Man gets 25 years in drug conviction

Saturday, September 19, 2009

A judge sentenced a 34-year-old man to 25 years in prison this week after a Charleston County jury convicted him of trafficking cocaine, crack possession and assaulting a police officer while resisting arrest, authorities said.

After five hours of deliberation, the jury found Arthur Lee Rivers guilty of possessing more than $3,000 worth of powder and crack cocaine on Johns Island on Aug. 16, 2008.

He also was convicted of assaulting a Charleston County sheriff's deputy while trying to avoid being placed in custody, the 9th Circuit Solicitor's Office said.

The Charleston man was facing 25 to 30 years imprisonment for the drug crimes, since his criminal record included two prior possession with intent to distribute cocaine charges, prosecutors said.

Circuit Court Judge Roger M. Young Sr. gave Rivers a 25-year prison term and a $50,000 fine.

Assistant Solicitors Rutledge DuRant and Culver Kidd prosecuted the three day trial against Rivers.