Austin man pleads guilty to selling crack

Published 10:11 am Friday, July 18, 2008

An Austin man charged with sale of crack cocaine in October reached a plea agreement with Mower County prosecutors that includes no jail time or mandatory minimum sentence, according to court documents.

Darrell Anthony Leaks pleaded guilty Wednesday to a single count of felony third-degree drug crime. Four other charges were dismissed, including two counts of second-degree controlled substance crime and two counts of third-degree controlled substance crime.

According to the criminal complaint, Leaks was arrested after arranging several drug deals with a confidential police informant in October. The complaint said the informant began working the case with Austin Police detectives Oct. 3; Leaks sold him one gram of crack cocaine on that occasion, another gram on Oct. 8 and 3.78 grams of powder cocaine Oct. 12.

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The complaint said Leaks’ supplier during those transactions lived at 107 First St. S.W., an address connected to Erick Fontain Thomas, who was convicted this month of first- and second-degree drug crimes following search warrant there that month. His sentencing is set for July 24.

Police recovered 11 grams of crack cocaine in a basement adjoining Thomas’ apartment building to another.

On a fourth occasion Oct. 17, the informant and Leaks went to Sterling Motel, according to the complaint, which would lead to the arrests of Jason Scott Corporal, 38, and Phillip Pierre Davis, 27. The two were tracked by police surveillance after Leaks allegedly exited their hotel room following a drug transaction that yielded 2.18 grams of crack cocaine.

They were followed to Apollo Superette on West Oakland Avenue; police found buy money on both the defendants, the complaint said.

They were charged with two counts of third-degree drug sale. Davis pleaded guilty to one count in May and was sentenced to five years probation. Corporal is scheduled for trial Aug. 11.

Leaks’ sentencing is Oct. 9.