L’Observateur / December 16, 2000

EDGARD – Fortieth Judicial District Court Judge Madeline Jasmine sentencedLaPlace resident Anthony Staggers, 33, 120 W. Second St., to 15 years inprison Wednesday for five counts of distribution of cocaine.Staggers is considered a habitual offender under Louisiana law. Prior to hisJanuary 1999 arrest for distribution of cocaine, Staggers has been arrestedin December 1992 for the same offense. Staggers pleaded guilty and wassentenced to five years of probation.A grand jury indicted Staggers with five counts of distribution of cocaine inJanuary 1998, and he was found guilty by a jury in December 1999.Under the Louisiana Habitual Offender Act Jasmine is allowed to sentenceStaggers to double the minimum of 10 years to 60 years per count.Distribution of cocaine holds a sentence of five to 30 years in prison for thefirst offender.

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