Carlson sentenced to 27 months in prison

“I am not a bad person,” sobbed “Jerry” S. Carlson minutes before federal Judge Justin Quackenbush sentenced him to 27 months in prison for the felony of attempting to possess cocaine with intent to deliver. Today’s sentencing also included supervised release for four years after prison. 

If Carlson violates any terms of supervised release, he stands to be re-incarcerated for four additional years. The judge said he would make an additional request to the Bureau of Prisons that the defendant participates in a 500-hour prison addiction program. Carlson has already paid $20,000 and relinquished a vehicle in forfeiture. The maximum possible sentence for the crime was five to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine.

The sentencing stems from Carlson’s plea agreement with federal prosecutors in January –a plea that dismissed two other cocaine-related charges. 

In 2008- 2009, Carlson made several drug purchases from Theodore Bruck, a business acquaintance of Carlson’s. Bruck was arrested and became a government informant. In February 2009, after Bruck delivered what turned out to be a kilo of fake cocaine to Carlson, Carlson was arrested. Raids by the police revealed smaller quantities of cocaine in his premises, as well as drug paraphernalia.

Carlson is well known to the community as a prominent insurance agent and local school booster. Sitting quietly in the courtroom during sentencing, were over 50 friends, family and fellow AA members.  Two character witnesses were called, describing Carlson’s addictions to cocaine and alcohol over a 20-year period in which Carlson himself said:  “The drugs became my life—I was doing it 24 hours a day with only an hour or two of sleep.” He now says he is sober and attends 20 AA meetings a week, where he is a sponsor to other addicts. - Kathlene Kolts