MOTHER-SON DRUG DEALERS GET PRISON TIME

A Baton Rouge woman was sentenced this week to two years in
prison for dealing drugs out of her family's construction company to
pay for her son's drug rehabilitation.

Sharon Smith, 42, and her 22-year-old son, Darrell, pleaded guilty in
January to possession with intent to distribute Valium.

On Monday, state District Judge William Morvant sentenced both, giving
Darrell Smith the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Prosecutor Charles Grey said the case was unusual because it involved
a parent and child.

"I've never seen this extent of family involvement, especially a
mother (involved)," Grey said.

Attorneys for the Smiths didn't return phone calls seeking comment
Tuesday.

Police arrested Sharon Smith two years ago at C&R Builders on South
Harrell's Ferry Road after finding 180 Valium tablets and 100 Rohypnol
tablets in her office. They went to the business after receiving a
tip.

Police reports give this account:

In April 2000, Darrell Smith entered a Houston drug rehabilitation
facility after being arrested on narcotics counts in Texas.

Prior to the arrest, Darrell Smith made frequent trips to Mexico,
where he allegedly picked up GHB or gamma hydroxybutyric acid,
steroids and other drugs to distribute in Baton Rouge.

An unnamed informant told police that Sharon Smith was storing and
distributing her son's drugs while he was in rehab.

One of Darrell Smith's friends, Shannon Truitt, told police that
Darrell Smith called her from the rehab facility and asked her to sell
some pills for him.

Truitt told police that she met Sharon Smith at her office and
received 500 dosage units of Rohypnol and 280 dosage units of Diazepam.

Truitt said Sharon Smith told her she needed money for her son's drug
rehabilitation.

Detectives arrested Sharon Smith on May 9, 2000, at her father's
construction business.

After drugs were found in her office, Sharon Smith allegedly told her
father the police must have planted them there.

Her father allegedly told her the police wouldn't do
that.

Detectives seized more drugs the same day from Smith's nearby home at
19019 South Harrell's Ferry Road.

They arrested her 15-year-old son after finding syringes and liquid
steroid in his room. His case is being handled in Juvenile Court.

Smith's husband arrived home while the police were searching the
house.

According to the reports, he appeared shocked by his wife's arrest and
the drugs found in their bedroom.