By Ray King
A $10,000 bond was set Monday for a Pine Bluff man currently on probation who was arrested after a loaded gun was found in the vehicle the man was driving.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Thomas Welch, 41, with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Deputy Prosecutor Karres Manning said Welch was placed on probation this year after pleading guilty to charges of possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and possession of a defaced firearm.
Reading from an affidavit by Sheriff’s Investigator Rodney Allen, Manning said on Saturday, Deputy Bradley Shell was westbound on Barraque Street at 7:30 p.m. when he saw a black Jeep eastbound that had a defective headlight and conducted a traffic stop.
Manning said Welch was identified as the driver and while Shell was running the driver’s license information, he noticed that Welch was on probation and had a search warrant on file.
Welch said he would hire his own attorney and was told to come back to court Dec. 8.
