11/16/16   Camden Man Faces Multiple Charges Including Felon With Firearm

A 34 year old Camden man has been charged in circuit court in Camden with possession of a firearm by a felon, 2^nd degree battery, theft by receiving a firearm, obstructing governmental operations and criminal trespass.

The charges were filed by Ouachita County deputies following an incident that occurred involving John Houston Coston of Camden. On October 1.  While on patrol deputies Nicholson and Bailey discovered a truck driven by Coston stuck along side some railroad tracks on Highway 7 in the Kent area. When they questioned Coston they noticed his slurred language and he denied he had been drinking and became combative, striking Nicholson.

Coston was finally subdued and a search of his person revealed a 9 mm handgun and a hunting  knife. A check revealed that the gun had been stolen in Texas. It was later discovered that on October 3, Coston had threatened to derail a Union Pacific train at Camden if they didn't quit accepting shipments from Lockheed-Martin, alleging that chemicals and other devices of war were being shipped to Syria.

Coston later admitted to all the allegations. Coston has a previous record, having been found guilty of commercial burglary in 2014, a crime for which he received probation.