Two years ago, an Arkansas sheriff publicly celebrated his chief deputy as a “top-notch law enforcement officer” who exemplified professionalism and dedication. Now, that former chief deputy and another member of the sheriff’s office have been arrested following an independent Arkansas State Police investigation into firearm theft.
Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler announced on a Facebook post on September 11 that former Chief Deputy Mikel Blocker and Investigator Aaron Carter had both been arrested. Blocker faces a theft of firearms charge, while Carter was arrested for theft of a firearm, according to the sheriff’s office.
Wheeler said the investigation began after he became aware that Blocker, who was working as a Jasper patrolman at the time, might have been involved in criminal activity. Wheeler contacted the prosecuting attorney and requested an independent investigation, while Blocker was subsequently terminated from the Jasper Police Department.
Arkansas State Police took over the investigation, with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office and Jasper Police Department having no direct involvement beyond cooperating with investigators. State police arrested Blocker on September 11 before the follow-up investigation resulted in Carter’s arrest and the recovery of multiple firearms.
Blocker Was Once Praised for His “Professionalism and Dedication”
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Blocker’s arrest comes a little more than two years after Wheeler publicly praised him for completing the ARKANSAS LEADER Program while serving as Newton County’s chief deputy. The program is co-sponsored by the University of Arkansas’ Criminal Justice Institute and the FBI and has been designated as an FBI Command College.
According to a July 2024 Newton County Times article, Blocker was among 43 law enforcement professionals from across Arkansas who graduated from the program. Participants were selected for leadership training covering areas including agency management, technology, trends, and challenges facing law enforcement.
At the time, Wheeler said Blocker “exemplifies professionalism and dedication to our office” and described him as both an effective leader and a “top-notch law enforcement officer.” Wheeler went further, saying he was “blessed to have him on my team and honored to work beside him.”
Sheriff Says Arrests “Break My Heart”
The circumstances were considerably different when Wheeler addressed Blocker again following the September 11 arrest. The sheriff said the situation “breaks my heart” and described it as the most unpleasant work-related experience of his career.
Carter was also arrested during the follow-up investigation and subsequently terminated from his position as an investigator with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said multiple firearms were recovered but did not provide further details about where they were found, how many were recovered, or the circumstances surrounding their theft.
Wheeler said law enforcement officers must be held to a higher standard and emphasized that he and Jasper Police Chief Mike Henderson sought an independent investigation as soon as they became aware of the possibility of illegal or unethical activity. “No matter who you are, we take all crimes seriously, and no one is above the law,” Wheeler said.