A Macon man entered a guilty plea to theft and drug charges in Jones County Superior Court and received a total sentence of three years probation.
Christopher Jermaine McDonald was in court July 11 and entered his plea to the three charges against him. He received three years each for one count of theft by receiving stolen property, one count of possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and 12 months for one count of possession of marijuana less than an ounce. The counts will all run concurrently, which means at the same time, for a total of three years.
The sentence is to be served on probation, and McDonald will receive credit for the time he served in custody from June 8.
A report of McDonald’s arrest by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Zachary Allen stated that, while he was on patrol June 8, he was alerted via a Flock camera that a stolen vehicle had entered Jones County on Bethune Avenue. He said an investigation of the alert showed the vehicle was a 2022 Toyota Corolla with a Minnesota tag.
Allen said the vehicle was shown to have been reported stolen by the Perry Police Department June 7. He said he started checking side roads and found several vehicles parked partially in the road on Arlethia Drive. The deputy said one of the cars was a silver Corolla, and he verified it was the stolen vehicle with the tag number.
Allen said, because of the large gathering, he called for additional units. He said JCSO deputies Steven Astyk and Sgt. Matthew Johnson arrived and parked around the Corolla to secure it.
Allen said, due to several vehicles being parked illegally, deputies decided to make contact with those at the gathering to move those cars. He said they waited to see if someone would come to move the stolen vehicle, and he witnessed McDonald walking toward the driver’s side of the Corolla.
Allen said he confirmed with McDonald that the vehicle was his. The deputy said the suspect was arrested when he made a grab for the door handle. Allen said he was told by McDonald that the vehicle was rented, and he had not returned it.
The deputy said a substance that appeared to be marijuana and pills were found on the suspect, following a search of his person.
