TORRANCE HILL'S LIEUTENANT SENTENCED TO ALMOST 10 YEARS IN PRISON

Judge Land Slams Prosecutors In Shelnutt Case Before Doubling
Bunkley's Recommended Sentence

U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land had harsh words for federal
prosecutors in the case against Mark Shelnutt at Thursday's sentencing
of Shawn Bunkley -- a lieutenant in the Torrance Hill drug organization
who got about twice as much time than his plea agreement
recommended.

Land sentenced Bunkley to almost 10 years in prison -- some five years
more than prosecutors recommended.

"It all doesn't fit to me," the judge said. "What it looks like to me
is that the U.S. Attorney's Office had their eyes on the big prize --
Mr. Shelnutt. I'm concerned with the way this whole matter's been handled."

Bunkley, who pleaded guilty in July to a drug possession charge,
testified against Shelnutt in the attorney's November trial on charges
of money laundering, aiding and abetting a conspiracy to distribute
cocaine, attempted bribery and making false statements. He told jurors
that he gave Shelnutt $125,000 in cash in a Publix parking lot. He
also said that while working in Hill's organization, more than 100
kilograms of cocaine moved through his hands.

In an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer, Shelnutt denied having a
meeting with Bunkley.

Shelnutt, who once represented Hill and was linked to him by
authorities in an indictment, was acquitted of all counts.

Bunkley, 39, was scheduled for sentencing in October, though Land
postponed the hearing, saying he wanted to ensure that defendants were
held responsible based on their conduct, not on what the government
agreed to in a plea agreement.

Federal prosecutors stated in a plea agreement that Bunkley possessed
between 500 grams and 2 kilograms of the drug. Metro Narcotics Task
Force Agent John Memmo testified Thursday that two co-conspirators
said on two different occasions that Bunkley had 63 and 75 kilograms
of cocaine on him, respectively.

"My understanding, his role was he was involved in the collection of
currency," Memmo testified. "Also, Mr. Hill would contact Mr. Bunkley
and tell him to bring such and such drugs to such and such person."

Land told U.S. Assistant District Attorney Jason Ferguson that he
wanted to be clear about the prosecutors' agreement that Bunkley
should be sentenced to between 36 and 47 months and that they had
Memmo's information when making the plea agreement, to which Ferguson
agreed.

Land said he was bothered by prosecutors' willingness to hold Bunkley
responsible for a "modest" amount of cocaine based on the words of
co-conspirators.

"And then the U.S. Attorney's Office goes full bore against a defense
attorney based on evidence from criminal defendants that have
something to gain," he said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Ratley told Land that in Bunkley's case
prosecutors had receipts, phone numbers logged in a cell phone and
some phone call records -- all of which wasn't enough to corroborate
the co-conspirators' statements against Bunkley.

"For the Shelnutt trial, for at least one major charge, they contend
that he was given a box of cash with $150,000 in it, and the only
evidence they had was from Mr. Bunkley," the judge said. "Yet they're
willing to indict (Shelnutt), go full bore against him."