News

Man faces lesser sentence due to Mass. lab scandal

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A convicted drug dealer in New Hampshire who would have faced nearly 20 years in prison now faces a much lighter sentence after a prior conviction was tossed out due to the Boston crime lab scandal.

Forty-year-old Comilus Pope has more than 30 arrests dating back to age 15. He was indicted in 2011 on four counts of distributing crack cocaine and heroin in Nashua.

He faced a sentence of just under 20 years, but had a Massachusetts conviction thrown out in June because his case was among up to 40,000 cases tainted by rogue drug lab chemist Annie Dookhan.

Dookhan has been indicted on multiple charges including obstruction of justice.

Pope's federal sentencing guideline range is now 10-16 months, but prosecutors will seek a three-year sentence Tuesday.