A drug dealer from Anderson has been given a very long prison sentence. 49-year-old Matthew Ray Simpson pleaded guilty to 21 counts related to drug trafficking and gun possession. It was an open plea, as Simpson was hoping to get released on probation in order to attend a drug treatment program. However, the prosecutor convinced the judge that Simpson was a drug dealer trying to escape responsibility by claiming that his actions were driven by his addiction. The judge agreed and gave Simpson the maximum sentence of 21 years in state prison.
-Steve Gibson