By Staff
CASSOPOLIS – A one-day jury trial Tuesday revealed that longtime drug offender Willie Brown and his girlfriend were using a Howard Township motel room for more than just sleep and shelter.
During their two-month stay, they transformed their room into a local drug den, complete with crack cocaine, marijuana and other illegal activity.
Cass County Assistant Prosecutor Tiffiny Vohwinkle elicited testimony that after receiving citizen tips, the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team began heavy surveillance of the drug hot-spot.
On May 3, 2007, their stake-out culminated in the arrest of the room occupants.
Brown and girlfriend Bridgett Hoover were apprehended after officers observed apparent narcotics traffic going in and out of the motel room and finding controlled substances, drug packaging, drug production and drug use materials inside.
As officers swooped in, Willie Brown was located outside the motel room eating crab legs. Brown was immediately arrested on a parole abscond warrant. He was also charged the next day with felony drug charges arising from the motel incident.
At trial Brown claimed he was an innocent bystander who was just wandering outside the hotel room and had no idea what was inside even though the motel room door was open and he had been seen in that same room repeatedly over the past few weeks. Brown also contended that the officers were wrong about his entree, claiming he was actually eating a McDonalds Fish Filet when arrested, rather than crab legs.
Willie Brown's jury deliberated for approximately a half hour on Nov. 28, before returning guilty verdicts for possession of cocaine less than 25 grams, maintaining a drug house and possession of marijuana. Because he is a habitual offender, Brown faces up to 15 years in prison for his crimes.
Co-defendant Hoover was convicted earlier this year of possession of cocaine in Cass County arising from the May 3rd motel incident and sentenced to 180 days of jail. Brown has previously been convicted in 1999 of conspiracy to break and enter as well as possession of controlled substances in 2005 and attempted maintaining a drug house in 2005.
Cass County Circuit Court Judge Michael Dodge will sentence Brown on Dec. 14.