Convict arrested in narcotics search

One person was arrested after West Plains Police enacted a search warrant on a residence on Joe Jones Boulevard on Thursday morning. Police recovered multiple controlled substances when they searched the home and arrested a man with a history of drug possession.

 

West Plains Police arrested Thomas Flanagan, 54, without incident during the narcotics-related search. Flanagan was on probation from two prior narcotics-related convictions, according to court documents. He pleaded guilty to possession charges stemming from a 2019 incident in August 2023 and again to a 2022 incident of the same variety in October last year and was on a five-year probation sentence. A field probation violation was filed against Flanagan on Dec. 11. In a release by the police department, they claimed that he had multiple active arrest warrants out of Howell County and multiple warrants out of the City of West Plains. Court documents revealed he also has a failure to appear warrant out of Texas County from a 2021 incident where he is charged with possession of a controlled substance except 35 grams or less of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid and delivery or possession of a controlled substance at county/private jail/correctional center except with prescription.

 

As a result of the search, police recovered suspected fentanyl and drug paraphernalia related to the use of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Flanagan is being held on the active warrants and a probable cause statement for additional charges for possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia has been submitted to the Howell County Prosecutor's Office.