Columbia man pleads guilty to importing heroin into the Midlands

Larry Bookman, 52, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to a federal charge of heroin conspiracy on Wednesday in connection to the bust in April 2014 of 10 people following Drug Enforcement Administration wiretaps of Columbia area phones.

Bookman and the others were accused of importing heroin from India and later from New York State for distribution in the Midlands.

Bookman, who will be sentenced at a later date by federal judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr.., could face 30 years in prison and a fine of 2 million dollars, U.S. attorney Bill Nettles said in a news release.

Bookman faces stiffer penalties than several of his co-defendants because of previous federal and state stretching back to 1989, Nettles said.

Staff reports