Sulphur Springs chief cited in gun theft
Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Sulphur Springs Police Chief Andrew Little faces felony theft charges in the theft and sale of guns owned by his stepfather.
Little surrendered at the Benton County jail on Tuesday, the same day a warrant was issued against him.
Sulphur Springs Mayor Quinton Hoffer said Tuesday evening he had not yet received Little’s resignation but expected it by early today.
According to a probable cause affidavit provided by Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Van Stone, Little’s theft began in early March, when he told his stepfather, Richard Cummins, that the house the two shared with a Sulphur Springs sergeant had been burglarized. Little told Cummins five of his weapons had been stolen, according to the affidavit, and were being held by the Fort Smith Police Department until after the case went to court.
Cummins was out of the state on business at the time of the theft.
Cummins told police that, after returning home, he had discovered a sixth and seventh gun also were missing. Little told Cummins the guns were in a Sulphur Springs evidence locker and they could not yet be returned, according to the affidavit.
On Tuesday, Little confessed he had told Sgt. Jeremiah Nicholson, the third occupant of the house, that the guns were his (Little’s ) and asked Nicholson to take the guns to pawn shops.
Police recovered the weapons Tuesday at Pawn U. S. A. in Centerton and Big Brothers Pawn in Bentonville, according to the affidavit.
Little was released on a felony citation Tuesday, according to a news release by Stone. Little faces arraignment June 2.
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