The Arkansas Project

Big Break In Hotel Prankster Case?

By David Kinkade - August 4, 2009 3:00 pm

You may recall the story from a earlier in the summer about the Holiday Inn Express in Conway, in which a prankster contacted the desk, posing as a representative of the company that installed the hotel’s sprinkler system, and goaded the clerk into doing $50,000 damage to the property.

There’s big breaking news on that case today as The Smoking Gun unveils the results of their own investigation into the perpetrators of that and similar pranks, revealing them to be the work of a bunch of maladjusted and underemployed computer nerds in Canada, Texas and elsewhere.

Oh, I know, I’m just as shocked as you are. I would have sworn they would trace this scheme back to a suave and sophisticated “Oceans 11″-style team of international criminals.

Stuff from Around Arkansas, January 14

By David Kinkade - January 14, 2009 7:12 am

It's relevant to the post, I swear! And why's she wearing mittens?

Puff Daddy: Gov. Mike Beebe says he wants to raises cigarette taxes to $10 trillion per pack to fund a trauma center and to end all state budget shortfalls forever and ever. Now if we can just sell ONE pack. (Arkansas News Bureau)

Pantywaist: A Lonoke man arrested for stealing panties is found with exactly 188 pairs of women’s and children’s panties in his home. Judge declares he must stay 500 yards from Victoria’s Secret at all times. (KTHV)

Sub Mission: Formerly hefty Subway pitchman Jared Fogle touched down in Fayetteville to propagandize schoolchildren into eating healthy, so long as they do it at Subway. How will we stop the pernicious industry influence of Big Sandwich reaching into our schools? (Morning News of Northwest Arkansas)

Not So Sexy: Not enough translators for non-English speakers in sex offender program, and some offenders may have to be dropped from program. When he learned of this fact, former Democratic Rep. Dwayne Dobbins responded, “De veras? Lo siento, senor, pero no hablo ingles!” (KATV)

Hot Springs Cops Nab Beer Thief in Golf Cart

By David Kinkade - December 30, 2008 12:06 pm

A 24-year-old Kentucky man (with a name that leads me to believe he may not be a Kentucky native; I don’t know, I just get this feeling) is in police custody after he allegedly drove a golf cart through a storefront to steal beer:

Police arrested 24-year-old Alejandro Cortez-Sanchez of Florence, Ky., after he allegedly crashed into the El Alamo Store on Central Avenue on Christmas Day. A police report says officers responded to a burglary call and found the store’s front doors broken in.

The officers spotted a suspect motoring away in a golf cart and gave chase. The suspect began throwing beer bottles at the police cruisers as they followed for several blocks.

The remaining beer was returned to the store owner. And if you’re in the market for a new golf cart, you might check out the next Hot Springs Police Auction.

Stuff from Around Arkansas

By David Kinkade - December 9, 2008 3:48 pm

A few things that catch the eye:

Singleton and Snyder: Now with 300% more children!

Snyder Baby Boom: Congratulations to Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder and wife Rev. Betsy Singleton. The hyperfertile couple welcomed triplets to the family fold today, dubbing the threesome Aubrey, Wyatt and Sullivan, names that will guarantee that the boys will be mercilessly mocked all the way from kindergarten through 12th grade.(Arkansas Times)

Orientation Day: New Arkansas lawmakers attend the first days of their freshman orientation, but the question on everyone’s mind: Who will hook up with whom at the first big Capitol mixer? (Arkansas News Bureau)

Thick as Thieves: A Baxter County man is jailed after he strolled barefoot into a gas station women’s room, pulled out a ceiling tile and attempted to hide in the ceiling so that he could rob the joint later. An employee found the ceiling tile on the bathroom floor along with the crook’s footprints on the toilet seat and called police, who coaxed him down despite his initial refusal to leave. It just goes to show you how tough it is to plan the perfect crime. (AP)

Arkansas Woman Frames Boyfriend in Video Voyeur Case

By David Kinkade - November 15, 2008 1:19 pm

A bizarre story from Fayetteville: A University of Arkansas employee arrested last week for allegedly videotaping a 16-year-old girl as she showered is exonerated, after his girlfriend admits that she was trying to frame him.

Let’s let the Northwest Arkansas Times’ Kate Ward tell the tale:

Churchwell told police she framed Robinson because she believed she was pregnant with another man’s baby. She said she planned to use the nude images of the victim to blackmail Robinson into moving out so she could continue living in his house with the victim and two juveniles while he paid the mortgage. Once the allegations became public, Churchwell said her plan was no longer feasible. She told police she began to feel guilty for setting Robinson up, prompting her confession to police.

As if that weren’t enough. She hit him in the head during a fight. With a shovel. Three or four times. I sure hope these kids can work it out.

This sounds like a strange story, but really, I’m not surprised, because women do irrational things all the time. Like, take for instance Arkansas Project Girlfriend (APG), who got all mad at me a couple of weeks back for having a few too many Black Russians and then hitting on her cousin. I told her she was the one that was out of line, and tried to explain that her cousin may be a skank, but skanks needs loving, too. Actually, that just made matters worse.

D.C. Arkansas Native Jailed in Kiddie Sex Case

By David Kinkade - November 14, 2008 6:56 pm

We haven’t had any sordid tabloid-style stuff on The Arkansas Project lately. I’ve missed it….

If you looked at the Drudge Report today, you’ve probably seen the story about the aide to U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) who’s facing federal charges for receiving and distributing child pornography.

McHaney

Read down a bit into the Washington Post story and you’ll catch an Arkansas tie in a similar but unrelated case: The story notes that James Michael McHaney, a Little Rock native and former aide to Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), was last month sentenced to three years in prison after his arrest in 2007 for soliciting sex from an underage boy.

The D.C.-based Wonkette blog reported on McHaney’s case several months ago, reporting that his family was politically involved and close to the Clintons. One source tells Wonkette that McHaney may have done some campaign work at one time for U.S. Rep. Mike Ross.

The Smoking Gun has the text of the original criminal complaint filed against McHaney. It gets a little graphic, for you easily shocked types out there, of which I know there are many among The Arkansas Project readership.

Skinheads Say Not Guilty in Obama Death Plot

By David Kinkade - November 7, 2008 6:45 am

Daniel Cowart and Paul Schlesselman

The two white supremacists arrested last month in a knucklehead plot to assassinate Barack Obama as the culmination of a racialist killing spree have pleaded not guilty to federal charges. One of the young fellows hails from the fine burg of Helena-West Helena in east Arkansas. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s John Krupa reports.

You may recall that this is the same plot that was supposed to end in a glorious hail of gunfire as the two assassins sped toward Obama firing from the windows of their car while wearing white top tuxedos and top hats.

North Little Rock Mayor Stands Up to Bully

By David Kinkade - November 6, 2008 2:55 pm

North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Henry Hays filed a complaint with police Wednesday against his principal opponent in Tuesday’s mayoral election, Bubba Lloyd, claiming Lloyd threatened him, the AP reports:

Hays said Wednesday that he and Lloyd were waving signs at an intersection on Monday when Lloyd allegedly said, “When this is over, I’m going to whip your a–.”

Lloyd told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he made no threat but acknowledged he was upset with Hays.

Hays said he waited until after the election to file a complaint because he did not want to be seen as trying to score political points. But he said he felt it was necessary to report the threat and spoke with Police Chief Danny Bradley on Wednesday.

“I wasn’t really worried,” Hays said. “But I’ve really never been threatened before. I felt like I ought to document it.”

Unclear from the news report is precisely what Lloyd allegedly threatened to do to Hays. “I’m going to whip your a–”? What on earth could the “a” stand for? I’ll admit it, I’m stymied. If only there were some kind of photographic clue that would give us some inkling of his intentions.

Skinhead’s Sister: Brother ‘Sorry’ for Obama Plot

By David Kinkade - October 28, 2008 4:30 pm

Aw, how can we stay mad at you? Oh, that's right, the whole "plotting mass murder" thing.

Paul Schlesselman, 18, of Helena-West Helena is one of the two men arrested by federal agents as neo-nazi skinhead conspirators in an alleged (and ridiculous) plot to assassinate Barack Obama as the final act in a massive murder spree. Today, his younger sister tells the AP’s Andrew Demillo that her brother is really, really sorry:

“He just believes that he’s the master race,” said his sister, Kayla Schlesselman, 16, adding that she would often argue with him about his racial beliefs. “He would just say things like ‘white power’ and ‘Sieg Heil’ and ‘Heil Hitler.’”

But she and her father, Mike, both said they didn’t believe he was capable of carrying out an attack. “I think it’s just a lot of talk. He would never do something like this,” his father said.

Meanwhile, the intrepid Aaron Sadler at the Stephens Media Politics in Arkansas blog digs up a YouTube page that includes lots of video clips from the bloodthirsty twosome. Most of the clips are exactly the type of fascinating footage you would expect if you gave an 18-year-old idiot a video camera.

Here’s one of the more interesting videos—it’s Schlesselman discussing the mayor of Helena’s imposition of “martial law” in response to a crime wave in the city:

Oh, by the way, that video clip has some rough language, if you’re the sensitive ears type. I probably should have mentioned that before you watched it.

Neo-Nazi Plot to Assassinate Obama Exposed!

By David Kinkade - October 28, 2008 6:25 am

This is what skinheads look like. Also, idiots.

Oooh, that headline makes it sound so lurid, doesn’t it? This was reported breathlessly all over the place yesterday, and one of the suspects is apparently from Helena, Ark. The Arkansas News Bureau’s Rob Moritz has more here.

The Smoking Gun has the relevant paperwork, and I’m going to admit, I find it hard to take these guys as seriously when I see passages like this:

In separate interviews with investigators, the men said that they planned to speed their vehicle toward Obama while “shooting at him from the windows.” Apparently befitting the historic assault, Cowart and Schlesselman “stated they would dress in all white tuxedos and wear top hats during the assassination attempt.”

I understand that investigators have to take these matters seriously, and they should. But looking at the details of this plot, I don’t think these clowns could organize my glove compartment, much less an elaborate multi-state killing spree culminating in the assassination of a presidential candidate.

Saline Co. Dog Fighting Ring Busted

By David Kinkade - October 18, 2008 5:36 am

John Lyon at the Politics in Arkansas blog reports that the atrociously named Patryk Janiszewski will face 30 days jail time, a $1,000 fine and probation for running a dog fighting ring in Saline County:

Saline County sheriff’s deputies, veterinarians and employees of the United States and Pulaski County humane societies seized 27 pit bull terriers, many with wounds described as consistent with dog bites, from Janiszewski’s property on Gingerbread Lane in rural Saline County in January. Authorities said they also seized pit bull remains, equipment to train dogs for fighting, veterinary supplies and drugs to treat injured animals, as well as collapsible pits, dog-fighting instruction manuals and computer files pertaining to dog fighting.

It’s a tough business, there’s no doubt about it. I used to run a dog fighting ring out of my garage, but Arkansas Project Girlfriend (APG) made me stop because she didn’t think it was right for the dogs. Whatever. I’m telling you, those Pomeranians are damn fierce when they’re riled.

Alamo To Be Arraigned Today

By David Kinkade - October 17, 2008 7:59 am

Tony Alamo

Nutty evangelist/cult leader Tony Alamo, arrested in Arizona last month after a raid on his southwest Arkansas compound, will be arraigned today in Texarkana for Mann Act violations (that’s “transporting minors across state lines for sexual purposes,” for you clean living types out there who didn’t know such practices existed). Alamo’s lawyer tells the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Noel E. Oman that his man will plead innocent.

If you’re looking for some kind of punchline to this, I’m sorry, I’m coming up dry. Alamo is such a parody already it’s hard to know where to start.

Alamo Returning to Arkansas in Child Sex Probe

By David Kinkade - October 6, 2008 2:13 pm

Weirdo cult evangelist Tony Alamo, arrested two weeks ago in Arizona following a raid on his southwest Arkansas compound in a federal child sex probe, is being returned to Arkansas to face charges, the AP reports.

“I know he’s excited to get his side of the story told,” his lawyer says. Aren’t we all?

(More Tony Alamo stuff here, here and here.)

Fayetteville Man Attempts to Run Over Pro-Life Demonstrators

By David Kinkade - October 2, 2008 8:08 am

Shireman

This week’s leading entry in the Arkansas Criminal Masterminds series is Jason Bryant Shireman of Fayetteville, who was arrested Tuesday for driving on a curb in an alleged effort to run over a group of protesters at a Fayetteville abortion clinic.

A group of students were demonstrating outside the clinic on N. College Ave. when Shireman “drove his Suburban onto the curb, nearly striking three students from the Subiaco Academy.” He faces felony charges involving three counts of aggravated assault, the Northwest Arkansas Times’ Kate Ward reports.

Shireman told police that he drove on to the sidewalk not to run over the students, but to show them “what he thought of them.” I guess that’s one way to send a message. He might also consider “shooting their parents” and “setting their houses on fire.” It’s just so hard to get kids’ attention these days.

Tony Alamo is a Handsome Devil

By David Kinkade - September 28, 2008 6:03 am

We’ve touched a couple of times on the Tony Alamo case in southwest Arkansas, where federal officials raided the controversial evangelist/shyster’s compound last weekend as part of a child sex probe and took several children into protective custody. A few days later, Alamo himself was arrested in connection to the probe.

I don’t have any new news on this, but just wanted to point to the unrecognizable recent photo of a balding and bearded Alamo that emerged when he returned to Arkansas this week to face charges.

It’s a far cry from Alamo’s classic dark glasses and high pompadour look of years past, which Bill Clinton memorably characterized as “Roy Orbison on speed.” More photos and classic Alamiana here.

Ark. Criminal Masterminds Update: Barber, Alamo Edition

By David Kinkade - September 26, 2008 9:03 am

Following up on a couple of Arkansas Criminal Masterminds entries from the last week:

Barber: He knew when to hold 'em. If only he'd known when to fold 'em.

Yesterday we reported the news of northwest Arkansas real estate developer Brandon Barber getting nabbed on a DWI charge in Fayetteville (his second in just over two years). The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Adam Wallworth adds a little spice to the stew, reporting that police discovered that Barber was wanted on a felony warrant out of Nevada for an unpaid $16,000 gambling debt owed to a Las Vegas casino. He settled up yesterday for the total amount, plus a 10 percent fee. Ain’t he just the dickens?

Nutty Arkansas evangelist Tony Alamo was arrested by the FBI yesterday on child sex charges, following a raid on his southwest Arkansas compound last weekend. I’ll just let you click on over and read Jon Gambrell’s fine AP story on the arrest for more on the good reverend’s latest twisted adventure.

Now, you may say, “But, seriously, Dave, how twisted is he?” To which I say, I’m glad you asked. Let’s let the man speak for himself, as he did in a telephone interview this week with a foxy and feisty FOX News anchorbabe. It is just truly, truly awesome:

Barber Nabbed on DWI

By David Kinkade - September 25, 2008 10:46 am

Brandon Barber

Get ready, because The Arkansas Project is about to go all “Smoking Gun” on your ass: It appears there’s more trouble for Northwest Arkansas bad boy real estate mogul Brandon Barber, who was reportedly picked up on a DWI charge in Fayetteville last night. Here’s the link to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office page with the arrest info, kindly passed along by a reader.

It’s not Barber’s first DWI — he was picked up in Sept. 2006 after he ran over some mailboxes and crashed into a utility pole, according to this Morning News of NWA report from last year.

Last month, the real estate hotshot’s company declared bankruptcy, which The Arkansas Project covered here. Arkansas Business has more on Barber’s business wheelings and dealings here.

Pulaski Sheriff Shutters Strip Club

By David Kinkade - September 22, 2008 7:53 pm

Three dancers, a bouncer and a strip club owner were among those arrested at The Upscale Gentlemen’s Club on Highway 165 near the bustling metropolis of Scott, Ark., Pulaski County Sheriff Doc Holladay announced today.

According to KTHV/Channel 11:

The club hadn’t been open for long before the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department says complaints came pouring in. The department says its investigation revealed a list of violations, including dancing and contact with customers that bordered prostitution.

Authorities closed the club for operating without the appropriate permits. Great, now what the hell am I supposed to do with all these fives?

Feds Raid Tony Alamo Compound

By David Kinkade - September 22, 2008 6:35 am

I didn’t post much this weekend, you may have noticed, but I didn’t want the biggest Arkansas story of the weekend to pass without a mention here: Preacher/entrepreneur/evangelist/cult leader/all-around weirdo/Arkansas original  Tony Alamo found himself at the center of yet another law enforcement probe this weekend when federal agents stormed his compound in southwest Arkansas and took six kids into custody as part of a child pornography investigation. The AP has the full story here.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette offered some terrific contextual coverage to capture the Tony Alamo story in all its warped glory:

Frank Lockwood examined the gonzo theology of Alamo’s ministry (which includes a heavy emphasis on flying saucers, because, you know, why not?)

Laura Stevens looked back at Alamo’s many business interests and scrapes with the law.

Michelle Bradford rounded up local response to the arrest from Alamo’s neighbors, none of whom have much use for the guy, surprisingly enough.

Pine Bluff School Super: “Oops!”

By David Kinkade - September 12, 2008 2:23 pm

Anthony: "Boy, do I have egg on my face!"

A few months back we learned that the Pine Bluff School District had been defrauded of some $803,000 by a crafty employee who had developed an elaborate scheme to embezzle funds by writing checks to a business account she’d established.

But don’t worry. The district superintendent, Frank Anthony, is “embarrassed” by the malfeasance that occurred under his watch, he told a meeting of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee today. Whew. For a minute there, I was afraid there would be no repercussions.