Jemison man waives arraignment on trafficking marijuana charge

Published 4:40 pm Thursday, March 12, 2015

A Jemison man facing drug charges including trafficking marijuana pleaded not guilty on Monday.

Aaron James Rueter, 43, of Jemison, waived his arraignment and filed a written plea of not guilty through his defense attorney on March 9.

Rueter faces two charges including trafficking marijuana, a Class A felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor, according to court records.

Rueter was arrested in August 2014 after officers with the Jemison Police Department seized 786 marijuana plants, two ounces of marijuana already harvested and multiple articles of drug paraphernalia from Rueter’s home.

At the time of Rueter’s arrest, authorities said Alabama State Troopers Marijuana Eradication Task Force flew over Rueter’s home on County Road 5 in Jemison and spotted the marijuana from the air.

JPD officers, along with assisting agencies from the state, Chilton County Sheriff’s Department and Clanton Police Department, secured the residence and took Rueter into custody.

At the time of the arrest, authorities estimated the street value for the marijuana was more than $1.5 million.

An order filed on March 9 by Chilton County Circuit Judge Sibley Reynolds set a plea date for Rueter on April 7 at 9 a.m. at the Chilton County Courthouse.

Rueter will have the option to inform the court whether the case will go to trial or whether he will enter a plea of guilty, according to court records.

Currently, Rueter remains out of jail on a bond of $30,750.