Drug Dealer Gets Lighter Prison Sentence Because Of Boston Crime Lab Scandal

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A convicted drug dealer in New Hampshire who would have faced nearly 20 years in prison as a career offender will serve much less because a prior conviction was tossed out due to the Boston crime lab scandal.

A federal judge sentenced 40-year-old Comilus Pope to three years in prison, citing a record of 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 2007 Massachusetts drug 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.

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