SUPERIOR COURT
Following the denial of a motion to suppress evidence found during the takedown of a suspect using information from a confidential informant, the defendant entered a negotiated plea in Jones County Superior Court.
Michael Terrecio Willis entered his guilty plea Oct. 12 to the lesser included offense of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. He received a sentence of 20 years with the first three years served in confinement. The remainder of his sentence is to be served on probation, and the defendant will receive credit for time served from his Dec. 27, 2022, arrest.
Willis was indicted by a Jones County Grand Jury Feb. 6 on drug charges, including the charge of trafficking cocaine and the possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
His Dec. 27 arrested was announced on Facebook by Jones County Sheriff Butch Reece. The post stated that Willis was found to be in possession of a trafficking amount of cocaine, approximately four ounces of marijuana, and over 100 Xanax pills. He was also in possession of a firearm during the commission of these offenses.
Jones County Sheriff Office Investigator Barron Hall stated in a Jan. 5 interview that the arrest was pursuant to an ongoing investigation. He said officers made contact with Willis in Jones County, and he was taken down by the drug unit with the assist of patrol.
The investigator said a search of the vehicle was performed due to the odor of marijuana that was present during the traffic stop. He added that the pistol was in view near the console of the vehicle.
Suppression hearing
Willis was in court Aug. 31 with a motion to suppress the traffic stop that would have, in essence, wiped out the state’s case if granted. The Dec. 27 arrest was the result of the traffic stop during which Willis was found in possession of the drugs and firearm.
That traffic stop was initiated due to information received from a confidential informant (CI).
Assistant District Attorney Cara Fiore represented the state in the case, and the arguments were heard by Superior Court Judge Amanda Petty. Willis was represented by Defense Attorney Lars Anderson.
The state called four witnesses in the proceeding, who were the deputies involved in the defendant’s arrest: Jones County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Travis Walker, the lead investigator in the case, Lt. Wesley Ransom, investigator Barron Hall and Corp. Jeff Sullivan.
Walker testified to receiving a tip from a confidential informant about Willis and a buy that was set up to happen at a local convenience store. He said he was present when the CI received a call from the defendant about the pending transaction.
Walker said surveillance was set up, and all the information furnished by the CI turned out to be “spot on.”
The sergeant said, when the suspect pulled into the parking lot of the store, officers approached and took him into custody. Walker said there was a strong order of green marijuana from the truck, which was subsequently searched.
He said cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, hydrocodone and a loaded firearm were found in the truck.
Anderson questioned Walker about that phone call, which the attorney noted was not in the officer’s report. Based on that information, the defense attorney questioned that the phone call actually took place.
Petty took the evidence, witness testimony and the attorney’s arguments under consideration and denied the defense motion in a Sept. 20 order. In that order, the judge said the court found Walker’s testimony credible and the defense’s argument of credibility would be for a jury to decide at trial.
