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Affidavit: Jonesboro police seize over 400 grams of drugs, including meth and fentanyl, in traffic stop

Affidavit: Jonesboro police seize over 400 grams of drugs, including meth and fentanyl, in traffic stop

Photo: Contributed/Craighead County Sheriff's Office


Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Jonesboro police said a routine traffic stop on Sunday resulted in the seizure of substantial amounts of meth and fentanyl, leading to felony charges against two men being held on high-dollar bonds.

According to an affidavit, on Dec. 15, a patrolman stopped a vehicle near Highland Drive and Red Wolf Boulevard due to a truck making improper turns and failing to stop at stop signs.

Driving the vehicle was 56-year-old Richard Edward Giddings, of Jonesboro, while 54-year-old Michael Eldon Giddings, of Wynne, was in the passenger seat. Police mentioned that Richard is on a suspended imposition of a sentence and Michael is on active parole, both with search waivers on file.

During a search of the vehicle, search items were found including drugs, paraphernalia, and money:

  • 92.58 grams of fentanyl
  • 309.06 grams of meth
  • 50.3 grams of marijuana in multiple forms
  • 8.5 Schedule IV pills
  • 32 Schedule II pills
  • Five Schedule V pills
  • Scales
  • Meth pipes, syringes, and bags for packaging
  • $2,105 in cash

Michael was interviewed and claimed ownership of these items, according to police.

In another affidavit, police said they searched Richard, finding a bag of meth and a meth pipe on him. He was taken back to his home in the 300 block of Richmond Avenue for a search. There, officers found the following:

  • 5.3 grams of marijuana
  • Two Schedule IV pills
  • 11.73 of meth
  • One Schedule II pill

Both men appeared before District Judge Tommy Fowler on Dec. 19. He found probable cause to charge Michael, who was set with a $250,000 cash-only bond, with the following:

  • Class Y Felony: Trafficking of fentanyl
  • Class Y Felony: Trafficking of a controlled substance
  • Class B Felony: Possession of drug paraphernalia
  • Class C Felony: Possession of a Schedule I or II substance (not meth or cocaine) with the purpose to deliver
  • Class D Felony: Possession of a Schedule IV or V substance with the purpose to deliver
  • Class D Felony: Possession of Schedule VI substance with the purpose to deliver
  • Unclassified: Ran stop sign
  • Misdemeanor: Driving while license cancelled, suspended, or revoked

Meanwhile, Richard was given a $150,000 cash/surety bond and faces the following charges:

  • Class A Felony: Possession of meth or cocaine with the purpose to deliver greater than 10 grams but less than 200 grams
  • Class D Felony: Possession of a Schedule I or II substance (not meth or cocaine) less than two grams
  • Class B Felony: Possession of drug paraphernalia
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Possession of a Schedule IV or V substance less than 28 grams
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Possession of a Schedule VI substance less than four ounces

Both men are scheduled to be back in court on Jan. 23, 2026.

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