FORMER PRISON GUARD CONVICTED

Randall Robertson Tried To Sell OxyContin Pills To Inmates

A jury recommended that the former state employee spend 25 years in prison.

Don't tell former state prison guard Randall Robertson that inmate
rehabilitation is a waste of time.

Robertson, a guard at the Botetourt Correctional Unit, tried to get two
inmates, who were in therapy for drug and alcohol addiction, to buy 500
OxyContin pills from him last year.

Rather than go back to their old ways, though, both turned Robertson in and
testified against him in Botetourt County Circuit Court this week.

On Wednesday, a jury found Robertson, 45, guilty of two counts of selling
OxyContin and recommended he spend 25 years in prison - about one year for
each of the 27 pills Robertson sold a fellow guard during an undercover
sting operation.

Botetourt County Commonwealth's Attorney Joel Branscom thinks the jury
found Robertson's attempt to undo the inmates' journey away from drugs as
repugnant as Branscom did.

"It made a mockery of everything the system tries to do as far as
rehabilitation," Branscom said. "He's trying to undo what so many people
are spending their careers doing."

Robertson's lawyer, Chris Kowalczuk, called the sentence "very, very harsh."

"Mr. Robertson has absolutely no criminal record whatsoever. But for these
convictions, he has certainly been a useful and productive citizen, and 25
years is certainly well beyond the sentencing guidelines," Kowalczuk said.

Robertson maintained throughout the trial that he had been set up by a
fellow guard.

Robertson approached inmates James Davis and Jermaine Motley , both 30,
separately in December 2000, Branscom said. Davis and Motley were in prison
for separate stabbings.

Police are unsure where Robertson got the 500 OxyContin pills, but he had
legal prescriptions for 60 pills a month to relieve the pain of pelvic
injuries he suffered after being hit by a car during a search for an
escaped inmate in 1998, Branscom said. Robertson unsuccessfully sued the
driver of the car and WSLS-TV (Channel 10) , claiming a photographer had
distracted the driver.

Davis and Motley both reported Robertson to prison authorities, and an
investigation followed, Branscom said. Robertson also approached a fellow
guard, Michael Fletcher, about buying the pills.

The Botetourt County Sheriff's Office persuaded Fletcher to wear a wire and
buy some of the pills from Robertson, which Fletcher did on June 7.

"You ain't gonna set me up," Robertson said to Fletcher, according to a
transcript of the conversation.

Without mentioning OxyContin by name, Robertson told Fletcher the pills are
"like Percocet, only they last all day. ... I'll let you have 500 of them
for just $2,000."

When Fletcher said he didn't have that much money, according to the
transcript, Robertson added, "That's a $5,000 street value. I'm leaving it
wide open for you to profit like hell."

Fletcher ultimately took two pills as a sample and then bought 25 the next
day for $100, Branscom said. Robertson left the pills for Fletcher in a
metal barrel on the prison property, he said.

Robertson says he was joking with Fletcher about the drug deal and that
Fletcher planted the pills, Kowalczuk said.

Robertson claimed that Fletcher, who was reprimanded for his role in the
escape during which Robertson was injured, was hoping to get Robertson to
hand over some of the money from his civil suit, which was still alive at
the time of the sting operation. Robertson said he also had publicly chided
Fletcher for having an extramarital affair, and Fletcher may have had
vengeance in mind, Kowalczuk said.

Branscom said Robertson "told an outrageous story in the face of concrete
evidence."

The jury deliberated for an hour Wednesday evening before convicting
Robertson. Judge George Honts III revoked Robertson's bond, and he was
being held in the Botetourt County Jail.

His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 29.