According to news reports, a South Carolina man who has several past felony convictions was recently sentenced to serve 45 months in prison for a dog cruelty conviction. The man reportedly cried in court while he asked the judge to be lenient, and he is now facing more charges.
The 47-year-old man reportedly has convictions dating back to 1987 and has served two sentences in prison. In 1992, he was sentenced to serve 25 years for allegedly trying to hire a hit man to kill two police officers. After being released from his term in prison, the man was then convicted of drug distribution in 2002 and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
After the man received his 45-month prison sentence for the dog cruelty convictions, the police filed two felony charges for distribution of crack cocaine and two felony charges for distribution of drugs within 1,000 feet of a school. If he is convicted of the drug charges, the man may face up to 60 years in prison.
People who are facing drug charges may be sentenced to years in prison if they are convicted as charged. When people have prior convictions on their records, they may face even longer periods of time. Criminal defense lawyers who are experienced in defending clients against drug charges may be able to negotiate plea agreements to reduced charges or to reduced sentences. The attorneys may analyze the evidence in the case in order to try to determine whether or not mistakes were made in the manner in which the investigation, stop, search and seizure were conducted. When mistakes have been made, the lawyers may be able to win dismissal of the charges against their clients.
Source: The Herald, “Rock Hill felon cried in court, said he had changed. Now he faces more charges.” Andrew Dys, 12/16/2017
