Arkansas 54-year-old being held on no bond, 2 felony charges
By Kyle Troutman ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com
A traffic stop on Highway 112 developed into an arrest and the suspect allegedly referring to items in his vehicle as his “rape kit.”
Jeffrey Edmondson, 54, of Berryville, Ark., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of an illegal weapon and misdemeanor unlawful possession of an illegal weapon.
According to a probable cause statement filed by Deputy Joshua Remenar, with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, authorities were dispatched to a call for service at Highway 112 and Forest Road 1014 for a U.S. Forest Service officer needing assistance with a felon in possession of a firearm.
Upon arrival, Remenar made contact with Officer Mark Thomas, who said he observed Edmondson in a vehicle speeding and initiated a traffic stop. While making contact with Edmondson, Thomas allegedly noticed the butt of a .22-caliber pistol between the driver’s seat and center console. Upon running Edmondson’s information, Thomas allegedly discovered Edmondson was a felon and firearm-owner disqualified.
Remenar said after Thomas detained Edmondson, he started searching the vehicle and allegedly found a bag of psylocybin mushrooms.
“It was at this point that I arrived and we found brass knuckles, a homemade silencer able to thread onto the barrel of the pistol, a mask, a collapsable baton, handcuffs and a stun gun,” Remenar said in his statement. “After mirandizing Edmondson, I asked him why he had all of these things, and he stated, ‘It’s my rape kit.’”
Remenar said Edmondson has failed to appear in the past and is a danger to the public as a convicted felon allegedly in possession of a firearm and homemade silencer while possessing illegal narcotics.
Edmondson has multiple felony convictions, including three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, manufacturing a controlled substance and violation of the uniform controlled substance act.
Edmondson is being held in the Barry County jail on no bond. He has been arraigned, and a bond appearance hearing is set for March 14 at 9 a.m. in the courtroom of Judge Robert Foulke.
