Judge defers sentence for Valley heroin dealer

Sentencing was deferred Tuesday for a 20-year-old heroin salesman who was ordered to successfully complete Western Regional Drug Court or be sent to prison.

District Judge Dave Gamble ordered the man to remain in custody until his first appearance in drug court March 16 pending his acceptance in the program.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of sales of a controlled substance, but admitted he sold heroin at least four times.

He was released on house arrest, but ordered back to Douglas County Jail for drinking alcohol. He has completed an in-patient treatment program at Sierra Recovery Center.

"In 22 years on the bench, I have had zero success putting heroin dealers on probation," Gamble said. "Every person you sold to has the potential to have their lives utterly ruined by the sales of this drug.

"It's more offensive to me to think of the 16-year-old or 17-year-old or 25-year-old who bought from you and their life spiraled downward just so you could have a fix," Gamble said.

The man and his 19-year-old former girlfriend were arrested last June for the drug transactions completed in March and April 2008.

The woman was sentenced to drug court which caused concern for prosecutor Laurie Trotter.

"He co-opted (the co-defendant) into selling drugs. We don't need to infect our system with dealers in drug court. She's doing very well. It would not be good if they have contact in drug court. He ruined lives of countless victims we don't know about. The state doesn't want him exposed to other people in drug court who are vulnerable," she said.

Gamble ordered him to have no contact with the co-defendant.

"You are ordered by me at every drug court session to have no contact with her. Stay away from her. I don't want you conversing with any other person," Gamble said.

He warned him if he failed a single aspect of the program " missed session, dirty test, failure to pay fees " Gamble would send him to prison.

"I will send you to prison. I will throw you away," Gamble said.

Gamble said he allowed the deferred sentencing in part because of the man's age.

"The world has to do something with him for the next 60 years or so," he said.

Gamble said if he sent him to prison for a minimum of two years, he would come out as a 22-23-year-old without the benefit of drug court.

If he placed on probation, he would have drug court, but two felony convictions would hamper his ability to find a job.

The defendant told the judge he wanted to become a firefighter.

"What we don't need is a bunch of addicted firefighters running around, especially addicted to heroin," Gamble said.

"I've taken it upon myself to help people," he said. "I've hurt a lot of people along the way. I want to go on with treatment any way possible. I want to be a model citizen. It's a sickness. It hit me hard."

Gamble dismissed hiss argument that he became addicted after a doctor prescribed pain killers following what his lawyer described as "a traumatic injury" at age 17.

"This whole idea of 'the doctor made me do it' is bunk," Gamble said. "This isn't something that happened to you. This is something you did."

If not accepted to drug court, he must return to Gamble for sentencing. He faces up to 12 years in prison and $40,000 in fines.