| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2008 WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/CAN |
SAN FRANCISCO –East Palo Alto drug dealer Maurice Jerome St. James, Jr. was sentenced yesterday by the Honorable Phyllis J. Hamilton, United States District Judge, to two hundred months in prison for possessing crack cocaine for sale, United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced.
Shortly after 11:30 p.m. on April 20, St. James was arrested by the Menlo Park Police Department for running a red light. During the traffic stop, the defendant violently resisted arrest and had to be subdued by three police officers. At that time, the defendant had on his person 78.9 grams of crack cocaine and in his car sixteen twenty dollar bills totaling $320.
By virtue of his prior felony convictions for second degree robbery, spousal battery, and possession of marijuana for sale, St. James is considered a “career offender” pursuant to the United States Sentencing Guidelines. At the time of his arrest, St. James was serving a three-year term of probation for falsely identifying himself to a police officer.
A federal grand jury indicted St. James on May 7 for Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(iii). On September 17, 2008, defendant pleaded guilty to pursuant to a plea agreement.
The defendant, who has been in custody since his arrest in April, will begin serving his 200-month sentence immediately.
St. James was also sentenced to an eight-year term of supervised release during which he may be searched by any federal, state, or local law enforcement officer with or without cause, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.
Garth Hire is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Legal Technician Cynthia Daniel. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Menlo Park Police Department.
Further Information:
Case #: CR 08-00304 PJH
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