TRAFFIC STOP LEADS TO 25-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR GEORGIA MOTORIST

A traffic infraction on I-85 led to a 25-year prison sentence for a Georgia motorist.

Robert Whittaker, 37, of Stone Mountain, was found guilty of trafficking cocaine today at the conclusion of a bench trial before Circuit Judge Roger Couch. Whittaker will serve 85 percent of the prison sentence before he is eligible for release.

A Spartanburg County sheriff’s deputy stopped Whittaker’s Toyota Corolla about 1:45 p.m. on March 2, 2005 for an improper lane change. The traffic stop occurred near the 80-mile marker.

Deputies asked for permission to search the car when they found an expired rental contract and discovered that Whittaker was driving without a license. Whittaker complied with the request and deputies found 4 kilos of cocaine in the trunk. The cocaine was wrapped in duct tape and cellophane blocks and it was hidden in a speaker tube that was not connected to the car, according to Assistant Solicitor Sarah Ganss.