Former Cherokee County GOP Chairman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Cannabis

John EllisA former chairman of the Cherokee County GOP has pled guilty to Trafficking Cannabis.

53 year old John Lloyd Ellis was in Cherokee County Circuit Court on Monday of this week, where he pled guilty to that charge in the courtroom of Judge Randall Cole.

A little more than a year ago in September Ellis was indicted by a grand jury on the charges of Trafficking Cannabis and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana 1st Degree.

He was first arrested on July 11th of that year, during a drug eradication sweep, conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

Ellis had been an adjunct instructor of political science at Jacksonville State University, and the week following his arrest – JSU spokesperson Angie Finley announced that Ellis was no longer employed by the school.

On July the 15th, 2014, WEIS Radio News received a letter stating that the Cherokee County Republican Executive Committee had accepted Ellis’ resignation as Chairman.

According to a copy of that plea agreement, obtained from the Cherokee County Clerk of Circuit Court’s Office, charges of the Unlawful Possession of Marijuana 1st Degree as well as the Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia were dismissed.

The paperwork also indicated that a $25,000 fine would be assessed and it must be paid by November 23rd of this year (2015) – which is when Ellis will return to court for sentencing.

It was also contained in the paperwork that Ellis has already applied for probation.

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