Jessica Hilliard

A Butler resident pleaded guilty to drug-related charges and was sentenced to time served in Butler County Court on Tuesday.

Jessica H. Hilliard, 32, who is going through the gender transitioning process and identifies as a male named “Jordan,” pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communications facility before Judge Timothy McCune.

Hilliard was immediately sentenced to time-served to 36 months in Butler County Prison, and was granted immediate parole.

Hilliard also was ordered to pay $200 in fines and court costs. Supervision was allowed to be transferred to Illinois, where Hilliard plans to reside with his mother.

Hilliard was initially charged with the felony communications device charge after an incident in Butler on July 27, 2016.

Charges were filed after Hilliard was found walking with two women on Kaufman Drive near Zeigler Avenue, and was recognized as being wanted on a bench warrant.

When Hilliard tried to run, a probation officer on the scene ran him down, authorities said. While being arrested, Hilliard's cell phone got a message about a potential drug deal, according to court documents.

Following a search of the phone, “multiple messages to and from several individuals (on July 27) about the sale/purchase of (drugs),” were found, documents said.

He was later released on his own recognizance.

Hilliard was also charged with two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of misdemeanor resisting arrest after an incident in Butler on Feb. 25.

While checking on a complaint for a possible break-in at a home in the 400 block of West Diamond Street shortly before 10 p.m., police said they noticed a pickup truck with its engine running in a nearby alley.

Two people were in the front seats of the truck. Police recognized Hilliard as the passenger.

Hilliard then ran from the vehicle, throwing away bags of suspected crack cocaine and heroin, before police deployed a Taser and a struggle ensued.

Police later found separate baggies containing 8 grams of crack and 34 stamp bags that Hilliard allegedly tried to discard, according to court documents.