Bondsmen Find Chandler in Belize
Last updated Thursday, April 12, 2007 7:25 PM CDT in News
By Robin Mero
The Morning News
BENTONVILLE —A Bentonville man who fled the country to avoid facing trial for manufacturing methamphetamine was captured in Belize on Tuesday by U.S. Marshals, a bail bondsman said Thursday.
Dustin Eugene Chandler, 33, is in the Harris County Jail in Houston, awaiting extradition to Arkansas, jail officials confirmed.
Chandler was to face trial before Benton County Circuit Judge David Clinger on March 20, but left a note for his mother, apologizing and saying he “had no choice,” according to Fayetteville defense attorneys Paul Smith and Kara Moore, who learned of the note about 8:30 a.m. — as the courtroom was filling with jurors.
Curt Clark of Action Bail Bonds said he began hearing rumors of Chandler fleeing to Belize the next day. The company holds $30,000 in bonds for the man, who faces two sets of drug charges.
“I worked day and night to find him for 22 days,” Clark said Thursday.
Clark and two others traveled Saturday to San Pedro, Belize, the largest town on the island of Ambergris Caye. On Sunday night, after dinner, they were walking down a street in town and came face-to-face with Chandler. He didn’t recognize them, and they followed him to his room at the Spindrift Hotel.
According to its Web site, the Spindrift Hotel is located on the beach and offers economy rooms with private bath for $47.50 U.S. dollars.
U.S. Marshals were notified but, because of the Easter holiday, Clark said Chandler couldn’t be taken into custody until Tuesday morning. His passport was revoked and, by mid-afternoon, he was in the Houston jail.
Chandler was charged in Benton County with manufacturing meth in a detached garage at the home of his mother, Marie Chandler, 1207 Cedar Heights, in October 2003. She was then a records clerk with the Bentonville Police Department, but resigned after the arrest.
Chandler could face up to life in prison if convicted on charges of manufacturing meth, possessing meth with intent to deliver, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, and possession of psilocybin mushrooms. He also missed a March 26 court date on charges from an arrest July 21, 2004 — including driving on a suspended driver's license, driving left of center, failure to signal, no seat belt, careless and prohibitive driving, no proof of insurance and possessing drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture.
Prosecutors said Chandler could now also face additional felony charges of failure to appear.
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Wow! wrote on Apr 13, 2007 12:41 AM:
Not already registered?
Larry Jasper Barney wrote on Apr 12, 2007 11:18 PM: