Drug dealer gets $1 million fine, 22 years in prison

Jul 03, 2012 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Toppled cocaine kingpins usually go quietly to prison, but David M. Curran, 29, decided instead to give voice to his indignation.

"Your honor, you gave me 22 years in prison, 10 years probation, and you're asking me to pay $1 million?" the Upper St. Clair man shouted Tuesday at U.S. District Judge Terrence F. McVerry. "I don't know how you all sleep at night," he added, as he was led away in shackles.

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Curran is the 15th and final member of his former drug sale network to be sentenced. He bought cocaine from a Bosnian syndicate in the Midwest and sold it through dealers stretching from Brookline to Somerset.

"Your drug trafficking resulted not only in the potential for violence, but actual, brutal violence and the threats of violence," Judge McVerry said.

While under investigation, Curran was wiretapped bragging that he "stomped [fellow drug dealer Jeffrey Kachmar's cousin] to a bloody ... pool." Kachmar owed Curran $7,400, said court filings by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Haller. Curran threatened to kill Kachmar and shoot up "his baby's mom's crib," according to the filings.

The threat spurred Kachmar to cash his child's savings bonds to pay the debt, Mr. Haller wrote. Curran was acquitted of charges related to the incident, and bragged into a tapped cell phone about beating the charge.

Kachmar is serving three years in prison for his role in Curran's drug network.

Judge McVerry made the unusual finding that Curran owes the government $1,080,000, based on the street value of the cocaine he got from the Bosnians in 2009.

He said Curran and the federal government could work out a repayment plan after his 21-year and 10-month sentence ends. The government will take Curran's share of his house, his Land Rover and $16,580 with which he was caught.

Judge McVerry noted that Curran had a history of encounters with law enforcement since age 14, though not of prison time.

"I sort of wish I went to jail when I was younger, as a wake-up call," Curran said.

"Now you seem to be awake -- unfortunately too late -- but not really," said Judge McVerry, noting that he can get vocational training in prison.

Rich Lord: rlord@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1542.

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