Appeals court rejects convicted drug dealer's request for retrial

HILLSDALE – The Michigan State Court of Appeals on Sept. 19 denied a Hillsdale man convicted of methamphetamine trafficking's request for a retrial based on a series of complaints related to his arrest and subsequent conviction.

Scott Allen Mullins, 56, is serving a prison sentence of 10 to 20 years after being found guilty of possession of methamphetamine with intent to resell in 2022.

Mullins argued before the appeals court that not only had he been inadequately advised, but that a number of lawsuits alleging violations of Mullins' rights under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution were justified.

Mullins argued that a Michigan State Police patrol officer had no right to stop his vehicle in February 2021, but the court found there was probable cause to stop Mullins for equipment violations.

He then argued that the evidence seized during the traffic stop (namely over 48 grams of methamphetamine and a cell phone) was improperly seized. The court found that the evidence seized during a routine inventory search was valid because Mullins had been arrested on an outstanding warrant during the traffic stop.