By Jason A. Smith
jsmith@henryherald.com

An Ellenwood couple will appear in Henry County Superior Court on charges of possession of what police described as a wide array of illegal drugs, and more than $150,000 in cash, inside –– and around –– their home.

Police were called to the home last month to investigate a home invasion.

“You’ve got scales, you’ve got a digital money counter, you’ve got plastic bags,” said prosecutor Bill McBroom, of the Henry County Solicitor’s office, explaining what police found once they arrived at the scene.

McBroom used the comment as part of his argument before Magistrate Court Judge Robert Godwin to support charges filed against Sabrina Robbins, who, along with Milton Robbins, IV, is charged with trafficking cocaine and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

The suspects, both 35, appeared Monday for a preliminary hearing in Magistrate Court. The attorney for Sabrina Robbins argued that she [Sabrina Robbins] was unaware of the drug activity in her home.

“There’s enough to show that she knew or acquiesced to the use of the house for the purpose of the drug business,” McBroom countered.

Police encountered the Robbins Feb. 5, at their home at 176 Hill Lane. Milton Robbins reportedly was involved in a gun battle with one of four alleged intruders. A 35-year-old Decatur man, Marlin K. Maner, was shot and killed during the incident.

A subsequent search of the Robbins’ home revealed cocaine, marijuana and a large amount of cash in, and around, the home, police said. Milton and Sabrina Robbins were arrested and taken to the Henry County Jail.

Sabrina Robbins was released from jail Feb. 22, on $50,000 bond. Her husband remains in jail, on $65,000 bond.

An undercover narcotics agent testified that officers searched the house while investigating the invasion, and found marijuana “in plain sight.” Police said they also found bags of marijuana in the house and the garage. Undercover officers said they found drugs in several parts of the home, including a closet in the master bedroom.

“In the closet, we found a trafficking amount of cocaine in a shoebox,” one agent said. “It was 138 grams.”

An agent testified that police also found crack cocaine in a shoebox in the closet, along with a digital money counter, scales and $41,384 in cash. He said authorities then discovered $129,875 in a grill on the outside deck.

A detective found 876 grams of marijuana in a trash can behind the house, next to a metal shed, the agent told the court.

“He located a clear plastic bag containing 420 grams of cocaine, and another clear plastic bag containing 10 grams of crack cocaine,” said an undercover agent. “Also inside the metal shed was found another three clear, plastic, gallon-sized, Ziplock bags. The three bags together contained 1,335.8 grams — that’s right over three pounds — of marijuana.”

The agent said when police asked Milton Robbins about what they found, he said the drugs in the closet and garage were the only drugs that were his.

“When questioned about any of the illegal narcotics outside of the house, he didn’t wish to speak about it, and asked for a lawyer,” said the agent.

Robbins, the agent continued, told police the money they found was “proceeds” from his job as a barber shop owner, as well as his work in home renovations.

Attorney Scott Key represented Milton Robbins during the proceedings. Under questioning, the agent admitted to the defense lawyer that although the drugs at the scene were fingerprinted, test results have not been returned from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Barbara Moon, the defense attorney for Sabrina Robbins, told Judge Godwin the charges against her client should be dismissed. The lawyer said Sabrina Robbins has “no criminal history,” and was unaware there were drugs in the house.

“She was not in possession of any drugs at the time this happened,” said Moon. “There’s no evidence that she distributed anything, that she knew anything about the money, or that she knew anything about the drugs.”

Solicitor McBroom said because Sabrina Robbins is a co-owner of the home, she is partially responsible for what police found in it. “There is a presumption that she knows what’s in her house,” McBroom said. “There’s marijuana in open view. There’s cocaine ... found all over the place.”

Judge Godwin bound the cases over to superior court.