Pair Sentenced to Total of 16 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

            Hot Springs, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that two defendants were sentenced last week for drug trafficking.  Michael Weldon Fryar, age 32 of Pearcy, Arkansas, was sentenced on July 28 to 110 months in federal prison followed by three (3) years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Larry Nevels, Jr., age 29, of Mountain Pine, Arkansas, was sentenced on July 29 to 84 months in federal prison followed by three (3) years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.  The Honorable Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.

            Fryar: According to the court records, in June, 2015, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as well as the 18^th East Drug Task Force in Garland County began receiving reports that Fryar was distributing methamphetamine in the area. Further investigation revealed that Fryar and his associates were transporting the methamphetamine from Fayetteville to the Hot Springs area.  On July 21, 2015, while performing surveillance, investigators identified Fryar and Garry Rogers both driving separate vehicles and traveling south on Highway 71 near Mansfield. A traffic stop was initiated on Roger’s vehicle, and he was arrested for driving with a suspended license.  Fryar continued to drive on in his vehicle but came back to the scene of the traffic stop.  Officers ordered him out of his vehicle, but allowed him to leave after they interviewed his passenger.  A search incident to the arrest of Rogers revealed a Tupperware container which contained approximately 362 grams of methamphetamine.  Investigators also located a cell phone and motel keys.  A search warrant was obtained for the cell phones of Fryar and Rogers which revealed discussions regarding the trafficking of methamphetamine.  Fryar was indicted by a federal grand jury in September, 2015 and pleaded guilty to the charge in November, 2015.  Garry Rogers was indicted by a federal grand jury in September, 2015, pleaded guilty to the charge in March, 2016, and is awaiting sentencing.

            Nevels: According to court records, on August 13, 2014, officers with the Mountain Pine Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Nevels was a passenger.  Upon making contact with the occupants, officers could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.  They requested and received consent from the driver to search the vehicle. During the search, officers located a hidden compartment behind the stereo in the dashboard containing two bags of methamphetamine, numerous hydrocodone pills, zanax bars, and a loaded Ruger .22 caliber pistol, which was reported stolen out of Garland County, Arkansas.  Nevels and the driver were both arrested and taken into custody.  During a search, officers located $1,000.00 in Nevel’s pants pocket.  He was later interviewed at the Garland County jail by an agent with HSI as well as a detective from the Drug Task Force. Subsequent to being advised of and waiving his Miranda rights, he admitted to selling methamphetamine and to being in possession of the drugs found in the car.  The drugs located in the vehicle were sent to the Arkansas State Crime lab for testing where they were determined to be 7.1 grams of methamphetamine; 27 grams of hydrocodone; 2.7 grams of alprazolam; and, 27 grams of codeine.  Nevels was indicted by a federal grand jury in November, 2014 and pleaded guilty to the charge in April, 2015.

             Agencies involved in the investigation of these cases were Homeland Security Investigations, 18^th East Drug Task force in Garland County, Garland and the Mountain Pine Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the cases for the United States.

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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov