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‘Spring Cleanup’s ‘Big Red sentenced [UPDATED]
Published 11:02am Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Updated 11:52am Tuesday, January 31, 2012“Big Red” is headed to prison.
George Earl Higgins III, 59, one of the last high-profile defendants in Otter Tail County’s Operation: Spring Cleanup drug sting, was sentenced Monday to at least two years and eight months in prison for one count of second degree drug sale (with time served of 274 days). Higgins had a number of other Spring Cleanup charges leveled against him, but they were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Higgins was accused of selling methamphetamine, marijuana and morphine pills at various times during the spring of 2011 to confidential informants working with the Fergus Falls Police Department and the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office. He was also thought to be in cahoots at various times with several other Spring Cleanup criminals.
According to court records for his second degree sale count, Higgins was convicted for his cooperation with Michael Iverson in the sale of 4.2 grams of meth to an informant on March 30, 2011. On April 12, records add, Iverson and Scott Bartel used Higgins’ home on the 200 block of North Cascade Street for another meth sale. Higgins appeared to run counter surveillance during that buy, riding around the area on a bicycle and checking for observers in all directions.
Iverson was sentenced to a minimum of four years and nine and one-third months for his crimes.
Maybe it should be illegal to BUY drugs because it’s not gonna stop stupid ass DA