OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
SUMMER M. SUMMERFORD . DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Serving DeKalb & Cherokee Counties
300 Grand Avenue SW, Ste. 505, Fort Payne, Alabama 35967 100 Main Street, Room 204, Centre, Alabama 35960
(256) 845-8550 . (256) 927-5577 . www.districtattorney9.com
Serbian National Convicted of Trafficking Fentanyl by Cherokee County Jury
District Attorney Summer Summerford announced today that Pero Markis, a Serbian national, was convicted yesterday, March 18, 2025, by a Cherokee County jury of Trafficking in Illegal Drugs, Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance, Promoting Prison Contraband second degree, and two (2) counts of Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
On December 19th, 2023, officers with the Cedar Bluff Police Department observed a transfer truck veering into oncoming traffic on Alabama Highway 68. A traffic stop was initiated and officers discovered that the driver of the transfer truck was 36-year-old Serbian national Pero Markis. While attempting to verify the vehicle’s registration, officers observed more than 50 half-gram packages containing a white powdery substance within the transfer truck. The driver was arrested and transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center for drug offenses. While being booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center, officials with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office discovered additional half-gram packages concealed on the driver’s body that were identical to the packages found within the transfer truck. The packages were sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for further testing where it was revealed that each package contained a mixture of fentanyl and a non-controlled substance.
The case was presided over by Circuit Judge Jeremy Taylor. A sentencing hearing will be held on May 15, 2025 at 9:00 am. This case was made possible by the hard, diligent work of the Cedar Bluff Police Department and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
“Fentanyl has become a huge problem in this country, and a growing problem in this Circuit. We will not tolerate outside actors bringing this poison into our communities. It doesn’t just ruin lives – it ends them,” said Summerford. “Please talk to your children about the dangers of using illegal substances. Many of the other controlled substances now have fentanyl mixed in and they might not even know it. It is more dangerous than ever to use illegal drugs,” added Summerford.
This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Brady Burns and Assistant District Attorney Tori Ingle.
