By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 31-year-old Montevallo man will spend the next five years in prison and must pay a $25,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to planning to distribute synthetic marijuana to local high school students in 2016.

Derrick Demetrius Reed, who lists an address on Shelby County 223 in Montevallo, pleaded guilty to one felony count trafficking synthetic marijuana during an Oct. 1 hearing in front of Shelby County Circuit Court Judge William Bostick. Through a plea agreement, five counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, one count of first-degree possession of marijuana and one count of illegal possession of a firearm were dropped against Reed.

Bostick originally sentenced Reed to 20 years in prison, but split the sentence to five years in prison followed by two years of supervised probation. Reed must pay a $25,000 fine, surrender his driver’s license and complete a substance abuse treatment program while incarcerated.

If Reed violates the conditions of his sentence, his original 20-year prison sentence could be reinstated. According to court documents, the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force agreed with Reed’s sentencing agreement.

Reed has been held in the Shelby County Jail since he was arrested in March 2016 by the Task Force and charged with the multitude of charges. When Reed was arrested then, he had only been out of jail for two weeks after posting bond for multiple other drug distribution charges.

A Shelby County grand jury indicted Reed on the charges in October 2016, and Reed previously pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Task Force Commander Lt. Clay Hammac previously said deputies arrested Reed in Montevallo while the suspect was conducting an active drug deal.

During the arrest, deputies found Reed to be in possession of more than 500 grams of synthetic marijuana packaged for sale and two illegal firearms, Hammac said. The Task Force estimated the street value of the synthetic marijuana recovered in the arrest was about $31,000.

Hammac said the synthetic marijuana, which can lead to seizures, unconsciousness and even death, was intended for distribution in Montevallo High School, Pelham High School, Calera High School, Thompson High School and Helena High School.