A Jonesboro resident has been sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to a felony charge of witness intimidation.
According to court documents, Charles Edward Beare entered the guilty plea on October 26. Circuit Judge Scott Ellington imposed the sentence, which includes the terms of probation and requirements for Beare to avoid contact with the witness and obtain a GED.
Authorities arrested Beare in August after a complaint that he had threatened a witness in his brother’s criminal case. Craighead County District Judge David Boling determined on August 24 that there was sufficient evidence to formally charge Beare with intimidating a witness, a Class B felony.
The incident originated on August 22, when Jonesboro police responded to reports of a disturbance at Garden Manor. According to an affidavit, officers spoke with the witness, who alleged that Beare and several other men had come to his residence and issued threats.
The witness told authorities that Beare’s brother had recently been arrested on accusations of stealing the witness’s firearm. He alleged Beare entered his apartment and asked, “What we doing, bro? You gone drop the charges or not?” The verbal confrontation reportedly escalated, with Beare challenging the witness to “shoot it out” around the corner. The witness stated it was unclear whether Beare was armed.
Law enforcement later located Beare near David Cove and observed vehicles matching descriptions provided by the witness. Beare acknowledged speaking with the witness but claimed it was regarding a different matter. Officers took him into custody and transported him to the Craighead County Detention Center.
Court records show Beare had been arrested just days earlier, on August 19, for possession of a firearm and was already on probation at the time of the August disturbance. His bond in the witness intimidation case had been set at $50,000 cash or surety.
As part of his probation, Beare has been directed to avoid further contact with the witness and seek educational advancement by obtaining a GED.