by KENNETH FRY, Press Argus-Courier Editor Wednesday, May 13, 2009 11:16 AM CDT
A Van Buren man had his Crawford County Detention Center bond increased to $10,000 after a circuit judge ruled there was enough evidence to hold the man for violation of a protective order.
Thomas Edwards, 43, was booked into the detention center on May 10.
On Monday, Judge Gary R. Cottrell set the new bond following a recommendation by Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune and set Edwards' arraignment for 8:30 a.m. today after Edwards said he could hire his own attorney.
McCune said Edwards made numerous calls to an individual he was ordered to have no contact with after leaving court on April 28. The calls were recorded, the prosecutor said.
Also on Monday, Cottrell appointed the public defender's office to represent Sara Alverson, 20, of Van Buren, arrested on suspicion of fraudulent use of a credit/debit card.
McCune said Alverson is suspected of using a credit card she stole from her stepgrandmother to charge more than $1,000 in merchandise and services at Walmarts in Van Buren and Fort Smith, Price Cutter, D's Family Restaurant, Penny's, Pic-N-Tote and Blue Streak Tavern.
Once the credit card was reported stolen, it was canceled and monitored, McCune said. The card was denied at Price Cutter and a suspect in its theft left without paying. Alverson was identified from store video, McCune said.
