In a recent development, the Collin County District Attorney's Office has successfully secured a 35-year sentence for a career drug dealer on parole, marking his fourth stint in prison. The conviction stems from a series of events that unfolded during a routine traffic stop back on September 7, 2021.
During the stop, Plano Police Department Officer Ben Thurmond encountered a driver who initially provided a false name. However, upon further investigation, officers identified the driver as Calvin Ray Hudson, a 44-year-old resident of Princeton, Texas, with an outstanding warrant. Hudson was promptly arrested for the misdemeanor offense of failure to identify while being a fugitive from justice.
A subsequent search conducted by Officer Richard Varner revealed troubling evidence. Hudson was found in possession of a Crown Royale bag containing two empty syringes and a baggie containing 20.08 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity deemed indicative of drug dealing rather than personal use. McKinney Police Department Narcotics Detective Joe Arp provided expert testimony, affirming that the amount seized from Hudson exceeded typical personal consumption levels by a significant margin.
Following these revelations, Judge Jennifer Edgeworth found Hudson guilty of the first-degree felony of Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine. During the punishment phase, prosecutors presented evidence of Hudson's extensive criminal history, revealing prior convictions related to drug trafficking dating back to 2007. Despite multiple incarcerations, including prison sentences in 2014 and 2017, Hudson continued his illicit activities, even while on parole for previous offenses.
Expressing satisfaction with the outcome, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis emphasized the importance of halting the activities of persistent offenders like Hudson, stating, "A relentless drug dealer, undeterred by parole and three prior prison sentences for the same crime, has finally been stopped. Collin County families can breathe easier with this 35-year sentence."
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Emily Pratt and Nick Lawrance led the prosecution, with support from District Attorney Investigators Stephanie Strickland and Michael Bennett.
