EX-RESTAURANTEUR PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 4, 1992                   TAG: 9202040276
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
EX-RESTAURANTEUR PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGES
The owner of the now-defunct Shuckers Restaurant pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke to conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine.
Ronald G. Randolph, 39, of Salem, faced a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $4 million fine.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bondurant told Judge Sam Wilson that he had agreed to a reduced sentence for Randolph because he has assisted the government since he was arrested in August 1990 with a kilogram of cocaine on him. Randolph will be sentenced after a background report is prepared.
In a summary of the evidence, Bondurant said Randolph moved from Florida to Roanoke in 1982 after he became involved in dealing drugs and was afraid he was about to get caught in Florida. He opened Shuckers shortly after moving to Roanoke, Bondurant said.
In 1983, Randolph re-established contact with his Florida supplier and purchased between one and four kilograms of cocaine two or three times a year. He then sold that cocaine to sub-dealers in the Roanoke area, Bondurant said.
Randolph, who had operated Shuckers for eight years, closed the restaurant after he was arrested.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB