MARK A GANDY, dob: 5/22/1975 of Harrison, Arkansas was sentenced last Thursday by Taney County Circuit Judge Mark Orr to twelve (12) years for the offense of assault in the first degree, ten (10) years for the felony of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and seven (7) years for the felony of possession of a controlled substance. Probation was denied and all counts were ordered run concurrent by Taney County Circuit Judge Mark Orr. On September 9, 2010, MARK A GANDY, entered a plea without an agreement and formal sentencing was set off until last Thursday.

On July 14, 2009 Detective Roger Ellis of the Taney County Sheriff’s Department responded to an address on Quebec Drive in Branson in reference a man being stabbed by two males. Detective Ellis arrived at the residence and noted, “the scene was very bloody and knives were strewn about the kitchen floor area of the home”. According to the wife of the victim, she heard a knock at the front door. When the victim, her husband, asked who was there, the reply was “John”. The husband opened the door, and two men entered, one carrying a gun and the other a club. The men attacked the husband and pointed the gun at her as she got on the phone to call 911. The men wrestled and fought into the kitchen, breaking a window with their bodies. The husband was able to grab a knife and fight back. The husband reported he believed he hit one of the suspects in the face with the knife. and also he believed he recognized the voice of one of the masked suspects. The suspects fled the scene while the wife was on the phone with 911. The husband had numerous cuts and abrasions, a large wound to the back of his head, his left arm was “severely cut” below the elbow, and the majority of his body was covered in blood. During Investigation, Detective Ellis was able to develop MARK GANDY as one of the assailants.

On June 23, 2009, Trooper Chad Heil with the Missouri Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle on crossing the center line on Route F in Branson, Missouri. During the traffic stop, Trooper Chad Heil performend a consent search of the vehicle driven by MARK GANDY and located a spoon with methamphetamine residue, used syringes, a plastic baggie with 20 individual plastic baggies containing cocaine and the othe baggie contained marijuana. Trooper Chad Heil learned during the investigation that MARK GANDY had traveled to Texas a few days earlier and purchased the cocaine for $700.00.

On June 9, 2009, Deputy Gary Hazell initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle seen leaving a residence known for drug activity. During the traffic stop Deputy Gary Hazell made contact with the passengers of the vehicle, and during his investigation located items of drug parpaphenalia as well a baggie containing methamphetamine. MARK GANDY was a passenger in the vehicle.