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Franklin man pleads guilty to trafficking

Franklin man pleads guilty to trafficking

A Franklin man who pleaded guilty last week to trafficking in methamphetamine has been sentenced to serve 70 to 93 months in prison.

Franklin Officer Randy Dula arrested Matthew Scott Winters, 27, after spotting a car on Jan. 13, 2020, using windshield wipers, but not headlights; additionally, the right headlight was missing. 

Winters was a passenger in the car that was northbound on Georgia Road.

The officer turned his patrol vehicle from the southbound into the northbound lanes, near Belden Circle. He said the driver increased speed, changed lanes and quickly turned into a fast-food restaurant’s parking lot. Dula followed.

While speaking to the driver, he smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the car.

In Winters’ black backpack, Franklin police discovered folded tinfoil with a pill inside that had burn marks; a baggie with 1.83 grams of marijuana and rolling papers; a can of WD-40 with a false bottom that contained 32.39 grams of methamphetamine and various drug-related paraphernalia, including a glass smoking pipe and a large flat metal spoon.

Judge Mark Powell sentenced Winters in Macon County Superior Court. Assistant District Attorney Jason Arnold prosecuted the case.