Melanie Tanksley, 29, of Brinkley was sentenced in Monroe County Circuit Court on Tuesday, April 24, 2012. Tanksley was scheduled to appear on Monday April 23 to be sentenced. When she did not appear, a fugitive warrant was issued for her arrest. Tanksley was apprehended in Brinkley later that day and taken to the Monroe County Detention Center. On Tuesday, Tanksley appeared before the court and was sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections for a period of five (5) years for Manslaughter a Class C Felony to which she pled guilty to earlier this year. She was also sentenced to (5) years for Tampering with Evidence, a Class D Felony. This sentence will run concurrent with the Manslaughter charge. Tanksley was transported to the McPherson Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections on Wednesday by the Monroe County Sheriff.