By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 19-year-old Helena man is facing up to 20 years in prison after he was arrested on a felony conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance crime in connection with the previous arrest of a Maylene man.

The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force arrested Timothy Michael Hales, who lists an address on East Whirlaway in Helena, on Aug. 30 and charged him with one felony count of conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime.

The charge is a Class B felony, and carries a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.

According to Hales’ arrest warrant, he allegedly “made an arrangement to sell marijuana” with 23-year-old Maylene man Hunter Sheffield Smith in February of this year.

The Task Force arrested Smith, who lists an address on Abington Circle in Maylene, on April 18 and charged him with two felony counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and misdemeanor counts of second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Smith’s original arrest warrants claimed he allegedly distributed Ecstasy pills and liquid acid in the 500 block of Hampton Park Drive in Hoover on Sept. 29, 2015, and allegedly distributed marijuana at the same address on Oct. 15, 2015. Those charges have since been dismissed.

Smith now faces an unlawful distribution of a controlled substance charge tied to the February incident, during which he allegedly distributed marijuana from Hales’ residence.

Smith currently is set to appear in Shelby County District Court on Oct. 26 for a preliminary hearing. He was released from the Shelby County Jail since after he posted bond on Aug. 1.

As of Sept. 1, Hales was being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $12,000, and did not yet have a future court date listed.