34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green bound Gino Melvin Jones, 28, over to circuit court for trial after a preliminary exam on Aug. 1. He is charged with controlled substance – delivering or manufacturing narcotic or cocaine less than 50 grams on Feb. 3, 2016 in Van Buren Township.
He is due at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit on Aug. 15 for an arraignment on the information. Conviction on this charge could bring up to 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
State of Michigan Prosecutor Mark Bernardi brought his first witness to the stand to testify. Detective Mack of Western Wayne Narcotics, set up by the Michigan State Police, testified that in February 2016 he set up a meeting to purchase narcotics. He said he met with a willing person who set up a meeting to buy an amount of cocaine. He testified he heard the willing person on the phone setting up the transaction.
Det. Mack said he drove the individual in an unmarked car to the Meijer parking lot on Belleville Road in Van Buren Township and they waited for the person to arrive. The vehicle arrived, he said, noting several police officers were involved. He identified Jones as being the seller. He said his team notified police to arrest the person in the vehicle and they left the scene.
Under cross examination, Det. Mack said the drug seller had been identified as “Tony.”
The second witness called was Van Buren Township Police Sgt. Matthew Raschke, who said he was a detective with Western Wayne Narcotics.
He testified he was in an undercover vehicle and a marked vehicle was to make a traffic stop on that black Cadillac. The vehicle went northbound in the lot and was stopped.
Det. Raschke said they approached the vehicle and took the driver into custody. The driver’s car window was the only window open in the car and a small baggy of what was later tested to be cocaine was on the ground outside the vehicle, although he said he didn’t see it thrown out of the car. He identified Jones as being the driver.
Det. Raschke also testified that police found eight balls of cocaine in the center console and each ball was 3.8 grams. There also was $2,000 in U.S. currency.
Under cross-examination, Det. Raschke said there were two other passengers in the car, one sitting in the front passenger seat and one in the rear behind the passenger.
When Prosecutor Bernardi made a motion to bind Jones over on the charges, Jones’ defense attorney objected, saying they didn’t have the informant testify, the drug dealer was supposed to be named “Tony” and there were two other occupants in the car with the drugs in the cup holder.
Prosecutor Bernardi said one window was open and only the driver was near that window.
Judge Green bound Jones over for trial.
Wendy Springer
Wendy Springer, who was lodged on two felony counts of using a computer to commit a crime in Van Buren Township, was brought from the Wayne County Jail where she was being held on bond of $50,000/10%.
Judge Green announced that charges against her had been dismissed by the prosecutor because the victim was not present to testify in her scheduled preliminary exam.
Jerred Christopher Martin
Jerred Christopher Martin, 23, was due for his probable cause conference on Aug. 1 before Magistrate Lisa Martin and his preliminary exam on Aug. 8. He is charged with two counts of felonious assault, carrying a concealed weapon, brandishing a firearm, weapons-felony firearm, and two counts of assault and battery on June 10 in Van Buren Township. He is free after posting bond of $10,000/10%. His retained attorney is Steven Moss.
James Clifton Norman
James Clifton Norman, 48, was set for his probable cause conference before Magistrate Martin on charges of operating while intoxicated-3rd and driving while license suspended-2nd on July 21 in Van Buren Township.
Norman, who was lodged on $10,000/10% bond, waived his upcoming preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for an Aug. 8 arraignment on the information. At that time a plea was considered and a disposition conference set for Aug. 29.