FARMINGTON — A local man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to selling cocaine in the Franklin County area. 

Robert A. Hunter Jr., 48, of Farmington entered the plea to a Class A charge of aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs in Franklin County Unified Court. He also denied two criminal forfeiture violations.

A conviction on the drug charge is punishable by a maximum 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.

Hunter is free on bail.

Police executed a search warrant June 2 at Hunter’s residence on Lucy Knowles Road in Farmington. 

“During the search of Robert’s bedroom, I located over 14 grams of cocaine in a locked cabinet beside his bed,” Detective Marc Bowering wrote in an affidavit filed with a Franklin County court this spring.

On a bedside table next to the cabinet was a loaded Hi-Point 9 mm pistol with two loaded magazines of ammunition, one inserted into the pistol, according to the affidavit.

“Robert admitted to the drugs being there, and that he sells them,” Bowering wrote.

According to Franklin County jail records, Hunter was:

• Booked June 2 on a charge of drug trafficking and released June 5 on $750 cash bail and a supervised release contract;

• Booked Oct. 13 on charges of unlawful possession of scheduled drug-suboxone and violating conditions of his release and released Oct. 16 on $300 cash bail and a supervised release contract; and

• Booked Oct. 21 on a warrant on a motion to revoke bail. The motion was withdrawn in court. New supervised release contract issued Oct. 23 concurrent to June 5 bail.

Assistant Attorney General David Fisher told Judge Rick Lawrence on Tuesday that Hunter has had issues in regard to being out on bail.

“He should be warned he is not going to get too many more breaks,” Fisher said.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

Robert Hunter Jr. (Franklin County Detention Center Photo)