This is an update May 13,2023, to edit the photo of the convicted. The previous picture posted was wrong, due to the jail roster having it mixed up with a different inmate with similar charges.
If you know the whereabouts of Jeremy Thompson, contact local law enforcement.
A Circuit Court jury proceeded with sentencing a Benton man, although he exited the courthouse in the middle of the trial.
The jury recommended a 25-year prison sentence for Jeremy Thompson, age 40. He wasn’t there to hear it because he left his trial during a 20-minute break prior to opening statements. At the time, Thompson was free on a signature bond. A warrant was issued by Judge Brent Houston for his arrest. Thompson remains at large at the time of this article.
According to a police report from April 23, 2022, Officer Ryne Besancon was sitting on South Street when he noticed a gray Kia passenger car take a sudden left onto Lake Street. The officer stated in the report that it seemed the motorist was trying to avoid him. Besancon said he executed a traffic stop after Thompson failed twice to use his turn signal in a correct manner.
The report says Thompson admitted to having alcohol and marijuana in his vehicle. The officer stated that once outside the vehicle, Thompson eventually told him there was also methamphetamine under the driver’s seat. After finding over 8 grams of meth and two glass pipes, Officer Besancon charged Thompson with Possession of More than 2 Grams of Meth.
Thompson was also charged as a Habitual Offender. He has prior convictions for Sexual Abuse, Escape, Failing to Register as a Sex Offender and Theft By Receiving.
“Judge Houston allowed us to proceed with Thompson in abstentia,” stated Prosecuting Attorney Chris Walton. “Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Bush and I made the decision to continue because we felt the jury had a right to fulfill their duty even with Thompson voluntarily making the cowardly choice to not face the consequences of his actions.”
According to the Prosecutor, local law enforcement and the parole office were notified as soon as someone discovered Thompson left the courthouse. If you know of the whereabouts of Jeremy Thompson, contact local law enforcement.