Teen helping friend avoid apprehension appears in court

An 18-year-old from Cotter charged with helping a younger teen avoid being sent back to a relative’s home appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court/Criminal Division Monday.

Jackson Carlisle is charged with interference with custody, a Class C felony. He entered a not guilty plea to the charge.

In early August, a relative of the 14-year-old reported him missing. He was said to be on juvenile probation at the time. The relative reported contacting him through Carlisle’s cellphone. The two were friends, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The relative said the boy reported he was not returning to her house.

Another relative contacted the 14-year-old through Carlisle’s phone and was also told the boy did not want to return to the home where he had been living.

A search for the phone showed it was located at the Boone County Airport in Harrison at the time.

A check showed no ticket had been purchased by or for the 14-year-old male “runaway.”

When investigators contacted Carlisle’s mother, she confirmed her son was in Harrison to visit his girlfriend.

The girlfriend’s address was located and Harrison police went to confirm that the 14-year-old was with Carlisle.

He was found and Harrison officers took custody of the teen and released him to juvenile services.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Carlisle knew his friend had been reported as a runaway “and aided in his action to avoid apprehension.”

It was also noted that Carlisle was on juvenile probation and “not to have contact with other probationers.”

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