Post by TOO $ on Aug 3, 2017 11:50:23 GMT -5
www.newsadvance.com/nelson_county_times/news/washington-d-c-man-sentenced-in-lockn--related-drug/article_4b923bb4-8939-5412-a601-42183fb808bb.html
A Washington, D.C., man will spend more than three years behind bars after being found guilty of multiple drug charges in Nelson County Circuit Court last week.
During a sentencing hearing last Tuesday, Judge Michael Garrett sentenced Dale Aaron Rodman, 30, to 3½ years on three counts of possession with intent to distribute, all felonies, one felony possession charge and one misdemeanor drug possession charge. Rodman pleaded guilty to the charges in March.
The charges stemmed from an incident that took place during the Lockn’ Festival in 2016.
Garrett said the sentence represents “rock bottom” of the sentencing guidelines. Rodman could have been sentenced to more than 140 years in prison on the five charges.
Nelson County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Erik Laub said Rodman had “a prodigious amount” of drugs he had hoped to sell at the festival.
According to evidence submitted as part of the case, Rodman was found with 86.8 grams of cocaine, more than a dozen tablets of ecstasy, LSD, amphetamines and Ketamine.
Laub said the amount of drugs “speaks to a level of trafficking we don’t often encounter.”
Before imposing a sentence, Garrett, too, remarked about the amount of drugs involved in the incident, saying Rodman had “quite an enterprise.”
Prior to sentencing, Rodman offered an apology to several parties affected by his charges.
“I’d like to apologize to the state of Virginia, I’d like to apologize to Albemarle and Nelson [counties], I’d like to apologize to the court, and I’d like to apologize to all of my friends and family for letting them down,” Rodman said. “I want no part of anything like this ever again.”
Upon hearing his sentence, Rodman seemed surprised, continuously shaking his head and often muttering “that’s crazy” to himself as he tapped his handcuffed hands together or looked at the approximately 30 family and friends in attendance.
David L. Heilberg, Rodman’s attorney, pointed to the support offered by Rodman’s family and friends — all of whom had traveled more than two hours to attend the hearing last Tuesday, according to Heilberg — as a reason for Garrett to be lenient.
Heilberg also claimed Rodman’s crimes were “confined to the peculiar circumstances” of a large music festival.
“Lockn’, to me, is sort of like Vegas,” Heilberg said, explaining some festival attendees such as Rodman “think things can happen here that you wouldn’t ever do anywhere else.”
Heilberg said during the hearing Rodman had “never done anything wrong like this before.” Heilberg said his client probably thought he had “a captive audience” in Lockn’ festivalgoers and “he would get rid of a lot of this stuff in a short period of time.”
“You change a fact. It is what it is,” Heilberg said, adding: “It’s not like he’s a street dealer doing this day after day.”
Heilberg said his client now realizes “Lockn’ is not Las Vegas.”
Arguing for a short sentence, Heilberg said Rodman’s actions since the incident “indicate he accepted responsibility.”
Heilberg said his client performed voluntary community service and took steps to combat his problem with drugs.
“Actions speak louder than words,” Heilberg said. “We have a defendant here who was reformed before he went in.”
Laub gave Rodman credit for the steps he had taken in hopes of remedying the situation.
The fact Rodman “turned himself in” to report to jail at his March plea hearing “spoke volumes to me,” Laub said.
“I give him credit for accepting responsibility,” Laub said, “but I still think he has time to serve.”
Laub pointed to the seriousness of the issues of using and distributing drugs as a reason he believed Rodman still should be sent to prison.
“[Drugs] wreck families, they wreck jobs, they wreck people,” Laub said. “I think [Rodman] had a drug problem, and I think that may feed into why we’re here today.”
Laub added Rodman “will have to deal with that the rest of his life.”
Garrett told Rodman he had “done some impressive things” and has “impressive support” that could help him get on the right path. But, Garrett added, he had to balance Rodman’s actions and support with the hope to “rehabilitate” him and “send a message to others” about the seriousness of drug use and distribution.
“These are serious matters,” Garrett said. “I see it day in and day out. If there weren’t dealers, people wouldn’t be able to get their hands on them.”
Following the sentencing hearing, Garrett also heard arguments from Laub and Heilberg regarding an asset forfeiture matter related to the incident.
Garrett ruled a van Rodman admitted to transporting the drugs in would not be forfeited to the commonwealth.
Garrett said evidence did not suggest there was a “substantial connection” between the van and drugs to require Rodman to forfeit the van. Garrett said it “seemed to be more fortuitous” than anything that Rodman — who “had his drug store with him” because he sold the drugs out of a backpack — was found near the van at the time of his arrest.
While it was not argued in court last week, Rodman previously had forfeited to the commonwealth more than $16,000 that had been determined to be associated with sale of the drugs.
According to Laub, “not many” commonwealth’s attorney’s offices in the state have received more than $10,000 in any single asset forfeiture case.
A Washington, D.C., man will spend more than three years behind bars after being found guilty of multiple drug charges in Nelson County Circuit Court last week.
During a sentencing hearing last Tuesday, Judge Michael Garrett sentenced Dale Aaron Rodman, 30, to 3½ years on three counts of possession with intent to distribute, all felonies, one felony possession charge and one misdemeanor drug possession charge. Rodman pleaded guilty to the charges in March.
The charges stemmed from an incident that took place during the Lockn’ Festival in 2016.
Garrett said the sentence represents “rock bottom” of the sentencing guidelines. Rodman could have been sentenced to more than 140 years in prison on the five charges.
Nelson County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Erik Laub said Rodman had “a prodigious amount” of drugs he had hoped to sell at the festival.
According to evidence submitted as part of the case, Rodman was found with 86.8 grams of cocaine, more than a dozen tablets of ecstasy, LSD, amphetamines and Ketamine.
Laub said the amount of drugs “speaks to a level of trafficking we don’t often encounter.”
Before imposing a sentence, Garrett, too, remarked about the amount of drugs involved in the incident, saying Rodman had “quite an enterprise.”
Prior to sentencing, Rodman offered an apology to several parties affected by his charges.
“I’d like to apologize to the state of Virginia, I’d like to apologize to Albemarle and Nelson [counties], I’d like to apologize to the court, and I’d like to apologize to all of my friends and family for letting them down,” Rodman said. “I want no part of anything like this ever again.”
Upon hearing his sentence, Rodman seemed surprised, continuously shaking his head and often muttering “that’s crazy” to himself as he tapped his handcuffed hands together or looked at the approximately 30 family and friends in attendance.
David L. Heilberg, Rodman’s attorney, pointed to the support offered by Rodman’s family and friends — all of whom had traveled more than two hours to attend the hearing last Tuesday, according to Heilberg — as a reason for Garrett to be lenient.
Heilberg also claimed Rodman’s crimes were “confined to the peculiar circumstances” of a large music festival.
“Lockn’, to me, is sort of like Vegas,” Heilberg said, explaining some festival attendees such as Rodman “think things can happen here that you wouldn’t ever do anywhere else.”
Heilberg said during the hearing Rodman had “never done anything wrong like this before.” Heilberg said his client probably thought he had “a captive audience” in Lockn’ festivalgoers and “he would get rid of a lot of this stuff in a short period of time.”
“You change a fact. It is what it is,” Heilberg said, adding: “It’s not like he’s a street dealer doing this day after day.”
Heilberg said his client now realizes “Lockn’ is not Las Vegas.”
Arguing for a short sentence, Heilberg said Rodman’s actions since the incident “indicate he accepted responsibility.”
Heilberg said his client performed voluntary community service and took steps to combat his problem with drugs.
“Actions speak louder than words,” Heilberg said. “We have a defendant here who was reformed before he went in.”
Laub gave Rodman credit for the steps he had taken in hopes of remedying the situation.
The fact Rodman “turned himself in” to report to jail at his March plea hearing “spoke volumes to me,” Laub said.
“I give him credit for accepting responsibility,” Laub said, “but I still think he has time to serve.”
Laub pointed to the seriousness of the issues of using and distributing drugs as a reason he believed Rodman still should be sent to prison.
“[Drugs] wreck families, they wreck jobs, they wreck people,” Laub said. “I think [Rodman] had a drug problem, and I think that may feed into why we’re here today.”
Laub added Rodman “will have to deal with that the rest of his life.”
Garrett told Rodman he had “done some impressive things” and has “impressive support” that could help him get on the right path. But, Garrett added, he had to balance Rodman’s actions and support with the hope to “rehabilitate” him and “send a message to others” about the seriousness of drug use and distribution.
“These are serious matters,” Garrett said. “I see it day in and day out. If there weren’t dealers, people wouldn’t be able to get their hands on them.”
Following the sentencing hearing, Garrett also heard arguments from Laub and Heilberg regarding an asset forfeiture matter related to the incident.
Garrett ruled a van Rodman admitted to transporting the drugs in would not be forfeited to the commonwealth.
Garrett said evidence did not suggest there was a “substantial connection” between the van and drugs to require Rodman to forfeit the van. Garrett said it “seemed to be more fortuitous” than anything that Rodman — who “had his drug store with him” because he sold the drugs out of a backpack — was found near the van at the time of his arrest.
While it was not argued in court last week, Rodman previously had forfeited to the commonwealth more than $16,000 that had been determined to be associated with sale of the drugs.
According to Laub, “not many” commonwealth’s attorney’s offices in the state have received more than $10,000 in any single asset forfeiture case.
