Feb 5, 2020 2 min read

A city man who was sentenced Friday in Washington County Court to 20 to 40 years in prison on charges he illegally possessed guns, plus heroin and fentanyl, that he planned to distribute when investigators searched his home in 2018.

Common Pleas Judge Valarie Costanzo imposed the sentence for Lance Rogers, 31. Rogers was convicted on charges pertaining to the 10 guns and opioids mixture Nov. 1, at the end of his jury trial. Investigators said they found 11 guns – one of which was registered to his fiancée – in the couple’s East Prospect Street home and outside in a vehicle registered to the fiancée. The opioid mixture and cocaine were found in the residence. Rogers was also convicted of cocaine possession.

The evidence Assistant District Attorney Rachel Wheeler introduced during the trial included videos and photos from Rogers’ cellphone that showed him handling at least some of the weapons. Rogers was prohibited from owning and using firearms because of a previous conviction for a robbery involving a firearm in Chicago, where he lived previously.

The charges were filed by Detective Ryan McWreath, a sheriff’s deputy assigned to the county Drug Task Force. Rogers had been in the county jail since his bail was revoked in late 2018.

Pete Marcoline, Rogers’ attorney, said following the trial he expected to appeal the case.