DRUG BUST DETAILS EMERGE, SUSPECTS FACE PRISON TIME

Students, residents indicted in drug sting face charges of marijuana,
cocaine, ecstacy distribution, 10 years in prison or $2,500 fine, may
arrange plea bargain for probation

The 15 suspects arrested on charges of alleged narcotics and drug
distribution last week in "Operation Spring Break Down" each could face up
to 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine for each felony offense if
convicted.

Although the penalties for drug distribution are intentionally harsh,
Charlottesville Police Officer Jeff Sandridge said many suspects may be able
to negotiate for lighter sentences.

"If it's a first offense, they could plead it down and just get a few days
of jail time and probation for two years," he said.

University Law Prof. Anne Coughlin said it is common for drug offenders to
avoid a trial by pleading guilty and accepting a plea bargain in order to
avoid stiff penalties dictated by law.

"A felony conviction is a big deal for a college student," she said.
"Generally, drug cases are really hard to fight."

The Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement Task Force announced Friday that a total
of 33 people had been indicted in August by grand juries in Charlottesville
and Albemarle County, and released the names of 15 individuals who had
already been arrested.

Many of those 15 suspects were indicted on multiple charges, for a total of
27 counts, according to court documents obtained by The Cavalier Daily
yesterday.

Fourteen of the suspects were indicted for distribution of more than half an
ounce and less than five pounds of marijuana, a felony charge. Three
suspects were indicted for felony distribution of cocaine and two were
indicted for a misdemeanor distribution of less than half an ounce of
marijuana.

One of the suspects was indicted for felony distribution of marijuana and
ecstasy, and received an additional marijuana indictment yesterday from a
grand jury in Albemarle County.

Documents obtained yesterday also included an indictment at the August grand
jury for College student Elleni Tsatoumas, whose name was not released by
JADE on Friday. Tsatoumas was charged with a misdemeanor distribution of
less than half an ounce of marijuana.

Officials would not comment on whether additional arrests, including
Tsatoumas', had been made under Operation Spring Break Down.

Citing past successes, Sandridge applauded JADE's work in apprehending the
suspects.

"I think they are very successful in what they're doing," he said.

Drug and narcotics offenses in the City were down in 2002 from previous
years, according to Charlottesville Police Department statistics. Over the
past four years there has been an average of 444 total charges in the City,
including drug equipment violations. Last year, there were 366 reported
incidents in the city, down from a high of 502 in 2000.

In addition to arrests made at the Corner district and at the Rotunda
Thursday, several other arrests were made under Operation Spring Break Down
around the University.

At least one arrest took place at the University, when a Charlottesville
resident was apprehended at the Tree House Snack Bar for attempting to
possess marijuana with intent to distribute, late last Wednesday, Oct. 1.

The same evening, an Engineering student was apprehended at the Budget Inn
on Emmet Street, according to police documents obtained by The Cavalier
Daily. He had been previously charged with three counts of felony marijuana
possession.

The design of "Operation Spring Break Down" was consistent with other highly
publicized large-scale drug stings, Coughlin said.

"It looks as though the strategy here is compatible with what many
departments are doing across the country," she said. "Most of the time we go
after the people who are distributing -- there is less of an ambition to go
after those who are possessing for personal use."

Coughlin added that, while the arrests may serve to deter drug dealers in
the short-term, they are unlikely to alter the climate of illegal activity
in the long run.

"There don't seem to be any effective tactics in the war on drugs," she
said.