Man found guilty of meth possession aimed at distribution into county

(Information provided by Fifteenth Judicial District’s  Jason Lawson’s office.) 

A Wilson County man has been convicted of possessing methamphetamine for resale in Smith County after a two-day jury trial.  

John Hessmer was convicted on February 22 of bringing over 40 grams of methamphetamine into Smith County with the intent to distribute the drug in June of 2021.  

Unbeknownst to Hessmer, the purchaser was cooperating with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the deputies were monitoring the communications setting up the transaction.  

Sgt. Junior Fields, Sgt. Kendra Glover and other officers were waiting for Hessmer at the Alexandria exit of Interstate 40 when Hessmer arrived to deliver the drugs.  

Hessmer was taken into custody and a search of his vehicle yielded three separate bags of the highly addictive crystal substance.  

Judge Dee Gay presided over the trial and the state was represented by Assistant District Attorneys Jack Bare and Javin Cripps.  

The jury heard proof from the Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies, the TBI Crime Laboratory who tested the drugs, and the cooperating informant during the trial.  

In his closing argument, ADA Bare stated “John Hessmer set a time certain, a place certain, and a price certain for this Methamphetamine to be sold. He is the one who had control of this poison. When you retire to the jury room, find this Defendant guilty of what he did, bringing Methamphetamine into this County with the intent to sell it.”

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