A six-man, six-woman convicted a 35-year-old man for possessing marijuana for other than personal use.

Zachary Blake Walden was convicted of first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia in Circuit Judge Charles A. “Lex” Short’s courtroom.

The case began when Gantt police officer Alvah Carlson approached Walden and Joshua Lavon Sinkfield, who were in a vehicle on Deer Run Road in Gantt.

When the officer walked toward the vehicle, Walden exited the vehicle and Sinkfield drove away.

During the pursuit, Sinkfield threw a lunch box cooler from the vehicle.

Carlson caught and arrested Sinkfield and retrieved the cooler but Walden had fled.

According to a press release, the name Walden was written on the cooler, which contained 12 bags of marijuana, each containing an ounce of marijuana.

A coffee can containing six more bags of marijuana was also located in the vehicle.

Drug Task Force Agent Greg Jackson testified at the trial that the packaging was consistent with the methods of packaging pot for sale and that the 1 ounce bags sell for about a $100.

Sinkfield previously pledge to POM I, and Walden was apprehended in Florida.

“Walden is a long-time drug dealer,” District Attorney Walt Merrell said. “He was convicted of first degree possession and distribution of marijuana a few years back, and – in addiction to these convictions – he also has pending charges of trafficking in controlled substances and first-degree possession of marijuana. If a drug dealer won’t learn from his past and change his ways, then prison is the only place for him.”

Chief Assistant District Attorney Grace Jeter prosecuted the case and Grady Lanier and Larry Grissett represented Walden.

Short will sentence Walden on Dec. 10.

Walden will remain in jail pending his sentencing.