On 11/23/15, at approximately 3:48 AM, officers with the Benton Police Department responded to the Days Inn (17701 I-30) Room 139 in reference to a possible hostage situation. It was reported to officers that a suspect was holding another individual against their will with a firearm.
Upon officers arrival they spoke with numerous individuals outside the hotel room, including the one who was possibly being held against their will. Contact was then made with two suspects inside the room, identified as Paul Barnes (33 YOA) of Little Rock and Haley Yates (22 YOA) of Benton.
According to those outside the room, they showed up at the hotel and tried to get a friend to leave whenever Barnes displayed a pistol and said she wasn’t leaving. They left the area and called the police department due to concern for their friend inside, who came out prior to officers’ arrival.
Due to information and evidence located by officers, Barnes and Yates were taken into custody without incident. Detectives then assumed the investigation and a search warrant was obtained for the hotel room. During the execution of the search warrant, detectives located a pistol and suspected illegal narcotics including; Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Ecstasy, and Marijuana. Items commonly used to sell and distribute illegal narcotics, including plastic baggies and scales, were also located in the room.
Barnes and Yates were initially transported to the Benton Police Department for questioning and subsequently taken to the Saline County Detention Facility for processing. Barnes and Yates are both charged with Simultaneous Possession of Drugs and a Firearm, Possession of Methamphetamine with Purpose to Deliver, Possession of Cocaine with Purpose to Deliver, 2 counts of Possession of Schedule IV Controlled Substance with Purpose to Deliver, 2 counts of Possession of Schedule I or II Controlled Substance with Purpose to Deliver, Possession of Schedule VI Controlled Substance with Purpose to Deliver, Possession of Schedule III controlled Substance with Purpose to Deliver, Use of Another Person’s Property to Facilitate Certain Crimes, Maintaining a Drug Premises, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Additionally, Barnes is also charged with False Imprisonment and is an active parolee out of the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections. This is an on-going investigation and additional charges could be possible.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Benton Police Department at 501-778-1171 or 501-315-TIPS. Individuals also may send us anonymous information to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword BNPD in the body of the text or go to www.crimereports.com to leave a tip. A crime tip can also be submitted via the official Benton Police Department app found on ITunes and Google Play.
Any suspects listed are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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