Edgerton man receives probation on marijuana charges
Photo 
James Baker
JANESVILLE — An Edgerton man is sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to felony possession of marijuana as a result of a 2011 arrest.
James H. Baker, 63, of 110 W. Rollin St., No. 3, was sentenced Tuesday to three years probation for one count of felony possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
As part of a plea bargain, Baker in July pleaded guilty to the charge. A second count of felony marijuana possession was dismissed but read into the court record along with two counts of maintaining a drug-trafficking place, according to online court records.
Baker was arrested in October 2011 in downtown Janesville after an investigation by the Rock County Special Investigations Unit. A sheriff's deputy found 84.3 grams of marijuana in Baker's backpack. Police found $27,386 in cash, more marijuana and methadone pills in Baker's apartment, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.
A number of informants told police that Baker sold large quantities of marijuana in Edgerton, according to the criminal complaint.
A confidential informant bought marijuana from Baker during the investigation.
Investigators saw Baker meet with people in the parking lots of Edgerton stores, businesses and gas stations.
In some cases, investigators reported seeing baggies of suspected marijuana, according to the complaint.
Baker said the money in his apartment was his life savings. He said his only customers were longtime friends.
