Husband and wife team take plea deals in New Kent court

A husband and wife team facing multiple drug distribution counts accepted plea deals involving lesser charges in New Kent Circuit Court Monday afternoon.

Matthew Scott Jeffrey, 36, and Karen Lynn Jeffrey (formerly Karen Collier Haboush), 50, both of the 7000 block of Roxbury Road, Quinton, entered guilty pleas to amended charges of distributing drugs as an accommodation, which means they received no personal gain or benefit. Matthew Jeffrey entered a guilty plea to one count, having two charges of conspiracy to possess dropped. Karen Jeffrey pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution as an accommodation, with three counts of conspiracy to possess and five counts of possession with intent to distribute dropped.

In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, New Kent Sheriff’s Office began an operation targeting a pair of female drug dealers in March and April of this year. Working on leads, detectives conducted controlled drug buys, including having informants purchase drugs from the defendants The defendants had been observed purchasing oxycodone pills from the two women. Deputies arrested the defendants shortly afterwards.

Under the plea deal, Karen Jeffrey received five years on each of the three charges, but had all time suspended. She will be on probation for 25 years and must pay $300 in restitution. Matthew Jeffrey received 10 years in prison, with all but four months suspended. He also must pay $300 in restitution.

In other New Kent court proceedings:

–William Jefferson Davis, 54, of the 2700 block of Third Street, Richmond, accepted a plea deal on one count of uttering. Two additional charges of uttering were dropped. Davis admitted he wrote bad checks to Adams Sports Mart to receive cash on June 23. Under the agreement, he received five years in prison with three years, five months suspended and must pay $185 in restitution.

–John Milton Harris III, 50, of the 1600 block of Irvington Road, Weems, entered guilty pleas to one count of driving as a habitual offender (second offense) and misdemeanor DUI (second offense). According to evidence and admission by the defendant, on July 30 a state trooper followed Harris on Interstate 64 after noticing the defendant driving erratically. After performing a traffic stop, the trooper gave the defendant standard sobriety tests, which the defendant failed. A background check revealed the defendant had been declared a habitual offender in 1996. Sentencing for Harris has been deferred upon determination to see if he qualifies for the state’s Detention and Diversion programs.

–Garrett Lee Miller, 19, of the 1100 block of Francis Drive, Coatesville, accepted a plea bargain to one count each of possession of a controlled substance (methalone) and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. In a summary of evidence, a state trooper pulled the defendant’s vehicle over for excessive speed on June 13. After sensing a strong odor of marijuana, the trooper inspected the vehicle, finding a handgun, small amount of marijuana, and a pill bottle that contained methalone, a form of ecstasy.

Under the agreement, no formal finding for the possession charge will be rendered if the defendant completes the first offender’s program. All 12 months on the misdemeanor charge were suspended, but the defendant has to pay a $500 fine.