By Tia Lyons
Staff Writer
EL DORADO — Two Illinois women who were arrested this week in connection to a major drug investigation in El Dorado and Union County are now in federal custody, local investigators said.
Beth A. Church, 34, and Shannon L. Morgan, 37, had been expected to appear Friday in 35th Judicial District Court on felony charges of drug trafficking, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
However, Capt. Charlie Phillips, of the El Dorado Police Department, said the women were transferred from the Union County Jail to a federal prison and are now under the jurisdiction of the FBI.
Phillips said neither agency is releasing further details about the transfer, citing an ongoing investigation.
Church and Morgan were taken into custody early Thursday morning, the latest in a string of arrests that have been made over the past several weeks as part of a months-long investigation into the illegal trade of methamphetamine in El Dorado and Union County.
The operation was initiated by the El Dorado Police Department and coordinated with several other law enforcement agencies, including the area’s Criminal Apprehension Division, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force Arkansas State Police, and the U.S. Marshals.
Investigators said they have arrested several people who they believe are among the major dealers of methamphetamine in the area.
Charles M. Permenter, 54, of Parkers Chapel, was arrested in May for possession of methamphetamine, three counts of delivery of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Permenter is under federal indictment and is being held in the Union County Jail. Authorities declined to release further details about his arrest.
Kenny Benson, 33, and Tiffney Benson, 49, a couple from Calion, were arrested Tuesday for the trafficking of methamphetamine, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of delivery of methamphetamine, maintaining a drug premises and use of a communication device (in the commission of a crime).
The Bensons were arrested during a traffic stop on U.S. 167, just north of Junction City.
Officers began investigating Kenneth Benson after receiving information that he was allegedly selling large quantities of meth in Union County.
Investigators learned that he traveled out of state, sometimes to Texas, to purchase meth, and they conducted several controlled buys from Benson.
On June 20, a surveillance team homed in on a trip Benson had planned to Texas and subsequently alerted Arkansas State Police as he headed back into Union County.
State police on routine patrol conducted a traffic stop at 4:36 p.m. the following day after reportedly seeing a white pickup truck swerving and driving with a busted windshield.
Tiffney Benson was driving the truck, and Kenneth was a passenger, state police said.
After a Union County Sheriff’s Office dog alerted to the pickup truck, officers conducted a search, to which the couple had already consented, and found a loaded handgun and four, 9-ounce packages of methamphetamine hidden inside packages of Kool-Aid juice boxes.
Police said they found more meth during a search of Tiffney Benson’s person at EPD headquarters, bringing the total estimated street value of the meth seized by investigators to more than $100,000.
They followed up by executing a search warrant at the couple’s residence at 814 Dugan Reed in Calion, where they found three dozen firearms and other evidence, Phillips said, declining to name the other evidence.
Tiffney Benson was issued a $25,000 bond during a first appearance hearing Thursday in Columbia County.
David Butler, chief prosecuting attorney for the 13th Judicial District, said Tiffney Benson planned to hire her own attorney.
Kenneth Benson is also being held in Columbia County.
He, too, was set for a first appearance hearing on Thursday, and Butler said the hearing was postponed after Benson said he wanted to hire his own attorney.
Butler said Kenneth Benson will likely appear in court next week.
The arrests led investigators to Morgan and Church.
Investigators intercepted communication between the women and a local contact, who Phillips said was already in custody charges related to the ongoing methamphetamine probe.
Morgan and Church were arrested in Fordyce after driving there from Illinois, allegedly to purchase methamphetamine from the contact.
The buy was coordinated by the aforementioned law enforcement agencies — this time, with assistance from the Fordyce Police Department.
A surveillance team converged upon the meet-up spot, a convenience store in Fordyce.
The women arrived at approximately 4:15 a.m. on Thursday and paid $7,000 for a package of meth that was delivered by the contact — referenced as a “cooperating subject” in a probable cause affidavit — and an undercover officer.
Morgan and Church were then taken into custody, and police said they seized an additional $940 cash and a pipe commonly used for smoking narcotics during a search.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.