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Wade Jerrod Corley
San Manuel Miner
Former San Manuel resident Wade Jerod Corley entered into a plea agreement with the Pinal County Attorney’s Office concerning his seven felony drug charges. Corley was arrested on April 21, 2015 after citizens of the Oracle Neighborhood Watch reported suspicious activity at a business complex on American Avenue in Oracle. After obtaining a search warrant, the business was searched and members of the Pinal County Sheriff’s High Density Drug Trafficking Force found 60 mature marijuana plants, several industrial grow lights, over 50 harvested marijuana plants and a high tech hydro system to grow plants.
Corley’s residence in the 900 block of 6th Ave. in San Manuel was also searched. Inside the residence, officers found 121 marijuana plants, several pounds of marijuana and additional marijuana growing equipment. He was booked into the Pinal County Jail for possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, production of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
On May 29, 2015 Corley was arraigned on two counts of Marijuana for Sale; two counts of Producing Marijuana; Possession of Narcotic Drug for Sale; Possession of Equipment for Manufacturing Narcotic Drug; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. In September 2015 a plea agreement was made. Mr. Corley pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Produce Marijuana, a Class 3 felony. He was sentenced to 5 years supervised probation, 27 days in jail, a drug fine of $750 plus surcharges (about $1,400) and other fines and fees. If he violates probation he faces a prison sentence of 2 to 8.75 years. The other drug charges were dismissed.
According to the Pinal County Attorney’s Office Public Information Officer Tiffany Davila, “Mr. Corley was given probation because of a recent Division 2 Court of Appeals decision. State v. Sisco, published shortly after Mr. Corley was indicted, held that the odor of marijuana in itself is not enough for probable cause because of the Medical Marijuana Act. This opinion in Pinal County, created a strong likelihood that the court would find that the search warrant in Mr. Corley’s case was not valid and, thus, the search was illegal.”
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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