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Former police officer to be sentenced next week
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
5/28/2005
LEESHA FAULKNER
TUPELO - Last year, Billy Hanna was a school resource officer
in Plantersville.
That's when his life changed - authorities in Lee County
pulled him over in his car while he was in uniform. On Friday,
Hanna pleaded guilty to two counts of selling testosterone, a
steroid and controlled substance, and one count of possession
of methamphetamine, resulting from that arrest.
Now a former police officer, Hanna will be sentenced Wednesday
in circuit court of Lee County. The state has recommended a
sentence on one count of selling the steroids as 20 years in
prison with 12 years suspended and eight to serve, five years
post-release supervision, a $5,000 fine and all court costs.
Other sentences would be served concurrently. But the
sentencing judge isn't bound by recommendations from the
district attorney's office.
Friday, the court file contained 11 letters from law
enforcement officers and ministers, asking the court for
leniency.
"Shamefully, while wearing the badge," wrote former Lee County
Sheriff Larry Presley, "Billy committed a serious crime. While
this was a very poor decision, we manage to overcome our
mistakes first by asking for God's forgiveness. This is what
Billy has done."
Hanna is married. He lives in East Tupelo with his wife and
two sons, ages 7 years and 7 months old. Since his arrest,
Hanna was baptized and became a member of the East Main Church
of Christ, where, Presley wrote, "he is not only sincere about
becoming a Christian, but greatly regrets the crime he has
committed and the shame he has brought others in law
enforcement."
Verona Police Chief Desiree Kershner also asked for
consideration of leniency and support for Hanna, who worked in
her department during 2004. Support also was offered in a
letter from Saltillo Police Department Assistant Chief Mark
Roberts, who pleaded with the court to find an alternative to
prison for Hanna.
Not all local law enforcement officers came to Hanna's
defense.
"How you play both sides of the fence is beyond me," said Lee
County Sheriff Jim H. Johnson. "I took an oath of office to
stand against what is wrong, evil and the bad things is the
county. There is no way a law enforcement officer can play
both sides of the fence. A police officer is supposed to stand
up against things like this."
Johnson said he has seen the impact of drugs on the county. He
knows how hard it is to fight drugs.
"I don't understand the outpouring of support for this
officer," Johnson said. "It's very common in the sentencing
hearing for people to come forward, but this situation is
beyond understanding. It doesn't make sense to me."
Others, like Mayor Wayne Mitchell of Booneville asked for
consideration. Hanna worked in the Booneville Police
Department from 2000 until 2002 when he left to join the
military.
The Rev. Darrell E. Beard, one of two pastors of Hanna's
church, asked the court for consideration of Hanna's wife and
children. "All I ask is that you temper judgment with whatever
mercy you can give, according to law."
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Former policeman gets 8-year sentence
6/3/2005
Daily Journal
LEESHA FAULKNER
TUPELO - Billy Hanna shuffled into the big courtroom Friday
morning dressed in the black and white stripes of a convict,
rather than the police uniform he once wore.
He clutched a Bible in his hand as he stood by his attorney,
Lu Ann Thompson, to receive a sentence of 48 years in prison
for two counts of selling steroids and one count of possession
of methamphetamine.
Circuit Judge Paul Funderburk suspended all but eight years of
that sentence. The judge had some stern words for Hanna, whose
attorney pleaded for mercy shortly before the sentencing.
"You were brazen in your actions," Funderburk told Hanna. "You
were in uniform, totally disrespecting the oath you took."
Last year, authorities in Lee County pulled Hanna, who had
worked for several police departments in the county, over in
his car while he was in uniform. Last week, Hanna pleaded
guilty to two counts of selling testosterone, a steroid and
controlled substance, and one count of possession of
methamphetamine, resulting in that arrest.
"I am sorry for what I did," Hanna told the judge before
receiving his sentence. "I have shamed my fellow officers. I
brought shame on my family. I have turned my life around."
A group of supporters sat in the seats directly behind the
podium where Hanna stood with his attorney. His wife sobbed.
Across the aisle, about a half-dozen narcotics officers with
the Tupelo Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff's office
and the North Mississippi Narcotics Task Force watched.
Hanna said, "I'm sorry I got involved with everything I did. I
was wrong. I have asked God for forgiveness."
At least 11 people, including Verona Police Chief Desiree
Kershner, former Lee County Sheriff Larry Presley and Saltillo
Assistant Chief Mark Roberts had written letters, asking the
court to find an alternative to prison for Hanna.
Funderburk said he held many of those people in high regard,
but then told Hanna, "They don't know you as well as I do from
the pre-sentencing report."
A pre-sentencing investigation is common in cases after people
plead guilty. It examines the character of the person and the
facts of the case. Hanna's pre-sentencing report revealed that
officers had him on video and audio tape using what Funderburk
called "vulgar language. You told the person you sold to that
you could get anything you wanted.' ... You should have been
setting an example in uniform instead of the example of a drug
dealer."
Funderburk pointed out the investigation revealed that Hanna
had been "skirting around the fringes of illegal drugs since
September 1999."
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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
(Wilmore and Costill) 
