
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 26, 1990                   TAG: 9005260151
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FIGURE IN DRUG RING GETS 10-YEAR TERM

A Roanoke man who told a federal judge that he wishes to counsel youth against drug involvement was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for his participation in a drug ring that smuggled large amounts of cocaine from Florida to Roanoke.

"I'm sorry I got involved in it," Larry Garland told Judge James Turk in U.S. District Court in Roanoke. "I want to do something with young people to help them not fall into the same pattern I've fallen into."

Last October, Garland admitted his role in a major smuggling operation in which cocaine was flown from Florida, converted to crack and then sold on the streets of Northwest Roanoke.

Federal authorities say the scheme - which brought from four to 10 kilograms of cocaine to Roanoke each month - provided one of the largest supply bases for city crack dealers.

As part of his plea agreement, Garland agreed to testify against four other people charged in the operation, including Robert G. Wright, who was sentenced earlier this month to 35 years in federal prison for his role in the smuggling operation.

On Friday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bondurant asked that Turk depart from sentencing guidelines and give Garland a lighter sentence because of his willingness to cooperate. Garland could have received 14 to 17 years.

"I believe Garland is one of the best con men I've ever met," Bondurant said. "I don't think it's quite true that he's turned his life around. But he testified before a grand jury against Robert Wright, who had been a hard person to convict because everyone was scared to death of him."

After Turk imposed the sentence, Garland complained that Bondurant had told him that he wouldn't make any recommendations to the court regarding his sentence.

"If Mr. Bondurant had not spoken up, I was going with a sentence of four to five years more," Turk said. "I don't want to make him out to be too much of a hero, but he has saved you 48 to 50 months."

by CNB