NEW LAW MEANS LONGER PRISON SENTENCES

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A man will have to serve 85 percent of his 50-year
prison sentence before becoming eligible for parole, the result of a
tougher methamphetamine manufacturing law. Steven Edward Noble, 40, is the
first person convicted in Oklahoma County under the law that went into
effect in July 2001.

In addition to the prison time, he must pay a $50,000 fine because of the law.

"This guy will potentially never get out of prison," said Ashley Altshuler,
assistant district attorney. "I would hope it is a deterrent. "The new law,
in my opinion, reflects how serious this offense is. A judge as well as a
jury has the possibility of giving a life sentence."

Altshuler said the statute is the toughest drug law on the books.

"Even for first-time offenders, they can be sentenced to 20 years, he said.
"Even trafficking cocaine is just 10 (years) to life."

Noble was convicted of aggravated manufacturing of meth.

District Judge Susan Caswell also handed Noble a 35-year sentence Wednesday
for possessing a firearm while committing a felony, plus 10 years for his
conviction of possession of a precursor substance without obtaining a permit.

The judge ordered the sentences to run consecutively -- sending Noble to
prison for 95 years.

Aggravated manufacturing of methamphetamine requires at least 50 grams of
methamphetamine or 500 grams of methamphetamine mixture to be seized. Noble
was convicted of manufacturing 80 grams of meth.

The punishment under the law requires a minimum prison sentence of 20 years
and a maximum of life plus a fine of not less than $50,000.

The seven Oklahoma County prosecutors assigned to the drug team have an
estimated 170 active methamphetamine manufacturing cases pending.

The making of meth continues to be a significant problem in Oklahoma
County, Altshuler said.

"In my opinion, the number of cases is growing," he said.

Kym Koch, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman, said the
number of methamphetamine laboratories seized statewide this year remains
at an estimated 1,200.

"They seem to be leveling off," she said.