06/26/2026
***SCAM ALERT!***
Our office has received more than one phone call today, relaying to us virtually the exact same scenario with each caller. It goes a little something like this.
Our callers, registered voters and potential jurors, have just received a phone call from Sergeant Kirk or Kurt at 870-770-5371, who states he works for the Miller County Sheriff’s Office. He is calling to inform them that they were summoned for jury service back in May, and because they did not appear, a "Failure to Appear (FTA)" warrant has been issued for their arrest.
One of our callers was told that if he could just meet Sergeant Kirk/Kurt up at the CVS, they'd handle everything right there, in the parking lot. Our caller's spidey sense began to tingle, so he inquired as to which court case was in question. The sergeant abruptly ended the call. In this jury clerk's opinion, that's highly unprofessional.
Another one of our callers, a Texas resident, thought she may be able to thwart what felt like a scam call when she stated to the sergeant she didn't live in Miller County and she wasn't even the person he was calling for--he had asked for someone with a similar name to hers. But, lo and behold, when Sergeant Perpetrator got her name from her, the sergeant discovered that she was also on the list of absent jurors and she also had a warrant out. Actually, two warrants. If she was willing to meet him in the parking lot of the Bowie County Sheriff's Office, and pay $900.00 for each charge, he would make certain those warrants were frozen.
Here are our thoughts on the matter, which Sergeant Perpetrator may find enlightening.
· Warrants are not "frozen."
· Miller County Circuit Court judges have yet to issue an FTA warrant for jurors who do not report. Yet. Don’t get any ideas, Group C.
· The only time we call jurors is when we have enough notice to cancel an event they’ve been summoned to, or to inform them the date of their event has changed.
· Although Arkansas law does allow the Clerk's Office to work with the Sheriff's Office to inform jurors of their duty to serve, this Clerk's Office does not. The Sheriff is busy. Also, it is a dated practice and, so far as we know, there's not an Arkansas Circuit Clerk that has used it in 50 years.
· There are 3,143 counties and parishes in the United States, and not a single deputy in any of those jurisdictions are going to call from an unpublished number and invite any citizen to meet them in the parking lot of an unrelated private business or agency to complete a cash transaction. If they require your presence at their office, they’re going to knock on your door, show you the warrant and give you complimentary transportation to that office.
Your name and your address are public record and there are individuals out there who will try to use an abuse this information to take advantage of civic-minded individuals who wish to avoid scandal or arrest. Be wary. Be alert. Tell your elders or anyone you take care of who may be home alone when a call like this comes across. Don’t give out your information to a stranger over the phone and absolutely DO NOT go meet someone in a parking lot to pay off a warrant. Ever.
We very much appreciate the residents of Miller and Bowie Counties for bringing this to our attention. If you get a call from 870-770-5371, you may not want to answer. If you do, feel free to let Sergeant What’s-His-Face know that he’s on the verge of becoming Facebook famous, and he may need to beef up his social media game.
