LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing several arrests in central Arkansas as a result of coordinated operations between his office, local and federal law enforcement agencies, and private-industry partners:
“Over the past month, coordinated ‘blitzes’ have resulted in 17 arrests in North Little Rock, Little Rock, and Conway of individuals involved in organized retail crime activities. These operations have also recovered stolen property. This is in addition to the multistate operation based in Blytheville my office supported earlier this year that resulted in nine arrests.
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“I congratulate and thank special agents in my Special Investigations Division who have held regular meetings with law enforcement and private businesses to coordinate activities, share intelligence, and collaborate on strategies to fight this kind of crime. Organized retail crime requires an organized response, and I am proud to lead that effort in Arkansas.
“With the addition of a new, dedicated organized retail crime investigator in my Special Investigations Division, I look forward to more activity coordinated by my office to fight these crimes that cost American businesses $70 billion per year and result in a tax on consumers through higher prices for goods.”
The recent blitz was coordinated by the Office of the Attorney General and involved collaboration between the North Little Rock, Little Rock, and Conway police departments, as well as Homeland Security Investigations and 11 private-industry partners. The blitz operations occurred one day in each city, starting in North Little Rock on August 15, moving to Little Rock on August 22, and wrapping up on September 12 in Conway.
During the operations, local, state, and federal law enforcement partnered with area retail stores to target thefts and develop information related to organized retail crime. Of the 17 people arrested, eight were charged with felonies. Among the recovered stolen items was a vehicle that was returned to its owner.
Those individuals arrested are:
North Little Rock, August 15
Myron Allen, male, 46, of North Little Rock, Felony Theft of Property and Failure to Appear
Devin Lashawn, female, 41, of Little Rock, Theft of Property
James Bone, male, 68, of Little Rock, Felony Theft of Property
Elizabeth Harper, female, 42, of Little Rock, Felony Theft of Property
Erma Johnson, female, 64, of Little Rock, Felony Theft of Property
Sophia Hartman, female, 34, of North Little Rock, Theft of Property
Kevin Barnes, male, 47, of North Little Rock, Theft of Property
Little Rock, August 22
Patrick Jensen, male, 24, of Little Rock, Felony Theft of Property and Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)
Kiara Morning, female, 32, of Little Rock, Theft of Property
Joshua Starns, male, 44, of Ward, Theft of Property and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Purpose to Deliver (Marijuana)
Danny Long, male, 59, of North Little Rock, Felony Theft of Property
Conway, September 12
Star Darksbane, female, 39, of Florence, Alabama, Theft of Property
Stephanie Wallace, male, 38, of Florence, Alabama, Theft of Property
Courtney Cowan, female, 43, of Russellville, Felony Theft of Property
Lanaia Azumara-Williams, female, 18, of Conway, Theft of Property
Angela Arnold, female, 38, of Bryant, Felony Theft of Property
Dominique Hammonds, male, 20, of Center Ridge, Theft of Property
Griffin announced the state’s involvement with the Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama Organized Retail Crime Alliance (LAMA ORCA) in July 2023. Since its formation, ORC Task Forces have been established in Little Rock, and in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana. LAMA ORCA has partnered with local, state, and federal agencies to conduct eight blitzes throughout four states.