County man’s drug trial opens

BROWNSTOWN

The trial of a rural Jackson County man accused of dealing in methamphetamine and possession of a controlled substance began Tuesday with jury selection in Jackson Circuit Court in Brownstown.

Ronald Francis Pearson, 50, of the 8300 block of North County Road 490W, Freetown, faces three Class A felony counts of dealing in methamphetamine and four Class C felony counts of possession of a controlled substance.

He also faces additional charges of maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

Pearson was arrested in early September 2011 on a Jackson Circuit warrant for one Class A felony count of dealing in methamphetamine more than 3 grams and two Class B felony counts of dealing in methamphetamine less than 3 grams.

That Jackson Superior Court II warrant was signed by Judge Bruce MacTavish on Aug. 29, 2011, and was the result of a two-month probe conducted by investigators with the sheriff’s department along with Brownstown and Seymour officers.

The possession of controlled substance charges stem from a second warrant issued on Sept. 26, 2011.

The cases were combined into a single action by Jackson Circuit Judge Bill Vance this August after a request by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Chalfant.

Pearson is being represented by Corydon attorney Brian R. Chastain.