A 41-year-old East Ridge man attempted to plead guilty to federal drug-related charges moments before his trial began Monday, but the judge didn’t buy it.
Gregory Alan Mercer faces four federal charges in which prosecutors allege he possessed, manufactured and distributed methamphetamine from his garage business, S&G Auto Sales on U.S. 41, from 2006 until July 2009.
U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier denied Mercer’s guilty plea because Mercer had changed his plea previously.
“The court cannot look into the defendant’s mind or heart, it has to rely on what he says,” Collier said. “The court cannot trust what the defendant says under oath.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Woods told the jury in his opening statement that Mercer started as a simple meth user but within months began leading a conspiracy to make and distribute meth in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia.