Wanda English Burnett, Editor

Two trials rendering two guilty verdicts in less than three weeks could add up to 50 years in prison for James A. Dobbs, 33, of Osgood.

Ripley County Prosecutor Ric Hertel referred to the defendant as a “dangerous drug dealer” and said he was pleased with the juries when they both returned guilty verdicts in two separate trials. The trials both stemmed from an undercover operation that began in the summer of 2007.

In the first trial, held July 15 and 16 in Ripley County Circuit Court, jurors heard from undercover officers saying that Dobbs was in possession of more than 20 grams of crack cocaine that he was trying to deliver when he was arrested. The Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section and a member of their undercover team began an investigation early last summer. It only took the jury an hour to deliberate on the matter coming back with a guilty verdict on the charge of Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine, a Class A Felony. That charge carries a sentence of 20-50 years incarceration.

According to Ripley Publishing Co. files, Dobbs was arrested August 24, 2007, when he was stopped on I-74 and found to be in possession of more than 24 grams of crack cocaine concealed on his person. That amount is worth about $1,000, according to police.

A second trial in less than three weeks began last week on July 29 with Dobbs facing two additional Class A Felony charges for Dealing in Cocaine and Conspiracy to Deal Cocaine.

An undercover officer testified in the second trial telling of the “hand to hand” buys he had made from the defendant. These buys included purchasing crack cocaine on two separate occasions in July of 2007. He testified that one purchase involved over five grams and the other one was for over 11 grams of cocaine. The incidences took place in Batesville and Versailles.

Audra Curry, forensic scientist with the state police laboratory, testified in both trials to the weight of the drugs and her analysis that it was positively cocaine.

Again, it only took another jury about an hour to come to their decision, the same as the first, guilty.
Sentencing for both trials will take place on Wednesday, August 6 where Dobbs could face 20-50 years imprisonment on three separate Class A Felony charges.

Dobbs was present for his first trial, but was tried in abstentia in the second trial as he exercised his constitutional right to not attend. He remained in the Ripley County Jail until it was time for the verdict to be heard. “He did choose to come over (to the courthouse) for the verdict,” noted Prosecutor Hertel.

Prosecutor Hertel noted that the charges against Dobbs weren’t a “one time occurrence, but an on-going operation.” He thanked both juries for being attentive and serving the county in both cases. The prosecutor said he hopes that these convictions send a message of zero tolerance to drug dealers and “would-be” drug dealers in this community, saying 20-50 years should be a “major deterrent.”

James Dobbs