A 53-year-old Pennsylvania man, Marquan Sherrod Wilson, will only serve 60 months of probation after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine in Arizona.
Wilson was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine, and an additional $25,000 of community restitution.
According to the Department of Justice, on November 2, 2020, Wilson traveled to Arizona from out of state and purchased approximately 978 grams of cocaine from individuals in Tucson. Wilson planned to deliver the cocaine to others, but was pulled over by Arizona Department of Public Safety officers on Interstate 10, as he was attempting to leave Arizona. Officers seized the cocaine and placed Wilson under arrest.
Community restitution is based on the amount of public harm caused by the offense, as determined by the sentencing judge, according to the Department of Justice. By law, 65 percent of the total amount of restitution is paid to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission’s Crime Victim Services designated to administer crime victim assistance in the state in which the crime occurred. The remaining 35 percent is paid to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System designated to receive federal substance abuse block grant funds. The goal of community restitution is to help financially support the communities affected by the criminal behavior through the designated state agencies.
Wilson agreed with prosecutors to make community restitution and a fine part of his guilty plea to demonstrate that he accepted full responsibility for his actions.