A hearing in a criminal case against Timothy Mendenhall is in recess till a later date, because one of the drug unit detectives involved in the case was not available to testify as a defense witness.

The defense brought up their motion to suppress in the case, but the state indicated to the judge that if they were allowed to proceed with a preliminary hearing adding four additional charges, the evidence would probably satisfy the defense motion.

Jeremy Hedges who heads the drug unit is out of town and unable to testify, so the hearing is in recess.

Monday, they started the hearing in front of Judge Tim Chambers with two detectives taking the stand, one for the state and the other for the defense. They testified about doing an undercover buy at T-J’s Smoke shop. Both Shawn McClay and T-J Perez testified to making a buy the night of November 14, 2011. McClay bought a package of Z-Bars, which is some type of tablet, while Perez testified as a defense witness that he purchased a package of potpourri called, “Dead Man Walking.” Both indicated that the money used to make the buy came from funds from the Drug Enforcement Unit. The buy occurring on November 14, 2011, leading to a search warrant being served on the shop on November 17, 2011.

Mendenhall is currently charged with 14-felony counts including sexual exploitation of a child, as well as numerous drug charges, but the state is seeking to add four more including more charges involving being in possession of potpourri.

He also has two other cases pending, including a flee and elude case. Both are awaiting a jury trial in front of Judge Trish Rose.

Mendenhall has already served time in prison for unlawful sexual relations with a child, and possession of drugs for cases going back to 2003 and 2004.