Biloxi man sentenced on two counts of possession of controlled substance with intent following jury verdict

HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WXXV)- A Biloxi man has been sentenced on drug charges in Harrison County.

Fifty-year-old Andrew McCormick was sentenced on two counts of possession of controlled substance with intent on Thursday.

McCormick was originally convicted by a jury in Biloxi in February and sentencing was deferred until this week.

At trial, jury was presented with evidence that the Biloxi Police Department stopped a vehicle for speeding in November 2021.

After making contact with the driver, identified as McCormick, the officer smelled an odor of marijuana from the vehicle. The officer asked McCormick to step out of the vehicle. He refused and asked for a supervisor.

After the supervisor arrived, the officer had McCormick leave the vehicle and took him into custody for failure to comply.

Officers searched McCormick, finding drugs in his underwear consisting of crack cocaine, marijuana, and 12 individual bags of spice that were packaged in bags with an ‘8 ball’ logo.

Officers then searched the vehicle, removing additional unused bags identical to the ones found in his underwear and bags with a red bulldog logo.

During sentencing, evidence was presented that showed that McCormick had prior convictions for grand larceny, escape, and possession of a controlled substance.

Records from the Mississippi Department of Corrections also showed that McCormick previously served a 20-year sentence. He was released in June 2020 before being arrested on these charges in November 2021.

McCormick was found as an enhanced, habitual offender and sentenced to 30 years day-for-day in the custody of MDOC without parole or early release.