MIDLAND, Texas — Midland County District Attorney Laura Nodolf announced that a 32-year-old Midland man was sentenced Thursday to 50 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice by a Midland County jury.
Jessie James Johnson Jr. was charged with possession of a controlled substance in penalty group one in an amount more than 4 grams but less than 200 grams.
After hearing evidence, the jury deliberated for an hour and a half before finding Johnson guilty of the offense on Wednesday morning.
The evidence presented in the case showed that on August 19, 2022, officers with the Midland Police Department located three bags of crack cocaine inside a closed compartment during a search of a vehicle operated by Johnson. The officers also found on Johnson’s person a total of $2,335 in cash separated in denominations suggesting the sale of illegal drugs.
During the punishment phase of the trial, the evidence showed that Johnson had multiple prior felony convictions and had been to prison multiple times, and was in fact on parole for a past offense at the time of his arrest.
Because of Johnson’s prior prison sentences, his range of possible punishment was from 25 years up to life in prison. Under the law, Johnson will serve at least one quarter of his sentence before he is eligible to be considered for parole. Eligibility for parole does not guarantee that parole will be granted.