Ilwaco man sentenced for delivering heroin near school

Derrick Budd, 38, of Ilwaco entered a guilty plea to three counts of delivery of heroin and one count of possession of heroin with intent to deliver. The action took place in Pacific County Superior Court Friday afternoon. Two counts included delivery of heroin within 1,000 feet of a school.

Budd was sentenced to 80 months and was granted a drug offender sentencing alternative which will result in 40 months in prison followed by 40 months of community custody through the department of correction.

As initially charged, Budd's sentencing range was 20 to 60 months in prison, meaning the maximum the court could have imposed was 60 months in prison.

"Initially I offered Mr. Budd 40 months in prison based on his lack of criminal history," said Pacific County County Prosecutor Mark McClain.

It is Budd's first felony conviction. "Mr. Budd rejected the plea offer, but later ask for me to reconsider," McClain said. "I was unwilling to do that, but did agree if we added a significant portion of community custody, during which he could be sent back to prison for 40 months."

Community custody is ordinary only 12 months.

"We don't mess around with plea offers any longer," McClain said. "Either the accept what's reasonable or we go to trial. That's where Mr. Budd was and here I felt like we got a significant prison term and a very long term of probation."

Budd will be required to complete drug treatment while in prison and will have routine visits from his probation officer to ensure compliance once he is released from prison. "This case was successful due in large part to the work of the Drug Task Force and their use of a confidential informant, which is normal in cases like this," McClain added.
Jones Sentenced to 5 Years

Angela R. Jones, 50 , of Ocean Park, entered a guilty plea to two counts of delivery of heroin, one count of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and use of a building for drug purposes and was sentenced to 60 months in prison. The sentencing took place March 20th.

Jones was the target of an undercover narcotics investigation conducted by the Pacific County Drug Task Force utilizing a confidential informant. At the conclusion of the investigations officers executed a search warrant and Jones' residence and located methamphetamine and heroin, a scale, cash, and packaging material. Jones was sentenced to the maximum under the legislatively-imposed sentence for this offense.

According to McClain, "Our plea offer was to plead to the maximum available which we were able to secure this type of conviction and sentence due in large part to the work of the Drug Task Force."

Jones will also be required to complete drug treatment while in prison.

Three Sentenced for Meth
In three other more recent "meth" cases in Pacific County Superior Court:

* Earl G. Wright, 48, of Raymond was sentenced to 40 months in prison for three counts of delivery of methamphetamine and one count of possession of methamphetamine. "The Pacific County Drug Task Force did an exceptional job with their undercover investigation into Wright's methamphetamine dealing and we were able to secure a plea," McClain said. "I agreed to a prison-based drug treatment alternative for Wright, which will result in 20 months in prison followed by 20 months of community custody with the Department of Corrections. If he fails to complete the treatment ordered, he will be returned to prison to serve the additional 20 months in prison."

* Randy S. Zirbel Jr, 35, of Tokeland, entered a guilty plea to possession of methamphetamine and contempt (for his failure to pay his child support obligations). Zirbel Jr. had been ordered to pay 50 per month in child support, which he failed to pay. In certain matters where public assistance is involved, the Pacific County Prosecutor's Office is involved to ensure child support payments are timely made.

"Mr. Zerbel Jr. was directed to appear and show why he wasn't making his child support payments and he failed to appear, and a warrant issued. When Zerbel Jr. was arrested on his warrant he had methamphetamine on him." McClain said.

Zerbel Jr. was ordered to serve 60 days in jail and 12 months of Department of Corrections supervision where he will be required to complete a drug evaluation and treatment.

"I believed 30 days in jail was warranted for his failure to pay his child support," McClain added.

* Nicholas A. Brown, of Long Beach, entered a guilty plea to possession of methamphetamine. Brown had been arrested on outstanding warrants and methamphetamine was located in his sock. Brown indicated someone had just handed it to him because he believed he was about to be arrested on a warrant. Brown was sentenced as a first time offender (felon) and was ordered to serve 30 days in jail followed by 12 months of community custody with the Department of Corrections where he will be required to complete drug treatment.