Opinion ID: 2442181
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Simultaneous Possession of Drugs and Firearms

Text: Appellant's fourth and fifth points for reversal pertain to his conviction for the charge of simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm. Arkansas Code Annotated § 5-74-106(a)(1) (Repl.1993) provides that a person who commits a felony violation of § 5-64-401 (controlled substances) while in possession of a firearm is guilty of a Class Y felony. Appellant first argues that there was insufficient evidence to convict him of this crime because the State failed to produce evidence of gang-related activity. He argues that because the offense is situated within the subchapter known as the Arkansas Criminal Gang, Organization, or Enterprise Act, it is necessary for the State to produce evidence of gang-related activity for every offense contained within thatsubchapter. We recently disposed of this argument in State v. Zawodniak, 329 Ark. 179, 946 S.W.2d 936 (1997). In Zawodniak , the defendant moved for a directed verdict on the ground that the State had failed to prove that he was involved in criminal gang activity. The trial court agreed and granted the motion. On appeal, we held that the defendant's and the trial court's reading of section 5-74-106 was contorted and failed to give the language of that statute its plain meaning. We stated that this court is very hesitant to interpret a legislative act in a manner contrary to its express language, where there is no drafting error or omission that may have circumvented the legislature's intent. We held further that the statute not only serves the purpose of deterring organized gang and criminal activities, but also serves the broader purpose of curtailing any person's use of a firearm when he or she is involved in the illegal possession or trafficking of controlled substances. Accordingly, we conclude that the trial court did not err in denying Appellant's motion for directed verdict on this charge. Appellant's second argument is that section 5-74-106 is unconstitutionally vague and is therefore void. We do not reach the merits of this contention, as Appellant's abstract does not demonstrate that the argument was raised below. This court has repeatedly held that it will not address arguments, even constitutional arguments, raised for the first time on appeal. Travis v. State, 328 Ark. 442, 944 S.W.2d 96 (1997); Dulaney v. State, 327 Ark. 30, 937 S.W.2d 162 (1997); Mayo v. State, 324 Ark. 328, 920 S.W.2d 843 (1996). Affirmed.