Former Marion Official Pleads Guilty to 3 Crimes

A former public official has pleaded guilty to crimes committed while he was a Marion city employee. 

A clerk at Crittenden County Courthouse confirmed that former Marion City Administrator Mark Bryant appeared in court on Thursday, and pleaded guilty to trafficking synthetic drugs, promoting contraband, and tampering with evidence. He was accused of providing synthetic drugs to inmates while overseeing the county jail's work release program.

The charges stem from a U.S. Postal Service inspection during the summer that turned up irregularities, and State Police were notified.

Bryant is scheduled to appear in court on February 9 for formal sentencing.