ASP troopers seize truck full of marijuana during traffic stop
VAN BUREN — On Feb. 20, around 12:30 p.m., Arkansas State Police (ASP) stopped a 2018 tractor-trailer traveling eastbound on Interstate 40 near the 2-mile mark in Crawford County for a traffic violation.
Troopers searched the trailer and discovered 1,705 pounds of illegal marijuana concealed in 42 boxes and a large duffel bag.
The driver, Dawit Asefa, 48, of Silver Spring, Maryland, and the passenger, Ashenafi Mamo, 39, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, were arrested and transported to the Crawford County Detention Center. Both men face felony charges of trafficking a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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FORT SMITH — Twelve adults believed to be victims of human trafficking were offered services, and another 32 local victims were identified as part of Operation VOICE (Victims’ Opportunity for Independence, Care and Empowerment), which took place in Fort Smith during the month of January. One suspected trafficker was identified.
Arkansas State Police (ASP) and members of the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council conducted the single-day operation, which focused on providing victims with essential services, including food, lodging, medical assistance, counseling, therapy and drug rehabilitation.
“This operation brought together law enforcement and victim support organizations from across the state, working compassionately to combat human trafficking,” ASP Director Col. Mike Hagar said.
“Together, we aim to recover victims and hold traffickers accountable, all in the hope of creating safer and more supportive communities for
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everyone.”
Prior to and during the operation, intelligence analysts and law enforcement officers worked to identify local victims. In preparation for the operation, two children were also removed from exploitative, vulnerable and unstable conditions. All minors were taken into protective custody, while adult victims received support services.
“In law enforcement, there are many ways we can impact a community, but none more profound than showing kindness where only malevolence once existed,” Maj. Stacie Rhoads, CID commander, said.
The operation was made possible through the coordinated efforts of representatives from federal, state, local and nongovernment organizations, including the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, Fort Smith Police Department, Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Arkansas Fusion Center, along with victim advocates and medical personnel from The Genesis Project, ReClaim, Into the Light, ACASA, Crisis Intervention Center and the NWA Forensic Nurse Team.
In 2024, over 700,000 escort advertisements were posted in Arkansas. The Human Trafficking Council reported recovering a total of 82 high-risk missing children, and investigations into human trafficking identified over 300 victims statewide.
ASP is unable to release further details, as the investigation is ongoing.
Human trafficking continues to be a challenge in Arkansas and across the United States.
If you have information or suspect human trafficking in your area, contact the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council at reportht@asp.arkansas.gov or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.
Resources and more information can be located at the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council website.
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Bill filed to add nitrogen gas to state’s methods of execution available
LITTLE ROCK — A group of lawmakers are seeking to amend the state’s execution law to include nitrogen gas as an option.
Rep. Jeff Wardlaw (R-Hermitage) and Sen. Blake Johnson (R-Corning) filed HB1489 on Friday.
According to the bill, a person convicted of a capital offense “shall be punished by death or by life imprisonment without parole” based on state law.
The bill would seek to amend the method of execution, to include nitrogen gas, in those cases.
“The Division of Correction shall carry out a sentence in death either by intravenous lethal injection of the drug or drugs prescribed in subsection (d) of this section in an amount sufficient to cause death or by nitrogen gas,” lawmakers said in the bill.
“Upon receipt of a warrant of execution from the Governor, the Director of the Division of Correction shall provide written notice within seven days to the condemned prisoner of the method of execution. If lethal injection is selected as the method of execution, the written notice shall include the name or names of the drug or drugs to be used in the execution.”
The bill would also call for the procedure of administering the gas to be a “nitrogenhypoxia”, or inhaling the gas, execution. Lawmakers also said in the bill that a sentence of death shall not be reduced as a result of a method of execution being declared unconstitutional with the death sentence remaining in force
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until the sentence can be “lawfully executed by a valid method of execution.”
According to published reports, the state’s last execution was in 2017. At least 45 House members and 20 Senators signed on this week as co-sponsors for the bill, which has not been assigned to a committee.
In addition to Sen. Johnson, several Northeast Arkansas lawmakers also signed on Friday as co-sponsors to the bill.
They include Reps. Joey Carr (R-Blytheville), Fran Cavenaugh (R-Walnut Ridge), Steve Hollowell (R-Forrest City), Jack Ladyman (RJonesboro), Wayne Long (RBradford), Jon Milligan (R-Lake City), Jeremiah Moore (R-Clarendon) and Johnny Rye (R-Trumann), as well as Sen. Ron Caldwell (RWynne), and Missy Irvin (RMountain View).
