Ex-Soldier Sentenced In Drug-Smuggling Case

Saturday, January 13th 2007, 6:41 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A former Army soldier was sentenced Friday to 15 months in federal prison for accepting $4,000 to help smuggle drugs in what turned out to be an FBI sting operation.

24-year-old James Dandridge of Chicago was sentenced in federal court in Oklahoma City. Dandridge says he knows what he did was wrong. He says son was being born at the time and he needed the money.

Dandridge is the latest former soldier from Fort Sill to admit to serving as a uniformed escort to men he thought were drug dealers bringing cocaine to Oklahoma City from Wichita Falls, Texas.

The men actually were disguised FBI agents. Dandridge made one trip in January 2004, helping to move 40 kilograms of cocaine. He pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy.