What started as a single arrest by a Sallisaw Police officer has ended up with at least six Sallisaw residents facing charges of using their cell phones to conduct alleged drug transactions.
What started as a single arrest by a Sallisaw Police officer has ended up with at least six Sallisaw residents facing charges of using their cell phones to conduct alleged drug transactions.
According to an affidavit for an arrest warrant, Michael Shawn Pettit, Marlina Hardbarger, Brenda Kay Ellis, Brenda Mae Willis, Dale Legg and Kellee Manda are all facing a charge of unlawful use of a communication facility, in essence, a cell phone.
In the affidavit to support the arrests, Sallisaw Detective Coty Biles said Pettit was arrested by another police officer on April 24 and Pettit’s cell phone was seized due to certain items that were found in his vehicle.
“On April 27, Lt. Hutchinson and I, Det. Coty Biles, began analyzing Michael Shawn Pettit’s cellular device and while doing so we discovered multiple conversations between Pettit and his clientele relating to the distribution of narcotics,” according to the affidavit.
Biles listed a number of examples of phone calls exchanged by Pettit and the other suspects such as the following:
“On Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at 3:48 p.m. Brenda Kay Ellis-Coleman, saved as BK in Pettit’s phone, messages Pettit and states, ‘I am ready to get high and escape this reality,’ ” the affidavit said.
Biles said he went through messages between Pettit and a person he had saved as MHardbarger in his cell phone. Biles said she was later identified as Marlina Hardbarger.
In one conversation, the affidavit said Hardbarger messaged Pettit about 4:45 a.m. April 22 and says, “how much for a ball. At 4:45 a.m. Pettit responds to Hardbarger 85 and then he says fire.”
According to the affidavit, Hardbarger responds at 4:53 a.m. and “says ok, I got 28$ cash, I got 28$ in scratch off winnings. That’s $56 bucks total. I got half sold this morning, that’s $40. Let me get a ball from you right now. At 5:48 a.m. Pettit responds 30 minutes.”
While looking through Facebook messenger, Biles said in the affidavit that Brenda Mae Ellis had messaged Pettit saying, “Hey brother, Dale said he has 80, could you come by?”
In the affidavit, Biles also gave examples of similar messages from Dale Legg, and Kellee Manda.
“While looking through this phone I observed numerous messages to and from Pettit in reference to the distribution of narcotics. Also, while looking through Pettit’s videos I observed what I believed to be him snorting or ingesting a crystal-like substance off the bottom of a pop can while sitting in his vehicle,” Biles said.