Morgan County Circuit Judge Debra McLaughlin sentenced Berkeley Springs resident Robert D. Golden Jr., 53, of Tower Circle, to 11-50 years in prison following his conviction for multiple drug dealing charges and a weapons charge stemming from an investigation by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department in 2020.
In May, Golden had pled guilty to three counts of delivery of a controlled substance – two for delivery of the powerful sedative fentanyl and one for delivery of heroin. Golden also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and of possessing stolen property – the gun police found in his possession.
In 2014, Golden had been convicted of delivery of heroin and transporting the drug into the state. Due to that conviction, he is prohibited from having a firearm.
Capt. Tim Stapleton and Sgt. Scott Lemon of the Sheriff’s Department investigated the most recent drug case against Golden.
Judge McLaughlin imposed a sentence of 4-20 years for each count of delivery of a controlled substance (fentanyl), 2-30 years for delivery of heroin, 5 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm and one year for possession of stolen property. Golden will serve the two fentanyl sentences at the same time, and those sentences will run back-to-back with the heroin and firearms sentences. Prison time for the stolen property crime will be served concurrent with all of the other sentences.
As part of the sentencing, Prosecuting Attorney Dan James agreed not to pursue recidivist actions against Golden, which had the possibility of further increasing his prison sentences. Judge McLaughlin followed the state’s recommendation that Golden’s drug sentences should be doubled.
Golden’s prison terms will be served consecutive to any remaining prison time he must serve on his 2014 conviction.
Judge McLaughlin also accepted a guilty plea from a Frederick woman on charges she conspired with a Maryland man to commit prescription fraud at the Berkeley Springs Walgreens in August 2020.
Stephanie E. Faustino, 35, pled guilty to felony conspiracy and was sentenced to 1-5 years in prison on the charge. Prison time was suspended for five years supervised probation during which she must be employed, in school or performing community service. She cannot have contact with Mario Samm, her co-defendant, as a condition of probation.
