After 21 years, drug suspect arraigned again

how silly, if we wanted to pursue justice how about starting with the fatcats in congress, or impeach the biggest criminals...what?they wrote their own get out of jail free cards?

Sarah, the only thing silly about this story, is that some Liberal Judge set bail low enough for this guy to flee.

There is a 6 year statute of limitations on this kind of felony... but I guess it's suspended if the perp lives out of state?

well seeing how this isnt a murder charge , will he beat it due to the statue of limitations?, i mean it was 21 years ago and he hasnt been picked up since so i guess was doing something right

when ducking a major felony charge, resist the urge to aim things at police...

Who cares. That was 21 years ago and if no longer traffics in drugs lets just put him on probation. After all isn't the goal of prison to re-hab a person then re-intregrate into society again as a productive person. If he shows that he has rehab's then let him go. After all it is not like he committed murder, rape or some violent crime.
To those who say ya the drugs he sold ruined lives, I say that is true. But so does Alcohol and do we arrest people who sell alcohol that ruins many times more lives!

Sarah, that is the dumbest logic ever. So it's ok for these drug traffickers to get off free as long as they hide away long enough? A crime is a crime. This guy deserves to go to jail 21 years later the same as some guy deserves to go to jail for a crime he committed yesterday.

I think he actually got better looking in 21 years?

There's gotta be a statute of limitations?

If he has not been dealing or abusing drugs since he lived in Virginia I think we should fine him as punishment and it seems he has rehabilitated himself . Since Virginia had such a good influence on him make it mandatory in his sentence that he go back there.

So what do you all think is a long enough time to escape a sentence. 1 year? 5 years? 10 years? Maybe we should just make a law that says "Anyone who can hide out long enough is dismissed of all charges against them"

"will he beat it due to the statue of limitations?" - No, because he was charged within the statute of limitations.

He rehabilitated himself, but if they don't imprison him for the time he would have originally received (assuming he's convicted) they are rewarding him for skipping out on his trial. Society does not reward people for illegal acts unless, of course, they are illegal aliens looking for public assistance benefits.

Stimulate the economy by throwing him in jail. The prison-building industry will thank you and so will the major drug cartels because it's the War on Drugs that keeps prices high and hoodlums profiting.

It is time to legalize recreational drugs and to end the criminality of them.

I bet this guy will be the next GOP VP candidate.

Sarah Palin/Drug Guy in 2012!

What a waste of law enforcement resources to pursue the original charge from 1988. Regardless, the law of the day he would be out of prison by now. Due to this idiots age, he will be a bigger drain as he will undoubtably require health care once he is incarcerated.

If he hasn't been paying taxes, he'll wind up in Obama's cabinet

Statute of Limitations as Rob says applies to the point where prosecution commences. Further, it's generally tolled (put on hold) when the alleged is out of state or otherwise hiding.

Wow, Franky, that's funny that you would think that he'd be a good GOP candidate. Do you remember all of the legal mess the Clintons were in both before and during his presidency? Of the ties that Obama has with felons? Or how many of the current adminstration members are criminals for not paying their taxes (but were "forgiven" and kept their positions - you try that, you won't be forgiven, I bet). So, "Drug Guy" sounds much more like a likely liberal candidate, huh?

@ ricjin99

Why would a drug dealer with two kilos need a low bail amount? You conservatives are geniuses...

Also, I agree with Mike Day.

Seriously, I love how people here make such point of fact statements about laws they know nothing about. The only consolation is that I'm pretty sure none of you people actually get off the couch and vote.

There are bigger fish to fry. The system is no place for a person with an addiction problem.

What is the Susse Chalet? Suisse?

53job, drugs like cocaine and marijuana shouldn't be illegal to begin with. There are better uses for the state's money than prosecuting and jailing old drug dealers.

It costs $25,000.00 dollars a year to house a prisoner on average in the United States, 1 in 33 adults in the US are currently in the criminal justice system. We also have 25% of all the prisoners on the planet. My point being this guy has not so much as gotten a speeding ticket in 21 years. Could we rehabilitate him anymore?

This has nothing to do with what political party he would best be suited for.

Just let him go. I dont want to pay for any more drug offenders to go to jail.

oh dan - why so sensitive? all politicians are crooks. just sit back and laugh it up as they all screw us over

You guys have got to stop chasing down, prosecuting and incarcerating people who commit penny-ante drug offences. How much more of your population can you sustain in prison?

Wouldn't the money be better spent bailing out S&Ls, investment, insurance firms, and paying bonuses to the great failures in your financial sector?

I actually agree that it's not just at all to pound a prison sentence on him for a crime committed decades ago. If he's done stuff in the interim like get involved with AA or anything that really demonstrates he's turned his life around, well, then I think I can sleep at night knowing a guy who sold drugs 21 years ago and turned his life around is out on probation.

So now the Commonwrath is going to attempt to incarcerate a man who's been paying taxes and leading a productive life for decades, this at great expense to other tax payers. Bad idea. I challenge the Commonwarth to produce the cocaine this man supposedly had in his hotel room--that went up the common nose long ago.
Outside of murder (which has no limits) the longest term is 15 years; so had this man remained in the Commonwrath, he would have been off the hook long ago. The story, however, does not mention how long he remained in the Commonwrath after his failure to appear, and because the statute of limitations does not come into play if the offender flees the state, without more information regarding his whereabouts, there's no way to tell if the statute will come into play.

Multiple Z's here has a point; but was he rehabilitated because he wanted to be a better person or because he didn't want to get caught? If he gets a slap on the wrist now, would he go back to his old ways?

ok, nobody thinks shining a light toward a cop is a stupid thing to let people be arrested for? Really, no discussion on that.

This is what American society/culture is all about... to sit & leave comments about people they do not know... its pretty sad actually....
Don't get me wrong, was was done WAS wrong....
But this person has rehabilitated himself after 20 years! To pursue this case it has no strong actions.... If all the info was read correctly, this man has lived in Virginia raising his family, paying taxes, and working hard.... Just like we all do! This doesn't justify other people to do the same thing,,, but just like people are given individual courts, this info should be heard out! PROBATION ONLY! Its nice to hear how people change for the better! especially today!
d

Point of the whole thing is:
Once upon a time a man did bad things.
-Was he wrong? Yes, without a question.
-Did he do the right thing by running? No, but who with children, young ones at that, would risk never seeing them again for a long time.
-Am I saying it's ok to run b/c you have young children? NO!
Look all I'm saying is that this man did what most "legal" citizens don't do. He raised his children right, he paid his taxes, and never since did anything illegal. Point is he learned his lesson and has seemingly raised a good family.

The statute of limitations limits the time prosecutors have to charge someone after the offense is committed. This person was already charged and just fled, so it doesn't apply.

The state shouldn't waste the time and money to incarcerate this guy. Let's arrest some people that commit crimes were there are VICTIMS.

It's amazing how people claim to know whats gone on with this guy, when none of you have anything to do with, or even know who he is. He's not the "tax paying, rehabilitated" soul that so many think he turned in to. If he has a hidden identity, how is he paying taxes? Where did the money come from to live his life if he left everything behind in 1988? A hidden identity for 20 years packs a lot of skeletons. Unfortunately, several of those are not in the closet!

Hey Bob,,, how about you read the articles a little better.... Your argument is 1.) he isn't a tax paying guy,,,, he had a restaurant!!! He had to pay taxes or somewhere in between those 20 years they would have got him... 2.) rehabilitated? Yes he was... Raising a family and considering he did nothing wrong after that point in 1988 or once again, they would have caught him...
And lastly, how about the state spends its money & time or more crucial matters rather than wasting its time on a 20+years case that truthfully now isn't that important... I wouldn't be surpised if the court would not care as much this time around. considering its so old!

I think we would need more info on his life the last 21 years, although i feel jail time probably is not going to happen.

Hey Bob you claim people don't know this guy well I here to tell you the man I worked for for almost 11 years is not the man from 21 years ago I meet this man and his family almost 11 years ago w hen I started to work for them in their restaurant they had that he paid TAXES on. Not only is he a decent guy I have seen with my eyes the help he would give his employees at any giving time if they needed their rent paid he would pay it for them ,etc. As for where the money came from this man would work 15-17 a day 7 days a week to take care of his family .

If you knew him, he was a very good man. He & his family had a very good restaurant going in our home town and everyone loved him sooo much!! We all miss him dearly.. Don't we all do stupid things when we are young?? We love you louie!!! From the victorias crew and the whole town of Front Royal VA!!!

I knew Louie in Boston during the 80's----
I know what he did was illegal, but it was so many years ago and obviously he has been leading a quiet life with his family----
If he had been in jail--- he would have been unproductive and his family wouldn't have a husband, father and grandfather---
He obviously rehabilitated himself!!! - for sure better than the "system" would have--I am sure he was always "looking over his shoulder" and that couldn't have been easy--- I wish him the best-----

John Doe-Comment 33..... You say it best.
Not only did he run to keep his children, odd are thats why he was slinging dope in the first place.....For the money. I would run if in his shoes anyday. And no what he did wasn't right but people make mistakes. And I have seen plenty other people get off for much worse crimes.

Louie truely is a good person in my eyes. He was always very nice to me, and every single time I set foot in his restaurant the first words out of his mouth were How was my husband (A US Marine) and was he home safe. He loved his family and did everything for them. I mean damn, the guys restaurant was named after his Grand-daughter.

Hang in there Louie!