Tom Brian Sedlacek

     A Gamaliel area man, 58 year old TOM BRIAN SEDLACEK, was arrested Tuesday afternoon, August 28th, on drug and weapons charges. 

     An annual marijuana eradication operation was undertaken that date by the Army National Guard, the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency, the 14th Judicial Drug Task Force, the Arkansas State Police, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the Sheriff’s Office. During this operation, trained spotters in a helicopter located numerous cultivated marijuana plants on property belonging to SEDLACEK.  Many of those plants were located along a shooting range on the property with multiple shooting targets nearby.  There were also numerous signs in place on the property threatening to shoot anyone who dared to enter the property.

     A tactical sweep of the property was conducted in an attempt to locate and detain the property owner, who was not found at that time.  During this search, an outbuilding with running exhaust fans was located on the property.  Officers also found an alarm system that triggered when a person or vehicle approached by the driveway.  An indoor marijuana grow operation was discovered.  A search warrant was subsequently obtained to allow a search of the premises to continue.  As officers were waiting for the search warrant to arrive, TOM SEDLACEK arrived at the property.  He was immediately taken into custody.   He informed officers he had been growing marijuana since 1992 and had over 20 firearms inside the residence on the property, with at least one of them being an illegal firearm.  He also advised he had a stockpile of prescription drugs that he could use as currency if necessary. 

    Upon subsequent service of the search warrant, officers found twenty-four (24) firearms.  One of them was a sawed off 12 gauge shotgun with a homemade pistol grip attached.  There were also numerous large plastic zipper bags containing processed marijuana, numerous articles of drug paraphernalia, and thousands of marijuana seeds.  Also found during the search were approximately 562 prescription pills labeled as Methadone, as well as 16 pills identified as Acetaminophen and Oxycodone.

     In the outbuilding was an elaborate indoor marijuana grow operation containing 8 mature plants, grow lights, an air filtration system, timers, fertilizer, pots, and other items associated with the grow operation.  In all, approximately 30-40 marijuana plants in various states of maturity weighing more than 25 pounds, approximately 24 firearms, several baggies of processed marijuana, multiple grinders, piles, and other paraphernalia were found and seized as evidence.

     TOM BRIAN SEDLACEK was transported to the Baxter County Detention Center and booked on charges of:

Manufacture of Controlled Substance – Class B Felony
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (2 counts) – Class C Felony and Class D Felony
Simultaneous Possession of Drugs and Firearms – Class Y Felony
Criminal Use of Prohibited Weapon (sawed-off shotgun) – Class D Felony
Possession of Schedule I or II Controlled Substance with Purpose to Deliver (2 counts) – Class A Felony and Class C Felony
Terroristic Threatening – Class D
Felony Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Class A Misdemeanor

     SEDLACEK was released from custody after posting $50,000 bond.  He will appear before the Circuit Court to answer on September 20th.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff