Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery announced today that another person has been arrested and charged with Theft of Public Benefits following a criminal referral from Arkansas Workforce Services involving unemployment benefits fraud.
SHANNON JAMAL PORTER, 53 years old of Gassville, Arkansas, allegedly applied for and obtained unemployment benefits while working at a Mountain Home Supermarket during a period of January 20, 2021 through April 17, 2021. He received a total of $5,352.00 in unemployment benefits from the public treasury to which he was not entitled to legally receive. With penalties and interest, the amount of restitution due the public treasury is $8,098.08.
A bench warrant for the arrest of SHANNON PORTER was issued on January 17, 2024. He was arrested today at Gassville and has been incarcerated in the Baxter County Detention Center on charges of:
Theft of Public Benefits – Felony
Habitual Offender – Penalty Violation
PORTER will appear before the Circuit Court to answer on February 5th. He has a bond of $15,000 on these charges.