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February 25, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aberdeen, Maryland, Resident Sentenced to 5 Years
on “Crack” Cocaine Charge

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A 27 year old Aberdeen, West Virginia, resident was sentenced on February 24, 2009, in United States District Court in Martinsburg by Chief Judge John Preston Bailey.

United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that ZURI HOWARD was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment to be followed by four years supervised release. HOWARD entered a plea of guilty on October 28, 2008, to one count of an Indictment charging him with aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Testimony at the plea hearing showed that on April 4, 2008, law enforcement officers encountered HOWARD and a companion on Race Street in Martinsburg. They were ordered to stop and the companion started fishing in his pocket, and law enforcement officers later found the companion in possession of cocaine. HOWARD admitted that he helped package the cocaine.

HOWARD is in federal custody.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin K. Reisenweber. The case was investigated by the Martinsburg Police Department.

 

 

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