Bono, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – June 12, 2024 – Joann Wells was arrested on Monday by the US Marshalls in relation to a Death by Delivery charge, a statute reserved for fentanyl deaths in Arkansas.

The law states a person commits aggravated death by delivery if they knowingly deliver or convey fentanyl to another person, and the ingestion is the cause of death of the other person. The penalty for Wells’ charge, a Class B felony, is up to $15,000 and 5-20 years in Prison.

The Probable Cause affidavit was released by Bono PD Detective Joel McCracken today:

On 8/16/23 Husband (Steven Jones) reported to BONO POLICE DEPARTMENT his wife (Whitney Jones) a 36-year-old female was found unconscious laying on the bathroom floor. Medical personnel arrived on scene and preformed their duties. Comer was called to the scene and pronounced Whitney Jones Deceased. State Crime Laboratory found the cause of death to be Accident caused by FENTANYL and ALPRAZOLAM Toxicity. During our investigation and evidence obtained from the deceased victim’s phone we have identified Joann Marie Wells. We have found in our Victims phone text messages to Joann dating back as far as May 25, 2023. This is the phone we obtained from Joann Marie Wells when she was in custody at Craighead County Jail on other charges. We also have Facebook messages to Joann Marie through AUG 16, 2023, the day of our victim’s overdose death. These messages contain details on amounts of drugs purchased and the price thereof. All these messages show a long-standing relationship between this suspected drug dealer and the victim. The pills discussed are “perks” also known as Percocet, a pain medication. We know that the day before Whitney’s overdose death on 8/15/23, she arranged a deal to purchase $300 in “Percocet” from Joann Marie. Which according to the messages on 8/15/23 at 8:52am our suspect arrived to deliver the drugs to our Victims work. The very next day on 8/16/23 at 1:08pm our victim left work because she was not feeling well. It was that very afternoon Steven Jones found his wife Whitney deceased. Joann Marie Facebook has a profile picture of our suspect and her children that is Visible on our Victims phone. Joann Marie Facebook account has several pictures of our suspect. Also post with her husband stating his full name Quincy Wells and post of our suspects children. We also have several payments sent from our victim to Joann Wells. After all evidence obtained and interviews conducted. We can clearly identify Joann Marie Wells at the only person Whitney Jones had contact with for the purpose of purchasing drugs months leading up to her death. It is our strong belief that these “perks” were a counterfeit drug containing the FENTANYL that caused the death of Whitney Jones.

Wells was arrested by the US Marshals on Monday following a Bench Warrant that was signed for her arrest.

The charge is in relation to the August 2023 death of Whitney Jones.

Wells went before Judge Boling on Wednesday, June 12 and was given a $500,000 c/s bond. Her next court date is July 26 at 8:30.

At the time of her arrest, she was already out on bond in relation to a Forgery charge from December 2023.