A suspected drug dealer, arrested by Smithville Police in a drug bust in January, was given three years probation in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Friday.
36 year old Teresa Thomas appeared before Judge Leon Burns, Jr. and pleaded guilty to possession of a schedule III and VI controlled substance with intent to sell. She received a three year sentence in one case and two years in the other, all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run concurrently for one three year term. Thomas was fined $2,000 and was given jail credit from January 27 to May 25, 2012.
Thomas was arrested on Friday, January 27 in the housing projects on Morgan Drive.
Acting on numerous citizen complaints about suspected drug activity from this residence, Chief Randy Caplinger said Smithville Police conducted an undercover drug investigation, using an informant, who went to Thomas’ home on Tuesday, January 24 and made the drug buy.
A search warrant was prepared and served on Thomas at the residence on Friday, January 27. According to Chief Caplinger and Detectives Matt Holmes and Brandon Donnell, police found in Thomas’ purse nineteen baggies of marijuana each weighing one gram; ten baggies of pot each weighing two grams; and one baggie containing five grams of marijuana. Also found in her purse were twenty five and a half hydrocodone pills and two and a half suboxone pills. A further search of the home turned up another thirty grams of marijuana, cut straws with residue, a pipe, multiple prescription pill bottles without their labels, two pill crushers, two marijuana cigarettes, scales, two boxes of sandwich bags apparently intended for packaging drugs, and a notebook containing the names of people who allegedly owed Thomas money for drug transactions. An undisclosed amount of cash was also seized. Because children were present in the residence at the time of Thomas’ arrest, the Department of Children Services was notified.
Thomas was taken into custody and charged in the case. Police said during the interview, Thomas allegedly admitted to police that the drugs and paraphernalia found in the home belonged to her.
In addition to Chief Caplinger and Detectives Holmes and Donnell, Captain Steven Leffew, K-9 Officer James Cornelius and Officer Matt Farmer assisted in the case.
Meanwhile, two other people were sentenced in court Friday, as the result of drug investigations by the Smithville Police Department, 24 year old Ben Pascal and 41 year old Timothy Lawson.
Pascal pleaded guilty to sale of a schedule II controlled substance and received a three year sentence. He was fined $2,000 and ordered to make $50 restitution to the Smithville Police Department. Pascal must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment. The sentence is to run concurrently with a violation of probation against him. He was given jail credit of 213 days.
Pascal was one five people named in grand jury sealed indictments in December as the result of an undercover drug investigation by the Smithville Police Department. Chief Randy Caplinger said the investigations were conducted by Detectives Matt Holmes and Brandon Donnell with an informant making the drug buys. A TBI agent worked with the detectives in one case. Pascal was charged with sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance. He was indicted with a co-defendant for allegedly selling and delivering dilaudid, a schedule II controlled substance on August 25.
Lawson pleaded guilty to two counts of sale of a schedule II controlled substance and received five years in each case to be served consecutively for a total of ten years. Lawson must serve at least thirty percent of the sentence before his release eligibility date. He was fined $2,000 and was given jail credit from November 28, 2011 to May 25, 2012. Lawson’s probation was revoked for an earlier charge of sale of a schedule III controlled substance and he must serve the balance of his original three year sentence in that case. Again, the revocation is to run concurrently with the sentence he received on Friday.
Lawson was originally charged with three counts of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance in a drug free school zone. The indictments allege that Lawson sold and delivered morphine on July 27, August 4, and August 23. The alleged drug buys took place at the City Walk Apartments, located near Smithville Elementary School.
Detectives Donnell and Holmes went to City Walk Apartment Monday, November 28 to serve the indictments on Lawson but no one came to the door, even though they saw who they thought was Lawson inside. After forcibly entering, the detectives found Lawson who was hiding in the apartment.
Probation for 30 year old Mary Tanner Curtis was revoked Friday.. She must serve the balance of her original six year sentence for attempting to initiate a process to manufacture methamphetamine. She was given jail credit from February 2, 2010 to May 22, 2010 and from April 2, 2012 to May 25, 2012. Curtis may be furloughed to the “DC4” drug court but she must successfully complete the program. If so she may be placed back on probation.
Probation for 35 year old Andy Certain was revoked and he must serve the balance of his original sentence of two years for possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He was given jail credit from December 4, 2011 to February 3, 2012 and from May 10, 2012 to May 25, 2012. Certain may be furloughed to an approved long term inpatient rehabilitation program.
Probation was partially revoked for 21 year old Ray Underwood. His original sentence was two years for promotion of the manufacturing of methamphetamine. He must serve 180 days in the county jail and then be released to probation again. He was given jail credit from March 1, 2012 to May 25, 2012. His probation will be extended by one year or until costs and fines are paid in full.
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