Dennis James Amaral

     A Mountain Home man, 40 year old DENNIS JAMES AMARAL, was booked into the Baxter County Detention Center on Wednesday, August 3rd , on multiple felony charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine in this area.

     The Sheriff’s Office had made three controlled buys of methamphetamine from DENNIS JAMES AMARAL on three separate occasions since June 8, 2016 using a confidential informant.   In total, approximately 20.7 grams of methamphetamine was purchased for $1,000 during these controlled buys, each of which was monitored and recorded by investigators. 

     AMARAL used a cellular phone to facilitate these transactions, which is also a crime under Arkansas law.  In addition, one of these transactions took place within 1,000 feet of a church.

     Sheriff’s Investigators obtained a warrant for the arrest of DENNIS JAMES AMARAL, which was served yesterday.  He was charged by warrant with:

Delivery of Methamphetamine (3 counts) – Felonies
Unlawful Use of a Communications Device (3 counts) – Felonies
Proximity to Certain Facilities – church  (1 count) – Felony

     The bond for these charges is $50,000, with an appearance in Baxter County Circuit Court scheduled for August 25th. 

     In addition to these charges, Detention Center booking records indicate that DENNIS JAMES AMARAL has been charged additionally and separately by other law enforcement agencies with:

Possession of Methamphetamine With Purpose of Delivery – Felony
Possession of Defaced Firearm – Felony
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (2 counts) – Felonies
Possession of Firearm by Certain Persons (convicted felon) – Felony
Distribution of Controlled Substance – Felony

     AMARAL has an additional bond of $150,000 on these charges, which were made following AMARAL’S arrest yesterday and a subsequent search of the location he was arrested at in Mountain Home.

     Records indicate that the agencies involved in these arrests and searches were the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas State Police, 14th Judicial District Drug Task Force, and the Mountain Home Police Department.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff