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© 2002 Express Publishing Inc. All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. |
For the week of August 14 - 20, 2002
Drug dealer sentenced to at least 39 years
By GREG MOORE
Express Staff WriterA major local drug dealer was sentenced last week to a minimum of 39 years in prison.
Robert E. Hall, 50, was arrested in October after police found more than 60 pounds of marijuana, almost four pounds of methamphetamine and a pound of cocaine at a house he had rented in Hailey and at his mother’s house in Twin Falls. Police said at the time that Hall’s mother was unaware of the stash there.
Charges filed in Blaine and Twin Falls counties were combined for a trial in 5th District Court in Hailey in June. A jury convicted Hall of two counts each of trafficking in marijuana, meth and cocaine, one count of possession of meth and one count of grand theft.
The theft charge related to Hall’s possession of a stolen shotgun. It was in pursuit of the stolen gun that police discovered the drugs at Hall’s house.
On Aug. 5, Judge James May sentenced Hall to serve between 39 years and 59 years in prison, plus $97,000 in fines. The sentence was comprised of the cumulative terms of individual sentences handed down on each count, with all sentences to run consecutively.
"At 50 years of age, it is unlikely that Hall will have the opportunity to see the free light of day to continue peddling his poison," stated Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Thomas in a press release.
Due to two previous convictions for selling cocaine in Washington state, the Blaine County jury found Hall to be a persistent violator. In his sentencing order, May stated that he took that into account when imposing sentence.
The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.