VERO BEACH — Because of his prior criminal record, a man who sold a small amount of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a local elementary school will be serving life in prison, a circuit judge ruled Wednesday.
Randy Brown, 40, formerly of the 1800 block of 34th Avenue, objected to his prior record, including a drug offense, being considered during sentencing. "I served my time," he said.
And he left the courtroom cursing.
But Circuit Judge Robert Pegg disagreed with Brown’s objections and sentenced him to serve life behind bars.
Sheriff’s investigators ranked Brown among their five most dangerous drug dealers in Indian River County before they took him into custody on drug charges in late 2007. He was arrested in an undercover crack cocaine deal in the Burger King parking lot near Osceola Magnet School during the afternoon on a school day.
Brown still faces another charge of sale and possession of cocaine in Indian River County, sheriff’s records show.
That is his latest offense, officers said.
"He was a one-man crime wave for 20 years," said Assistant State Attorney Steve Gosnell. "The only break was while he was in jail" in Georgia serving six years for drug dealing. He was in prison under an assumed name, the attorney said.
It wasn’t until after Brown’s arrest in 2007 that Georgia official learned Brown’s real name and he was cited for violating his parole, according to court testimony.
