June 25, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
A Watertown man answered to an ecstasy drug charge last Tuesday in DeKalb County Criminal Court.
Judge Gary McKenzie presided.
27 year old Robert Jacob Hardison entered a plea by criminal information to possession of a schedule I drug (ecstasy) with intent to sell and deliver. He received a 10 year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction and was fined $2,000. He must forfeit his weapon. The sentence is to run consecutive with a violation of probation case against him in General Sessions Court but the term will be suspended upon his successful completion of a long term treatment program.
Hardison was originally charged with driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, possession of a handgun while under the influence, tampering with evidence, and possession of methamphetamine and schedule I, II, & VI drugs with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, January 25 a deputy stopped a vehicle on Smith Road for a non working tail light. The officer spoke with the driver, Hardison and detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Hardison admitted to having used marijuana and hydrocodone earlier in the day. He submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He also submitted to implied consent (blood test). During the investigation the officer learned that Hardison is on probation for a previous offense and that his license were suspended on October 14, 2017 for failure to show proof of insurance and that he had continued to drive even after receiving a citation in Wilson County for driving on a suspended license.
A search of Hardison’s vehicle turned up a Jennings 22 caliber handgun which is illegal since Hardison had the weapon in his possession while under the influence.
Drugs were also found in the car including six green pills believed to be ecstasy and three separate baggies of a crystal like substance suspected to be methamphetamine, which were in a metal tin on the driver’s side floorboard along with scales and separate baggies.
During a search of Hardison’s person, the deputy found a white pill believed to be hydrocodone. After being placed in custody and seated in the back of the deputy’s patrol car, Hardison pulled a silver container from the area of his crotch and put several pills from that container into his mouth and into the seat of the car, trying to dispose of them.
After Hardison admitted to the officers that he had other drugs in his home, they conducted a probation search of the residence upon containing consent from Hardison and found 37.19 grams of a leafy substance believed to be marijuana along with another baggie of meth and more scales and baggies.
The total weight of all four baggies of meth found during this investigation totaled 3.6 grams.
In other cases Tuesday, 31 year old James Robert Lee Fuson entered a plea by criminal information to criminal simulation and received a two year TDOC sentence to run concurrently with violations of probations against him he is already serving. Fuson is also to make restitution of $988.90 to the victim. He was given jail credit of 59 days.
42 year old Angela Nichole Vallem entered a plea to delivery of a schedule II drug and received an eight year sentence suspended to supervised probation. She was fined $2,000. The sentence is to run concurrently with a case against her in Coffee County.
41 year old Brandon Lee Starnes entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) with intent to resale over 0.5 grams. He received a ten year sentence but he will be on TDOC probation after serving one year in the county jail. He has been given jail credit from August 27, 2017 through June 19, 2018.
33 year old Rhonda Joy Goff entered a plea to sale of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams and received a ten year sentence but she will be on TDOC probation after serving 365 days in the DeKalb County Jail. She must pay a $2,000 fine and make restitution of $1,200 to a victim. Goff was given jail credit of 246 days.
32 year old Clent Shehane entered a plea to sale of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) and received a four year sentence but he will be on TDOC probation after serving 150 days in jail. He was fined $2,000. The term is to run concurrently with a violation of probation against him in DeKalb County General Sessions Court he is already serving. Shehane must also make restitution of $180 to the Sheriff’s Department. He was given 79 days jail credit.
36 year old Angie Dawn Taylor entered a plea to sale of a schedule III drug and received a two year TDOC sentence all suspended to supervised probation. She was fined $2,000 and must make restitution of $150 to the Sheriff’s Department.
39 year old Amber Lynn Matchett entered a plea to simple possession of a schedule VI drug and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days suspended to supervised probation. She was fined $250.