The Arkansas Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected the appeal of a Grant County man currently serving a prison sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Chad Cason, 53, contended that there was insufficient evidence for his conviction, but the appeals court disagreed.
Cason was arrested on Jan. 16, 2023, after Sheridan Police Officer Mary Stephenson stopped a vehicle Cason was driving because it did not have a license plate. During a search of the vehicle, a nine-millimeter handgun was found under the driver’s seat. Cason was the driver and only occupant of the vehicle.
At his trial, Cason testified that he had prior convictions for terroristic threatening, residential burglary and on drug related charges. He also argued that there was insufficient evidence “that he knew or should have known” that there was a gun in the car and no evidence that he could have could have exercised control of the gun.
Regarding his argument, the appeals court said Cason was the only occupant of the vehicle where the gun was found and it was directly under the driver’s seat where he had immediate access and control.
Cason is serving his sentence at the Grimes Unit at Newport and will be eligible to apply for paroled on July 1, 2038.
