Pubdate: Mon, 08 Jul 2002
Source: The Dominion Post (WV)
Copyright: 2002 The Dominion Post
Contact:  http://www.dominionpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1426
Author: Associated Press

AUTHORITIES SAY STATE PENALTIES FOR METH WEAK

PARKERSBURG -- More than 100 people have been arrested in Wood County on 
methamphetamine charges in the past four years, and prosecutors say many of 
those cases have wound up in federal court because state penalties are too 
weak.

Since 1998, Wood County authorities have busted 70 meth labs, including 31 
labs raided since January.

"The penalties here (state court) are just too minor for the seriousness of 
these offenses," said Assistant Prosecutor Jodie Boylen, who handles 
drug-related cases in Wood County Circuit Court.

The state penalty for possession with the intent to deliver and for 
conspiracy is one to five years in prison. The penalty for manufacturing a 
controlled substance is one to 15 years and a $25,000 fine.

Federal penalties can net drug dealers from five to 40 years and fines up 
to $2 million. A second offense can mean 10 years to life and fines up to 
$4 million.

Delegate John Ellem, R-Wood, introduced a bill during this year's regular 
legislative session that would have increased the state penalty for 
methamphetamine crimes from five to 15 years. And, the Senate Judiciary 
Committee crafted a bill that would have limited the sale of excessive 
amounts of products containing ephedrine, a substance found in cold 
remedies that is used in the manufacture of meth.

Both bills died, but Wood County Prosecutor Ginny Conley said she is 
confident the methamphetamine issue will be raised again next year.

"Possession of certain, specific ingredients used to make meth should be an 
offense. When you find individuals possessing items that are key to the 
manufacture of meth, we should be able to charge them for that," said 
Conley, who also is chairman of the executive council for the West Virginia 
Prosecuting Attorney's Institute.

Conley has pushed for tougher state methamphetamine penalties for several 
years, but there was not much interest because the problem was not as 
severe in other parts of the state as it has been in Wood County.
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