Yesterday (Apr 13), Circuit Judge Robert Segal sentenced Tore THORPE (26), to sixteen (16) years in Prison after a Brevard County Jury convicted him on February 3, 2023, on eight felony counts including Sale and Possession of Fentanyl, Sale and Possession of Cocaine, and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device.

 

After a three-day trial with evidence presented by Assistant State Attorney Clarissa Harrell, the jury deliberated just 2 hours before returning with the eight guilty as charged verdicts. 

 

Judge Segal found that THORPE qualified for enhanced sentencing as a Habitual Felony Offender and ordered sixteen (16) years in prison for each of the two (2) counts of Sale of Fentanyl (F2), five (5) years for Sale of Cocaine (F2), and five (5) years each for Possession of Cocaine (F3), Possession of Fentanyl (F3), and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device (F3). All the sentences are to be served concurrently. In his comments immediately prior to handing down the sentences, Judge Segal said "The fentanyl problem is a huge problem. It needs to be gotten off the streets and the way to do that is to take the people that are selling it, and take them off the streets."

 

THORPE'S convictions stemmed from an undercover operation conducted by the Melbourne Police Department aimed at addressing street level drug sales in the area of S. Babcock Street. On multiple occasions over several days in February and March of 2021, the Special Investigations Unit purchased both Cocaine and Fentanyl from THORPE who made the exchanges at or near the Mobil Service Station. Officers then obtained an arrest warrant for THORPE who was arrested on June 9, 2021.

 

THORPE will remain in custody at the Brevard County Jail as he is still facing trial in May for Possession of Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Oxycodone, Alprazolam, and Drug Paraphernalia.