A local man, who stood trial in April and was found guilty of some drug charges against him in DeKalb County Criminal Court, was sentenced Monday by Judge Leon Burns, Jr.
Eddie Lattimore was sentenced to fourteen years on the drug charges as a range 3 persistent offender. The sentence will run consecutive to a violation of probation case against him in which he must serve the balance of a four year sentence in a previous case.
Lattimore was charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia (syringes), possession of a schedule II controlled substance (dilaudid) with the intent to sell and deliver, possession of a schedule II drug (morphine) with intent to sell and deliver, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
A jury found him guilty of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of possession of a schedule II controlled substance (dilaudid) with intent to sell and deliver. However in the other drug case, the jury convicted him of the lesser offense of simple possession of morphine and found him not guilty of the weapon charge.
Lattimore was arrested on December 31st, 2006 following an undercover investigation by the Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Patrick Ray, at the time, said county officers went to the home of Lattimore at 3785 Pea Ridge Road to execute a search warrant following an extensive investigation of Lattimore and surveillance of his home on suspicion of drug dealing which led to two undercover drug buys of dilaudid.
Lattimore was arrested at the scene. Officers found some dilaudid, morphine, syringes, and seized more than $7,400 in cash. Authorities also found a 9 millimeter pistol in an outbuilding on Lattimore’s property.
Lattimore was fined a total of $7,500 by the jury. Lattimore has other drug charges pending against him.