DRUG DEALER CONVICTED FOR GROWING MARIJUANA & SELLING PILLS WHILE ON BOND
On June 16, 2015, Charles Ryan Fuller, 32 years old, of Grundy, Virginia appeared before the Buchanan County Circuit Court for a sentencing hearing arising from his convictions of Manufacturing Marijuana, 4 counts of Distribution of a Schedule I/II Drug, and 2 counts of Maintaining a Common Nuisance. At the conclusion of the hearing, Fuller was sentenced to serve 28 years and 12 months in prison, with 25 years and 12 months of that sentence suspended on the condition that he complete 8 years of active supervised probation upon his release from incarceration.
During the hearing, the Commonwealth presented evidence that Fuller grew a large quantity of marijuana using a complicated system composed of air scrubbers to hide the odor as well as imported fertilizers such as Peruvian bat guano, and sophisticated lighting to maximize the plant growth and output. Once grown, Fuller “canned” the marijuana crop in airtight ball-jars for distribution. The Commonwealth also pointed out that following his arrest, and while on bond for manufacturing the marijuana, Fuller sold narcotic pills to an undercover informant.
The Commonwealth argued that the Defendant was a greedy businessman, not someone trying to support his personal drug habit, and was clearly hoping to profit from the misery and addiction of others. The Commonwealth further argued that as a result of this greed, Fuller was a true drug dealer that deserved a harsh sentence well above the sentencing guidelines.
When asked for comment, Buchanan County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerald Arrington stated, “when I took office, I promised that I would be harsh on drug distribution, especially those who are selling on a large scale and profiting from the addictions of others. That is why the Commonwealth requested a lengthy sentence in Mr. Fuller’s cases. While, the Court didn’t impose as lengthy of a sentence as we had hoped, the Court agreed that a sentence above the highest end of the sentencing guidelines was appropriate for Mr. Fuller.”
