Latest Headlines
- Tate Showband Of The South Has A New Director
- Pine Meadow’s Cassi McGee Received Florida Outstanding Teacher Leadership Award
- Highway 168 Bridge Reopened Friday After Repair Completed
- Bicyclist Critical After Being Struck By Vehicle In Century
- Two Century Correctional Officers Charged With Smuggling Drugs Into The Prison
- More Details Released In Case Of Man Accused Of Killing Estranged Wife
- Florida Forest Service Announces $2 Million For Florida Landowners To Improve Forest Health
- Friends Of The Library Hot Summer Book Sale Going On Through Sunday
- Escambia Animal Shelter Has Free Cat And Dog Adoptions Through July 31
- Martorella’s Clutch Hit Ignites Blue Wahoos Walk-Off Win
Man Sentenced In ‘Large Scale’ Local Cocaine Trafficking Ring
January 13, 2015
Another member of what federal prosecutors called a “large scale” local cocaine trafficking organization has been sentenced to federal prison.
Victor Darnell Rome, age 36 of Escambia County, was sentenced by Chief United State District Judge M. Casey Rodger to 280 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised probation following his release.
Rome’s indictment was part of a continuing investigation into a large scale distribution network that involved the transportation of cocaine from Texas into the Northern District of Florida. Rome’s co-conspirators Coneil T. Wilkins and Ricky L. Blankenship were sentenced last year. Wilkins was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for his role in the distribution of approximately $20 million worth of cocaine in Pensacola, and Blankenship was sentenced to life imprisonment for related drug trafficking offenses.
United States Attorney Marsh praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the State Attorney’s Office for the 1st Judicial Circuit, whose joint investigation led to the indictments.
“I commend our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their commitment to public service and community safety,” said United States Attorney Marsh. “This teamwork has resulted in the dismantling of a multi-year criminal conspiracy and demonstrates how the collaboration of all levels of government helps to protect the Northern District of Florida from dangerous drugs.”
Comments
6 Responses to “Man Sentenced In ‘Large Scale’ Local Cocaine Trafficking Ring”
I agree with you EZJack, I personally think it would be safer to legalize and have it out in the open, this black market approach does nothing but breed crime and keep it in the back alleys. atleast in the open it would be obvious who is doing what, and put it in the hands of doctors instead of jailors. Jail for drugs only makes the problem worse, ruining more lives than drugs alone.
Making it “not cool” has to come from these guys themselves showing our children that look, i had all these fancy cars and money living it up sacrificing decent morales and principals for profit, not wanting to work for what i want.
Kids are NOT listening to some cop with a K-9 and a bunch of different drugs mounted on a plaque. But they’ll listen to someone whos been there and done it. Now with demonic Disney, MTV, media, music industry, Nickelodeon, etc., they may reach only one or two. But thats worth it.
EZ, in some instances, I agree. But without some intervention, this stuff will be showing up in elementary schools. The stuff is deadly and needs to be eliminated, but the situation is the same with fireants… they’re hard to get rid of too, but we don’t want either on our school yards.
Exactly EZJack, the average citizen doesn’t know what goes on behind the scenes, it’s a whole notherr world out there powered by greed. Definately a farce and money grab. These guys get life sentences, 35 year sentences but a child molester gets probation. Backwards Justice System! Give credit to the forefathers, politicians, senators, congressmen for these dumb pointless laws that they have created, of which many of those laws do not even come before the people to be voted upon.
$20 million in Pensacola? No wonder we’re so poverty stricken and live in the most unsightly town/county in this area. What are you people thinking?
The War on Drugs is a fraud & a farce. This article illustrates why. Annual cost of incarceration for 3 men here top $100k & rising for 20 to 50 years. Add the costs of investigations and prosecution & just for these 3 guys taxpayers are paying over $5 million long term. And their positions in the drug biz were filled within days. Did this in fact protect us from drugs? Absolutely not! Cocaine can be readily found within a 10 minute drive from wherever you are. The Drug War does us more damage than the drugs. Our best weapons are public info campaigns showing everyone the damage drug use causes and making it “not cool” or better yet “just plain stupid” to be involved in drugs.