William Lewis	William Hall	Gilbert Jesse
Christopher McDaniel

     Four current Baxter County jail inmates have been charged with multiple additional offenses after it was discovered that the jail's medication cart had been broken into by force and prescription medications stolen.

     On Thursday evening, September 23rd at approximately 10:00 PM jailers discovered that the medication cart, which had been sitting locked in the booking area of the jail, had been broken into.  They found that approximately 118 Suboxone medication strips were missing along with 28 Alprazolam pills.

     An investigation was initiated, including examining video camera footage of the area.  At approximately 7:45 PM that date, four Baxter County jail inmates were seen on video to be sitting on the bench in the booking area.  Each of them was handcuffed to the bench.  These inmates were identified as WILLIAM BRANDON HALL, WILLIAM JOSHUA LEWIS, JR., CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL McDANIEL, and GILBERT M. JESSE.  On camera playback Investigators saw inmate LEWIS attempting to use something to remove his handcuff that was securing him to the bench, but he was not able to get it off.  When the jailer working behind the booking desk was not looking, LEWIS can be seen sliding something on the floor to inmate HALL.  Inmate HALL picked up this item and is then seen using it to remove his handcuff from his right hand and putting it on his left hand.  HALL is observed at least two more times removing his handcuff and positioning his body closer to the medication cart.  HALL was observed making gestures to LEWIS seeming to indicate that he was going to get into the med cart by force.  HALL kept extending his foot on to the med cart and grabbing the top of it with his hand to see if he was in position to be able to break into it.  When the jailer exited the booking area to return inmate JESSE back to his housing pod, which is on the second floor of the jail, HALL is seen on video to place his foot on the med cart and his hand on the top drawer handle.  Inmate McDANIEL put his foot on the other side of the medication cart for leverage to assist HALL.  With a couple of forceful tugs to the top drawer it opened.  HALL grabbed a black box that contained the prescription medications and put it down his pants.  The medication cart drawer was then closed and placed back against the wall before the jailer returned back to the booking area.  A short time later HALL, LEWIS, and McDANIEL were escorted back to their housing pods. 

    Early Friday morning, September 24th, multiple investigators and jailers conducted a shake down search of the housing areas in questions.  During a search of the inmates, JESSE was found to have two Suboxone strips concealed in his shoe.  Nothing else was found, including the black box.

     Inmate HALL was interrogated by investigators.  He confessed to the crimes and indicated that he had used a paperclip to remove the handcuff, and he even demonstrated to investigators how he did this.  HALL stated that the black box had been thrown into the trash bin in the housing unit, but it was not found when the trash was searched.

     Sheriff's Investigators presented the case to the Prosecuting Attorney, and the following charges are being filed:

     WILLIAM BRANDON HALL, 31 years old of rural Mountain Home, charged with:

Breaking or Entering (2 counts) - Felonies
Furnishing, Possessing or Using Prohibited Articles - Felony
Escape in the Third Degree (3 counts) - Felonies
Controlled Substance - Fraudulent Practices - Felony
Possession of Schedule 3 Controlled Substance with Purpose of Delivery - Felony
Possession of Schedule 4 Controlled Substance - Misdemeanor
Impairing the Operations of a Vital Public Facility - Misdemeanor

     HALL has a bond of $75,000 on these charges and will appear before the Circuit Court to answer at a later date.

     WILLIAM JOSHUA LEWIS, JR., 35 years old of Baxter County, charged with:

Breaking or Entering (2 counts) - Felonies
Furnishing, Possessing, or Using Prohibited Articles - Felony
Assisting in or Furnishing an Implement for Escape - Felony
Attempted Escape in the Third Degree - Felony
Controlled Substance - Fraudulent Practices - Felony
Possession of Schedule 3 Controlled Substance with Purpose of Delivery - Felony
Possession of Schedule 4 Controlled Substance - Misdemeanor
Impairing the Operations of a Vital Public Facility - Misdemeanor

     LEWIS has a bond of $75,000 on these charges and will appear before the Circuit Court to answer at a later date.

     CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL McDANIEL, 38 years old of rural Mountain Home, charged with:

Breaking or Entering (2 counts) - Felonies
Furnishing, Possessing, or Using Prohibited Articles - Felony
Controlled Substance - Fraudulent Practices - Felony
Possession of Schedule 3 Controlled Substance with Purpose of Delivery - Felony
Possession of Schedule 4 Controlled Substance - Misdemeanor
Impairing the Operations of a Vital Public Facility - Misdemeanor

     McDANIEL has a bond of $50,000 on these charges and will appear before the Circuit Court to answer at a later date.

     GILBERT M. JESSE, 36 years old of Mountain Home, charged with:

Furnishing, Possessing, or Using Prohibited Articles - Felony
Theft by Receiving - Misdemeanor
Possession of Schedule 3 Controlled Substance - Misdemeanor

     JESSE has a bond of $25,000 on these charges and will appear before the Circuit Court to answer at a later date.

Baxter County Sheriff's Office