Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 3, 1993 TAG: 9306030364
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUGLAS PARDUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The operator of a multikilogram Roanoke cocaine ring had just been sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison.
The federal judge came off the bench to shake his hand. The federal prosecutor and a Roanoke police vice sergeant also shook his hand. And Don Lincoln, the hardened local leader of one of the most effective U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency task forces in the country, gave him a bear hug.
The reason is that they all believe Gary A. Daniel actually has turned into a good guy. He could have been sentenced to nearly 18 years in prison with no chance of parole.
"This is the kind of guy we need talking in the schools," Lincoln said.
The moment Daniel was arrested in March 1991 at Roanoke Valley Auto, a used-car lot he owned on Williamson Road, he told Lincoln "I'm glad it's over with," and offered to cooperate.
Lincoln and Mitch Viar, the Roanoke vice sergeant on the case, had heard that before. They were certain Daniel would be back dealing within a few months if allowed to work as an informant.
But they needed his help. To make sure Daniel remained clean while cooperating, Lincoln had street informants keep an eye on him.
Daniel stayed clean, got an honest job, got married and got religion. He voluntarily surrendered all of his remaining drug profits, about $100,000, and helped police bust the rest of the members of his drug organization. He also identified cocaine suppliers in Philadelphia and provided police with information on assorted crooks, especially gamblers, in Roanoke.
"It's not often you have a real-life turnaround. He could have started off trying to fool me, but you can't keep it up for two years." Lincoln said. "He was one of the most feared guys in the valley. He was a terror. I think he was tired of that role as `Big Joe Bad A--.' "
Lincoln characterized Daniel as "probably the most cooperative defendant we've worked with," and urged the judge to let Daniel off with probation.
Daniel's wife, Kathy, her cheeks wet with tears, told the judge "the day they put those handcuffs on him, he was not the same Gary anymore."
Addiction to easy money is what hooked him to drug dealing, Daniel testified. He did drugs occasionally, but what got him started, he said, was the day he saw a friend make $100 in a couple minutes selling marijuana. "I worked all day to make $60."
He said he'd tried to quit dealing a few times, but got used to the free-spending lifestyle he developed in five years of drug dealing. He estimated he had a net worth of $300,000, including the car lot, two houses and a race car.
Daniel said he prefers his new life as a poor mechanic, and he thanked police for arresting him.
He asked the judge to give him a break. "I can guarantee you'll never see me back."
Because of federal sentencing guidelines, U.S. District Judge James Turk normally would have had no choice but to sentence Daniel to a minimum of 14 years without parole. But, because Daniel cooperated and investigators wanted him to go free on probation, Turk had the power to let him go on probation or house arrest.
Turk indicated he would have liked to do that because Daniel seemed to have rehabilitated himself. But, he said, it wouldn't be fair because of the two- to 15-year sentences already given to five dealers who worked under Daniel.
"I need some help," Turk said.
After a 10-minute confidential meeting with the prosecutor, investigators, the probation officer and defense attorney Deborah Caldwell-Bono, Turk decided on 18 months in prison, two years of probation and 250 hours of community service.
"It could have been a lot worse," Daniel said and smiled as he shook hands with investigators.
by CNB