DALLAS (CN) - A former Dallas County Sheriff's deputy was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to deal cocaine. Standric Choice, 36, pleaded guilty in March conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possessing with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine at a truck stop.
Choice, along with co-defendants Terry Anderson, 29, and Charlie Hill, 31, was arrested in January after an informant told federal agents that Choice and Hill were dealing drugs and "trading licks," or stealing drugs from other dealers.
Prosecutors say the informant met with Hill on Jan. 8 and told him that a drug dealer from South Texas was bringing up 4 kilograms of cocaine the next day. Hill told the informant that Choice would pretend to arrest the informant and seize the drugs during a drug buy. Hill and the informant agreed to split the cocaine and pay Choice for his role in the scheme.
As planned, Hill and Anderson arrived at the TA Truck Stop/Burger King in south Dallas the next day to observe the drug buy.
"Shortly thereafter, the [informant] arrived at the truck stop and met with the South Texas drug dealer. The drug dealer entered the [informant's] vehicle with a duffel bag containing the four kilograms of cocaine," the Department of Justice said in a statement. "Unbeknownst to Hill, Anderson, and Choice, however, the South Texas drug dealer was an undercover police officer and the cocaine was supplied by the Irving, Texas, Police Department."
When the undercover officer entered the informant's vehicle, Choice drove into the parking lot in a marked Dallas County Sheriff's vehicle with its overhead lights on. Dressed in his uniform and armed, he approached the driver's side of the vehicle and told the undercover officer something to the effect of "you don't want to be a part of this."
"In response, the undercover officer got out of the [informant's] vehicle and left the truck stop in his own vehicle, leaving behind the duffel bag with the four kilograms of cocaine. Deputy Choice then removed the [informant] from his vehicle, arrested and handcuffed him, placed him in the back seat of the squad car, and then returned to the [informant's] vehicle to retrieve the duffel bag. Deputy Choice opened the duffel bag, which held the four kilograms of cocaine, and looked inside it before placing it in the trunk of his squad car," prosecutors say.
Choice left the truck stop, followed by Anderson and Hill. After they reached a secluded area, the informant was released and Choice gave the duffel bag to Hill, who split the drugs in accordance with the agreement. Choice left the scene and was arrested later at a Dallas County Sheriff's office.
In September, Anderson was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison and Hill to 8 years. After serving his term, Choice must serve 8 years of supervised release.
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