Police: Man tried to hide crack cocaine in dentures

BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. — Blytheville police took a bite out of crime early Wednesday morning.

Jimmy Givens attempted to hide crack cocaine in his mouth and eventually pulled out his dentures, which had contraband on them, according to police reports.

Givens, 60, faces charges of possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine), possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence, battery, carrying a prohibited weapon and resisting arrest.

The police officer stopped a vehicle at 21st and Peabody streets about 1:25 a.m. Wednesday.

The officer noticed Givens, a passenger, put a large steak knife in his left front pocket, the report said. The report stated the driver and Givens appeared nervous and “were sweating profusely.”

The driver gave police consent to search his vehicle. At the request of police, the passenger put the knife on the dashboard and exited the vehicle.

After getting permission to search Givens, police found a crack pipe, the report said. He told police he had been smoking crack for five years.

“I observed Givens having trouble opening his mouth while responding to my questions,” the report stated. “I asked Givens to open his mouth, and he didn’t respond. Givens then slightly opened his mouth, and I observed a white substance in his mouth. Givens then attempted to swallow the contraband in his mouth.”

The officer ordered Givens to spit it out, but he wouldn’t, the report said. Another officer tried to keep Givens from swallowing it, and he resisted, grabbing the officer’s arm, the report stated.

The second officer “gave a knee thrust to Givens in an attempt to reach compliance,” according to the report. “I observed the subject let go of (the officer) and toss his hat in the bed of the truck. Givens then ‘squared off’ as if he was getting ready to fight.”

The officer used his Taser, which didn’t get a good connection, so he followed with a drive stun that incapacitated Givens, the report said.

“Givens began to comply, pulling his dentures out of his mouth,” the report stated. “I observed a white substance on his dentures and inside his mouth.”

Police found two crack rocks in the passenger side of the vehicle and a small plastic bag of cocaine in Givens’ sock.

“I scraped off some of the contraband from the dentures and put it inside a plastic bag,” the report stated.

Pertinent address:

Blytheville, Ark.