A Bradley County jury has convicted a local man on multiple felony charges stemming from a 2023 drug and weapons investigation, resulting in a 12-year prison sentence.
On August 6, 2025, Derek Logan Simmons was found guilty by a Bradley County Circuit Court jury on three felony counts: Possession of Methamphetamine, Simultaneous Possession of Drugs and Firearms, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The convictions followed a May 24, 2023 search of Simmons’ residence on Bradley Road North in Warren.
The search, conducted by agents from the Tenth Judicial District Drug Task Force, Arkansas Community Corrections, and the Bradley County Sheriff’s Department, was based on Simmons’ parole conditions and a signed search waiver. Officers discovered methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded shotgun. Additional items found included digital scales, smoking devices, and men’s hunting clothing—evidence commonly associated with narcotics distribution.
Following the verdict, the jury heard about Simmons’ extensive criminal history and determined he was a habitual offender under Arkansas law. In 2016, Simmons was convicted in Bradley County on four separate drug-related felonies. Although originally placed on probation, that probation was revoked in 2021 after new criminal charges were filed in Jefferson County.
Simmons was subsequently sentenced to six years for each Bradley County conviction, running concurrently. In Jefferson County, he was also convicted of Possession of Methamphetamine or Cocaine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, both Class D felonies, and sentenced to an additional 72 months in the Arkansas Department of Correction.
The jury recommended Simmons serve 12 years for the methamphetamine charge, and 10 years each for the simultaneous possession and felon-in-possession charges, to run consecutively for a total of 32 years. However, Circuit Judge Quincey Ross opted to impose a total of 12 years, rejecting the consecutive sentencing recommendation.
Simmons began serving his sentence immediately after the ruling.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David Harrod praised the jury for their diligence and thanked Sheriff Herschel Tillman, the Drug Task Force, and parole officers for their work in the case.
Tenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Frank Spain emphasized the gravity of combining drugs and firearms. “As a career prosecutor, I’m well aware that drugs and guns don’t mix. I’ve seen too many lives lost when the two come together,” said Spain. “The Arkansas Legislature has given us strong tools to fight this combination. Simultaneous Possession of Drugs and Firearms is a Class Y felony that can carry a life sentence. Furthermore, the Felon in Possession of a Firearm charge mandates 100% service time with no eligibility for parole if the firearm is used during the commission of a new crime.”
Spain added, “Sentences like the one handed down to Mr. Simmons send a clear message to felons in Bradley County: if you continue to commit crimes involving drugs and weapons, you will face the full weight of the law.”
