Two People Face a Felony Charge for Furnishing Prohibited Articles to Confinement Facility

The St. Francis County Criminal Investigation Division arrested two individuals for Furnishing Prohibited Articles to a Confinement Facility.  On Monday, March 9, 2026, investigators were alerted that a white female later identified as Tamara White, 45-yoa of Wheatley, Ar. pulled up to the Detention Center and walked over to the jail staff parking area with a white plastic bag where she placed the bag inside of Steven Chapman personal vehicle and then walked into the visitation room where she made a call to her husband Jonathan White, who was already in jail on unrelated felony charges .  The bag contained items such as a bottle of body wash.  Inside the bottle was a plastic bag that was taped up and inside the bag contained tobacco.  A bottle of deodorant contained a taped up small bag hidden inside which contained (6) pills identified as Clonazepam, a Schedule IV narcotic.  During the investigation investigators obtained text messages between Tamara and Steven, that day where she told him that she had a bag for Jonathan and Steven instructed her to put the bag in the front seat of his truck.  During the interviews Tamara admitted to putting the bag inside Steven truck and also knowing about the hidden items.  Steven was interviewed by investigators and admitted to violating the jail policy for taking outside property items for inmates.  Investigators also obtained text messages from the jail's phone records system between Tamara and Jonathan where Jonathan had told her to only come up to to the jail when Steven was working.  The Prosecutors Office was made aware of the investigation and warrants were obtained for both Tamara White and Steven Chapman.  Tamara White was arrested March 12, 2026, where she turned herself in.  Steven Chapman 46-yoa of Forrest City who had been employed as a SFC Jailer for approximately 2-years was arrested this morning while at work.  Both face One Count of Furnishing Prohibited Articles to a Confinement Facility a Class B Felony.  Both appeared before St. Francis County District Court Judge Ann Hudson and their bond was set a $15,000.00 each.  Due to Chapman now being an ex-employee was transported and held in the Cross County Detention Center.  The St. Francis County Sheriff Department takes these matters very serious and warns anyone who is thinking about bringing contraband to the jail and dropping it off will be prosecuted.  The St. Francis County Detention Center Policy is that once you are being housed you are not allowed any outside items.  The Detention Center has a large sign on the front door that lets everyone know that they do not accept outside items for inmates and the jail will provide all hygiene products to the inmates and furthermore if anyone has any medication for an inmate they will need to provide that to the jail's staffing nurse.  The prescription will need to be CURRENT and in it's ORIGINAL  prescription bottle with the inmates name on it.