Bags of drugs and piles of cash

By Linda Cicoira

After learning of a local resident’s non-fatal overdose, members of the Eastern Shore Drug Taskforce became aware there was a drug dealer living in Temperanceville and selling illegal substances mostly through a cash app, Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan said in Accomack Circuit Court Thursday.

A confidential informant purchased cocaine from 38-year-old Shawn Adam White in July 2023, which led to officers getting a search warrant for the Lankford Highway home.

Evidence and court records showed an undisclosed amount of cash, more than 2,000 bags of heroin, three ounces of cocaine, fentanyl, buprenorphine that is used for the treatment of opioid addiction, and a key were among the items confiscated.

The key was for a safety deposit box that held $100,000 in cash gained from drug sales. A forfeiture against White included the money and a truck.

In a plea agreement, White admitted to six felony indictments and was ordered to serve seven active years in prison. Five charges were not prosecuted in exchange for the admissions. All of the indictments could have brought life plus 200 years in prison and caused eight jury trials. Three of the charges involved children, who apparently lived with White. There was also a misdemeanor count of possession of a Schedule III drug.

White will be on supervised probation for five years and good behavior for 10 years after he is released. He forfeited his 4th Amendment rights regarding search and seizure for five years.

     In another case, 33-year-old Brittany Lee Smack, of Parksley, admitted in a plea agreement to distributing cocaine. Evidence showed the task force’s confidential informant purchased 1.75 grams of cocaine from her for $60 on July 13, 2023. She was sentenced to five years in prison with all but time served suspended. She will be on three years of supervised probation and five years of good behavior.