Johnson County, Ark. sheriff arrested in Crawford County

VAN BUREN - Arkansas State Police troopers arrested Johnson County Sheriff Jimmy Stephens Saturday on felony complaints of illegal possession of a controlled substance in Crawford County during a traffic stop, according to reports.

Stephens was booked into the Crawford County Detention Center Saturday night, an Arkansas State Police spokesman said. He was later released on $25,000 bail.

A jailer said Sunday Stephens was booked at 8:46 p.m. Saturday on three complaints of possession of a controlled substance and one complaint of speeding.

Attempts to reach Stephens by email and telephone were not immediately successful Sunday.

Bill Sadler, state police spokesman stated, "Arkansas State Police conducted a traffic stop earlier today and arrested Sheriff Stephens on charges of simultaneous possession of firearms and drugs."

The traffic stop was made in the southbound lanes of U.S. 71 in Crawford County, Sadler said. No further details were immediately available.

Stephens, a Republican, was elected as sheriff in 2019 and re-elected in May with 62% of the vote over Republican Charles "Buddy" Beaver who had 38% of the vote.

Johnson County is located about 40 miles northeast of Fort Smith in the Arkansas River Valley in the northwest part of the state. The Johnson County seat is Clarksville. The population is 25,000, and the county covers 683 square miles.

Crawford County, that borders Sebastian County on the north side of the Arkansas River, is about 50 miles west of Clarksville. Interstate 40 crosses both counties.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas sheriff arrested on gun, drugs charges