Former Street Dept. Superintendent pleads not guilty to sexual assault of minor

A Malvern city official pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault against a minor in court on Wednesday and will be back in the courtroom early next month for criminal proceedings.

Former Malvern Street Dept. Superintendent, Jeffrey Jacob Wright, was detained last month in connection with one Class B felony count for 2nd degree sexual assault, and one Class D felony count of sexual indecency with a child, after Hot Spring County Prosecuting Attorney Teresa Howell and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Melanie Rock filed charges with the Hot Spring County Circuit Court on Feb. 14.

Wright turned himself in to the Hot Spring County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 16. and was released the same day after posting a $20,000 bail bond.

Wright took over the superintendent position at the Malvern Street Department after the former superinten

sas General Assembly next week.

“Beginning next month we will convene the Game and Fish Advisory Council,” Booth said. “The advisory council will serve three primary purposes: To provide the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and commissioners with input on how we as an agency can better serve hunters and anglers throughout the state; to aid the agency in communication and awareness surrounding important issues concerning conservation and regulation in Arkansas; and leading volunteer and partnership projects around the state.”

Booth explained that the advisory council and its subordinate panels will not replace current processes the AGFC uses to conduct science-based research and conservation, but would enhance the agency’s ability to spread its conservation mission and provide an opportunity for the public to “roll their sleeves up with me, the agency staff and the commissioners to dent, who served in the lead administrative role for almost eight years, retired at the end of 2022.

The charges against Wright stem from allegations he committed multiple indecent acts against a minor between the years 2018 to mid- 2022.

According to the affidavit, Wright is accused of committing indecent acts against a minor between 2018 and 2022 while he was the minor female’s parent or guardian. The abuse allegedly started when the child was 13 years old.

The child reported the allegations in early July 2022 and was interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center in Malvern, after which the affidavit was introduced on Feb. 1, and Judge Stephen Shirron signed off on the warrant the following day. Wright is being represented by defense attorney Louis L. Loyd. His next court date is set for April 11, 2023, at 1 p.m.

work more closely together and build a broader tent of conservation in Arkansas.”

Arkansas technology entrepreneur, author and conservationist Brent Birch was chosen as the first member of the new council to share his passion for waterfowl conservation. He briefly spoke about how he felt this initiative could play an important role not only in helping bring messages from the public to the director and Commission, but also to help spread awareness and educate the public about the motivations behind some of the AGFC’S actions.

Booth also announced the initiative to create the Private Lands Conservation Tax Credit, which will be submitted next week to the Arkansas General Assembly for consideration. Through this credit, landowners who engage in approved conservation activities could offset the costs of those actions through up to $10,000 in income tax

credits.

Under the proposal, tax credits would be given for wetland management, such as flooding rice fields in winter, managing for moist-soil habitat, bottomland hardwood forest management and improving water-control structures for waterfowl habitat manipulation. Restoration of upland habitats through prescribed fire, prescribed or rotational grazing and conversion of pastures to native plant communities also would see tax incentives. Opening public access to private waters and measures to reduce erosion and sediment in Arkansas streams and lakes would be eligible for tax credits as well. Finally, expenses for control of invasive plants and removal of feral hogs through approved trapping techniques could be used as a tax credit if the initiative is approved by the Arkansas General Assembly.

“We know the number one obstacle to putting habitat on private land is not landowner desire, but landowner resources,” Booth said.

Booth said both of the new initiatives are a continued effort of the AGFC to give more Arkansans the tools they need to become a more powerful component in Arkansas’s conservation legacy.

“Conservation is only as good as its people,” Booth said. “As we continue to fight for habitat directly related to our communities, our identity as The Natural State, and our wildlife and outdoor recreation economy, the most important tool we have is Arkansans. And now is the time to do it. We remain totally deferential to the legislative priorities and sequence, but when the legislature is ready, so are we.”

The Commission also authorized Booth to complete real estate transactions to purchase two tracts of land bordering existing wildlife management areas. Nearly 34 acres of land adjacent to Dave Donaldson Black River WMA in Clay County will be added to that hunting area. A larger, 156-acre tract adjacent to Scott Henderson Gulf Mountain WMA in Van Buren County will also be purchased to increase the amount of public access for outdoor recreation in Arkansas.

In other business, the Commission:

• Heard from Deke Whitbeck, president of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, who announced the kickoff of the Foundation’s new Corporate Partnership Program.

• Heard from Terry Thompson with the Arkansas Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, who formally recognized AGFC Wildlife Officer First Class Audrey Bush as Arkansas’s NWTF Wildlife Officer of the Year as well as the National Wild Turkey Federation’s National Wildlife Officer of the

Year. This is the first time a woman has been honored with this award.

• Heard from Matthew Irvin, AGFC stream habitat coordinator, who presented the Caddo River Fish Habitat Enhancement Project.

• Heard from Wes Wright, AGFC elk program coordinator, who presented the 2022 Arkansas elk harvest results and an overview of the 2023 elk population surveys.

• Authorized the AGFC Legal Division to act on behalf of a wildlife officer who has been named in a lawsuit for actions he performed during the course of his AGFC duties.

• Held a moment of silence for Jack Holt Jr. who died March 5. Holt was a former Arkansas Attorney General and former Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. He also volunteered and contracted with the AGFC to be the agency’s administrative hearing officer from 19982010.

• Recognized eight employees with a combined 180 years of service to the natural resources of Arkansas.

A complete video of the meeting is available on the AGFC’S Youtube Channel.