A Salesville man on parole was arrested early Wednesday morning on felony drug charges after deputies conducted a traffic stop.
According to a press release from Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, 53-year-old Steven McCool was observed traveling on Baxter CR 63 in Norfork without a license plate visible.
On parole from the Arkansas Department of Corrections, McCool had a warrantless search waiver on file. Deputies searched his vehicle, finding a digital scale underneath his seat. McCool also told deputies there were also dirty syringes in the car.
While searching, deputies observed McCool throw something into the wood line. They retrieved a used pipe with residue of methamphetamine. Authorities found both dirty, used syringes along with one syringe loaded with methamphetamine. They also found a black zip bag in McCool’s front waistband, containing approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine, suboxone, marijuana, and $122 in cash.
McCool was booked into the Baxter County Detention Center, where he is facing one felony count of possession of methamphetamine with the purpose of delivery, one felony count of possession of schedule II controlled substance with the purpose of delivery, two felony counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, one felony count of tampering with physical evidence, one misdemeanor count of possession of Schedule VI controlled substance with the purpose of delivery, one misdemeanor count of improper display of a license plate, one felony count for parole violation along with a habitual offender penalty enhancement.
A review of McCool’s prior arrests and convictions revealed a lengthy history of approximately nine felony convictions in the State of Arkansas. According to court records, he has been convicted and sentenced to a total of 552 months of prison time in those various cases, with 432 of those months being suspended. In June 2024, McCool was given another 60 months of probation to run concurrently while he was already out on parole for a 120-month sentence he received in March 2016.
McCool is currently being held on a $25,000 bond on the new charges and without bond on the parole violation. He will appear before the Circuit Court to answer on September 9th.
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