Sentence recommendation rejected
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District Judge James Manley has rejected a 10-year suspended sentence recommendation for an alleged heroin dealer.
Lolanda Lou Sorrel-Buck, 48, was allowed to withdraw her guilty plea to one count of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute. Sorrel-Buck pleaded guilty to the drug charge in December by way of a plea agreement.
The plea agreement would have dismissed two other charges: use or possession of property subject to criminal forfeiture and criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
According to court records, Sorrel-Buck was found transporting 20 grams of heroin to the Mission Valley from Missoula on May 2, 2020, while driving her silver Dodge Avenger. She also was allegedly in possession of four grams of methamphetamine and $1,935 in cash. She said she uses the Dodge Avenger to drive to Missoula to meet her source for heroin. She also is alleged to have stated that she bought 25 grams of heroin for $2,500 to sell it $200 per gram.
The plea agreement called for Sorrel-Buck to be sentenced to time already served at the time of sentencing and 10 years with the Montana Department of Corrections all suspended.
The agreement would have allowed Sorrel-Buck to keep her silver Dodge Avenger and any non-contraband items seized from her.
Manley did not offer an alternative recommendation for sentencing and continued the case to March 24 with all three counts back on the table.
