A former Chambersburg man is sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison without hope of parole on a federal drug conviction. 44 year old Herman Charles Staten, also known as “Chuck Staten” was sentenced last week in federal court following his conviction last August for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of more than 280 grams of crack cocaine and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. During a five day trial, prosecutors proved that Staten and fellow co-conspirators obtained large quantities of crack cocaine from Staten’s supply source in Harrisburg. He then took the crack cocaine back to Franklin county to supply local drug dealers who in turn distributed the crack cocaine to numerous customers in the Chambersburg area.
Before his 2012 federal indictment, State had been under investigation by the Franklin County Drug Task Force from January 2008 to June 2010. During that period Staten was on parole from a previous federal drug conviction in 2005.
Because of two prior drug convictions, Staten violated the federal “three strikes” statute which calls for a mandatory life sentence.