U.S. DISTRICT COURT, BENTON—The former sheriff of Gallatin County is said to be in transit on a long journey from California to Illinois.
Raymond Martin, we’ve been told by sources today, is listed as “in transit” on the Federal Bureau of Prisons website:
Raymond Martin, in Jackson County January 2010.
Martin, 50, a nearly-20-year sheriff of Gallatin County when he was arrested May 18, 2009, received to two life sentences on January 19, 2011, after a jury of his peers found him guilty of several counts in his federal drugs, weapons, and intimidation of witnesses case was held in Benton September 2010. The two counts that landed Martin life sentences are the oft-misquoted counts 4 and 5, Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug-Traffcking Crime, specifically, Distribution of Marijuana. He received varying sentences for the other charges of Distributing Marijuana, Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, Witness Tampering, Conspiracy to Tamper with Witnesses, and Structuring Financial Transactions to Evade Reporting them.
Martin fought from the moment his verdict was read to change at least SOMETHING about his sentencing, and was able to get an appeal in front of a federal appeals court late last year. This came to fruition over the summer when it was announced that his life sentences would be “re-done,” due to some kind of technicality arising from Judge Phi Gilbert’s application of federal sentencing guidelines. Our legal sources tell us that the technicality is SO minor, and complicated, it would take a band of attorneys hours to explain it. However, they also tell us that it’s not going to make a lot of difference. Judge Gilbert is hearing the resentencing, and while the sentencing might change a little bit, it’s likely that Martin will end up with such long sentences that at his age, it’s going to end up being natural life anyway.
Martin’s defense attorney John O’Gara of Belleville has been reappointed as his legal counsel, and he’s scheduled to appear with Martin on November 29 at 1:30 in Benton; however, it’s not clear whether O’Gara will continue in that capacity beyond making an appearance, as, at closing of Martin’s case in September 2010, Martin expressed dissatisfaction with how O’Gara represented him. We thought so too, at the time, but after seeing what a capable attorney O’Gara is in the Brandon Jenkins case, we realize that the situation with Martin was just as many in positions of authority in Benton were saying in late 2010: O’Gara didn’t have a lot to work with with Martin.
We’ll be there in Benton on Nov. 29, so you be here. And while you’re waiting, please consider subscribing to our print version of Disclosure, or getting an e-Edition membership, which we’re working on incessantly now to bring you more and more features, all for only $5.99 a month, and which brings you all the print version articles and photos right here to the convenience of your computer. Thanks for reading Disclosure!