I always like to read The Mountaineer Newspaper (http://www.themountaineer.com/) and happened to notice this story about Popcorn Sutton. In fact, there are numerous stories about him on the internet. He has a rather large following and many supporters. He is a folk-hero in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. This post about Popcorn comes from several internet sources, including The Mountaineer. Of course, I added my two cents.
I did not know him personally but I knew of his reputation. There have been documentaries made about him and his profession on the History Channel and the Discovery Channel. As you can see in one of the above pictures, he wrote a book about making "likker".
I know he looks like a harmless old man but that is not the entire story. From his pictures, he looks like he is about 80 years old but he is only 62. I think his lifestyle has probably contributed to his rapid aging. It is said that he lights one match a day - that is one match in the morning and lights his cigarette and continually lights another one from one already lit all day. Of course, I feel sure he does a lot of tasting of his "likker".
In the past, he has been convicted on having an unregistered still and manufacturing untaxed liquor and was given probation. He was convicted on a felony drug offense and was given a suspended sentence. He was convicted for an assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. He has been jailed numerous times for alcohol related offenses. He had always "lucked out" and evidently gotten lenient judges each time but he did not get so lucky this time. Early last year, Popcorn was caught when he sold about 200 gallons of his "likker" to an undercover agent. He mentioned to the undercover agent not to worry because the local law would not bother them. But this agent wasn't the local law; he was a federal agent.
Well, this past Monday, Popcorn appeared in Federal Court in Tennessee and was given 18 months in a Kentucky Federal Penitentiary. Popcorn and his attorney pleaded for probation due to the fact that he was old, sick and he promised that he wasn't going to make any more liquor. Popcorn went on to say that he had always prayed to God that he could die at home.
The judge reminded Popcorn that he had five prior felony convictions and that he always got probation. The judge went on to say that Popcorn continued to break the law, seemed proud of it and showed no remorse at all. There were no documents presented that showed Popcorn was too sick to go to prison or that he was incapable of committing more crimes. So Popcorn received his 18 month sentence but he was given 10 months credit for already being on house arrest. I believe the sentence was just but I also find it sad because I believe he realizes he is getting older and that his health is declining. Being a folk-hero has taken a toll on his health and on his ability to enjoy his older years.
Hopefully, Popcorn will ask God for strength and forgiveness so that he can live out his remaining years at home in peace like he wants.
"If we claim to be without sin, we
deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us.If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness".
1 John 1:8-9
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