By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell beat up suspects and coerced them into selling drugs for him, and his wife Kelly Campbell had sex not only with inmates, as previously alleged, but also with a 16-year-old male student when she worked as a computer-lab teacher for the Lonoke School Dis-trict, Prosecutor Lona McCastlain alleged Oct. 6 in documents filed with the Lonoke County Circuit Court.
No additional charges have been filed against the Campbells and the two bail bondsmen, all charged with participating in an ongoing criminal enterprise, but after McCastlain filed the new documents requested by defense attorneys and ordered by the court, Special Judge John Cole ruled in favor of Larry Benca’s motion to postpone the trial.
Benca is Jay Campbell’s lawyer. The Campbells and the bail bondsmen all are being tried together. Cole last week moved the trial date from Nov. 8 to Feb. 19, McCastlain said Monday. The pretrial hearings have been moved to Jan. 5 and February 2, she said.
Campbell and bail bondsmen Larry Norwood and Bobby Junior Cox are charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The Campbells are charged with numerous counts of stealing prescription drugs, money or jewelry from the homes or businesses of friends, and Kelly Campbell is charged with having sex numerous times with two of her husband’s inmates and providing them with prohibited items, such as alcohol, drugs and a cellular telephone.
Jay Campbell is charged with running an ongoing criminal enterprise, while the other three are charged with participating in that enterprise.
The most recent allegations came about as defense attorneys asked to know exactly what crimes were being alleged in support of the criminal enterprise charges. Such charges require commission of two other felonies—“bad acts”—either violent or committed for financial gain.
Using only initials to designate individuals in the supplemental bill or particulars, McCastlain’s new allegations hold that Jay Campbell: Grabbed a robbery suspect by the collar, hit him several times in the face and kneed him in the groin, resulting in a trip to the hospital. Arrested another suspect for delivery of a controlled substance, confiscated $1,200 and two ounces of marijuana and seized his truck. The suspect told the prosecutor that he got only $200 of that money back when he bonded out.
Arrested another man—24 years ago—when Campbell worked for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, slapped and hit him until he agreed to work as an informant for $20-$30 a week and later was paid by Campbell with marijuana. He said he also received sexual favors from women provided by Campbell.
Another man served time for possession with intent to deliver. When released in December 2004, Campbell gave him the choice of going back to the pen or selling drugs for him. In other cases, the former chief is alleged to have bought the drug Ecstasy on several occasions.
McCastlain alleged that Norwood and Cox mistreated Lloyd Crews at a North Little Rock Motel 6 while searching for two bond jumpers and previous incidents involving Crews in Saline County. Lonoke County Deputy Jimmy Don Slaydon arrested Norwood in January 2003 for coercion.