Investigators seek man for alleged drug operation that crossed Texas state line

TEXARKANA, Ark. (KTAL/KMSS) – The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department seeks to locate and arrest a man suspected of selling meth, ecstasy and marijuana.

According to TAPD, they were called to assist the Texas Department of Public Safety with a drug investigation that crossed state lines on March 18, 2025.

Special agents with Texas DPS had information that Michael Wayne Thomas, 55, was responsible for selling a significant amount of methamphetamine and had conducted a controlled narcotics purchase from Thomas earlier this year and secured a warrant for his arrest.

On March 18, agents learned that Thomas was operating out of the Regency Motel in Texarkana, Arkansas, and contacted TAPD.

Surveillance was conducted at Thomas’s location, and Trooper Colten Johnson conducted a traffic stop and arrested him for the outstanding warrant. However, during the search, they found no narcotics on Thomas, but there was an active room key to the Regency Motel in Texarkana, Arkansas.

Texas DPS contacted the TAPD’s criminal investigations division to aid with Thomas’s investigation, and motel surveillance was set up. Police observed a woman identified as Ashley Jones leaving the motel room with a bag that was found to contain narcotics packaging materials, digital scales, and several bags of methamphetamine weighing approximately 2/3 of a pound.

TAPD investigators used the information to obtain a search warrant for Thomas’s motel room. During the search, they found more than 2/3 of a pound of meth, over 1.5 ounces of ecstasy, and an ounce of marijuana.

Jones was arrested on the scene for trafficking meth, possession of Schedule I (ecstasy) with intent to deliver, and possession of Schedule IV (marijuana) with intent to deliver. Police obtained warrants for Thomas for the exact charges as Jones. However, he quickly made bail before the warrants were secured. The Texarkana, Arkansas PD seeks him for a warrant listing the above charges.