GREENVILLE - A Greenwood man, who was expected to stand trial Monday in U.S. District Court here on federal drug charges, changed his mind and pleaded guilty.
Orlando LeWayne "Wayne" Pilcher pleaded to two separate counts of distributing more than 50 grams of crack cocaine in court Monday, just before jury selection for his trial began.
Court records identify Pilcher as a Greenwood resident born in 1972.
A sentencing date hasn't been set. Pilcher is in the custody of the U.S. Marshal's Office, according to court records.
One count listed by the indictment issued on Feb. 24 involves an incident on Oct. 14, 2004, and the other involves an incident on Oct. 21, 2004, court records show.
Pilcher pleaded not guilty to the charges on April 5.
The trial was scheduled after three delays since Pilcher's indictment. The last time the court allowed a continuance on the case because of a request from federal prosecutors, who couldn't get their witnesses together. Some of them were part of the search and rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans in late August.
Dave Sanders, an assistant U.S. attorney, had filed documents showing that the government intended to seek an enhanced sentence if a Pilcher had been convicted by a jury. Sanders dropped the request for a tougher sentence Monday morning after Pilcher agreed to plead guilty to the two counts.
An enhanced sentence could have include more years to serve in federal prison. Without the enhancement, Pilcher faces no less than 10 years or more than life in prison; no more than a $4 million fine or both; and at least five years supervised release.
Pilcher also could become ineligible for federal benefits for up to five years, and he would have to pay a $100 special assessment.
In Sanders' legal pleadings, he noted that Pilcher has a prior felony drug conviction.
Leflore County Circuit Court records show Pilcher pleaded guilty June 29, 1999, to two counts of sale of cocaine.
He was sentenced to 10 years to serve in prison with two years suspended on the first count.
On the second count, Pilcher was sentenced to 10 years to serve in prison with two years suspended to run concurrently with the first sentence.
The state court also ordered Pilcher to serve the two suspended years on post-release supervision.
