A Texarkana man who was supposed to appear for sentencing and begin a 10-year prison term Tuesday failed to show for court.
At the request of Texarkana lawyer Darren Anderson, Haltom agreed to let Brown go home Monday for one last night with his family and to put his affairs in order. Brown failed to appear for formal sentencing at 9 a.m. Tuesday and Haltom issued a warrant for his arrest.
Prosecuting Attorney Stephanie Black said the state will be asking the court for a withdrawal of the plea agreement. As an habitual offender, Brown faces up to 15 years on both of the existing charges. Black said she intends to file a new charge against Brown for failing to appear Tuesday. Failure to appear for sentencing is punishable by up to 30 years in prison for an habitual offender. That means Brown faces the possibility of sentences totaling 60 years rather than the 10 he would have received had he shown for court as scheduled.
Brown's charges stem from a brawl involving dozens of people at Race Way convenience store on State Line Avenue in October 2014. Shots were fired after a fight that began between two men over a woman turned into a melee involving at least 25. One man was killed and another wounded. Brown provided one of the shooters with a gun that was used during the fight.
Black said Brown's most recent conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon is his third and that Brown should be considered likely to be armed.
"Clearly he is not going to stop carrying a gun," Black said.
Haltom scheduled Brown's case for a status update in a couple of weeks should he not be taken into custody sooner.
Brown's plea Monday came after a jury was selected to decide his guilt or innocence on the weapons charge. Later in the afternoon Brown had a change of heart and decided to take the state's plea offer rather than face the possibility of a 15-year sentence on that charge. The organized criminal activity case was to be tried at a later date.
According to court records, Brown is a 5 feet 8 inches tall, black male, who weighs about 180. Anyone with information about Brown's whereabouts is asked to contact the Miller County Sheriff's Office at 870-774-3001 or Texarkana area CrimeStoppers at 903-793-STOP.