SUPERIOR COURT
A trafficking suspect arrested in June in Jones County entered a guilty plea in Superior Court and received a 12-year prison sentence.
Thomas Daniel Bacon Jr. entered his plea Sept. 21 and received a sentence of 30 years each for the charges of trafficking in cocaine and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The counts will run concurrently for a total of 30 years with the first 12 years to be served in confinement. The remainder of the sentence is to be served on probation, and the defendant will receive credit for time served in custody from his June 14 arrest.
Bacon’s plea was accepted by Superior Court Judge Stephen Bradley.
The defendant was indicted on the charges by a Jones County Grand Jury Aug. 7.
A report of his arrest by Jones County Sheriff Office Deputy Joseph Franklin Caldwell said he conducted a traffic stop June 14 on Garrison Road on a white 2016 Buick for suspended registration and no insurance. He said he informed the driver the reason for the stop, and while speaking to the driver, he detected the order of marijuana and requested backup.
JCSO Sgt. Kasey Carr arrived to assist, and the driver and passenger were asked to exit the vehicle. A search of the inside the Buick resulted in the discovery of a partially burned marijuana cigarette.
Caldwell said, while speaking to the driver, he heard Carr giving the passenger, later identified as Bacon, loud commands to quit running. The deputy said he ran toward them and was able to tackle the suspect. Caldwell said Bacon was flailing his arms and refused to give the officers his hands. He said he noticed the suspect had a plastic bag containing a white, powdery substance, believed to be cocaine, in his hand, and there were white pills spilling on the ground.
After several attempts, the officers deployed their tasers to get the offender into handcuffs, and he was taken into custody. A search of Bacon found multiple denominations of US currency. No other illegal times were found in the vehicle.
Caldwell said the driver of the Buick was given a citation for a suspended registration and allowed to make arrangements with her insurance company so she could be released.
The deputy said he was able to identify the pills in Bacon’s possession as different types of Oxycodone. The bag of suspected cocaine was weighed and was over 28.83 grams, which is a trafficking amount. The cash found on Bacon totaled $8,621, and warrants were secured for his arrest.
