DRUG SALES GET 2 MEN LIFE IN JAIL

Two Orangeburg men were sentenced to life in prison Tuesday after being
found guilty in federal court of bringing cocaine from out of state and
selling it in Orangeburg. Timothy Gadson, 32, and Darron Owens, 22, got
life without the possibility of parole on charges of conspiracy to possess
with intent to distribute cocaine, and on charges of distribution of more
than 5 kilograms of cocaine as well as more than 50 grams of crack cocaine,
according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Owens also got 10 years on charges of possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon, a U.S. attorney's office release shows.

The two were found guilty in August after a 1 1/2-week-long trial, the
release shows.

Testimony at trial also showed evidence Gadson and Owens were involved in
the killing of a confidential informant, assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey
Haynes said.

Though only Owens was charged by state prosecutors with the Feb. 8 killing,
federal prosecutors presented evidence both men were involved, and it was a
factor in their sentencing, Haynes said.

Federal agents began investigating Gadson, Owens and others in 2000, the
release shows.

Gadson and his associates were bringing in the cocaine from Florida,
Georgia and Texas since 1987, Haynes said.

They would cook it into crack cocaine or sell the powder, officials said.