Biloxi man didn't plan to sell crack for a living

GULFPORT -- Willie Eugene Russell said he wanted to build houses for a living, but instead he dealt drugs.

He pleaded guilty Thursday to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in Harrison County. He entered the plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr., who set his sentencing for April 12.

Russell, 38, of Biloxi, is facing a maximum prison term of 20 years, up to a $1 million fine and up to three years of supervised release.

Prior to entering the plea, he told the judge he's had a "rough life." He said he left school in the 10th grade and didn't obtain his GED until he went to prison for the first time for another drug charge.

After his release, he said, he attended Virginia College and earned a degree.

In April, DEA agents arrested him in Biloxi as they were headed to his home with a search warrant. During a car chase, the agents spotted Russell throwing something out of his car window, but it blew back in -- and it turned out to be 2 grams of crack.

In the hours leading up to the stop, a confidential informant had called Russell about buying 4 ounces of crack. The informant, wired with a recording device, went to Russell's home and paid $4,800 for 151 grams of crack, the prosecutor said.

Shortly after that sale, DEA agents spotted Russell leaving home and the car chase followed.

At his home, agents recovered the $4,800 the informant had paid along with other cash for a total of $6,000. He was initially arrested on state charges of possession with intent to distribute crack.

The federal indictment said he conspired to sell more than 5 kilos of crack from about June 2012 until his June 23 indictment.

He has remained in custody since his arrest.

He was under house arrest on another drug conviction at the time of his April arrest. He is now serving a one-year sentence for possession of a controlled substance.

In exchange of his plea Thursday, the government dismissed a conspiracy charge.

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 8:13 PM with the headline "Biloxi man didn't plan to sell crack for a living ."