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Oops! Suspected Drug Dealer Texts Police
10:03 a.m. EDT May 21, 2015
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GREENSBORO, N.C. (WFMY) – A North Carolina man is facing a handful of drug charges after sending a text message to the wrong number.
Investigators say Billie Joe Scales thought he was texting a man named Ricky when he was offering to sell drugs but he was actually texting a SBI agent.
"There's probably a better chance of winning the lottery I would think honestly," said Special Agent in Charge Scott Williams, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
He added, "[Scales] just inverted a number wrong or just had a wrong number and he ended up texting a SBI Agent without even knowing it and arranging a crack cocaine deal."
Scales has a criminal history but Special Agent Williams says he's never been on SBI's radar and would have "no reason whatsoever" to have an agent's cell phone number.
"He thought he knew who he was texting because he used a name he thought our agent was but he just had the wrong number, simply had the wrong number," said Special Agent Williams.
The agent who got the text didn't tell Scales he had the wrong number.
Billie Joe Scales (Photo: NC SBI)
"He said 'I got this text message what do you think I should do?' I said 'Well let's text him back and see what happens. I'm sure he'll eventually figure out that you're not who he's think he's texting.'"
But that never happened. The agent negotiated a deal and the accused seller picked the location to make it final.
"Every text we're like, 'There's no way he's going to do this'," said Special Agent Williams. "There is no way he's going to do this but every text is like 'OK we're leaving, I'll be there in 20 minutes,' and we're like 'OK, we'll be there too' and hoping he'd arrive and sure enough he did."
Special Agent Williams says Scales showed up and found the man he thought was Ricky waiting in the black dodge charger as one of the texts exchanged promised. He didn't know the car or phone number belonged to the SBI.
"We move in on him and arrest him and find the crack cocaine under the seat of the passenger vehicle."
Scales was charged with Sale/Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance and Possession with the Intent to Sale/Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance. The man who was driving Scales was also charged. James Andrew McIntyre Jr. was charged with Maintaining a Vehicle for the Sale of Controlled Substances. Special Agents seized more than 3 grams of crack Cocaine, over $200, four cell phones and tablet computer.
http://www.wltx.com/story/news/nation/2015/05/21/oops-suspected-drug-dealer-texts-police/27706329/
