Paragould, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – Following a nearly year-long investigation into threatening letters mailed to local officials and citizens, Paragould police arrested a Forrest City man who is being held on a $750,000 cash/surety bond.

Cody Taylor, 26, was arrested and booked into the Greene County Detention Center on Sept. 12, the inmate roster shows.

This follows an investigation revealing that between Oct. 1, 2025, and Sept. 5, 2026, numerous letters were mailed to school officials, public servants, and private citizens within Paragould and other jurisdictions throughout Arkansas. Several individuals received multiple letters on different occasions.

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According to the probable cause affidavit, the letters contained threats to kill, kidnap, stalk, commit sexual acts, and shoot into multiple government buildings.

Police said the letters were forged to appear as though they were sent by certain private citizens. A majority of the letters utilized a local educator’s name and address, resulting in over a dozen police reports being filed against that individual. Over several months, multiple citizens listed as senders or recipients were interviewed to no avail.

On Sept. 5, a crime tip was sent to a local agency containing information consistent with the letters. Investigators obtained an IP address belonging to Taylor, who was found to have multiple connections with the senders and recipients.

On Sept. 11, search warrants were executed for Taylor’s DNA and his home in St. Francis County. Upon arrival, Taylor told officers he believed they were there because of the letters he had been sending.

During a Mirandized interview, Taylor admitted to acting as other local individuals to mail the letters to school officials, public servants, private citizens, and celebrity figures.

The following day, District Judge Curtis Hill found probable cause to charge Taylor with 135 total offenses, including:

  • Three counts of false communicating a terrorist threat (Class B felony)
  • 23 counts of forgery (Class C felony)
  • 16 counts of stalking (Class C felony)
  • 15 counts of terroristic threatening (Class D felony)
  • Five counts of filing a false report with a law enforcement agency (Class D felony)
  • 25 counts of harassing communications (Class A misdemeanor)
  • 23 counts of criminal impersonation (Class A misdemeanor)
  • 21 counts of communicating a false alarm (Class A misdemeanor)
  • Four counts of stalking (Class A misdemeanor)

In addition to the $750,000 bond, Taylor was ordered to not have any contact with the victims in the case, wear a GPS ankle monitor upon release, and he must not possess any weapons. The judge also ordered Taylor to obtain a mental health evaluation and follow all treatment recommended.

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