US WOMAN GETS 6 YEARS IN PERU JAIL

LIMA, Peru (AP) -- A young American woman charged with trying to smuggle
cocaine out of Peru in her suitcase was sentenced on Wednesday to six years
in prison by a Peruvian court.

Jennifer Davis, 20, of Danville, Ill., slumped in her chair as the judge
read the sentence but kept herself in control, said her lawyer, Emilia
Fishman. Reporters were not allowed in the courtroom.

Fishman had asked for the six year-sentence for Davis, who had pleaded
guilty to the drug smuggling charges, while the prosecution had wanted at
least 10 years. Davis also was ordered to pay a $2,200 fine.

``This is a victory for Jennifer. She could have received a lot longer
sentence,'' Fishman said.

Davis will serve at least part of the sentence in Lima's harsh Chorrillos
women's prison, where she now shares a narrow, cockroach-infested cell with
another inmate and must take baths with buckets of cold water. Prisoners
must provide their own food, water, toilet paper and soap.

Under the terms of a treaty between the United States and Peru, Davis could
serve part of her sentence in a U.S. prison. Fishman said she will apply for
Davis' transfer.

The tall aspiring model was caught by customs officials in September 1996
with about 8 pounds of cocaine hidden in her luggage at Lima's Jorge Chavez
airport as she prepared to board a plane to Miami.

She pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges and has spent 1 1/2 years
waiting for Peru's slow justice system to process her case.

Her parents, Claire and Denny Davis, fought to get her a quicker trial and
have protested the prison's harsh conditions.

Davis says she was offered $5,000 by drug traffickers in the United States
to fly to Lima, pick up the cocaine, and fly back to Miami.

``I want to tell kids who think they can come here and make a few easy
dollars smuggling drugs not to do it,'' Davis said before her sentencing.
``The drug traffickers will say that it's easy and no one gets caught --
they lie.''

Davis' life in prison has been hard.

About two weeks ago she was rushed to the hospital infirmary with a severe
intestinal infection from drinking prison tap water. She recovered, but the
quality of the water and food hasn't changed.

The time Davis has already served will count as part of the sentence.