A Cumberland County man scheduled to go on trial next year pleaded guilty in Criminal Court last week to a single count of possession of meth — a felony — and will face a sentencing hearing to determine the manner and length of sentence.
Robert Eugene Presley Jr., 48, was facing a trial on possession of meth with intent, possession of a weapon by a felon and possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony.
Presley told Judge Shawn Fry he had changed his mind and no longer wanted a jury trial, and instead, wanted to plead guilty to the single count of possession more than 26 grams of meth for sale and/or delivery.
Any sentence Presley receives will be served at 30% as a Range 1 offender. He is being given credit for 79 days served in jail plus time served on a probation violation sentence in Forsyth County, GA.
Remaining charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony and auto burglary are to be dismissed.
The charge stems from an Oct. 3, 2021, arrest by former Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputies Kobe Cox and Tyler Yoder on Mayland Rd., who were serving the probation violation warrant from Georgia.
The resulting arrest yielded contraband which led to the local charges.
Sentencing hearing will be held Jan. 21 before Judge Fry. At that time, it will be determined the sentence — ranging from eight to 12 years — Presley will be required to serve at 30%.
In other cases on the docket, the following took place:
•Rebecca Leigh Kennedy, 31, charged with aggravated statutory rape, pleaded guilty to statutory rape as a Range 1 offender and is to serve one year in custody, must pay court costs and register on the sex offender registry. She is being given credit for 14 days already served.
The single count is the result of a Crossville Police investigation by Det. Jon Tollett and Mptl. Samantha Seay into an incident on Oct. 22, 2022, involving a teenage victim. The family was in agreement with settlement of the case.
•Shane Lee Kirby, 49, charged with possession of meth with intent, pleaded guilty to possession of meth and received a three-year sentence suspended for four years on supervised probation and was fined $2,000.
The charge stems from a CCSO investigation by Deputy Tristan Partridge during which more than .5 grams of meth was found in Kirby’s possession.
Deadline docket
•Sally Renae Selby, auto burglary, aggravated assault and indecent exposure, continued to Nov. 19.