Man avoids jail for drug deal with cops

A man who accidentally dialed an off-duty deputy to set up a drug deal was given probation for his wrong number mishap.
However, the fact Waymon McMahan, 44, showed up to buy marijuana from the officer while driving drunk on a motorcycle will cost him 120 days behind bars since it was his third offense.
McMahan entered guilty pleas Tuesday before General Sessions Judge Larry Ross to charges of third-offense DUI and solicitation of drug sales. He was ordered to serve 120 days of an 11-month, 29-day sentence, pay $1,100 plus costs and lose his driver license on the drunk driving charge, but was given six months probation on the drug charge.
McMahan was arrested last month after he accidentally dialed the cellphone of off-duty sheriff’s deputy Jason Rowland, who at first could not believe his ears.
‘Jason was dumping some trash when his phone rang and Mr. McMahan was on the other end,’ said Sheriff Jackie Matheny, noting the suspect apparently thought Rowland was his drug dealer. ‘He asked Deputy Rowland if he had any smoke, that he wanted a 40 (bag containing $40 worth of marijuana).’
The deputy, not knowing what to make of the stranger calling him on his cellphone, played along with the caller, telling him he could arrange the deal. At that point, Rowland directed the man to meet him behind the mall to sell him marijuana. Rowland then contacted investigators who went ahead to the mall and set up observation points to catch the suspect when he arrived.
When McMahan pulled into the rear parking lot of the mall on his motorcycle, he was arrested immediately. It was at that time lawmen discovered McMahan was not only a bad dialer but was also heavily intoxicated, perhaps accounting for his getting the wrong number in the first place.
The judge, in pronouncing sentence, did say the state should return McMahan’s motorcycle helmet and cellphone.