Crime & Public Safety
Conway caregiver arrested on fraud, perjury, and exploitation charges
A Conway woman was booked into the county jail this week on multiple charges related to alleged financial wrongdoing and exploitation of an older adult in Conway. Jail records show the Conway Police Department booked Sarah Smalls, 58, into jail Monday on charges of breach of trust with fraudulent intent (value $5,000 or more), perjury, and exploitation of a vulnerable adult. The booking was confirmed in local records available to investigators.
According to the documented timeline, Smalls had been identified as the power of attorney for an elderly Conway man in April 2024, and a quitclaim deed transferring his home to her was recorded later that month for $5. Bank records cited in the reporting show transfers from the man’s account to Smalls, including transactions after his death. Family members said they first became concerned in mid-2024 when they had difficulty contacting him and later found he had died.
Agency action so far includes the booking on the listed felony charges; the arrest record is the immediate procedural development noted by police. It is not yet confirmed whether the new criminal charges are directly tied to the previously reported deed transfer or other civil disputes. Requests for the incident report and arrest warrants have been made to the investigating agency for more detail.
Allegations in this matter—ownership of the deed, the timing and intent of financial transfers, and claims about the decedent’s capacity—remain allegations in public records and reporting. The current documented status is an arrest and pending further documentation from Conway law enforcement and any prosecutorial filings.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.