Three Plead Guilty to Drug Sales
Trio Admit To Selling Cocaine, Ecstasy
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA -- Three local man pled guilty this morning in the United States District for the Western District of Virginia to charges related to a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and ecstasy.
Michael Samuel Scott, 23, Kevin Thomas, 38 and Omar Perez Taylor, 23, all of Charlottesville, were indicted in February 2011 on charges related to a conspiracy to distribute drugs in the Charlottesville area.
“Stopping the distribution of illegal drugs in our community will always be a substantial law enforcement priority,” United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said today. “We will vigorously prosecute those who profit from the drug trade. We must simultaneously work to wither demand for drugs with aggressive outreach, prevention and treatment programs.”
This morning in U.S. District Court, Scott pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute ecstasy and one count of possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. At sentencing he faces a possible penalty of between 0 and 20 years incarceration on the conspiracy count and between five and 40 years incarceration on the crack cocaine count.
Thomas pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute ecstasy and one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more or powder cocaine. At sentencing he faces a possible penalty of between 0 and 20 years incarceration on the conspiracy count and between five and 40 years incarceration on the powder cocaine count.
Taylor pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute ecstasy and two counts of possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony. At sentencing he faces a possible penalty of between 0 and 20 years incarceration on the conspiracy count and between 0 and 10 years for each firearm offense.
Sentencing hearings for these defendants have been scheduled for August 31, 2011.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Jefferson Area Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the Albemarle County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ronald Huber and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Elliott Casey and Joe Platania are prosecuting the case for the United States.
