UPDATE: Jeremy Potts testifies about drug relationship at trial
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Jurors on Tuesday heard a full day of testimony from Jeremy Potts about his what he said was involvement in a marijuana business with Gallatin County Sheriff Raymond Martin.
Martin's federal trial on charges of distributing marijuana, carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime and witness tampering entered its second day on Tuesday.
Potts was laid off in November 2008 and in need of money, he said. About Thanksgiving, Martin arrived at Potts' mobile home to speak with him.
"I assumed he was there to question me, so I hopped in the vehicle to see what was going on," Potts said.
The topic went from casual conversation to possibly starting a marijuana business.
"He offered me a job, basically," Potts said.
They agreed Potts would sell marijuana provided by Martin, who would take his investment and half the profit out of the proceeds. Martin told Potts never to mention the arrangement to anyone else, Potts said.
Martin delivered marijuana to Potts several times, Potts said. Potts sold the marijuana and gave Martin's investment and profit back.
Potts testified he was arrested on Jan. 24, 2009. Martin helped Potts' girlfriend, Miranda Willis, arrange bond. Martin posted half the bond amount, which put Potts in debt.
Potts sold marijuana for a while longer to eliminate his bail debt to Martin, he testified. But Potts wanted out, and eventually talked to Martin about ending the arrangement in late March.
"I gave him a ton of excuses why," Potts said.
Martin threatened Potts with a stretch in prison or worse if he tried to leave the business, Potts said.
"He told me that was not an option and I could be eliminated," Potts said.
Martin made a threat to underscore the point, Potts said.
"He stopped the vehicle, laid his gun on the console and pointed it in my direction," Potts said.
Potts was petrified, he said. He thought about running, but didn't, "Because I was afraid I'd get shot."
After the threats, "At that point I knew something had to be done," Potts said.
Potts went to his father, Joel Potts, and told him some of the situation.
"He wants me to meet with a friend of his that's in law enforcement," Potts said.
Potts' father finally convinced him to trust Inspector Glenn Rountree of the Illinois State Police. They met with Rountree after Joel Potts observed a drug deal at Jeremy Potts' residence, Jeremy Potts said.
The possibility of prison crossed Potts' mind, he testified, but he was beginning to worry about things that could happen that were even worse.
"I wanted out," Potts said.
Potts agreed to be a confidential source for the ISP and help gather evidence on Martin. The ISP recorded phone calls and conversations between Martin and Potts starting April 15. The jury saw several surveillance videos and heard several taped conversations.
On April 20, Martin and Potts met while under surveillance by the ISP. They discussed finishing off the debt left over from the bond and the Indiana connection. Potts told Martin his Indiana connection cold buy at $1,400 per pound frequently.
On April 27, again under surveillance, they exchanged marijuana and money. Potts and Martin talked about the marijuana Potts was supposedly growing to work off some of the debt. They also talked about possibly selling ecstasy and went into some detail about growing marijuana. Martin advised Potts to wear a mask when he went to tend plants during the day, Potts said.
During subsequent meetings held under surveillance, the amount of money and marijuana being discussed started increasing. Eventually they were talking about lining up supplies from several people and selling two or three pounds of marijuana at a time.
Testimony from Potts will continue Wednesday morning. Defense attorney John O'Gara planned to cross-examine Potts in the morning after about one more hour of anticipated direct testimony. Cutchin then plans to call Diane Coronado, Joel Potts and Miranda Willis, Jeremy Potts' girlfriend, to the witness stand.