedly initially denied Morales was inside the residence, stating only he and his girlfriend were there. However, authorities soon verified Morales was inside.
Morales was then quickly taken into custody on the outstanding warrants from the State of South Carolina, while Pinn was also arrested for a felony count of hindering apprehension or prosecution.
Both Morales and Pinn were transported to the Baxter County Detention Center for booking. Morales is now awaiting extradition to South Carolina on outstanding warrants for second degree domestic violence and for a probation violation on the original charge of threatening the life of a public official. Pinn posted $10,000 bond on the hindering apprehension charge and was released from custody. He will appear before the Circuit Court on March 6.
Morales had allegedly thrown his cell phone out of the vehicle after he discovered he was being actively sought by authorities. The two small children were found unharmed at the residence and were returned to their mother.
The Mountain Home Police Department assisted in the investigation, search for and arrest of Morales.
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