80-YEAR-OLD'S PLEADING LEAVES JUDGE UNFAZED

RICHMOND -- An 80-year-old drug defendant's plea that a prison sentence
would equal a death sentence drew no sympathy here as a judge sentenced him
to 20 years.

Stafford resident Willie Gordon admitted he was guilty of exchanging crack
cocaine for sexual favors with an unidentified woman in February. State
District Judge Thomas Culver III sentenced him to the maximum 20 years on
the charge, along with two 10-year sentences -- to be served concurrently
with the other 20-year sentence -- revoking his probation on two prior drug
convictions.

Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorney Glenn Cook countered the
defendant's arguments of ill health with the number of chances he had
received over the years.

"My response is it was a death sentence he gave himself for continuing to do
something he knew was wrong," Cook said.