Norristown Man Indicted on Drug and Firearms Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office March 17, 2009 |
United States Attorney Laurie Magid today announced the filing of an indictment charging Richard Valentie, with possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of Oxycodone, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, all on or about November 12, 2008, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The indictment charges that the defendant possessed one Jennings, Model 25, .25 caliber automatic pistol loaded with four live rounds of .25 caliber ammunition and a magazine loaded with four live rounds of .25 caliber ammunition, after being convicted of a felony. The indictment further charges that the defendant possessed cocaine base (“crack”) with intent to distribute and possessed the Jennings, Model 25, .25 caliber automatic pistol loaded with four live rounds of .25 caliber ammunition and magazine loaded with four live rounds of .25 caliber ammunition in furtherance of this drug trafficking crime. Additionally, the indictment charges that the defendant possessed oxycodone.
INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEFENDANT
NAME |
ADDRESS |
AGE OR YEAR OF BIRTH |
Richard Valentine |
Norristown, PA |
42 |
If convicted of all charges, defendant Valentine faces a total maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a 20-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of eight years up to lifetime supervised release and a $4,505,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI’s Bucks County Violent Gang Task Force, and the Bensalem Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tomika N. Stevens.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative designed to identify and prosecute firearms offenders in federal court, where the defendant is likely to receive a substantial sentence upon conviction.