Herbert Lee Childs, Cocaine Distribution, VA 2024

Herbert Lee Childs sold cocaine out of his Roanoke apartment, turning his home into a hub for illegal narcotics. That operation ended today with a 151-month federal prison sentence handed down in U.S. District Court. The 38-year-old now faces more than a decade behind bars after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine.

According to evidence presented by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford, Childs conducted multiple drug transactions with a police informant inside his residence. Surveillance and recorded exchanges detailed a pattern of distribution that federal prosecutors said posed a direct threat to public safety in the Roanoke community.

U.S. Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. made it clear: drug dealers erode the foundation of neighborhood stability. “Keeping our communities free of illegal drugs is the first step to allowing residents to lead safer, more productive lives,” Fishwick said during a brief statement following the sentencing.

The investigation that brought Childs down was a coordinated effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Roanoke City Police Department. Their joint task force zeroed in on Childs after receiving intelligence about ongoing drug activity tied to his apartment complex.

With no plea deal to reduce his exposure, Childs stood alone before the judge, accepting full responsibility for his actions when he entered his guilty plea at a prior hearing. Still, the sentence reflects the severity with which federal authorities treat repeat distribution offenses, especially when carried out in residential areas.

Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford prosecuted the case for the government. Childs will begin serving his 151-month sentence immediately, with no parole available under federal law. His release date is projected for 2034, when he will be 51 years old.