A former Pike County deputy accused of hawking two county-issued weapons is now facing felony charges following an Arkansas State Police investigation.
Brandon M. Vines, 40, of Glenwood, was charged Jan. 31 in Pike County Circuit Court with two counts of theft of property.
Vines was employed with the county from May 2024 to December 2024. He was terminated by Sheriff Travis Hill after Vines failed to show up for two scheduled dates to attend the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy.
On Jan. 2, Vines returned some his assigned equipment to the county but did not return a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun and a Colt M-16 .223 rifle. He advised he was soaking the weapons to clean them and would bring them in the next day.
But on Jan. 2, Glenwood Police Chief Greg Harmon was at McGrew Pawn Shop when he recognized the shotgun that was up for sale. A serial number check determined the weapon belonged to the county and the weapon was recovered the next day.
The shop owner told the ASP that several attempts to contact Vines were ignored but because of lack of payment the shotgun was placed for sale.
The M-16 was recovered from an individual, Donald Parker of Glenwood, on Jan. 3. Parker told investigators that he was unaware the rifle was county property and that it was in his possession as collateral on a $500 loan to Vines that he had not paid. The weapon was recovered that day.
Vines plead innocent to the charges Monday and he was ordered to return to court March 3 with an attorney. He was released from county custody Monday on $10,000 bond.
