SPECIAL DELIVERY NAILS DRUG DEALER

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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 12, 1992                   TAG: 9204030532
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Laurence Hammack
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
SPECIAL DELIVERY NAILS DRUG DEALER
David Matthew Lucas, who was arrested on drug charges after police posed as deliverymen with an illegal shipment, was convicted Tuesday of possessiong nearly 90 pounds of marijuana.
Lucas, 35, pleaded guilty in Roanoke County Circuit Court to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Bill Broadhurst said it was one of the largest drug busts in recent years in Roanoke County.
Police learned of the case last May, when authorities in Phoenx notified them that a delivery service had found about 20 pounds of marijuana in boxes addressed to Lucas.
Roanoke County detectives then posed as deliverymen and took the packages to Lucas' home on Chocktaw Road in the Bennett Springs area.
"Boy, am I glad to see you," Lucas told them at the time, Broadhurst said in summarizing the evidence against him. Minutes later, police arrested Lucas and searched his home - finding another 70 pounds of marijuana, a set of scales and about $25,000 in cash.
Attorney Jeff Rudd had argued earlier that police did not have enough probable cause to search the home, but his motion to suppress the evidence was denied.
Lucas, who has several other drug-related convictions, will face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison when he is sentenced.
He had been free on a $20,000 bond, but Circuit Judge Kenneth Trabue ordered him to jail after he was convicted.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB