Brown was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, the first to go to jail of the nine defendants in a large-scale prescription pill dealing ring.
TRENTON — Nearly two years ago, Eugene “Raheen” Brown was living on public assistance in an Atlantic City housing project.
His $775 monthly income barely covered the rent, so he subsidized with $141 in food stamps per month to buy groceries. He was on kidney dialysis, could hardly walk, and was in consistent pain, so doctors prescribed painkillers paid for with Medicaid.
Into his life walked Charles Hall III, a Trenton water meter reader and close associate of Mayor Tony Mack, who Brown says asked him if Brown could spare some of the pills and wanted to make a little money. From late 2011 until summer 2012, Hall would come to Atlantic City or Brown would come to Trenton. The two would exchange pills for money, leaving only to meet and do it again, Brown admitted.
Hall pleaded guilty to oxycodone distribution and extortion in February and awaits sentencing. Yesterday it was Brown’s turn to hear his fate.
Brown was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, the first to go to jail of the nine defendants in a large-scale prescription pill dealing ring allegedly masterminded by Joseph “JoJo” Giorgianni and Hall, who, separately, has served as a cooperating witness against Mack in a City Hall corruption case.
Yesterday in court, Brown said he regretted his actions.
“First of all, I’d like to say I’m sorry I got myself into this situation, I can’t undo it,” Brown said. “I put myself in this situation.”
Brown, who was accompanied by his niece to court, blamed Hall for getting him involved, and said he was set up. He alleged Hall went to two of Brown’s younger brothers who have medical problems and tried to make the same deal with them, but both gave flat-out “no” answers.
In March, Brown pleaded guilty to distribution of oxycodone and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. His attorney Bruce Throckmorton yesterday asked Judge Michael A. Shipp not to sentence Brown to prison.
“Mr. Brown is 71 years old and suffers from a number of medical conditions,” Throckmorton said. “His life is basically going to doctors now.”
Throckmorton added. “I do not believe Mr. Brown represents any risk to the community: He was, in a sense, tricked into this situation by Mr. Hall,” Throckmorton said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Skahill disagreed about Brown’s level of involvement.
“When you look at and listen to the telephone calls that have been intercepted in this case, you see someone who is actively involved in the distribution of these pills,” Skahill said.
Though Skahill said Brown had been cooperative in the investigation, he asked Shipp to sentence Brown to the 12 to 18 months in prison recommended by federal sentencing guidelines.
Shipp stayed within the guidelines, handing down a 12 month, one day prison sentence for Brown, with three years of supervised release on both counts Brown pleaded to.
Brown is the fourth of six co-defendants to be sentenced in the pill dealing case.
Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705.
CONNECT WITH US:
On mobile or desktop:
• Like Times of Trenton on Facebook
• Follow @TimesofTrenton on Twitter