By Associated Press - Wednesday, December 18, 2019

NEWPORT, Ark. (AP) - An Arkansas state trooper was arrested Wednesday, accused of illegally getting information from a database to contact a woman he was stalking, authorities said.

Arkansas State Police said Mark Holland, 54, of Heber Springs, submitted his resignation Wednesday and was then arrested by special agents of the force.

State police said he faces eighteen counts of violating laws that prohibit access and use of records for non-law enforcement purposes. He’s also charged with terroristic threat and stalking.

He unlawfully accessed information from the Arkansas Crime Information Center to contact the woman he was stalking and made statements that were the basis of the terroristic threat charge, state police said.

State police said Holland, a 19-year veteran of the force, was taken to Independence County Jail and bond was set at $5,000. He was later released after making bond. Attempts to reach him Wednesday evening for comment were not immediately successful.

State police say they first became aware of the allegations involving Holland on Friday, starting a criminal investigation and placing him on paid administrative leave at that time.

He was assigned to a patrol division headquartered in Newport, located about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock.

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