Jeremy Todd Rollins, the 37-year-old man from of White Pine who was arrested and held in Dayton, Ohio on felony charges pertaining to meth production, has officially withdrawn his guilty plea, and now all bets are off.
Rollins, who hails from Northern Michigan, was investigated by the Michigan State Police (MSP) and the Michigan Department of Human Services working together. MSP troopers allege that Rollins made frequent purchases of items used in the production of methamphetamines, but then fled to Ohio before they were able to make an arrest.
Rollins was arrested in Ohio after a warrant was issued in Gogebic County on March 19th, and he was held as a wanted fugitive until MSP officials from the Wakefield post transported him back to Michigan to face meth charges.
On September 9th, in Gogebic County Circuit Court, Rollins accepted a plea agreement and pled guilty to a single count of operating or maintaining a meth lab. Sentencing was scheduled for early November. All seemed to be in order with his case.
Guilty Plea is Withdrawn
But somewhere between then and now, Rollins changed his mind. He appeared in Gogebic County Circuit Court Thursday for the sentencing, and withdrew his guilty plea, pleading “not guilty” instead to the charge of operating a meth lab.
A new trial date has been selected, with trial scheduled to begin on January 19, 2015. Rollins is currently being held in the Gogebic County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
Police say that there has been a significant rise in the amount of meth busts and meth related crimes in Northern Michigan in the last few years, with each year getting progressively worse.
“The ramifications for us in the law enforcement community as well as for all of our citizens in the communities here in … Michigan are pretty serious if we don’t continue to engage in this battle with these drugs.” said Michigan State Police Lt. Kip Belcher.
Captain Randy Fewless from the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office says that it’s a cause for concern for all officers. “We’re working really close with our narcotics team to make sure that we’re doing everything we can and to take care of these situations.”
Police departments around the state are asking citizens to keep a watchful eye out for meth dump sites, which are extremely dangerous due to their chemical instability, and for signs that someone in your neighborhood is involved in meth production.