A 40 year-old man found living in a cave with a 14-year-old girl who had run away with him appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Monday.
Isaac James Melder of Yellville spent his appearance before the court complaining about how badly he was being treated in the Baxter County Detention Center.
He said he had not been allowed to make a phone call and that cleaning supplies had not been provided to him, violating his right to proper hygiene.
Melder told the court he had asked jail staff for access to a phone and for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) several times without results.
He said without the PIN number, he was prevented from obtaining various supplies, such as writing materials.
WANTS CHARGES DISMISSED
He asked Circuit Judge John Putman to dismiss all of the charges against him “because of the way I have been treated in jail.” He said his “God given rights” had been violated.
Melder said the conditions he had been living under, including being the third man in a two-man cell, represented cruel and unusual punishment.
He said he wanted the situation investigated by federal authorities.
JUDGE CUTS MELDER OFF
At one point, Judge Putman had heard enough and ordered the sound turned off on the video hookup between the jail and courtroom on which Melder was appearing.
Melder kept talking even though no one in the courtroom could hear him.
After he continued his statement for several minutes, Judge Putman wanted to hear no more and had the sound turned back on so Melder could hear him say, “I am done talking to you.”
The judge told a jailer in the room watching the inmates who were to appear on the video hookup to remove Melder. “Get whatever assistance you need, but get him out of there,” the judge ordered.
Melder finally ended his statement.
CAVE WELL STOCKED
Melder was booked into the jail June 23 after he was found living in cave north of Summit in Marion County with Sara Gilpin of Mountain Home who had been reported missing by her family May 12.
Investigators reported that Melder appeared to have stocked the cave with food and other provisions to allow the couple to live there for an extended period.
Searchers from the Mountain Home Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and a canine tracking team from the North Central Unit of the state prison system at Calico Rock, were looking in an area off State Highway 14 north of Summit in very rugged terrain when Melder and Gilpin were discovered.
Investigators said it was not the first time the girl had run away with the much older man. They were caught in January in Marion County only a few hours after Gilpin had been reported missing.
Mountain Home Police Department Criminal Investigator Lieutenant Mike Day told KTLO, Classic Hits and the Boot News immediately after Melder’s arrest that it appeared the two had been planning on running away together since the time they were caught the first time.
Melder’s charges include kidnapping, sexual indecency with a child, Internet stalking of a child and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.
EXTENSIVE SEARCH
Multiple agencies from a number of cities and counties were involved in the search that was conducted on the ground and in the air.
Canine tracking teams along with an airplane and helicopter as well as several drones were all part of the extensive search.
Investigators said Melder had dated the girl’s mother years ago and has known the daughter since 2013. Melder and the mother resumed seeing each other again but broke off the relationship.
Despite the end of the dating relationship, Melder was allowed to visit the house.
The fact that Melder had been around the teen for such a long time gave him ample opportunity to “groom” the girl.
Melder who is being held in the Baxter County jail with bond set at more than $1 million.
He was ordered to reappear in court July 11.
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