Man Arrested After Paragould Home Search Leads to Child’s Removal

PARAGOULD, Ark. — A drug investigation at a Paragould home led to a man’s arrest and a young child’s removal after officers reported severely unsanitary living conditions, according to a probable cause affidavit.

James Dowdy was arrested Sept. 27 following the search. The affidavit lists three felony offenses and one misdemeanor, including endangering the welfare of a minor.

Officers Jacob Wright and Jamie Counce went to Dowdy’s home Sept. 27 to conduct a search under a waiver associated with a suspended sentence, according to the affidavit by Investigator Blaine Cagle. Wright had encountered Dowdy the previous day and reported finding cellphone messages about purchasing illegal drugs during a search.

Police said Dowdy ran inside his apartment and into a bedroom when he saw the officers. He later came outside and was detained. Another adult resident repeatedly consented to a search of the home, according to the affidavit.

Inside, officers reported cat feces and urine throughout the residence, along with roaches and spiders on the walls, floors, kitchen cabinets and a bedroom mattress. They also reported partially smoked marijuana joints on the floor, including around the child’s toys.

Officers contacted the Arkansas Department of Human Services. A caseworker came to the home and removed the child under a 72-hour hold, the affidavit states.

During the search, officers reported finding a plastic bag containing a white crystalline substance and a used glass pipe between the mattress and box springs in the bedroom Dowdy had entered.

Cagle wrote that the substance field-tested positive for methamphetamine and would be sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for further analysis. Investigators also reported finding cellphone conversations about purchasing methamphetamine and seized the phone as evidence.

During an interview after being advised of his rights, Dowdy acknowledged using methamphetamine and said he had gone to the bedroom intending to get rid of the meth and pipe beneath the mattress, according to Cagle. Dowdy also said he saw the officers but did not know they were there to speak with him before he entered the home.

Dowdy was taken to the Greene County Detention Center. The affidavit lists the following offenses:

• Possession of methamphetamine, 2 grams or more but less than 10 grams, a Class C felony.
• Possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony.
• Unlawful use of a communication device, a Class C felony.
• Third-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, a Class B misdemeanor.

On Sept. 27, Judge Curtis Hitt found probable cause for arrest and set bond at $25,000, with surety allowed.

The allegations have not been proven in court.