The son of presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson served six hours of the eight days in jail a judge had ordered him to serve last week.William Asa Hutchinson III, 48, took a plea deal on Oct. 18, 2023 in Benton County, Arkansas. He entered guilty pleas to possession of a controlled substance and driving while intoxicated — second offense.In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a charge of refusal to submit to a chemical test.Hutchinson III was ordered to spend 10 days in jail but was given credit for two days already spent behind bars.He reported to the Benton County Detention Center on Friday. Jail records show he was booked into jail at 3:07 p.m. and was released at 9:07 p.m.”The prosecuting attorney did not seek nor was made aware of an early release,” Bryan Sexton with the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office said.Lt. Shannon Jenkins, spokesperson for the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, told sister station 40/29 News that Hutchinson III was released early due to overcrowding.”Due to the overcrowding and the fact that he would have been housed under administrative segregation we had no choice but to release him at this time,” Jenkins wrote in an email. “This area is normally used for holding violent felony charges, mental health, or medical inmates.”Jenkins also wrote that Hutchinson III was at the jail on a misdemeanor commit. His sentencing order signed by Judge Brad Karen listed the possession of a controlled substance charge as a felony. 40/29 News has reached out for clarification. Jail overcrowding”It is no secret the jail is overcrowded and will continue to be until we can expand our facility,” Jenkins wrote.The sheriff’s office has been asking for more room at the jail for more than a decade. In 2020, Benton County voters rejected a sales tax hike that would have helped pay for a $241 million criminal justice facility that would have included a new sheriff’s office and a new mental health facility, as well as additional beds for inmates.Advocates for prison reform say there are better ways to prevent overcrowding, such as replacing systems of punishment with systems of reconciliation and tackling the root causes of many crimes.January arrestPolice arrested Hutchinson III on Jan. 13, 2023. His father left office three days prior when current Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was inaugurated.The Arkansas Supreme Court suspended his law license later that month but reinstated it in May.

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