A Mississippi jury has found a 71-year-old Texas minister guilty of possession with intent to distribute 200 pounds of marijuana.
Harrison County Judge Larry Bourgeois sentenced the Rev. Henry Jackson Parker Jr., of Houston, to 20 years in prison after the verdict was returned late Wednesday night. The judge suspended 10 years, leaving 10 years to serve.
District Attorney Joel Smith tells The Sun Herald the jury heard testimony that a deputy sheriff found the pot in cattle-feed bags in the trunk of Parker's vehicle in a traffic stop Sept. 18, 2010. The car was eastbound on Interstate 10 when a deputy stopped it on a careless driving violation.
The jury deliberated about an hour.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
