PARAGOULD, Ark. — A Paragould woman has been sentenced to four years of probation after pleading guilty to two felony charges. The charges stemmed from an incident in which police said she appeared impaired while serving as the sole caregiver for her 1-month-old child.

Ciera Nicole Becker, 26, entered a negotiated guilty plea to charges of fraudulent practices involving controlled substances and first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor. Both counts are classified as Class D felonies. The plea agreement was finalized on July 28.

Circuit Judge Pam Honeycutt deferred adjudication in the case, placing Becker on probation for 48 months. Under the terms of the deferred agreement, Becker must meet all probation conditions to have the case dismissed and sealed. A violation of those terms would allow the court to enter an adjudication of guilt and proceed with sentencing.

As part of the judgment, Becker served five days in jail, for which she received credit for time already served. She was also ordered to pay $860 in court costs and fees. A separate misdemeanor charge for possession of a controlled substance was dismissed by prosecutors.

The charges originated from an incident on June 12, when Paragould police were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of North 12th Street after receiving a report of an intoxicated woman stealing medication. According to a probable cause affidavit, residents of the home said Becker was organizing their medication cabinet in their absence. One resident alleged that hydrocodone and Klonopin were missing.

Officers arriving on the scene observed that Becker exhibited slow, slurred speech and had difficulty maintaining her balance. The affidavit states Becker admitted to taking prescribed hydrocodone and muscle relaxers.

As part of their investigation, officers examined Becker’s medication bottles. According to the affidavit, Becker disclosed that prescription weight-loss medication might be found in her hydrocodone bottle. Investigators reported locating seven phentermine pills, a Schedule IV controlled substance, which were prescribed to one of the residents. Becker did not have a prescription for the medication.

Initially, Becker told officers that a resident had shared the phentermine with her. In a follow-up interview the next day, she admitted to organizing the medication cabinet but claimed the resident placed the pills in her bottle without her knowledge.

The affidavit also noted that Becker’s 1-month-old child was in her sole care during and prior to the incident. Bond for Becker was initially set at $10,000, and she was ordered to avoid contact with the alleged victims as well as comply with a Department of Human Services investigation into the welfare of the child.

Prosecutors opted to resolve the case through the deferred adjudication agreement, provided Becker fulfills all conditions of her probation.