A Chandler man’s trial on three felony charges has been continued at the request of both parties.
Gavin Othel Gray 31, of Chandler, was charged on July 18, 2022 in Lincoln County District Court with committing the crime of distribution of controlled dangerous substances including possession with intent to distribute, conspiracy, and possession of contraband by an inmate.
During the felony disposition docket on May 16, District Judge Traci Soderstrom, granted a continuance and set the jury trial for 9 a.m. Oct. 16. She scheduled Gray for the felony disposition docket on Sep. 26 and the jury trial call docket on Oct. 13.
He was bound over on Dec. 16 following his preliminary hearing and Special Judge Emily Mueller set his arraignment for Jan. 10.
During his arraignment before Judge Soderstrom, he pleaded not guilty.
The first count accuses Gray on June 23 of knowingly distributing methamphetamine, a CDS, to an inmate in the Lincoln County Jail.
The other felony charges him on the same date of possessing in the Lincoln County Detention Center, which is a county jail, an item of contraband, specifically dangerous controlled substances, which he was an inmate at that facility.
Lincoln County Sheriff Capt. Chuck Brewer, in a probable cause affidavit, stated he received information on June 23 from Jail Administrator Haley Freeman concerning contraband in the Lincoln County Jail.
Freeman reportedly advised Brewer that on June 22 she requested the Lincoln County Sheriff Office’s Special Operations Team to conduct a search of the jail based on information she had received that drugs and a cell phone were within the west pod of the jail.
Brewer explained the Special Operations Team is a multi-agency group of law enforcement members who train together The team reportedly recovered a cell phone, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a manufactured edged weapon from the cell occupied by Guy.
Freeman provided Brewer with the evidence.
Brewer reported that he and Sgt. Aaron Bennett began investigating and interviewing inmates.