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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-02-18 - Agendas - Final FFOOUURRTTHH JJUUDDIICCIIAALL DDIISSTTRRIICCTT DDRRUUGG TTAASSKK FFOORRCCEE 1800 North Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, Arkansas 72704 A G E N D A For the meeting to be held on February 18, 2026, at 1:30 P.M., Springdale Administration Building, Community Room, 201 North Spring Ave. Springdale, AR 1. Roll Call of Control Group members. 2. Approval of minutes from the January 14, 2026, meeting. 3. Financial Report, Fiscal Officer Willie Newman. 4. Report of Task Force, Lieutenant Chris Moad. 5. Dispositions DTF 25-368, Jarren Brown, forfeiture of $1,180.00 6. Other Business 7. Public Comment. * 8. Set the next meeting’s place, date, and time. Location: Fayetteville Police Department, Training/Community Room, 1800 North Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, AR Time: 1:30 p.m. Date: March 18 25 9. Adjourn Please check the Fayetteville City Calendar for any changes or updates. *Public comment at a Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force Control Board meeting shall be allowed for all members of the audience who have signed up prior to the beginning of the agenda item they wish to address. Speakers shall be limited to a maximum of five (5) minutes. The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force Control Board may allow a speaker additional time or may allow an unsigned-up person to speak by unanimous consent or majority vote. FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT DRUG TASK FORCE 1800 N. Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, Arkansas 72704 CONTROL GROUP C4411kA0 :0'ic`",El Mr. Mike Reynolds, Chief of Police Fayetteville Police Department 1800 N. Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, AR 72704 (479) 587-3500 VICE-CHAIRMAN: Mr. Jay Cantrell, Sheriff Washington County Sheriff's Office 1155 Clydesdale Drive Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 444-1850 MEMBERS: Mr. Derek Wright, Chief of Police Springdale Police Department 201 North Spring Avenue Springdale, AR 72764 (479) 750-8128 Mr. Bryan Watts, Chief of Police Elkins Police Department 1874 Stokenbury Rd, Elkins, AR 72753 (479)643-2600 PROJECT DIRECTOR: Mr. Jason French, Captain Fayetteville Police Department 1800 N. Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, AR 72704 (479) 587-3500 OPERATIONS COORDINATOR: Mr. Charles McIlroy, Sergeant Fourth Judicial Drug Task Force 1800 N. Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, AR 72704 (479) 587-7122 FISCAL OFFICER: Mr. Willie Newman Fourth Judicial Drug Task Force 1800 N. Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, AR 72704 (479) 587-3581 SECRETARY: Ms. Cara Murdoch Fourth Judicial Drug Task Force 1800 N. Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, AR 72704 (479) 587-7122 FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT DRUG TASK FORCE 1800 North Stephen Carr Memorial Blvd. Fayetteville, Arkansas 72704 MEETING January 14, 2026 MINUTES The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force Control Board meeting was held on December 17, 2025. Those present were: Mike Reynolds, Chief- Fayetteville Police Department Jay Cantrell, Sheriff- Washington County Sheriff's Office Bryan Watts, Chief- Elkins Police Department Derek Wright, Chief- Springdale Police Department Chris Moad, Lieutenant - 41h Judicial Drug Task Force William Newman, Fiscal Officer- 4th Judicial Drug Task Force Brandon Carter, Prosecuting Attorney- Washington County Sheriffs Office Hannah Bell, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney- Washington County Prosecutor's Office Guest: Members of the public. Chief Mike Reynolds called the meeting to order. Upon roll call, the above -listed members were acknowledged as present. Copies of the minutes from the December 17, 2025, meeting were distributed to all present. Sheriff Jay Cantrell made a motion, seconded by Chief Derek Wright, to accept the minutes as presented. A copy of the financial report for Grant FY2025-2026 was distributed to all attendees for review, covering the period from July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. Fiscal Officer Willie Newman stated that the total expense to date was $513,558.00, with Drug Crime Funding at $113,117.00, Prosecutor Coordinator at $162,892.00, Gulf Coast HIDTA at $107,322.00, and the remaining $ 84,236.00 being non -allowed. Lieutenant Chris Moad reported on the task force's activity from December 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, and a copy of the statistics was distributed to all present. The task force opened 32 cases in December, closed 34, and made 5 arrests. $3,800.00 was expended for the purchase of evidence, and $240.00 for the purchase of information. Drugs seized during the month included methampheta mine, marijuana, cocaine, fentanyl, psilocybin mushrooms, and pharmaceuticals. Moad said that 19 warrants were served. The task force seized $7,232.00 in U.S. currency and 5 firearms during the month. The locations of DTF Enforcement Action for the month were Fayetteville, 20 cases; Springdale, 8 cases; Elkins, 1 case; Prairie Grove, 1 case; West Fork,1 case; and Tontitown, 1 case. Also noted were 0 drug convictions for November. Chief Mike Reynolds commented on the large amounts of marijuana and especially the 13 pounds of methamphetamine that the task force has seized for the month. Lieutenant Chris Moad explained that the task force seized during October, November, and December the task force has seized multiple pounds of meth through multiple investigations. Source and supplies contribute to these multiple -pound seizures. Moad also said that the investigations start out small and work their way up into the multi -pound dealers. Lieutenant Chris Moad reported on the following dispositions. DTF 25-418 (State of Arkansas v Melissa Whinery) was a Drug Task Force arrest, resulting in the seizure of $2,174.00 on October 17, 2025. $434.80 went to the Arkansas Drug Director's Office, $652.20 went to the Washington County Prosecutor's Office Drug Control Fund. It was recommended that 15% of the net total $1,087.00 go to the Drug Task Force, and the remaining balance be based on current staffing (Fayetteville 37.5%, Springdale 37.5%, WCSO 12.5%, and Rural 12.5%). Notes: On October 17, 2025, detectives with the Drug Task Force contacted Whinery during a traffic stop. During a search, detectives located four pounds of methamphetamine and $2,174.00. During a Miranda Interview, Whinery admitted she had picked up eleven pounds of methamphetamine earlier that night in Tulsa and had delivered all but the four pounds of methamphetamine detectives had discovered during the stop. Whinery was arrested, and the contraband was seized. Chief Bryan Watts, seconded by Sheriff Jay Cantrell, made a motion to approve this recommendation. The motion was unanimously approved. OTHER BUSINESS • Lieutenant Chris Moad requested funding for a Basic Narcotics Investigations Course for four detectives. This training will take place from March 16, 2026, through March 27, 2026, at the Waller County Sheriffs Department in Hempstead, Texas. This funding will be paid out of the Program Income Account. Fiscal Officer Willie Newman informed the board that the current balance in Program Income is $115,820.19. Obligated Funds reserve and reapproved for Training are currently at $1,101.58, and Covert Funds reserves are at $5,000.00, leaving the total unobligated funds at $109,718.61. Willie Newman asked that the reserved training amount be brought back up to $7,500.00. Willie Newman explained that Program Income is money received from the 15% of each seizure disbursement that is brought before the board. These funds require the approval from the control board to be spent. Guidelines are followed that are set forth by the Department of Justice and the State on the allowable expenses that the money can be spent on. This money is not associated with the state grant and is maintained in a separate account and not comingled with other funds. These funds have been used for equipment, uniform protection, and training. Chief Mike Reynolds asked for approval to transfer $6,398.42 from Program Income into the Training Fund for the task force officer, with the request for funding for the upcoming training, Basic Narcotics Investigation Course in Hempstead, Texas. Chief Derek Wright, seconded by Sheriff Jay Cantrell, approved these requests. The requests were approved unanimously. • Lieutenant Chris Moad reported on the end -of -the -year stats from 2025 compared to 2024 calendar year. In 2025, 86.5 pounds of methamphetamine were seized, up 9% from 2024. Marijuana seized was 45 pounds, which was down 13% from last year. Seized 117 pounds of edibles, which was up 908% from 2024. Cocaine was 1.4 pounds versus 7.1 pounds from the prior year. Psilocybin Mushrooms were over 6 pounds compared to 3 pounds in 2024. Fentanyl was 261.5 grams compared to last years was 361.5 grams. Arrests for 2025 were 182, which was 169 in 2024, 8% increase. Cases opened in 2025 were 502 versus 314 in 2024. The increase in the number of cases is due to staffing. Seizure cash value for 2025 was $ 80, 947.00 and in 2024, $105,187.00, 23% decrease. Gun seizures in 2025 were 99 and 60 in 2024, 65% increase. Identified and disrupted 21 DTO's verses 20 in 2024. No meth labs. PUBLIC COMMENT • Arlene Jones commented on an experience she had with DTF at a bust. Arlene had bonded a person out of jail, and her concerns were for that person because she was told that person was in there. She approached the door, and a lot of Fayetteville Police Officers at this location realized it was a bust. Was told by a DTF detective that if she was not a part of the investigation, to get the F out of there. Arlene stated her thought was not to interrupt what they were doing, but to check on him because of his possible mental state. She said she did not leave; her intentions were to make sure he was not in trouble. The same detective cursed her a second time. Never asked who she was. Arlene said she asked for a supervisor. Spoke with a supervisor who apologized. Did not appreciate how she was treated and the emotional impact this situation had on her. • Micah Sullivan would like to see the use of body cameras by detectives during investigations. Micah explained that she had had her door kicked in and guys strong-armed her, and the emotional impact it had. • Sarah Moore mentioned Ci's wearing wires for the task force, but the task force does not have a recording mechanism in place for DTF folks, for instances like this. Sarah Moore spoke about her concern with surveillance technology and the infringements it has on people's rights. Because the task force is federally funded, Sarah Moore would like to understand what federal contracts are in place regarding immigration and other homeland federal agencies that might potentially be looking at individuals who interact with DTF who might end up in immigration enforcement. Sarah Moore would like to better understand what a DTO is. What does that look like? Sarah Moore would like to discuss other ways Program Income can be used. • Bryson Austin would like to know more regarding the guidelines for asset forfeitures. • Mike commented regarding the program income money. Mike mentioned that the task force is handling the supply but not the demand, and asked if more can be done to address the demand issues that would minimize the need for supply. Mike asked about the training in Hempstead, Texas. Why is the Waller County Sheriff's Office able to provide the training? Chief Mike Reynolds requested a date and time for the next meeting. The next meeting will be on February 18, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., at the Springdale Administration Building, Community Room, 201 North Spring Ave. Springdale, Arkansas. The meeting was adjourned with a motion made by Chief Derek Wright, seconded by Sheriff Jay Cantrell. The meeting was recorded. 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LL p L 06 d 0_ (0 -0 N w Q_ z R LL 08 c c c w o C m c Q w c 0 0 �, (a O O N O u 06 � :p c d :° .c > V 0O O U d C c U) U (➢ —y U O ~ Q C 03 M N c O' c 0 c 'Lp > W > 'O H C c U 0- U) Gf — (D O o6 ` p (D O 0) y N T f6 C� v N p () C7 O (L Z o o Lv 0) !E H rn- H a m.Eyf o co CL - > fO SU) `� (D m E m a H w a (n(nO2w LL(n3:elf a_ F- cn3�of FOURTH JUDICIAL DRUG TASK FORCE MONTHLY REPORT GRANT 2025-2026 January 1, 2026 - January 31, 2026 Month YTD I. Cases Opened 32 : 287 Enforcement Action Springdale 7 Fayetteville 20 West Fork 2 Farmington 1 Prairie Grove 1 Bentonville 1 II. Cases Closed 19 : 228 III. Arrest Made 11 : 82 IV. Community Meetings 0 : 7 V. Purchase of Evidence $3,110.00 : $50,610.00 VI. Purchase of Service $0.00 : $0.00 VII. Purchase of Information $850.00 : $5,520.00 Vill. Warrants Served 13 : 115 Phone 6 Location 1 Internet 1 Residential 2 IX. Total Drug Amounts Marijuana 321.33 gr : 17282.31 gr Methamphetamine (ice) 805.37 gr : 28301.08 gr Cocaine 7.6 gr : 291.74 gr Crack Cocaine gr : 0.89 gr Heroin gr : 8.06 gr LSD du : 8.60 du Ecstasy pills : 11.00 pills MDMA gr : 10.73 gr Psilocybin Mushrooms gr : 304.60 gr Fentanyl 0.62 gr : 75.61 gr Fentanyl pills : 65.50 pills Prescription pills 11 du : 242.50 du Opiates Of which Other: X. Meth Labs 2 du : 86.00 du Lab 0 : 0 One Pot 0 : 0 Components 0 : 0 Dumpsite 0 : 0 XI. Firearms Seized 3 : 56 XII. Assets Seized Federal $0.00 : $0.00 State $0.00 : $43,278.00 Vehicle 0 : 0 XIII. Drug Trafficking Operations Disrupted 1 : 14 XIV. Convictions for the Month 1 State of Arkansas Vs Jarren Brown DTF Case # DTF 25-368 (FORFEITURE) $ 1,180.00 Drug Director's Office 0.00 Prosecutor's Office 354.00 Balance to Task Force 826.00 Task Force 123.90 Remaining balance $702.10 Springdale 37.50% 263.28 Fayetteville 37.50% 263.28 Washington County 12.50% 87.76 Prairie Grove 12.5/10 8.78 Goshen 12.5/10 8.78 Farmington 12.5/10 8.78 West Fork 12.5/10 8.78 Greenland 12.5/10 8.78 Lincoln 12.5/10 8.78 Elkins 12.5/10 8.78 Elm Springs 12.5/10 8.78 Tontitown 12.5/10 8.77 Washington County 12.5/10 8.77 $702.10