Cory Richards sentenced in Bonner County

By KEITH KINNAIRD

Hagadone News Network

SANDPOINT — A Bonners Ferry man implicated in a drug deal involving methadone has been sentenced to 10 days in jail and placed on probation for three years.

Corey Volney Richards pled guilty to a charge of delivery of a controlled substance as part of a plea agreement with the state. In exchange for the plea, a charge of witness intimidation was dismissed. Richards denied ever using drugs and rejected the idea of being regarded as a drug dealer when he was sentenced on Dec. 27, 2006. Richards told the court he thought he was merely "helping somebody out," according to hearing testimony.

Richards, 38, was accused of supplying five methadone tablets to a confidential informant on Feb. 15, 2006 in Boundary County. He was charged with witness intimidation for allegedly threatening the informant on March 22, 2006.

Boundary County Deputy Prosecutor Tevis Hull accused Richards of using his size and personality to intimidate people. Hull also disputed Richards' contention that his actions in the alleged drug transaction were purely altruistic.

Richards' Sandpoint attorney, Rex Finney, said it remains unclear why the informant was working for the state and added that Richards was holding the methadone, an analgesic and synthetic opiate, for his mother, who could not be trusted to self-administer the medication.

District Judge Lansing Haynes admonished Richards for going after the informant, but said he was moved by the defendant's pre-sentence report, which indicated Richards had overcome a difficult childhood.

Haynes noted that Richards did not use his troubled upbringing as an excuse for his actions, court documents saidHaynes ordered the 10-day jail sentence, imposed restitution totaling $500 and fined Richards $2,000.

Judgment was withheld, which means the conviction could be blotted from Richards' criminal record if he successfully completes probation.