FROM – Jody Pickens, District Attorney General, 26th Judicial District
Three major violators recently received sentences in Chester County, Tennessee Circuit Court for offenses involving drugs and weapons. methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine.
Marquis Mickens
On 8/28/20, Mr. Mickens was charged with Possession of Marijuana and Violation of the Open Container Law after Officer Danielle Cook of the Henderson Police Department observed a vehicle parked outside of a closed business. Mr. Mickens was found to be the driver and in possession of a partially smoked marijuana blunt which he had in his hand. Also found in the car was an opened partially consumed beer.
On 5/6/21, Mr. Mickens was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine With the Intent to Sell/Deliver, Possession of Cocaine With the Intent to Sell/Deliver, Possession of Marijuana With the Intent to Sell/Deliver, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Chief Deputy Mark Griffin, Deputy Brandon Cooper, and Deputy Jordan Phelps, all of the Chester County Sheriff’s Department, went to a location to serve an outstanding arrest warrant on Mr. Mickens.
Upon entering the residence Mr. Mickens was found to be in constructive possession of approximately 22.69 grams of methamphetamine, 3.48 gram of cocaine, 44.35 grams of marijuana as well as $776 in cash.
On 7/4/21, Mr. Mickens was stopped by Officers Watkins and Connor of the Henderson Police Department in response to them receiving a call concerning an assault.
After Mr. Mickens was stopped and he was detained the area around his path of travel was searched and a backpack containing two cell phones one of which had a picture of Mr. Mickens smoking marijuana as the screen saver.
Also found in the backpack was 40 tablets determined to be Paraflouro-fentanyl, 5.89 grams of Methamphetamine, and 100.20 grams of marijuana. A total of $612 was found by officers.
He was subsequently charged with Possession of Paraflouro-fentanyl with the Intent to Sell/Deliver, Possession of Methamphetamine With the Intent to Sell/Deliver, Possession of Marijuana With the Intent to Sell/Deliver, Possession of Hydrocodone With the Intent to Sell/Deliver, Driving With Methamphetamine, Aggravated Assault and Driving on a Revoked License.
On 8/3/21, Mr. Mickens was charged with three counts of Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Ecstasy, and Driving on a Revoked License after Deputy Steve Davidson, who knew Mr. Mickens’ driver’s license to be revoked, stopped him after observing him driving on Sanford Street.
Mr. Mickens admitted that he had a gun in the vehicle which was found to be a Ruger 9 mm loaded with six rounds in the magazine.
Also found in the patrol car that was used to transport Mr. Mickens to jail, was a pill later determined to be ecstasy.
All cases were indicted by the Chester County Grand Jury and on 2/7/24 the Defendant pled guilty to all charges receiving a total effective sentence of 39 years to serve in the Tennessee Department of Correction.
This sentence was due in part to the fact that each case occurred while he was on bond and the Defendant has an extensive criminal history that includes three convictions for Sale of Less Than .5 Grams of Cocaine, a conviction for Sale of More than .5 Grams of Cocaine, a conviction for Aggravated Robbery, and Felony Evading Arrest. In addition to the listed felony convictions, the Defendant has 11 misdemeanor convictions including convictions for Theft, Domestic Assault, and Resisting Arrest.
Jerry Hart
On 1/7/20 at approximately 6:00, Investigator Joe Puente and other members of the Henderson Police Department executed a search warrant at 521 Frankie Lane, in Henderson, Tennessee. At that location Jerry Hart was found to be in possession of a .25 caliber Beretta which had the serial number filed off. and a .25 caliber RG26 handgun.
The firearms were found in Mr. Hart’s bedroom along with items used to ingest narcotics. Also found in a bedroom across from that of Mr. Hart was a 9 mm Sig Sauer handgun that had been reported stolen. Hart was indicted for 40 counts of Possession of a Handgun by a Convicted Felon, Alteration of a Serial Number, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
On 1/8/20, a victim identified Jerry Hart as the person who robbed him at gunpoint on 1/2/20 during which his debit card was stolen.
Hart was indicted for Aggravated Robbery, Theft, and 20 counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Hart has a lengthy history of criminal activity which consists of three convictions for Aggravated Burglary, two convictions for Identity Theft, two convictions for felony Theft, three convictions for Vehicle Burglary, five convictions for Burglary, and eight convictions for Forgery.
The Defendant pled guilty to Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Alteration of a Serial Number, and Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm and received a sentence of 12 years.
The Defendant was later convicted by a jury of Chester Countians for the 1/8/20 incident and ultimately sentenced to 28 years in the Tennessee Department of Correction to run consecutively to the 12-year sentence he had previously received resulting in a total effective sentence of 40 years.
Adam Benton Farris
On 5/18/22, narcotics investigators Justin Denbow of the Chester County Sheriff’s Department and Investigator Joe Puente of the Henderson Police Department went to 1203 West Main Street to investigate narcotic activity at that location.
Upon making contact, one of the residents admitted that there were drugs in the home. Eventually Adam Benton Farris admitted that the drugs were his.
Found in the home was approximately 31.8 grams of methamphetamine, 4.5 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, a glass pipe, and several clear empty plastic bags.
Because the residence is located within 500 feet of the Chester County Elementary School, Farris was charged with and ultimately indicted for Possession of Methamphetamine With the Intent to Sell/Deliver In a School Zone and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
In July of 2022, narcotics Investigator Denbow and Investigator Joe Puente began an undercover investigation into the activities of Adam Benton Farris. Ultimately, utilizing a confidential informant they were able to purchase more than .5 grams of methamphetamine on 7/15/22, 7/18/22, and 7/20/22.
The incidents resulted in the Chester County Grand Jury returning three separate indictments for Sale of More than .5 grams of Methamphetamine.
On 11/29/22, Sergeant Cody Cloud attempted to stop a vehicle that he observed violating traffic laws. The vehicle refused to stop and a pursuit began with the passenger, later identified as Adam Benton Farris, getting out of the vehicle continuing to evade arrest on foot.
Investigator Seth Preslar, then of the Chester County Sheriff’s Department located Farris and was eventually joined by Sgt. Cloud in the attempt to arrest Farris. After a lengthy foot chase and a physical struggle, Farris was taken into custody. Once he was taken into custody a blue bag strung across the chest of Farris was searched.
Found inside the bag was approximately 87 grams of methamphetamine. 81.2 grams of marijuana, a pipe, as well as a large amount of plastic baggies used in the trafficking of narcotics.
Farris has a criminal history that consists of two convictions for Aggravated Burglary, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Casual Exchange of Drugs, Driving on a Revoked License, Criminal Trespass, and Theft.
The Defendant pled guilty to all charges and was sentenced to a total effective sentence of 37 years to serve in the Tennessee Department of Correction.
Comment
“I am very thankful for the hard work of Chester County juries, Assistant District Attorney General Chad Wood who prosecuted the cases, as well as the Henderson Police Department who working in conjunction with the Chester County Sheriff’s Department investigated and made the cases,” said District Attorney General Jody Pickens. “No doubt Chester County will be a better place to live without these three criminals who all made the choice to lead a life of criminality.
“The criminal histories of these three along with the criminal exploits detailed in this release, demonstrate that no matter how many chances society gave them, they were determined to continue on the path that has led them to be where they deserve be which is the Tennessee Department of Correction.”
(PHOTO: Mickens (blue shirt), Hart (white shirt), Farris (orange shirt)
