The second attempt of a Jones County defendant charged with drug trafficking was denied in Jones County Superior Court.
Tyrone Slater Hitchcock was in court May 12 represented by defense attorney Tim Lam. Hitchcock was arrested June 15, 2021, on charges of receipt, possession or transport of firearm by a convicted felon or first offender probationer, driving without a valid license-misdemeanor, trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs-marijuana or methamphetamine, and possession firearm or knife during commission or attempt to commit a crime. Lam told the court his client was
Lam told the court his client was denied bond in Jones County Sept. 30, 2021, but then the federal authorities became interested in him. The attorney said Hitchcock was charged in federal court and then released on bond.
The attorney said the state plans to reactivate the Jones County case and he asked for a bond in that case.
Hitchcock was prosecuted by Assistant Distric Attorney Cara Fiore. She told the court Hitchcock was arrested with close to 100 grams of meth, a gun and $6,000.
“He was on the trial calendar, but the feds arrested him on in a Baldwin County case,” she said.
Fiore explained that his Jones County case was dead docketed until the feds rescheduled their case and released Hitchcock on bond. The prosecutor said the Jones County case has been reactivated.
“Mr. Hitchcock has a criminal history with 32 cycles and numerous convictions. He is a risk to reoffend and a danger to the community,” she said.
Fiore said she spoke with the federal prosecutor, and the defendant is looking at a federal sentence of 10 years to serve.
“I ask you deny bond,” she said.
Superior Court Judge Terry Massey presided over the bond hearing. After hearing the arguments of the attorneys, he said found that Hitchcock is a significant risk to the community and likely to commit another felony.
“I deny bond,” Massey said.
