Robert Chambers is led in handcuffs into Manhattan criminal court for his arraignment Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007, in New York. Chambers plans to offer a psychiatric defense to fight drug charges that could send him to prison for life, his lawyer told a judge Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007. He and his girlfriend were arrested last month on charges of dealing cocaine out of their apartment in midtown Manhattan. (Louis Lanzano/AP Photo)
'Preppie killer' headed back to prison on drug rap
updated 4:42 p.m. EDT, Mon August 11, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) -- The "preppie killer" who served 15 years behind bars for strangling a woman in Central Park during what he said was rough sex is headed back to prison for a drug offense.
Robert Chambers pleaded guilty Monday to criminal sale of a controlled substance and assault on a police officer. He and his girlfriend were arrested in October 2007 in an undercover sting at their Manhattan apartment on charges of dealing cocaine.
The district attorney's office said Chambers has been promised 19 years and four months in prison when he is sentenced next month. Chambers will get six years on the assault charge, which will run concurrently, and will have five years of supervision after his release.
A telephone call to Chambers' attorney, Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg, was not immediately returned Monday.
Chambers initially pleaded not guilty and was facing life in prison if convicted after trial. His attorney had planned to present a psychiatric defense at trial, arguing that his brain and judgment were damaged because of years of drug abuse. She had said he was using up to 12 bags of heroin plus other drugs each day at the time of his arrest.
Chambers' girlfriend, Shawn Kovell, admitted in state Supreme Court in December that the two sold narcotics to an undercover detective. Under the terms of her plea deal, she was sent to a drug rehabilitation center, and upon completion of her program she will be allowed to withdraw the guilty plea and plead to a lesser charge so she can receive a sentence of probation.
updated 4:42 p.m. EDT, Mon August 11, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) -- The "preppie killer" who served 15 years behind bars for strangling a woman in Central Park during what he said was rough sex is headed back to prison for a drug offense.
Robert Chambers pleaded guilty Monday to criminal sale of a controlled substance and assault on a police officer. He and his girlfriend were arrested in October 2007 in an undercover sting at their Manhattan apartment on charges of dealing cocaine.
The district attorney's office said Chambers has been promised 19 years and four months in prison when he is sentenced next month. Chambers will get six years on the assault charge, which will run concurrently, and will have five years of supervision after his release.
A telephone call to Chambers' attorney, Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg, was not immediately returned Monday.
Chambers initially pleaded not guilty and was facing life in prison if convicted after trial. His attorney had planned to present a psychiatric defense at trial, arguing that his brain and judgment were damaged because of years of drug abuse. She had said he was using up to 12 bags of heroin plus other drugs each day at the time of his arrest.
Chambers' girlfriend, Shawn Kovell, admitted in state Supreme Court in December that the two sold narcotics to an undercover detective. Under the terms of her plea deal, she was sent to a drug rehabilitation center, and upon completion of her program she will be allowed to withdraw the guilty plea and plead to a lesser charge so she can receive a sentence of probation.
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