|
| |
|
Boones plead in Trumbull
drug case
|
| Published: Friday, January 12, 2007 Vindicator |
WARREN — Robert Boone and his mother, Sharon Boone, pleaded guilty to drug
trafficking and corruption charges today after a day of negotiations —
resulting in a 30-month prison sentence for him and agreement to turn over a
Cadillac Escalade and $39,000 in cash and fines.
Robert D. Boone, 26, of 5339 Pierce Road, Champion, said by authorities to
be the main player in a drug dealing operation in central Trumbull County,
pleaded guilty in Trumbull common pleas court to seven charges, including
marijuana trafficking and possession, and attempting to engage in a pattern
of corrupt activity.
Judge Andrew Logan sentenced him to 30 months; he has been in jail since
February and will get credit for time served there.
Sharon Boone, 46, also of the Pierce Road address, pleaded guilty to
complicity to trafficking in marijuana and permitting drug abuse.
She will be sentenced after the county’s Adult Probation Department conducts
a pre-sentence investigation.
Undercover agents from the Trumbull, Ashtabula, Geauga Counties Law
Enforcement Task Force either bought or made a down payment on 34 pounds of
marijuana from Robert Boone in three separate buys in 2005.
Chuck Morrow, assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, said Boone was selling
marijuana in bulk amounts. The value of the drugs confiscated would have
been between $34,000 and $68,000.
Using a search warrant, officers confiscated $18,800 in cash from a safe in
Boone’s house, a handgun and other items, Morrow said.
Prosecutors had initially sought to confiscate the Pierce Road house but
dropped that during the negotiations.
By agreement, 75 percent of the cash and assets confiscated will be turned
over to TAG, with the remainder going to the prosecutor’s office, Morrow
said. Forfeiture money of this type helps provide operating funds for TAG.
Sharon Boone’s convictions could result in probation or up to 30 months in
prison.
Two other defendants in the yearlong investigation, dubbed Operation Green
Tree because task force members determined that they were interrupting small
criminal groups, or branches, with multiple ties to the Boone family, have
already pleaded guilty to various crimes.
Jason Washington, 31, of Terra Alta Street, Warren, is expected to get a
three-year prison sentence for drug trafficking charges and agreed to pay a
$10,000 fine and forfeit $4,030 in cash.
Robert Zadai, 26, of Shafer Road, Champion, pleaded guilty to drug
trafficking charges and agreed to forfeit a car. Prosecutors are
recommending a one-year prison sentence.
Cases are still pending against three other members of the drug ring.
|
|
