Drug Charges Filed Against Hardin

Jimmy David Hardin, 63, of rural Sallisaw was charged Wednesday in Sequoyah County District Court with unlawful possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute, a felony, and a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hardin was arrested Aug. 4 at his home south of Sallisaw during an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Ron Lockhart said the sheriff’s department served a search warrant on Hardin’s home after a month-long investigation for distribution of narcotics.

According to the investigator’s report filed with the charges, officers found a smoking device in Hardin’s bedroom. A search of his 1996 Chevrolet S-14 pickup truck uncovered drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, clear plastic bags, and three syringes containing a clear liquid substance. A blue kozzie was found containing four plastic bags with a crystal-like substance that later field-tested positive for methamphetamines.

The vehicle and the evidence were seized. Two women at the residence were also arrested and transported to the county jail.

“Hardin has been arrested at least four times in the last few years,” Lockhart said.

Hardin is free on a $40,000 bond after his last arrest for drugs on March 1 following an investigation by the sheriff’s office and the District 27 Drug Task Force. He was then charged by the district attorney with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled drug with the intent to distribute, maintaining a place to keep or sell controlled substances and knowingly concealing stolen property.

Hardin pleaded not guilty to the charges on March 28. His preliminary hearing on those charges is set to begin Aug. 29 in district court.

In March, the district attorney’s office also included a list of Hardin’s previous convictions. According to the list Hardin was convicted on Feb. 27, 1985, of conducting gambling game and was sentenced to four years in prison; was convicted on May 15, 1992, of the manufacture of a controlled dangerous substance after former conviction of two or more felonies, and was sentenced to 70 years in prison; was convicted on April 7, 2008, of unlawful possession of a controlled drug and was sentenced to 10 years in prison; was convicted on April 20, 2012, of grand larceny and knowingly concealing stolen property and was sentenced to five years in prison; and was convicted on Feb. 7, 2013, of knowingly concealing stolen property and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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