Rochester Man Sentenced in Drug Conspiracy

         ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that LaPrece Lawhorn, 26, of Rochester, N.Y., who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, was sentenced to 180 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.

            Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Marangola and Jennifer Noto, who handled the case, stated that the defendant participated in a drug trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of large amounts of cocaine and cocaine base in the Rochester area. Lawhorn was involved in manufacturing and distributing the cocaine base. The defendant  was one of 10 defendants arrested in connection with this drug investigation. All 10 defendants have been convicted. Lawhorn is the fourth defendant to be sentenced.

            The sentencing was the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Scott Heagney and investigators of the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Sheppard.