[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=50095.86

Alevizos Says No To Plea Deal

Stan Maddux
For The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Immediately after giving one drug dealer a stiff prison sentence, LaPorte Circuit Court Judge Tom Alevizos got tough with another who hoped to get off easy.

Under a plea agreement, Raymond East Jr., 46, Michigan City, was supposed to receive a six-year prison sentence for Class B felony dealing cocaine.

But Alevizos bristled, saying he had just sentenced Joseph Stamper, Chesterton, to 15 years in prison for the same offense. East also had a much longer criminal record.

"He has probably the worst criminal history I've seen since I sat on the bench," said Alevizos, eight months into a six-year term as judge.

Defense attorney Kurt Earnst said East likely will face additional punishment from charges still pending in Porter County.

"I can't accept this," said Alevizos, who quickly rejected defense arguments. He said he wants another plea agreement negotiated or he'll set the case for trial. A status hearing was scheduled for Aug. 24.

East, 401 E. Sixth St., allegedly sold $40 in crack cocaine Aug. 28 from an upstairs apartment at Seven Street and Willard Avenue. He's also accused of selling the drug two more times from the same location over the next week, according to court documents.

In comparison, Stamper was caught selling cocaine in Wanatah in September 2003. According to court documents, he drove to Portage to retrieve cocaine and returned to Wanatah to complete the $300 transaction. The next day, police said Stamper, 27, made another sale for 6.7 grams of cocaine.

Earnst, also Stamper's attorney, said he believed the plea was a fair resolution. He said Stamper had been trying to straighten out his life, but offered no details.

"He had a fall back to the bad things that don't work," Earnst said. Stamper has lived in Valparaiso and LaPorte, according to court documents.