Jury recommends 30-year sentence for Richmond drug dealer
A Richmond jury recommended a 30-year prison sentence yesterday for a man convicted as a second offender of the possession of heroin with intent to distribute law.
If a judge imposes the recommended sentence, prosecutors say it would be the longest prison term in recent memory for a drug conviction in Richmond Circuit Court.
The average sentence for convictions on comparable charges is about two years, said Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill.
The defendant, Edward Antaion Baker, 28, was arrested Feb. 25 near a convenience store at Fairmount Avenue and Mosby Street in the city's East End.
In testimony yesterday, a police officer described the parking lot area as the worst open-air drug market in the First Precinct, Baskervill said. It's across the street from Martin Luther King Middle School.
While under police surveillance, Baker was seen flagging down cars and performing what looked like a drug transaction behind a trash bin, Baskervill said. Police found 38 hits of heroin on him.
Baskervill praised the jury's verdict. "It made it very clear that the community's sick of that," she said. "This was definitely an area that really had a negative impact on the community."
Formal sentencing is Nov. 16. -- Reed Williams
Reader Reactions
Tomeka28 I agree with you. Most people who committ murder or other violent crimes do not get 30 years. And to prove our point here are two articles posted within 2 days of each other both took place here in VA
1. man gets 23 years for KILLING 3 PEOPLE - http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/crime/article/MOSE19_20090918-223006/294012/
2. and here is a CHILD MOLESTER !! from Williamsburg who only gets 3 years. http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/crime/article/PEDO18_20090917-222607/293740/
Yet street dealer gets a whopping 30 years - I don’t understand our justice system.
I’m also confused by your statement:
And as for the pills and the drug clinics.
When you have addicts within your family you learn to learn the in’s and out’s of whatever addiction they have in order to help them, because it’s a disease wich turns into a handi-cap.
Have you ever sat and watch a herione user try to kick that habbit without getting that hit… Probably not, but guess what they will be so sick that it is horrible to watch all the vomit and their week body that can hardly move enough to do anything and the met pills that they give at those clinics will only keep them from being sick for a while and after it’s gone they will need more pills, but most likely they’re going to get that hit. Whether you like it or not.
Now to clear up all the stupidity in the air. I was not saying he didn’t deserve to go to jail, but what I did say is that 30yrs is two much when no-one gets that much time for KILLING…
TAKING A LIFE….. MURDER…. Or are you still confused…
Stupidity: I can’t for the life of me think of any stone cold murderers who’ve
terrified a community for years and only served 4 years. They must not have
been convicted of murder.
I would also like to point out that you’re the same person who doesn’t
want to see that former daycare owners son charged with manslaughter/murder
because it was an accident. Yet, in your statement above, you clearly have a
problem with people who don’t serve enough time for killing another. Is
that Keshawn kid some except to the rule in your mind?
First off the incident with Keshawn was an accident; “Stupid”! How dare you compare… But for some of the people I know personally who has committed heinous murders and only received 4 years, because obviously no they weren’t convicted of murder because of the lack of RPD doing their job when swapping out a criminal for another, but when you witness something you know the difference… And as for the 10 year guys, my brother was one of them as well as an ex boyfriend, so don’t tell me about what nor why I said anything…. STUPIDITY!! And last, did you not hear about the 21yr old who just received 23 years for three murders, but I guess that was enough time for three murders. Oh’I forgot you don’t care about murder; just drugs and accidents…... Stupidity!!!!
@RTD you guys BETTER follow up on this one. I want to know if the judge will go with the jury’s verdict. 30 years for this crime is INSANE. especially when compared to the time people serve for violent crimes. Like the cop said - he got T-boned while on duty and the offender will serve only a year and a half. I bet this guy is sweating right now.
WOW! Thirty years for heroin possession I just hope someone will feel sorry for this poor, unemployed drug dealer and cut him some slack especially during these hard economic times! He was probably just trying to support his Momma and all his siblings. It is for certain that he didn’t intentionally become a drug dealer to kill anyone he just wanted to make a few dollars! Thirty years is way to much for what is strictly “intentional charges”.
they should just make hime eat the 38 hits of heroin & be done with it, good riddance & no tax payers dollars spent!
Wow, I was almost killed in a car accident while patrolling the fan area back in October of 2008. The idiot who “t-boned” my patrol vehicle only received a year and a half at his sentencing.
The justice system in the commonwealth is terrible and as a police officer in the City of Richmond, the five year, with three and a half years suspended sentence that they gave the offender who struck me while at work , shows me how “important” police officers are to Virginia.
Even the carelessness involved when kids are left to die in sweltering vehicles, is not prosecuted as it should be. The punishments truly do not fit the crimes and it’s becoming evident that, in the eyes of the State of Virginia, the value of any human life has succumbed to the minuscule improprieties of society.
I’m also confused by your statement:
“I’m pretty sure it was not manufactured here, but this is the same drug that is cut into the pills people buy to get high or to use as a substitute. In some cases it’s given out at the drug clinic which is supposed to help keep people off of drugs.“
He was selling heroin, this is not something used to keep people off drugs, it is the drug. Methadone is the “treatment” for heroin addiction (though many use it for the sole purpose of continuing to get high off the same essential drug, without the needle or illegality).
“....but I know stone cold murderer’s who have terrified a community for years… but every time they get locked up for murder they only do about 4 to 10 years”
I can’t for the life of me think of any stone cold murderers who’ve terrified a community for years and only served 4 years. They must not have been convicted of murder.
I would also like to point out that you’re the same person who doesn’t want to see that former daycare owners son charged with manslaughter/murder because it was an accident. Yet, in your statement above, you clearly have a problem with people who don’t serve enough time for killing another. Is that Keshawn kid some except to the rule in your mind?
30 years sounds just fine to me. He’s a second offender and clearly brazen if he deals by standing in a parking lot, waving down cars.
30 years for selling drugs!! WOW
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not defending him at all, but I know stone cold murderer’s who have terrified a community for years and still do when they show their face, but every time they get locked up for murder they only do about 4 to 10 years….
Oh’well, I guess if you a snitch, you get a time cut, but from my understanding I thought taking a life was far more serious than selling something that supports a person’s addiction when they’re going to buy it from somewhere even if they have to rob a pharmacy.
I’m pretty sure it was not manufactured here, but this is the same drug that is cut into the pills people buy to get high or to use as a substitute. In some cases it’s given out at the drug clinic which is supposed to help keep people off of drugs.
My Father died from the use of herion, but I don’t balme the dealer, I blame my DAD for using…. RIP DAD
I still think 30years is too much time…
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