A Chattooga County jury found Larry Dale Dooley guilty on Aug. 20 on one count of trafficking in methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
The evidence at trial established that the defendant, a five-time convicted felon, was arrested in the course of a sting operation conducted by the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force. Brian Tucker, the deputy commander of the task force, spearheaded the operation, which commenced when agents flipped two low-level drug users into informants. When the addicts-turned-informants called the defendant at the direction of task force agents, he agreed to sell them an ounce of methamphetamine.
Following a thorough search of the informants and their vehicle, task force agents closely trailed the informants all the way to the defendant’s home. When the informants pulled into the defendant’s driveway, he got into the back seat of their vehicle holding a stainless-steel tumbler. Once the informants pulled onto State Route 48, Deputy Commander Tucker activated his emergency lights, whereupon the defendant threw a set of digital scales onto the highway. As soon as the informants brought their vehicle to a stop on Ridgecrest Drive, task force agents swarmed the vehicle with guns drawn.
When Agent Chris Wooten opened the rear passenger door, he saw the defendant frantically trying to hide his tumbler. After the police subdued the defendant, who forcibly resisted arrest, Deputy Commander Tucker searched the back seat of the informants’ vehicle and found over 75 grams of methamphetamine secreted away in the defendant’s tumbler.
Following the verdict, Chief Judge Kristina Cook Graham sentenced the defendant to 30 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Officials said, “This prosecution epitomizes the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s commitment to combating the opioid epidemic by getting drug dealers and traffickers off of our streets. The District Attorney’s office would like to thank everyone who testified at the trial, including Brian Tucker, Gary Campbell, Caine Railey, Chris Wooten, Mitzi Lands and Andrew DeJarnete. The District Attorney’s office would also like to thank all of the support staff who contributed to this important victory, including Amy Reed, Jordan Floyd, Cara Parris, Annabelle Carter and Eric Sliz.”
