Eric Francis, 44, entered a plea of guilty to trafficking methamphetamine last Wednesday and received a sentence of 15 years in prison followed by 10 years on probation in a non-negotiated plea. The plea was announced by Cobb County District Attorney Flynn D. Broady, Jr.

The public information release from the DA’s office described the incident leading to the arrest and sentencing as follows:

The charges stemmed from a traffic stop that occurred on August 30, 2021. Cobb County Police stopped Francis’ vehicle for not having valid insurance and cancelled registration. The car was impounded based on the no insurance charge, and a search of the vehicle was conducted. During the search, officers found a gallon sized plastic bag that contained methamphetamine. A glass pipe consistent with those used to ingest methamphetamine was also found. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation tested the substances on both objects and confirmed it was positive for methamphetamine, with a total weight of 181 grams.

Cobb County Superior Court Judge Angela Z. Brown accepted the non-negotiated guilty plea during a hearing.

Francis will have to pay a $200,000 fine and abide by the terms of his probation. Assistant District AttorneysDavid Williamson and Elena Hernandez prosecuted the case.

Atlanta attorney Hina Asghar represented Francis during the plea.