Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 26, 1994 TAG: 9403260090
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Everette Bryant Law, 27, had last year pleaded guilty to a five-count indictment which charged him with cocaine distribution and money laundering.
Law, who has been previously convicted on drug charges, will spend the rest of his life in jail because there is no parole in the federal court system.
He was one of more than 30 people snared in the most recent strike against a cocaine trade that shows no signs of diminishing in Roanoke. Federal authorities have dubbed the effort Operation Roundball, in part because many drug deals evolved from friendships made on basketball courts in city parks.
Six of the defendants in the investigation were sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Jackson Kiser.
Among the cases Friday was the 41-month sentence of Kurt Jones, a salesman at 5 til 9 Auto Sales and Services. He was not accused of selling drugs, but of aiding and abetting Law in drug transactions.
Jones pleaded guilty to titling a $13,000 BMW in the name of Law's sister, knowing that the transaction was designed to conceal the true ownership of the car. Baer said Jones' arrest was part of a concerted effort to charge friends and family members who launder money or help hide the assets of drug dealers.
"These dealers don't operate in a vacuum," he said.
Despite his guilty plea, Jones maintained his innocence during the hearing Friday. There were some tense exchanges between him and Kiser.
"If people got cash for a car, then I sell them a car," he said. "I assumed he was a drug dealer . . . but my job is to sell cars, not bust drug dealers."
Kiser responded: "You not only knew what was going on, but you are somewhat of a con man."
Michael G. Dabney and Bernice Blackwell, both charged with helping drug dealers, were sentenced to six months of house arrest Friday. The judge told them they could leave the house only if going to work.
Charged with drug conspiracy were Ron Logan, who was given a 7 1/2-year sentence, and Artie Woodson, who must serve eight years and four months in prison.
Operation Roundball got rolling in early 1992 when police stopped a car on Interstate 81 and found it loaded with guns to be traded for drugs.
As the investigation played out in secret grand jury sessions, prosecutors found they were dealing with a network that brought several kilograms of cocaine into the city each week. The cocaine, from Houston and New York, was shipped to Paterson, N.J., where prosecutors say it fell into the hands of two dealers.
by CNB