- June 20, 2021
- Posted by: Stratford Team
- Category: Business
Jerrell R. Hightower
The owner of the Sears Hometown Store franchise in Mountain Home is charged with stealing more than $21,000 from the corporation that owns the merchandise.
Forty-year-old Jerrell Ray Hightower of Franklin was arrested in late May. He is charged with theft of property, forgery and falsifying business records.
He appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him. He is free on $25,000 bond. Mountain Home attorney Ben Burnett represents Hightower. Hightower was ordered to reappear July 1 and Burnett said he felt the case could be concluded by that date.
According to information on the Sears Hometown Store website, an “owner” such as Hightower pays for store upkeep and a number of other costs, including utilities and staff salaries.
The merchandise in the stores belongs to the corporate entity and store “owners” are paid a commission when a sale is made.
Sears…
