Plea deal leads to 28-year imposed sentence in Sebastian County drug charge case

A 30-year-old Alma man who was arrested in March on eight felony counts linked to drugs and/or firearm violations drew a 28 year prison sanction in court proceedings Wednesday in Sebastian County Circuit Court.

According to records release by the court Joseph Dwight Cooper, who resided in the 1100 block of Mountain Grove Terrace in Alma, entered into a plea deal with the court on Wednesday morning. He was sentenced to the 28-years imposed with additional 12-years suspended on trafficking methamphetamine, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia charges.

Cooper was arrested by the Fort Smith Police Department on July 23 on charges of being a fugitive from out of state. In addition to the charges for which he was sentenced on Wednesday he also had another controlled substance and paraphernalia charge listed on his booking sheet from his arrest back in March.

According to Arkansas Court Connect, Cooper also had an arrest earlier this year for delivery of meth, cocaine, or heroin that occurred on December 14, 2022.

In Arkansas court records, previous to those arrest, he had mostly been arrested for misdemeanor charges and traffic violations.

Cooper will remain in the custody of the SCADC awaiting assignment and transfer to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.