A drug distribution conviction has landed a Tappahannock man a two-year stint in prison.
Ranaz Tremaine Newbill, 29, entered a guilty plea to a charge of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance on November 19 in Essex County Circuit Court.
In a plea agreement accepted by Judge John S. Martin, Newbill was sentenced to 10 years in prison with eight years suspended for a period of 10 years. Following his release, Newbill will be on supervised probation for not more than five years during which time he will be subject to warrantless searches and seizures.
In a statement of facts, Essex Commonwealth’s Attorney James M. Sitton II told the court that on June 12, 2024 the Chesapeake Bay Narcotics Task Force utilized a confidential informant to make a cocaine purchase from Newbill.
Sitton said the informant went to Newbill’s Tappahannock apartment to make a $100 transaction. He said the substance was determined to be powdered cocaine in the amount of 1.3601 grams.
Sitton said the transaction was monitored by audio and video devices.
In exchange for his guilty plea, a charge of drug distribution near a school zone against Newbill was not prosecuted.
In another matter, a Richmond man received a 12-month suspended sentence after entering a guilty plea to an amended charge of using obscene language to intimidate over the telephone.
Austin Santana Brown entered the guilty plea to a Class 1 misdemeanor. The charge was originally a felony.
Brown was ordered to be of peace and good behavior for 12 months and instructed not to have any contact with the victim including a prohibition on social media postings about Evangeline Saunders.
Also last week trial dates were set for the following matters:
• A December 3 trial date was set for Gonzalo Ramirez-Castillo who faces a charge of assault and battery. His trial will be heard by a jury.
• A February 25, 2026 bench trial date was set for Catherine Louise Giannasi who is charged with seven felony offenses related to credit card fraud.
• A March 18, 2026 jury trial was set for Devon Alexander Sabb who is charged with felony eluding law enforcement and misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and speeding more than 20 miles per hour above the speed limit.
In other matters, status hearing dates were set for the following:
• Daekwon Alontrey Mabry on December 17. He is charged with distribution of a Schedule I or II drug and possession of a firearm while in possession of a Schedule I or II drug.
• Latasha Bushnell on December 10. She is charged with three counts of distribution of a Schedule I or II drug.
• Marshall Scott Campbell on December 17. He has been charged with one count of assault and battery of a family member, one count of strangulation, and one count of distribution of a Schedule I or II drug.
• Katherine Ann Means on December 17. She is charged with obtaining money by false pretenses.
• James Arthur Hackett Jr. on January 28, 2026. He faces a charge of breaking and entering.
In a final matter, Gerald Thompson was granted a $5,000 unsecured bond suggested by the prosecution. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Heather Baber told the court that Thompson has significant health issues that would best be addressed while he is on bond. Other terms of his bond included that he be on pre-trial supervision and must be in weekly contact with his courtappointed attorney William Viverette.
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