by KENNETH FRY, Press Argus-Courier Editor Wednesday, March 5, 2008 8:53 AM CST
A local man charged with manufacturing methamphetamine has been arrested for sexual assault at a local restaurant.
On Monday, Circuit Judge Gary R. Cottrell found probable cause to hold Leamon Henry Thomas, 49, of Van Buren, who was booked into the Crawford County Detention Center on Sunday for sexual assault in the second degree.
Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Robert Presley said Thomas is accused of asking a 16-year-old employee of a local restaurant for sex, then grabbing her breast when she refused.
The alleged victim identified Thomas from a photo lineup, according to Detective Sgt. Daniel Perry of the Van Buren Police Department.
Following his arrest, Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune revoked Thomas' bond on pending charges of manufacture of a controlled substance, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and felon in possession of a firearm.
Leamon and Brenda Thomas, 25, were arrested Oct. 31 at their residence in the 300 block of North 46th Street outside of Van Buren and off Kibler Road after Detective Lance Dixon had gone to the address in search of a man wanted on a warrant for suspicion of second-degree forgery.
Dixon detected a suspicious odor of chemicals associated with the manufacture of meth.
After obtaining a search warrant, police officers, sheriff's deputies and members of the Drug Enforcement Agency searched the home and found the couple in the process of manufacturing meth in the kitchen, living room and bathroom.
Muriatic acid, red phosphorous and iodine were all found inside the residence where two .22-caliber rifles and a functioning surveillance monitor that displayed the front door of the residence also were found. A surveillance camera was mounted on a telephone pole in the front yard.
The public defender's office represents Lee and Brenda Thomas on the drug charges.
Cottrell set bond at $10,000 for Lee Thomas and ordered him to have no contact with the victim in the alleged sexual assault case if he is released from jail.
Also on Monday, Scott Mieres, 28, of Duluth, Ga., pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia and had a three-year prison sentence suspended on the condition he pay $1,250 restitution, $2,500 fine, $170 court costs, $250 for DNA sampling and $125 drug task force fee within 30 days. His driver's license was suspended for six months.
Mieres was arrested Aug. 14 by Cpl. Olen Craig of the Arkansas State Police.
