Woman gets 25 years for selling prescription drugs

Letisha Dawn Beam was convicted by a jury last week and sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 25 years for trafficking in opium and possession with intent to sell and deliver methadone.

Beam stood trial for selling her methadone and Lortab pills to an undercover officer with the Kannapolis Police Department on Nov. 5, 2005.

The transaction took place behind a convenience store in Kannapolis on a Saturday afternoon while customers were entering and leaving the store.

Detective Timothy Roth, a 17-year veteran of the Kannapolis Police, arrested Beam after she arrived at the store with 73 Lortab pills and two bottles of methadone. Beam had arranged the sale over the phone. She did not know the person she had arranged the sale with was a detective.

Kannapolis Police Capt. Pat Patty helped with the investigation and arrest. Both officers and a SBI drug analyst testified. Assistant District Attorney Tom Barcellona prosecuted the case.

Capt. Chuck Adams said Kannapolis Police will continue to work prescription drug cases due to the number of deaths attributable to prescription drug abuse.

District Attorney Roxann Vaneekhoven said she was pleased with the outcome.

"The drug dealers in Cabarrus County need to know that our office takes trafficking cases very seriously, and we will prosecute those who illegally sell prescription drugs just as vigorously as we prosecute those who sell crack cocaine or marijuana," Vaneekhoven said.

"We will work side by side with our police departments and sheriff's office to make sure that criminals are held accountable.

"I appreciate the work that Assistant District Attorney Tom Barcellona did in enforcing our laws. Mr. Barcellona's work is one example of how seriously our office takes these offenses."