Defendant Facing Life in Prison Caught with 7.5 Pounds of Meth Gets Deferred Adjudication

SAN ANGELO, TX — A San Angelo man caught with 7.5 pounds of methamphetamine in his car was facing life in prison during a plea hearing Wednesday.

The District Attorney’s office offered Todd James Kruse ten years deferred adjudication in exchange for a guilty plea.  The charge was manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance and is a first degree felony punishable by 15 to 99 years or life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

According to court documents Kruse was speeding on U.S. 87 S. heading into San Angelo when Tom Green County Sheriff’s deputies stopped Kruse.  The deputy smelled the aroma of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle.  Kruse told deputies he let his friend smoke marijuana  in his car.  That led deputies to search the 2016 Ford Focus.  They found 3 bundles in the back seat.  The bundles field tested positive for meth.  According to the report, one bundle weighed 1,113 grams or 2.45 pounds.

Both Kruse and his passenger told deputies the meth belonged to the other.  Omar Castaneda was the passenger and is listed as a co-defendant in this case.

A visiting District Judge accepted the plea offer from the District Attorney’s office.  Kruse pleaded guilty but the deferred adjudication defers sentencing for ten years.  The sentence comes with a $1,500 fine and $180 restitution.  Conditions of deferred adjudication include no alcohol use, no drug use and Kruse must pay a probation fee of $60 per month for ten years.

If Kruse violates any of the conditions of his deferred adjudication, he could face up to life in prison.  

If Kruse completes the ten years of deferred adjudication probation the felony charge is dismissed.   

Kruse waived his right to a jury trial if he violates conditions so a judge would decide his punishment.