Gallup
cop's son sentenced for cocaine charges
By Bill
Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The son of a Gallup police sergeant has been sentenced to one
year of probation with special terms after pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy
to traffic in cocaine.
Bennie Gaona III, 17, of 108 East Adams was ordered by District Court Judge Grant
Foutz to attend the Pinon Hills Residential Treatment facility and complete the
Youth Challenge Academy in Roswell during his probation period.
If he doesn't, he will be heading to Boys School, according to the court order.
"This is a good resolution for both the state and the defendant," said
prosecutor Peter Burns.
The ruling gives the youth, said Burns, "a chance to turn his life around
and make something of himself."
"We can all hope that is what happens," Burn said, adding that in these
kinds of cases, it's something of a hit-and-miss situation some kids make use
of the opportunity, others don't.
The case involved around two face to face buys made last November by a confidential
informent, which Gaona's attorney, Steve Seeger, attempted unsuccessfully to
learn the identity of through motions.
The prosecution refused and one of the charges against Gaona, distribution to
traffic in cocaine, was dismissed when the prosecution delined to allow the confidential
informant to meet with the judge in his chambers to determine if there was anything
he knew that would be helpful to the defendant.
"That was no problem," said Burns, "since the state got its felony
conviction anyway."
In other court news, a preliminary hearing was held Thursday for Harram Walker
of Zuni, who was charged with the Feb. 19 strangulation death of Candace Pinto
at the Hacienda Motel on Feb. 19.
He was ordered bound over for trial.
|
Monday
March 29, 2004
Selected Stories:
New
co-op to promote native artists
Gallup
cop's son sentenced for cocaine charges
Fate
of Kayenta school still up in the air
Tribal
panel OKs $1.9 million for economic plan
Scab
mine workers had more severe uranium exposure
Off-reservation
support offered to Native women
City
building permit standards may change
Deaths |
