Who knew a package of sugar

at the movies could cause such trouble?

A $25,000 drug deal at Tinseltown

Fayette Pavilion in March 1999 has led to the conviction of the man police

said attempted to buy the dope, which was actually powdered sugar wrapped

up by undercover officers working the case.

A Fayette County jury found

Jeffrey Bernard Watson guilty of criminal attempt to possess cocaine with

intent to distribute. Superior Court Judge Johnnie Caldwell sentenced

Watson to 15 years in prison.

The key witness for the defense

was an admitted -- and convicted -- drug dealer himself. Johnny Houston,

who is serving nine years for possession of cocaine, testified Wednesday

that Watson called him several times on his cell phone to set up the deal.

Watson originally wanted five kilos of cocaine but scaled the order back

to one kilo, Houston said.

Houston said he leaned into

a white truck Watson drove and exchanged a package of cocaine (actually

powdered sugar) for a bag filled with $25,000.

After the exchange, the white

truck sped away, attempting to elude authorities as they swept in to make

the arrest.

The chase ended in the parking

lot of Pearle Vision, where Watson dashed into the store and left the

package of "cocaine" in a restroom area, officers testified.

Undercover officers from the Clayton County Drug Task Force participated

in the sting.

Houston admitted that he was

assisting authorities because to plead guilty to drug charges in federal

court he had to disclose all information about his dealings with illegal

drugs, which included giving information about who he dealt with. Days

before, Houston himself had been arrested for having three kilos of cocaine

while he was on probation for federal offenses.

In response to pointed questions

alleging he got "a deal" in exchange for testifying, Houston

said, "I didn't get no deal."

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