Prescott man sentenced on meth charges

By Dale Gathright, Jr., 12/15/21 2:44 PM

PRESCOTT – A Nevada County Jury has convicted a Prescott resident of Methamphetamine offenses within 1,000 feet of Munn’s Chapel First Baptist Church. David Wayne Railey, 52, was sentenced to 70 years in prison and $30,000 in fines.

The Nevada County jury convicted Railey Tuesday night of possessing more than ten grams, but less than two hundred grams, of methamphetamine and possessing paraphernalia used to pack or repack methamphetamine in Prescott on March 25, 2020.

The jury recommended a sentence of 35 years and $15,000 in fines as a large habitual offender on each of the Class B felony counts. Because Railey possessed the methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a church, he received an enhanced sentence of 10 years in prison without the possibility of parole. Judge Duncan Culpepper sentenced Railey to serve the two 35-year sentences consecutively, while the enhanced sentence would run concurrent with the other two sentences.

The case was investigated by the Eighth North Drug Task Force led by Gary Dorman, which is comprised of agents from the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Department, Nevada County Sheriff’s Department, Hope Police Department, and Prescott Police Department. Cody Ferguson, formerly a detective with the Prescott Police Department, was lead agent for the Drug Task Force on this case. Colby Tillman, formerly an officer with the Prescott Police Department, located the methamphetamine during the execution of a search warrant. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jim Burke was lead counsel for the State of Arkansas and was assisted by Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hale.