An investigation into reported suspicious activity at the local skate park Sunday resulted in the arrest of a homeless man on felony and misdemeanor drug charges.

Shane Allen Basham, 32, who lists “city streets” as his address, was taken into custody shortly after noon and charged with felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana.

Basham appeared Monday in Garland County District Court, where he did not enter a plea, and a felony review hearing date is to be determined. He remained in custody Tuesday on a $6,000 bond.

According to court records, Basham was convicted in 2018 in Craighead County of possession of drug paraphernalia and sentenced to three years’ probation; in 2019 in Mississippi County for forgery and sentenced to three years’ supervised probation; in 2020 in Lawrence County of theft by receiving over $25,000 and sentenced to 18 months in prison; and on Dec. 15, 2025, in Garland County of possession of drug paraphernalia and sentenced to three years’ supervised probation.

He also has felony drug charges pending in Mississippi County from two arrests in June and August of 2024.

According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before noon Sunday, Hot Springs police Officer Jared Wilson responded to the Skate Park, 411 Valley St., regarding suspicious activity with dispatchers noting three or four people were seen “possibly inhaling drugs through a pipe.”

Upon arrival, Wilson reportedly saw five adults sitting in “the red train” in the children’s area of the skate park, and as he walked toward them, one man, later identified as Basham, got off the train and “hurriedly walked” away.

Wilson ordered him to stop, and Basham complied. As he walked closer, Wilson states he noticed a smell of burnt marijuana and proceeded to identify the four people still sitting on the train, including three males and a female, who all came back clear on a computer check. Basham was noted as being on probation with a search waiver on file.

Officers allegedly located 1 gram of suspected marijuana wrapped in tin foil near the group. During this, Basham was allegedly “showing pre-flight indicators” such as “pacing back and forth,” and he “kept looking around” as if to find “a path to flee.” In searching him, officers allegedly found a suspected meth pipe in the front pocket of his hoodie.

Basham was taken into custody and put in Wilson’s unit. As officers continued checking, they reportedly found 1 gram of suspected meth under the train, but since they could not prove who had possession of it, no one was charged for it. The other four adults at the scene were ultimately released while Basham was transported to the detention center.

Once at the jail, Basham was searched by deputies and allegedly found to have a marijuana vape cartridge, a baggie with 1.9 grams of what field tested positive for cocaine and a straw with white residue hidden in the groin area of his pants, resulting in the additional charges.