Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Marks Gets 35 Year Sentence

A 21-year-old Gurdon man was sentenced to 35 years in prison on drug charges Wednesday, May 28, in the 9th Circuit Court.

Kevin "Kaboo" Marks, had been arrested by the Gurdon Police Department on Dec. 5, 1996, after he was observed selling $100 worth of crack cocaine out of his vehicle. This amounted to three rocks of the illegal narcotic.

Marks was found with a marked $100 bill in his possession when arrested.

Once the attorneys concluded their arguments and all evidence had been presented, the jury, which had two blacks on it, deliberated a grand total of 10 minutes before returning with a guilty verdict.

The sentencing phase did take a little longer, but not much, only about 30 minutes. The jury returned with the 35 year sentence, though the charge of possession with intent to deliver is a class Y felony and can carry a life sentence.

However, there were fireworks when the sentence was levied. Marks asked the court for two weeks to get his affairs in order and was denied. He then exploded and had to be forcibly removed from the courtroom, according to Gurdon City Marshal David Childres.

Then, members of Marks' family attempted to attack his attorney, Childres said, as he tried to leave the courthouse.

Marks' appeal bond was set at $250,000 by the court.

His vehicle, a 1986 Ford Mustang, was confiscated by the GPD, with assistance from the Clark County Sheriff's Office and South Central Drug Task Force. It could become property of the city of Gurdon once the paperwork is completed and turned in to the state.

"Maybe this will make others think about what they're doing," Childres said of those dealing drugs in the Gurdon area.