By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 47-year-old Birmingham man is being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling more than half a million dollars after he was charged with allegedly trafficking methamphetamine in Alabaster.

The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force arrested Jerry Michael Beavers, who lists an address on Smith Drive in Birmingham, on Aug. 20 and charged him with one felony count of trafficking methamphetamine, one felony count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Trafficking methamphetamine is a Class A felony, which is the highest level of non-capital offense in Alabama law, and is punishable by up to life in prison upon conviction. Unlawful possession of a controlled substance is a Class D felony, and is punishable by up to five years in prison upon conviction.

According to his arrest warrants, Beavers allegedly was found to be in possession of about 50 grams of methamphetamine while he was in the 500 block of U.S. 31 in Alabaster on Aug. 20.

To be charged with trafficking methamphetamine, a suspect must “knowingly have in actual or constructive possession” at least 28 grams of the controlled substance, according to state law.

When he was arrested, he also was allegedly found to be in possession of alprazolam and oxycodone, leading to his unlawful possession of a controlled substance charge.

His possession of drug paraphernalia charge came when he was allegedly found to be in possession of a “straw filled with narcotic residue, a glass pipe and scales” when he was arrested, according to his warrants.

As of Aug. 22, Beavers was being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $506,000. He did not yet have a future court date listed.