Leader Gets 17 Years; 7 Other Sentences Run 2 1/2 To 7 Years

OXYCONTIN RING MEMBERS DRAW PRISON TERMS

They Distributed More Than $2.5 Million Worth Of The Prescription Painkiller

A Lee County man who ran an OxyContin ring responsible for the distribution
of more than 66,000 pills since 1998 was sentenced to more than 17 years in
prison Monday in federal court in Abingdon.

In the nation's largest prosecution for distributing the prescription
painkiller, Jerry Wayne Robinson, 45, was sentenced to 150 months for
running the ring and 60 months for trading guns for OxyContin pills in
2000. Defendants from three states - Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee -
were involved. The dealers distributed more than $2.5 million worth of the
pills. Robinson got some of the OxyContin from Mexico and bought some of it
from people who had prescriptions, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Hurt.

Seven of Robinson's dealers also were sentenced Monday for their roles in
the ring. All had pleaded guilty in prior court proceedings.

Tammy Hess, 31, of Pennington Gap, took responsibility for distributing
oxycodone, the active ingredient in OxyContin, and was sentenced to more
than 5 1/2 years in prison. James Dierth, 38, of Knoxville, Tenn., was
sentenced to seven years for distributing 2,599 OxyContin pills.

Janet Hess, 24, of Dryden, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for
distributing 456 OxyContin pills. Crystal Alsup, 22, also of Dryden, was
sentenced to almost five years for selling 3,284 pills.

Tammy Gibson, 40, of Big Stone Gap, was sentenced to just over three years
for dealing 1,921 OxyContin pills. Julie Stapleton, 36, of Pennington Gap,
also was sentenced to just over three years for distributing 2,500
OxyContin pills.

Eva Smith, 48, of Caywood, Ky., was sentenced to three years and one month
for distributing 2,250 OxyContin pills.

Each defendant also was fined $500.

The case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff's Office; the Virginia
State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and the Drug
Enforcement Administration.