WASHINGTON C.H. — A 25-year-old Jeffersonville resident stopped by Washington C.H. police March 20 for driving a BMW with illegally tinted windows was ordered to prison this week for being in possession of heroin and methamphetamine.
Robert O. Hawkins III appeared Tuesday in the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas on a five-count indictment for aggravated possession of drugs and possession of heroin, each a fifth-degree felony, and three misdemeanor drug-related charges: illegal possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, and illegal use of marijuana drug paraphernalia.
Hawkins was sentenced to 10 months on each felony charge to be served concurrently. He was credited with 29 days of local time already served in the Fayette County Jail on the charges.
On all charges, Hawkins faced a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a fine of $5,550, and 30 days in the Fayette County Jail, according to Hawkins’s defense attorney, Susan Wollscheid.
Hawkins was arrested during a traffic stop March 20, 2017 when he was pulled over on South Fayette Street in a 2001 BMW with after-market tinted windows.
According to reports, the Washington C.H. police officer checked the window tint on the BMW and found it had 67 percent light blockage. The state law for tinted windows is 50 percent light blockage.
In addition to having illegal window tint, the registration on the BMW came back to match a Chevy truck, and a warrants check showed that Hawkins had active warrants out of Vinton County. A records check shows that Hawkins’s probation was revoked Sept. 27, 2016 on misdemeanor charges for operating a vehicle under the influence, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
During the traffic stop on South Fayette Street, the police officer removed Hawkins from the BMW and patted him down for weapons prior to placing him in the patrol car, reports said, and found a capsule with brown powder inside Hawkins’s pocket. The brown substance field tested positive for heroin.
The vehicle was being towed due to fictitious registration and upon searching the vehicle before it was removed from the scene, the police officer located two more capsules containing heroin, a plastic bag with marijuana, digital scale, pipe, and a white crystal substance wrapped in aluminum foil that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Reports state there was less than one gram of heroin, an amount of methamphetamine less than bulk, and less than three grams of marijuana located in the incident.
Hawkins served a prior prison sentence, according to the court. He may earn one to five days of good time credit while in prison depending on program participation. Hawkins is not eligible for transitional control, said Fayette County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steven Beathard.
Following his hearing, Hawkins remained in custody of the sheriff’s office.
