Chattanooga Cocaine Dealer Gets Lengthy Prison Term

Friday, June 05, 2009

A Chattanooga cocaine dealer has been given a lengthy prison sentence.

Federal Judge Curtis Collier ordered Clarence Goodwin to serve 21 years and 10 months in federal prison.

Goodwin had been facing a minimum 20 years after his arrest last summer.

Authorities said on April 18, 2008, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force began a series of controlled buys of crack cocaine with the assistance of a confidential informant who knew Goodwin.

The CI spoke with Goodwin by phone that day and agreed to buy a half ounce of cocaine for $500. Later, that day he purchased 8.2 grams of cocaine from Goodwin.

The CI told agents that in addition to his purchase, there was a crack cookie of approximately 10 ounces and 30-40 crack rocks in Goodwin's house.

Over a period through June 16, 2008, the CI made a total of five purchases of cocaine from Goodwin. The total buy was 71.9 grams.

The CI would either get the cocaine directly from Goodwin or from his associate, Avery Morris, authorities said.

Also sentenced to federal prison for selling drugs was Austin "Ira" Dodd. He got 33 months.

Authorities said Dodd was involved in a cocaine ring in Bradley County.

In April 2008, the Bradley County Sheriff's Office along with the ATF began a series of controlled buys of crack cocaine.

On April 28, 2008, a confidential informant met Dodd and Raymond Gaines. He bought 2.7 grams of cocaine from Gaines. On May 1, he bought 5.1 grams of cocaine from Dodd.

On May 2, Dodd introduced the CI to another drug seller, and he bought 1.8 grams of cocaine from him. He later bought another 3.2 grams of cocaine from Dodd. On June 18, he bought 3.2 grams of cocaine from Dodd.

The total amount of cocaine sold by Dodd to the CI was 13.1 grams, authorities said.


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