RBPD arrests Arkansas couple on stolen property charges

By Staff
Melissa Cason
RED BAY – An Arkansas couple is in custody after arriving in a stolen vehicle last week.
Red Bay Records Manager Stephen Moore said Joseph Raymond Mitchell, Jr., 37, and Christa L. Cook, 39, both of Hot Springs, Ark., were arrested Friday on charges of first-degree receiving stolen property, which is a Class C felony.
Mitchell was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and third-degree domestic violence.
Red Bay Police Chief Pat Creel said the couple was arrested prior to Friday's arrest for breaking into the city's swimming pool after-hours to swim. Officers were also called to a residence where the couple was visiting because of a domestic dispute between Mitchell and Cook.
"After they were in town a day or so, we learned their vehicle had been reported stolen," Creel said. "We took both of them into custody for receiving stolen property."
The vehicle, a 1999 gray Chevrolet Silverado, was reported missing on May 27 in Hot Springs.
Creel said the pair came to Red Bay because Mitchell had family in the area.
The pair was transported to the Franklin County Detention Center after their arrest. Bond was set at $6,000 for Mitchell and $4,500 for Cook.
According to Alabama Criminal Code, a Class C felony carries a punishment of one to 10 years in prison upon conviction.