Jones to enter change of plea

Saturday, December 19, 2009

GREENCASTLE -- An Indianapolis man charged with drug dealing has entered a guilty plea and will be sentenced in Putnam County Circuit Court on Jan. 14.

Zikimo Jones, 32, pled guilty to one charge of Class B felony dealing in a schedule I controlled substance. Under the terms of a plea agreement, an additional charge of Class B felony dealing in a controlled substance and a charge of Class D felony possession of a controlled substance were dropped in exchange for Jones' guilty plea.

Class B felonies are punishable by a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Jones was arrested April 27 along with Almez C. Bentley, 30, of Detroit. The men were apprehended during a traffic stop.

Bentley was the driver and Jones the passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over by Putnam County Sheriff's Department Lt. Dwight Simmons on I-70. Court records said Simmons stopped the vehicle because a license plate was not displayed.

A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded a quantity of the street drug ecstasy.

In August, motions to suppress evidence were filed in the cases against both men. According to court documents, attorneys for the men believed their clients -- both African-Americans -- had been victims of racial profiling. In the motion, attorneys Melinda Jackman-Hanlin and James Recker alleged that Simmons saw the license plate as soon as he approached the vehicle. The attorneys went on to say that the vehicle was improperly searched and that any drugs found should not have been able to be admitted into evidence.

Judge Matthew Headley denied the motions on Sept. 14.

Bentley pled guilty to Class B felony dealing in a controlled substance. On Dec. 3, he was sentenced to six years at the Indiana Department of Correction with three years executed, three years suspended and credit for 220 days served at the Putnam County Jail.

Jones has been lodged at the Putnam County Jail since his arrest. His bond was set at $20,000 cash.

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  • I am guessing that UMad has been busted by Lt. Simmons before. What happened UMad? Did he search your car, find drugs and throw you in jail while you sat there and cried. Lt. Simmons is very well trained in finding drugs and his searches are by the book. You will notice that the suppression on this case was denied...due to what, oh yeah he had probable cause to search the vehicle. The race card was just played by the Defense because they had nothing else to go on. One more thing UMad, if you had read this article a little closer you would have noticed that both of these Drug Dealers have pled GUILTY, there are no charges to be dropped. Great Job Lt. Simmons, maybe your next bust will be UMad again so he can cry to you in person!!!

    -- Posted by Road Dawg on Sun, Dec 20, 2009, at 1:46 AM
  • Wow. Umad should know better than to criticize the popo in Putnam County. They can't take it, and when they lash out, it is usually as ugly as Road Dawgs' comment. Very unprofessional.

    -- Posted by Xgamer on Sun, Dec 20, 2009, at 6:26 AM
  • I would be interrested to know what the probable cause for the serch was?

    -- Posted by obeone on Sun, Dec 20, 2009, at 1:41 PM
  • Who cares obeone they are drug dealers and they pled guilty. I say good job guys but i would like you to worry more about local streets. We have plenty of drug dealers in our towns that seem to be ignored.

    -- Posted by T.C. FATHER OF 2 on Mon, Dec 21, 2009, at 1:04 PM
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