GRANDMA CONVICTED IN HEROIN SALE

Grandma's going to the pen.

Vickie "Grandma" Epperson, a 73-year-old Albuquerque woman, made her
way into a state District Courtroom with the help of a walker
Wednesday afternoon and pleaded no contest to trafficking heroin.

"I can't hear too good," the small woman in the floral-print dress and
black sweater told Judge James F. Blackmer during the hearing. But she
said she understood exactly what was taking place.

It's the second heroin trafficking conviction for Epperson. Her first
conviction took place while she was in her late 60s.

An undercover detective involved in the latest case has said he knew
Epperson as "Miss Vickie," but she told him other dealers and buyers
knew her simply as "Grandma."

Under the terms of a plea deal Epperson made, she'll be sentenced to
six years in the New Mexico prison system - no more, no less - when
she appears again before Blackmer on June 5.

Epperson would become the second-oldest woman in the state prison
system, spokesman Gerges Scott said. The oldest is 74, Scott said, but
he had no further details.

Police and narcotics prosecutor Mark Drebing said the latest case
involving Epperson stems from her arrest last summer when she was
suspected of peddling heroin with her then-15-year-old grandson.

Epperson's daughter, Maria Epperson, also has served prison time after
a heroin trafficking conviction. And Drebing said one of the elder
Epperson's sons died from an overdose of the drug. An undercover
detective who made drug buys from Epperson's home once called it "a
family affair."

Drebing said if Epperson had turned down the plea deal and was
convicted of all the drug charges pending against her, she could have
been sentenced to 18 or more years in prison.

"I don't want to make it look like we're heavy-handed on this little
old lady, because that's absolutely not the case," Drebing said after
Wednesday's plea hearing. "She's using a juvenile to sell her drugs.
She had a son who died from the same garbage she's selling."

Drebing said Epperson is the oldest person he's ever prosecuted for
drug trafficking.

Epperson's defense attorneys, Jack B. Jacks and Geoff Scovil, said
they advised Epperson not to speak about the case. A man who helped
escort Epperson into the courtroom Wednesday also declined to talk.

Epperson and grandson Paul Epperson were arrested July 12 after an
undercover Albuquerque Police Department narcotics detective went to
their home on Smith SE, asked for "$200 worth" and got two pieces of
heroin, according to a criminal complaint.

The detective bought drugs at the home on two previous
occasions.

The criminal complaint said that during the detective's July 12 visit,
Epperson ordered her grandson to make up some "BBs," which are small
amounts of heroin, for the undercover detective.

According to Children's Court records, Paul Epperson in September
agreed to admit he was involved in a conspiracy to commit trafficking
and was placed on probation. As part of the sentence, he was ordered
to not associate with his grandmother.

Blackmer spoke loudly and clearly during Wednesday's hearing and asked
Vickie Epperson several times if she had any questions. Jacks, her
attorney, moved Epperson's chair to a spot a few feet in front of the
judge's bench so she could better hear him.

Blackmer told Epperson that because of the "good time" provision in
the prison system, "if you do very well in prison, you possibly could
be released in about three years, two months." However, Blackmer
added, "I can't promise this. This depends upon you."

Blackmer said Epperson, who has been out of jail pending the outcome
of her case, has doctor's visits scheduled between now and the time
she is to return for sentencing. Drebing said Epperson apparently is
diabetic.

Scott said the New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility in Grants has
a good medical center.