Attorney Baker arrested on meth charges

According to Carroll County Sheriff's Department Criminal Investigator J.J. Reddick, she is facing several felony counts, including delivery of a controlled substance (meth) and possession of drugs and firearms, both Class Y felonies each carrying a sentence of 30 years to life; possession of a controlled substance, a Class C felony; delivery of a controlled substance near certain facilities, an enhancement which could add 10 years to a sentence; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C felony; and conspiracy, a Class A felony.

A bond hearing was held Monday at the jail with Judge Marianne McBeth setting Baker's bond at $100,000. Baker is currently in Memphis, Tenn. undergoing drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

The attorney made headlines in 2005 when the Berryville courthouse was evacuated after she introduced what was believed to be a bomb during the trial of Mike Koster of Green Forest.

Just a firecracker

While Baker stated the device was a commercially-available firecracker, Circuit Judge Alan Epley ordered it removed. In the meantime, law enforcement evacuated the building, resulting in a mistrial with Epley threatening to jail her for six months for contempt of court.

A different jury trial of Koster followed and Koster was convicted on some charges. Baker asked the state Supreme Court to throw out the case, claiming double jeopardy, but the court refused.

Contempt charges

Her name surfaced in the news again when she was charged with contempt of court by both Green Forest and Berryville district judges, who claimed she had misrepresented her ability to appear in their courts.

Claiming she was in a federal appeals court in St. Louis, Baker pleaded no contest. But then-Berryville District Judge Kent Crow, now circuit judge, found out she got a speeding ticket in Madison County on the day in question.

In Green Forest, special City Judge John Lineberger dismissed the charge of contempt brought by City Court Judge Scott Jackson, without rescinding the $150 fine Jackson levied against Baker.

This time, Baker landed in jail after authorities arrested her at her residence and office at 508 Eureka Ave. (US62) in Berryville.

According to Carroll County Sheriff Bob Grudek, an arrest and search warrant was executed, based on information gathered during an ongoing investigation.

In a press release issued by Grudek, he said that on Oct. 28 a confidential informant made a controlled buy of one gram of a substance believed to be meth from Baker for $200 at her home and office.

Following the money

Later that day, the press release states, a "buy bust" was made by Mynor Jimmy Aleman-Gonzalez, 24, of Green Forest, who was suspected of being a meth supplier. Seized from him, say authorities, was $1,000, which included bills that were paid to Baker for meth earlier in the day.

On Friday, the press release states, the same confidential informant made a controlled buy of one-half gram of a substance believed to be meth for $50 from Baker, again at her home and office, with the informant giving Baker a $100 bill and receiving $50 in change.

Based on that information, Grudek said in the release, the warrants were issued. At about 7 p.m. Baker was arrested, and confiscated from her person was the $100 bill used to purchase meth earlier in the day.

Confiscated from her home and office, Grudek said in the release, were additional substances believed to be meth, along with drug paraphernalia and weapons.

The sheriff said additional charges are being considered. Arraignment on the charges is tentatively slated for Nov. 23.

Baker was a candidate for prosecuting attorney in 2006, loosing the Democratic primary to current Prosecutor Tony Rogers by 53 votes.

Frivolous action?

In late 2006 she was more successful in suing, on behalf of 19 taxpayers, then-sheriff Chuck Medford over the use of jail taxes to build a restroom in his office and buy three patrol cars, and the division of utilities and insurance between the jail wing, covered by the tax, and the sheriff's office, which is not.

The county avoided a trial, agreeing to replace $240,000 in the jail fund.

However, in January, the Internal Revenue Service had a lien on the $21,174 the county was to pay her, and stated that she owed $24,675 in back taxes and penalties.

Baker attempted to reopen the jail case, and Lineberger, as special Circuit Judge, ordered her to pay the other sides' lawyers' fees, stating she was lucky the state did not ask for sanctions against her for her frivolous action in making Rogers a defendant in the case.

Baker appealed the decision, and Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Tom Glaze ruled that the appeal was frivolous as her arguments had no merit.

Baker has served on the boards of Carroll Regional Medical Center and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, and was named Volunteer Attorney of the Year in 2005 by the Carroll County Bar Association. She also served on a committee to establish the 19th Judicial District Drug Court.