A Marion County man pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge before his trial was scheduled to start Monday morning. 

A jury trial was scheduled to commence Monday in Marion County for Jason Vaughn, who faced one count of Possession of Methamphetamine, 3rd or subsequent offense. The case stemmed from an arrest made by the Knoxville Police Department on June 16th, 2022. A subsequent search found methamphetamine under the driver’s seat of the vehicle and a pipe found in Vaughn’s pocket also tested positive for methamphetamine. Vaughn ultimately pleaded guilty shortly before the trial began to Possession of Methamphetamine 3rd or subsequent offense, with a habitual offender enhancement. 

 Marion County Attorney Jared Harmon stated, “The Marion County Attorney’s Office would like to thank all of the Marion County residents who took the time to serve as jurors in this matter. Our justice system would not work if it were not for those citizens who sacrificed their time to come in and perform their civic duty. I would also like to thank the Knoxville Police Department for putting together an excellent investigation for prosecution.”

Vaughn will be sentenced November 16th in Marion County District Court.