By BRAD GASKINS / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – A Talladega County couple remains in the Shelby County Jail on bonds of $1.5 million each after being charged last week with trafficking cocaine.

Traveling in a rented white Kia, Jeremiah Averette, 29, and Teris Monique Wilson, 35, were stopped Sept. 7 by Shelby County sheriff’s patrol units near Alabama 119 and U.S. 280 in Inverness.

During the stop, deputies found 320 grams of powder cocaine with a street value of $32,000, according to Lt. Kevin Turner, commander of the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force.

A small amount of marijuana was also recovered.

The traffic stop was made at the request of the Talladega County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, which had the couple under surveillance when they entered Shelby County. Talladega officials believed the suspects were about to drop off drugs or cash.

“We knew there was going to be either narcotics or cash (in the vehicle),” said Jason Murray, Talladega County’s task force commander.

At the time of his arrest, Averette was on probation for trafficking cocaine, Murray said.

“We’ve been dealing with him for a long time,” he added.

Murray said Averette, a Talladega County resident, likely rented an apartment in Shelby County and was a couple blocks from it when the traffic stop was made.

Shelby County authorities seized the drugs and brought the charges, Murray said.

If convicted, Averette and Wilson face mandatory prison sentences of three years and fines of $50,000.