Madison County Jury Convicts Habitual Drug Offender

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Torrey Powell of Canton was convicted by a jury of two counts of possession of methamphetamine after a two day jury trial. Powell is a habitual offender and subsequent drug offender that may be subjected to double the maximum sentence allowed by law without the eligibility of early release or parole. Judge Dewey Arthur set sentencing in this matter for Monday, March 28, 2022 at 9 a.m. at the Madison County Circuit Courthouse.

On April 29, 2020, an officer with the Madison Police Department made a routine traffic stop and encountered Powell, who was driving the car. There was also a female and infant child sitting in the backseat. Powell did not have a valid driver’s license or insurance and was asked to step out of the car so that the officer could attempt to run his information through dispatch. The officer patted him down for officer safety and felt a pill bottle in his front, pant pocket. Powell admitted the bottle contained ecstasy pills, methamphetamine, and heroin. The Mississippi Crime Lab tested two of the substances and found them both to contain methamphetamine – one in a pill form and one in powder form.

After an investigation into Powell’s criminal background, it was discovered that he had been previously convicted on at least nine separate occasions of felony offenses – most of them for drugs.

Last week, another Madison County jury convicted Carlos Dominque Allen of Sale of Fentanyl, Trafficking in Fentanyl, Possession of Hydrocodone, and Possession of Amphetamine. Like Powell, he is a habitual offender and subsequent drug offender. His sentencing is also set for March 28, 2022 at 9 a.m. in front of Judge Dewey Arthur.

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “This is a prime example of the revolving door that is the criminal justice system at times. This was Torrey Powell’s tenth time to face felony charges. He had prior convictions in Oklahoma, Georgia, and Mississippi. I am so glad law enforcement was able to take these drugs off the street, and that the jurors of Madison County made it possible to take a convicted felon off the streets. He is facing a considerable amount of time for these offenses, and due to him being convicted as both a habitual offender and subsequent drug offender, we hope his eventual sentence will keep him from being parole eligible for a very long time.

Defendant:

Torrey Powell

Date of Birth: 12/22/1979