JONESBORO, Ark. — A Jonesboro man charged with felony robbery has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminal mischief and received a 12-month suspended imposition of sentence (SIS), according to court records filed on September 17.
Christopher Lee Bills, 43, entered a negotiated plea to first-degree criminal mischief involving damage of $1,000 or less, which is classified as a Class A misdemeanor. The court amended the original robbery charge to criminal mischief, while charges of third-degree battery and theft of property valued at $1,000 or less were dropped through a legal process known as nolle prosequi.
Circuit Judge Chris Thyer accepted the agreement and issued the sentencing order. Deputy Prosecutor Katherine E. Calaway-Turner represented the state, and Public Defender Presley Noel represented Bills, according to the court documents.
Under the terms of the suspended sentence, Bills faces no jail or prison time but must comply with specific conditions. These include completing batterers and anger management classes, undergoing a mental health assessment within 90 days, and adhering to its recommendations. He is also required to abide by a no-contact order.
The court assessed Bills $540 in fines and fees, including a $100 fine, $150 in court costs, a $40 jail administration fee, and a $250 public defender fee. The terms call for monthly payments of $75, plus an additional $10 monthly fee for the payment plan.
According to a report by K8, the charges stemmed from a March 23 incident that allegedly occurred outside an apartment in Jonesboro. K8’s reporting of the police affidavit states that Bills accused a woman of taking his property, punched her, and struck her with a motorcycle helmet before taking her purse and keys. Officers alleged that Bills later entered the woman’s apartment without permission and prevented her from leaving.
K8 further reported that officers eventually found Bills in the woman’s apartment and arrested him. At his initial court appearance, Special Judge Barbara Halsey set his bond at $100,000 cash and issued a no-contact order.
The final court records confirm Bills’ plea to the criminal mischief charge but do not include details about why the robbery charge was reduced, or the other charges dismissed. The documents also do not state how much time, if any, Bills spent in custody prior to the plea agreement.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.