A Norfork man has pleaded guilty to drug-related charges and was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Baxter County Circuit Court.
Mason Hunter Chism, 24, received the sentence following his arrest last October at a residence along Red’s Landing Trail in the Norfork area. Baxter County deputies, along with officers from the Arkansas Department of Corrections, went to the property to apprehend Chism, who was listed as a probation absconder and had active arrest warrants.
According to authorities, officers conducted a lengthy search before locating Chism hiding under a blanket in a bedroom of the home. The arrest and subsequent investigation culminated in the recent court proceedings that led to his sentence.
Court records indicate Chism has had a history of interactions with Baxter County law enforcement. Details of his previous encounters with police were not disclosed in court documents, but officials noted his probation status at the time of the incident.
Chism will serve his eight-year sentence in the custody of the Arkansas Department of Corrections.