To the Editor:

Nearly 14 years ago, one of the first search warrants I participated in as a law enforcement officer was at the home of Wilbur Jackson in Orrville.

Jackson is well known in the Orrville area and had a reputation in the community as being “untouchable.”

When I was assigned to the Drug Task Force in February of 2004, my partner at the time, Pat Grindle, and I considered Jackson a major person of interest. Grindle and I worked the case on Jackson without telling anyone else as a precaution to prevent the case from being accidentally undermined and to protect the confidential informants who risked their lives to cooperate with us.

We used our own vehicles and borrowed vehicles from neighbors and family members to monitor the undercover drug buys. We often worked on our own time without compensation and occasionally had to cover expenses with our own money.

As the case progressed, we brought in A.B.I. Agent Greg Hodges who worked with us on the case and A.B.I. supplied buy money. We eventually took our case and presented it to D.E.A. Agent Tim Davis. Agent Davis presented our work to an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Jackson was indicted federally.

Jackson was sentenced to 210 months, 17 and 1/2 years in federal prison. He will serve every day of that sentence.

The Selma Times-Journal erroneously reported that Jackson was sentenced to 17 and 1/2 months. I have asked that the article be corrected, as many people in the Beloit and Orrville communities have expressed their anger, disbelief and frustration that Jackson would be back home in less than a year and 1/2. The individuals who cooperated with the Task Force and made undercover buys from Jackson were extremely upset with me when the story ran. I have tried to convince them that the paper made a mistake, but some individuals remain unconvinced.

Please let the public know that Jackson will be in federal prison for the next 17 and 1/2 years and will not be returning to Dallas County before then.

Thank You,

Sgt. Randy Tucker,

4th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force/DCSO