CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A 21 year old Salem, West Virginia, resident was sentenced today (March 24, 2008) in United States District Court in Clarksburg by Chief Judge Irene M. Keeley.

United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that CHRISTOPHER CLARKE was sentenced to 135 months imprisonment to be followed by 10 years supervised release, pursuant to an earlier entered plea of guilty. CLARKE entered a plea of guilty on November 21, 2007, to one count of an Indictment charging him with using a person under the age of 18 years to aid and abet him in the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of “crack” cocaine on August 8, 2007, in Bridgeport, West Virginia.

CLARKE is in federal custody.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Angus Morgan. The case was investigated by the Harrison/Lewis County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, the West Virginia State Police - Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Police Department. The Task Force consists of officers from the Clarksburg Police Department, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.