Opinion ID: 760837
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Marijuana Trafficking Conspiracy

Text: 2 The co-defendant, Otis McClellan (McClellan), befriended Donna Brewer (Donna) in May of 1995 while the two were living in Tucson, Arizona. About one month later, Donna introduced McClellan to her two sisters, Judy (Judy) and Pamela Brewer (Pam). McClellan and Judy, who also resided in Tucson, became friends shortly thereafter. In fact, they became such good friends that he loaned her nearly $1,000 to secure an apartment after she moved back to her hometown of Anderson, Indiana, in September of 1995. 3 For the first two weeks she was in Anderson, Judy lived with her stepfather, Jerry Irwin (Irwin), and during this period of time, she had an opportunity to observe Irwin selling marijuana out of his home. When Judy asked him who his drug source was, Irwin responded that McClellan and Donna had brought it in from Arizona. Shortly thereafter, McClellan suggested that Judy repay the $1,000 loan she owed by selling marijuana for him. Judy agreed, and by early 1996, she had sold approximately 165 pounds of the narcotic in and around Anderson, selling primarily to members of her family. 1 Typically, Judy would make a drug sale, wait several days before collecting the proceeds and then wire transfer the money to McClellan in Arizona. Other times, Judy's customers made their payments directly to McClellan via wire transfer. 4 Judy was not the lone marijuana trafficker in the Brewer family. On January 13, 1996, Officer Damon Parkhurst stopped co-defendant John Sargent (Sargent) and his girlfriend, Donna Brewer, for a traffic violation in Texas. At this time, the two were living in McClellan's trailer in Tucson. After ascertaining that Sargent was driving on a suspended license, Officer Parkhurst directed Sargent to follow him to the Oldham County (Texas) Sheriff's Department. Once at the Department, Parkhurst asked for consent to search the vehicle and Sargent acquiesced. During the ensuing search, he discovered more than eight pounds of marijuana in the trunk of the car. 5 In early April of 1996, Trooper Shelby Clark (Clark) of the Arkansas State Police pulled McClellan and his passenger, Richard Wise, over for hazardous driving several miles outside of Forrest City, Arkansas. Clark asked for and received written permission to search the automobile, whereupon he discovered 95 pounds of marijuana packaged in large bundles and stashed in suitcases in the trunk of the vehicle. Clark placed both McClellan and Wise under arrest, administered Miranda warnings, and transported them to the Forrest City, Arkansas, police headquarters. McClellan telephoned Judy from the police station and instructed her to call in all outstanding marijuana debts in Anderson and travel to Arkansas to post bail for him. Judy collected about $24,000 from her drug customers and drove to Arkansas with her mother and sister. She posted bail for both McClellan and Wise, $7,500 each in cash, and used the remaining money for legal fees to be applied to McClellan's attorney. 6 After McClellan's release from confinement, he went to Anderson, Indiana. In May of 1996, he told Pam that Donna wished to move to Anderson as well and suggested that Pam use his truck to pick up Donna in Tucson. Pam made the trip to Arizona, but upon her arrival there, Donna informed her that she was no longer interested in moving to Anderson after all. 2 Several days later, Pam returned to Anderson and returned the truck to McClellan, at which time he informed her that she had transported thirty pounds of marijuana, fixed to the underside of the vehicle, on her drive to Anderson, Indiana, from Tucson. Pam replied that she had no idea that she was transporting drugs. 7 Meanwhile, Judy continued to sell marijuana for McClellan. She traveled to Tucson in July of 1996 for a week-long visit with Donna and Sargent, and returned to Anderson transporting some eighteen pounds of the drug, twelve pounds of which she fronted to Gary Johnson (Johnson). McClellan gave Judy two shipments of marijuana the following October and December, totaling 156 pounds. Judy and McClellan moved to Tucson that December, where Judy met McClellan's source, and once again commenced dealing drugs on McClellan's behalf. Judy also obtained more marijuana for Johnson at this time. 8