A Texas woman who pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver was sentenced to 10 years in state prison on Feb. 5. The woman, 38, was ordered to pay $390.50 in court costs and another $140 in restitution. She had pleaded guilty on May 6, 2013, after she was arrested for delivering hydrocodone, a painkiller, to someone in Childress.
According to the 100th District Attorney’s office, a sting operation was setup in October of 2013 to catch the defendant in the act of delivering the drugs. The operation was setup after a confidential informant gave information to the office. The woman also pleaded guilty to a violation of probation for which she was sentenced to 12 months in the state jail division of Texas. She was ordered to pay court costs of $376 after admitting to violation of her community supervision in an earlier charge, as well as a $500 fine and $1,700 in restitution.
In a separate case, another man was sentenced to a three year term in prison after he plead guilty to violation of probation linked to a drug possession charge. He was ordered to pay $311 in costs, and a $4,000 fine. Defendants arrested on drug offenses may end up with fines, suspension of licenses, and jail time.
If someone has been arrested for drug trafficking or for possession of drugs or paraphernalia, an attorney may suggest alternate consequences such as time in a drug rehab or some type of similar program. Each case is unique depending on the defendant’s history and past convictions.
Source: Amarillo Globe-News, “Childress woman sentenced to prison after drug sting“, Jim McBride, February 13, 2014