An Ellsworth man received a lengthy state prison sentence Thursday after he pleaded guilty to various drug charges, including selling cocaine from his home, which is located 50 feet from Bentworth Middle School.
John Claudie Carter Jr., 32, of 1 Oak St., pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver heroin and cocaine, possession of heroin and cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia before Washington County Judge Paul Pozonsky.
In exchange for his plea, Carter was sentenced to 3 to 6 years in prison followed by 4 years of probation.
Carter was arrested in December after a confidential informant told state police in July that Carter was selling large amounts of cocaine from his home.
Ellsworth police told state police they had seen vehicles occupied by suspected drug users near Carter's home and the suspected users going inside the home and returning to their vehicles about 10 minutes later. Some were seen entering the home two or three times a day.
Also that month, state police talked with a second confidential informant who also claimed large amounts of cocaine were being sold from the residence.
A third confidential informant told state police in August of making cocaine purchases and that cocaine was being cooked to make crack inside the home. Carter, according to the informant, supplied several people in the area with cocaine to distribute.
State police said a fourth confidential informant made purchases of crack from Carter and observed cocaine and bricks of heroin in the home.
On Oct. 4, state police checked garbage left at the curb at 1 Oak. The bag contained rubber gloves, baking soda and a spoon with burn marks and white powder residue, stamp bags containing white powder residue and other bags with a similar residue. The items tested positive for cocaine, according to police.
Two days later, while state police were on their way to serve a warrant on the home, they learned that Carter and Stephen Ray Adams of 209 First St., Vestaburg, had got into a vehicle that pulled onto Route 917. When stopped, Carter had white powder on his jeans. He told police that he was baking a cake for his son's birthday.
Police said they searched Carter and found a bag of cocaine in addition to $2,306. Adams had several smaller bags of crack, they said. Adams told police they were on their way to a Bentleyville bar and gas station to sell the cocaine.
Found inside the house were several digital scales, a small amount of suspected marijuana and 320 stamp bags of suspected heroin. Police also found a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun with the serial number obliterated.
Adams was also charged with drug violations. He is awaiting disposition of his charges.