Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — May 29, 2025 — A Jonesboro man faces several charges after police said they found drugs on him, and he swallowed a plastic container before being stopped by an officer.
According to an affidavit, on March 6, Cpl. Tommy Fitzgerald stopped a vehicle near the 49 northbound mile marker on Interstate-555 for going over the speed limit. The officer noticed while trying to stop the vehicle, the suspect, 44-year-old Joseph Bauer Jackson, was taking some time to stop “as if he were stalling” before stopping just off Dan Avenue.
Fitzgerald said Jackson appeared nervous, as he was talking fast and his hands were shaking. Jackson’s driver’s license information revealed that he had a valid felony warrant through Craighead County, and he was placed into custody.
The affidavit said Fitzgerald found a plastic container in Jackson’s right pants pocket, which had several items inside including three bags of suspected meth, a bag of seven miscellaneous pills, and a small glass and rubber pipe used for smoking meth.
After leaving the scene, Jackson asked Fitzgerald if he could get out to throw up, upon which the officer asked if he had swallowed anything before. The affidavit stated that Jackson admitted to swallowing a large plastic container, and emergency medical services were called to take him to the hospital.
Fitzgerald spoke with a nurse, advising “that due to Jackson’s condition and his blood pressure and temperature rapidly rising, they were going to admit him into the hospital.” He was released from the officer’s custody and left in the care of the medical staff.
The affidavit stated that the drugs recovered at the scene were field tested and had a positive result for meth. The evidence was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock for further testing.
On May 28, Judge Barbara Halsey found probable cause to charge Jackson with possession of a controlled Schedule I/II substance with the intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with physical evidence, speeding more than 16 miles per hour, and having fictitious tags and no liability insurance.
The judge ordered a $100,000 cash/surety bond for Jackson. His next court date is scheduled for June 27.
Jackson has been in Craighead County Detention Center since May 18 on a $250,000 bond for other charges, including possession of meth/cocaine and drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, and injuring a law enforcement animal.
