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Lee gets year on cocaine conviction Date published: 11/25/2009
BY KEITH EPPS A well-known local man who sold cocaine to an undercover detective was ordered yesterday to serve a year in prison. Robert Curtis Lee, 58, one of the owners of Lee-Curtis, Graves, Freeman and Hall Insurance, was sentenced in Spotsylvania Circuit Court to a total of 10 years in prison with all but one year suspended. Lee was arrested in October of last year after he sold cocaine to Spotsylvania Detective Jason Clark. During four separate deals, Clark bought a total 13.5 grams of cocaine for $1,000. Judge Joseph Ellis' sentence came at the end of a hearing yesterday that featured a strong show of support for Lee. About 85 of his supporters packed the courtroom, and 115 people, including state and local politicians, wrote letters on his behalf. Witnesses put on by defense attorneys Phillip Sasser Jr. and V. James Ventura touted Lee's long history of contributions to the community, including his work for the United Way, the Boy Scouts and his church, St. George's Episcopal Church. Sasser asked Ellis for a seven-month sentence that would have all been served on electronic home incarceration. "This is as tragic a case as I've been involved with," Sasser said. " to see the downfall of a good, good man." Commonwealth's Attorney Bill Neely acknowledged that Lee had been a good citizen for most of his life and had no criminal history. But he said that had been taken into account when he dropped several charges and allowed Lee to plead guilty to just one. "He's already gotten a great deal of leniency," Neely said to the judge. "All I ask is that you be fair." Ellis will allow Lee to serve the final six months of his sentence on home incarceration at his parents' house. Ellis also scolded Lee for spreading "poison" in the community and warned him not to mess up again. Regarding the random urine screens Lee will be subject to, Ellis said, "I give you my word. You'd better not test dirty." According to court records, Clark began an investigation after an informant told him that Lee was selling cocaine.
contributed a thing to society. Where's the fairness in that? He makes a huge mistake and gets involved in using and minor dealing of drugs and all of a sudden, NOTHING else matters? By your logic he may as well have been a career criminal, because you don't think he should be treated any differently. He's going to pay plenty, but the simple minded judgemental crowd thinks he should get a sentence that career criminals don't always get. Makes sense to the uneducated trailer trash crowd I guess.
How judgmental can you be? And the bad part is that there is no balance or logic in your judgements? Where is the evidence of racism 2legit? And why shouldn't the circumstances of the case have a bearing on his sentence? The fact is, he has contributed to society and he has never been in trouble before. He will NEVER be able to work with the Scouts again or be in a position of trust. But you seem to think he should be treated/sentenced the same as Joe the crack dealer who has a long rap sheet and
A race card was played alright - the "Good Old White Boy Race Card". Those supporters have kids - what goes around comes around I hope they take their selves to court and support the drug dealer that sells their kids drugs and turns them into additcs!! He should be in jail for YEARS!!! Not 6 mths/6mths with Mommy!!!
The fact that Lee was a professional in whom others put their trust makes him more dangerous than a convict. Few people will implicitly trust a convict. Trustworthy people can cause substantially more damage because they use their trustworthiness as a tool to commit crimes which go unnoticed for too long. Being in a position of trustworthiness & abusing it is not excusable regardless of his past contributions because everyone should contribute to their community. The true test is in his future contributions
wrote letters on his behalf. This admitted drug addict was touted for his work with Boy Scouts, and his church. So tell me which of the "State and Local Politicians" don't see a problem with a confessed drug addict working with kids? I suppose that his supporters might say that this lacks compassion, but given that he put himself into his situation I don't feel he deserves any compassion or respect. I'll reserve that for those that don't choose to break the law,
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