La Plata, MD – A man convicted Dec. 5 of having crack cocaine in the foreskin of his penis when he was being processed for jail at the Charles County Detention Center in 2013 was given three choices when sentenced by Charles County Circuit Court Judge James H. West Tuesday, Jan. 6.

Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney Tiffany Campbell was asking for 18 months, but West told Antonio Jamal Dyson, 27 of Waldorf that he could do one year with work release at the Charles County Detention Center, one year and a day at the Department of Corrections or 100 days with five years of supervised probation “with a lot of conditions.

“Your record is what dictates the guidelines,” West said.

For whatever reason, Dyson chose the stiffest of the three penalties, one year and a day at the Department of Corrections.

Dyson had crack cocaine concealed in the foreskin of his penis when he was processed at the Charles County Detention Center after being arrested in La Plata Nov. 16, 2013.

He was convicted by a 12-member jury Dec. 5 in Charles County Circuit Court of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, but found not guilty of attempting to smuggle contraband into a place of incarceration,” what Charles County Public Defender Michele Harewood called “a good verdict.”

Harewood asked the court to consider Dyson’s level of cooperation both with police officers and counsel during his trial.

“We’re asking for a little bit of leniency,” Harewood told the court. “He’s been totally polite, up front, always supported by his family.”

Harewood said Dyson was working two different jobs in an effort to support his family.

The defendant told the court that on the night he was arrested, three other people were in the car with him, but that he had earlier dropped off a female who had been with the group.

“When I took her to her house, she said she had dropped something in my car, but couldn’t find it,” he said.

Dyson said when the police began arriving he found what she had dropped and said he had to do something with it.

West said he would allow Dyson to report to jail Saturday, Jan. 10 at 10 a.m.

Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com