FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 17, 2012
FOUR SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR CRACK COCAINE DISTRIBUTION SCHEME
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Four individuals were sentenced to prison today by United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. for distribution of crack cocaine. Demetrius Levon Thomas, 24, of Columbus, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, Dennis James Brown, 19, also of Columbus, was sentenced to 36 months in prison, and, Justin Dwayne Clark, 34, of Logan County, was sentenced to 36 months in prison. All three men admitted to participating in a crack cocaine distribution scheme that took place in and around Logan County, W.Va. between July 2011 and August 2011. Thomas and Clark admitted that on July 28, 2011, they sold 1.34 grams of crack cocaine to a confidential informant working with the U.S. 119 Drug Task Force in exchange for $150. Thomas and Clark also admitted that on August 3, 2011, they sold .64 grams of crack cocaine to an informant in exchange for $100. Also, on August 4, 2011, Thomas and Clark sold .65 grams of crack cocaine to an informant in exchange for $100. In addition, Brown admitted that he sold quantities of crack cocaine to a confidential informant on three different occasions at the time of the criminal investigation. Each defendant admitted that the drug transactions took place at an associate’s Omar, Logan County residence. On August 5, 2011, a search warrant executed by U.S. 119 Drug Task Force agents at the Logan County residence. At the time the search warrant was executed, law enforcement agents found defendants Thomas and Brown in possession of 100.83 grams of crack cocaine and $8,082.
Also, Lana Sue White, 47, of Omar, Logan County, W.Va., was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for maintaining a residence for the distribution of crack cocaine. White admitted that between July 28, 2011 and August 5, 2011, she allowed co-defendants to use her Logan County residence for the purpose of distributing crack cocaine.
As part of her sentencing, White agreed to forfeit her residence which was valued at approximately $50,000.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. 119 Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney William King handled the prosecutions.
# # #
