A Conway man pled guilty to charges of possessing a large cache of drugs and was sentenced to 12 years in prison during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court on October 7.
Twenty-nine-year-old James Adrian Peer, who was represented by Little Rock attorney Patrick Benca, made a final pre-trial appearance October 7 and was set to go before a jury during the week of October 14, but opted to enter the guilty plea.
Benca, who entered the case in mid-June last year, filed a motion to suppress evidence in mid-December 2023. Instead of a hearing, the lawyers agreed to argue their positions by way of filings with the court.
A hearing had been set but Benca announced it would not be necessary. There was no formal ruling from the bench on the suppression motion.
The 2006 white Jeep being driven by Peer was pulled over along State Highway 126 North by a Baxter County deputy sheriff for minor traffic violations. A search of the vehicle turned up drugs, weapons and cash. According to the probable cause affidavit, 65 grams of Fentynal, 120 grams of marijuana, 440 oxycodone hydrochloride pills, 52 alprazolam and a small quanity of cocaine.
In addition to the drugs, several items of paraphernalia used to ingest drugs were seized from the vehicle, along wiht almost $4,000 cash.
Two of Peer’s initial charges were Class Y felonies, the most serious classification of crim in Arkansas not punishable by death. The potential sentencing range is from 10-years-to-life. The state reducted those charges.
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