Recommended by Readers | 
Asterisk Denotes Breaking News |
Man receives more than 16 years for selling drugs
Related News |
By Sally Voth -- svoth@nvdaily.com
HARRISONBURG -- A man arrested after a standoff at the Shoney's Inn in Winchester last December has been sentenced in U.S. District Court to more than 16 years behind bars.
Brian Antonio "B" "Slim" Strickland, 28, of Washington, was sentenced Thursday by Judge Glen E. Conrad to 16 years and three months in prison, according to online court records.
That same day, one of his co-defendants was sentenced to four decades in prison.
Strickland pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of crack cocaine and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. As part of a plea agreement, an additional conspiracy charge, two firearms charges and 11 cocaine distribution counts were dropped.
Strickland was arrested Dec. 19 following a two-hour standoff at the Shoney's Inn at 1347 Berryville Ave. He was wanted as part of the local and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigation "Operation Capital Crackdown," focusing on crack cocaine and gun dealing in the area of Dairy Corner Place and Dowell J Circle in Winchester.
According to a statement of facts filed in the case, the defendants mainly sold crack in the area of the Dowell J apartment complex. More than 50 grams of crack were involved, it says.
In October 2008, Strickland sold about 27 grams of crack and a .32-caliber pistol with one round of ammunition during a controlled purchase, the statement says.
"Strickland indicated he had a .357 caliber pistol for sale as well," it says.
Strickland's co-defendant, Delante Antwune "Puff" "Kevin" Roper, 36, of Washington, was ordered to spend 40 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of crack, two counts of distributing or aiding and abetting in the distribution of crack and possession with the intent to distribute crack.
He was convicted of those counts by a jury in August, but he was acquitted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of crack. Roper had already been sentenced in federal court in West Virginia to 27 years in the penitentiary for other drug violations.
Drug laws are outrageous. 50 grams equals 1.76 ounces. We have to pay 5 or 6 million now for these two DC freaks to live in our jails for 16 and 40 years. As long as they don't sell to minors leave these addicts alone. They will drug themselves to death then it will only cost us $300 each to cremate them. Alcohol is the big killer far beyond all drugs. The government is okay with alcohol though because it has its arms around production so it can collect enormous sums of tax money. Legalize drugs and collect the taxes. We need to supplement my payroll tax taken from my check every week to help our President...cash to shore up 'free enterprise' companies???, cash for junk cars, free health care, anything anybody wants (brace yourselves for mass diseased immigration). The newest job created- government workers to go door to door with food and cash cooking, feeding, and cleaning for millions of lazy drunks that have had their need and desire to fend for themselves and their family neutered.