Man with criminal cases in several counties pleads guilty and gets prison time

A man with a combined total of seven felony cases in Baxter, Fulton and Lawrence Counties, including six drug-related cases set up stretching back to 2009, appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court/Criminal Division Monday.

Fifty-year-old Barrett Layne Matthews who lists an address along Matthews Drive in Black Rock but has also shown an address in the Henderson area pled guilty to his latest charges.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison with five suspended and 10 to serve.

In a number of his cases filed in other counties, the more serious charges, including being a felon in possession of a weapon and being in simultaneous possession of guns and drugs, have been dismissed.

The simultaneous possession of guns and drugs is a Class Y felony, the most serious crime in Arkansas not punishable by death which can carry a life sentence. The dismissal came in a case filed in Lawrence County in 2006.

Revocation petitions have been filed in two of his earlier drug cases in Lawrence County and one in Fulton County.

He is charged with a lengthy list of violations of the terms and conditions of probation, including using methamphetamine, not living at his approved residence, failing to report, and substituting urine from when he was “clean” to cheat on a drug test.

In the cases set up on Matthews, he has been charged with possession of at least 31 grams of methamphetamine along with marijuana, Alprazolam, Xanax and a number of unspecified prescription drugs.

He has also been found with sets of digital scales, smoking pipes used to ingest drugs and syringes. In one of the cases filed in another county, Matthews is claimed to have admitted that he sold methamphetamine.

Failure to appear warrants were issued in all three counties in late April and May when he did not show up for court dates. The warrant in Baxter County was issued April 27 and served June 19th.

Matthews’ arrest in Baxter County came on July 25 last year when an Arkansas State Police Trooper stopped the black Toyota Tundra Matthews was driving on U.S. Highway 62. The trooper reported he recognized the truck from a prior investigation and knew Matthews to be a parole absconder.

The truck also had a cracked windshield according to the probable cause affidavit.

As Matthews was being searched, he told the trooper that there was “dope in the truck.”

During a check of the center console, the trooper reported finding 21 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana products, alprazolam, a quantity of unknown pills and a used syringe. Matthews claimed the syringe belonged to his girlfriend who was a diabetic.

Matthews also consented to a search of his residence located along Cove Hollow Road in Henderson where he is reported to live with his girlfriend.

The search of the house turned up methamphetamine, marijuana gummies and pipes commonly used for smoking methamphetamine.

Matthews is shown to be supervised by the probation/parole office in Mountain Home.

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