SALT LAKE CITY -- A father and his two sons who admitted to making drugs in their home faced a judge and lost their freedom Friday afternoon, and the father isn't just any drug dealer. James Robinson was an attorney for the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Robinson and his sons made plea deals before Friday's sentencing in connection with arrests for operating a drug lab in their home.
James Wesley Robinson, 51, along with his 19 and 21 year old sons were sentenced Friday in connection to a drug lab found in the family's home in Sugar House in February 2014. Prosecutors said evidence shows the Robinson’s were manufacturing and selling drugs.
According to prosecutors, the bigger issue was that they were manufacturing a certain type of marijuana extract, which they say is very dangerous and can cause explosions. After three separate sentencing hearings Friday, both Zachary and Alexander Robinson were ordered to spend 60 days in jail followed by probation.
Their father will be serving 120 days in jail followed by 36 months of probation.
“I don't think jail does a whole lot, but I understand why the judge did it," said Ron Yengich, an attorney for one of the Robinsons. "My client was ready to accept that. It’s not something we didn't anticipate. I thought it was a fair sentence ultimately."
The state prosecutor said this type of sentencing isn't unusual for first time offenders, which all three Robinsons were in this case.
“I think the sentences were incredibly fair," said Andrea Martinez Griffin, a state prosecutor. "I think that justice was served; I think serving some jail time was appropriate in this particular case. I also think that too probation was appropriate in the boys' case, and I think the dad did deserve a little bit longer of a sentence. He was the father. It was his home, any reasonable person would know that was going on."
