A relatively small amount of ill-gotten gains will cost a local man much more money, as well as at least the next decade of his freedom.

Damon Shay Perkins, 48, reached a plea agreement Wednesday in Circuit Court, entering guilty pleas to three counts of sale of methamphetamine in an amount of .5 grams or more. For each count, he received 12-year sentences in Tennessee Department of Corrections custody as a Range 2 offender. Those jail sentences will run concurrently, however due to the “Truth in Sentencing” law passed in Tennessee in 2022, Perkins must serve a minimum of 85% before being eligible for release. He was also fined $2,000 for each guilty plea.

The charges stemmed from arrests made after Perkins sold methamphetamine on three separate occasions in late February and early March to confidential informants working with the McMinnville Police Department. The total amount of money handed over to Perkins in the three drug deals totaled $210, prompting Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley to note the irony of the entire criminal endeavor as he addressed the courtroom.

“To anyone in the audience who didn’t follow what happened today, this gentleman sold $210 worth of an item, to end up with 12 years in prison to serve at least 85 percent, and a $6,000 fine,” Stanley said. “That doesn’t sound like a great business model.”

Perkins, whose criminal history includes a 90-day sentence for aggravated assault in 2017, admitted to violation of probation as well during Wednesday’s proceedings. His probation was revoked as part of the plea agreement, and additional charges of sale of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and money laundering were dismissed as part of the deal. However, the $534 in cash seized in that May 2024 investigation was forfeited to the drug fund.