Dateline: November 4, 2004

Drug dealer's call gets him arrested

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

A methamphetamine delivery went all wrong in Clarendon last week when an alleged drug dealer unwittingly called the law and told them where he was.

Sheriff Butch Blackburn said his department was examining a cellular phone seized during a recent burglary investigation October 28 when it started ringing. The caller told the person answering the phone that he was in town at a residence at 420 W. Third and said that he had “the stuff” with him.

Officers immediately suspected a drug deal was in the works, and they went straight to the scene and arrested Mark Davis, age 33, of Amarillo. Blackburn said Davis was carrying a .357 revolver and had 33 grams of methamphetamine and $2,485 in cash.

Davis was booked into Donley County Jail and arraigned on felony charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He was released Saturday on $70,000 bond.

Other items seized during Davis’ arrest included two pistols, brass knuckles, lead-filled gloves, slappers, and records of other drug deals.

In other crime news, Blackburn reports his office solved the burglary of a barn with living quarters inside it, which had been under investigation since October 19. Several thousands of dollars worth of electrical equipment and tools had been missing from the barn.

An investigation of tire and shoe tracks at the scene led to the October 28 arrest of Sean Kyser, age 35, of Howardwick. Items taken in the theft were recovered from a residence in Howardwick and in Pampa.

Kyser was still in jail at press time with bond set at $10,000. He is also being held on two misdemeanor charges out of Amarillo.

 “I appreciate my deputies’ hard work on this burglary which in turn led to getting a drug dealer off the streets,” Blackburn said, referring to Davis. “When we get a dealer like this, it helps us and Amarillo and the other surrounding communities, too.”