The lawyer for Jeannette man convicted for his part in what prosecutors described as a major drug distribution ring told a Westmoreland County judge his client’s turbulent upbringing and future potential warranted a mitigated prison sentence.
Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger disagreed when he sentenced Damone A. Morton to five to 10 years in prison this week.
“Your potential was completely wasted. You are destroying your life. I looked for reasons to mitigate (the sentence) because I believe you are not the man this paper says you are. You may have turned your life around, but there are consequences for actions,” Krieger said.
Morton, 28, pleaded guilty in November to felony drug offenses in connection with allegations that he sold fentanyl, opioids and other drugs to confidential informants in 2021 and 2022. According to court records, Morton participated in multiple drug sales.
Morton was arrested last May along with a woman at a Trafford home where four bricks of suspected heroin, a stolen gun and $6,000 were found by investigators. Police claimed Morton and Gessica A. Merlin, 26, of Hempfield sold drugs at various locations in Penn Township, Greensburg and Hempfield.
Investigators said Morton was suspected of spending more than $44,000 on sports betting, and subsequent searches at the homes of two relatives turned up more than $100,000 in cash.
Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Deputy Attorney Tomm Mutschler said investigators determined that Morton had no verifiable income at the time of his arrest and that the cash seized is expected to be forfeited to the Attorney General’s Office.
According to court records, Morton has been convicted in more than five criminal cases, including at least three that involved drugs, dating back to 2014.
Morton on Tuesday pleaded with the judge for a lenient sentence.
“I’ve changed a lot. I’m a real positive man, and I am real sorry about what I have done. I’m ready to do good. I have grown as a man, and I am ready to do good,” Morton said.
Merlin, according to court records, is free on a $100,000 unsecured bond and is scheduled for trial on similar charges in July.
