Moran Pleads Guilty

Former Jail Trusty Gets Six Years On Possession Charges

— Almost a week after he reportedly attacked a murder suspect, a former jail trusty was sentenced to six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing controlled substances.

Michael Lee Moran, 29, of Bentonville pleaded guilty Monday in Circuit Court to possessing a controlled substance, a Class D felony; and possessing a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor.

Moran was stopped by jail deputies last week after he attacked Zachary Holly in his cell.

Holly was arrested on capital murder, kidnapping, rape and residential burglary charges in connection with the death of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman of Bentonville.

The girl disappeared from her Southwest A Street home. Police later found her body in a nearby abandoned home. Police arrested Holly, who lived next door to the girl, in connection with her death.

Holly, 28, is being held without bond in the county jail.

Jail Capt. Chris Sparks said Holly suffered a small bruise on his left temple and was taken to a jail nurse after he and Moran fought. Holly was being held in administration segregation away from other inmates when the incident occurred.

Sparks said a jail deputy was passing whites — boxers, a T-shirt, socks and a towel — to inmates in segregation. The deputy turned to look into the cell next to him when Moran, then working as a trusty, went into Holly’s cell and began fighting with him, Sparks said.

Moran was arrested for misdemeanor battery in the third degree in connection with fighting with Holly. Moran is scheduled to appear in Bentonville District Court on June 9 on that charge.

Moran lives on Southeast 11th Street, just a few blocks away from the Southwest A location where Jersey was killed, according to court records.

Moran pleaded guilty under a plea agreement Deputy Public Defender Scott McElveen reached with Deputy Prosecutor Sam Martin.

Moran was sentenced to six years in the Arkansas Department of Correction and must pay $1,620 in court costs. He will have to serve a year of his sentence before he will be eligible for parole.

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