Vandoris Bridgett's nervousness turned to quiet grief, tears rolling down her cheeks after watching U.S. District Judge William Steele sentence her 24-year-old son to more than 11 years in prison for his role in the Gorilla Records crack cocaine ring.

Within 10 minutes, the news was better, as Steele -- after remarking on the otherwise spotless record of Ernest Maurice Battles Jr., and hearing pleas from Bridgett and Battles' uncle -- lowered his sentence to 60 months.

"I think those two factors made a significant difference in the sentencing today," said Battles' lawyer, Mobile attorney Willie Huntley.

As or more important was Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Bordenkircher's recommendation to Steele that he reduce Battles' sentence to 70 months.

Battles, said the prosecutor, provided information and court testimony that was crucial in successful prosecutions of higher-ups in what's been called the largest drug operation in the Mobile area for years.

Gorilla Records is the name of a local rap music label that produced about 260 pounds of crack cocaine but no recorded music. Prosecutors contend that ringleaders created the label as a front to launder drug profits.

They also claim that members of the gang murdered several people to keep Gorilla's grip on the cocaine trade here.

Huntley told Steele that his client was lured into the organization by his love of rap music, and for purposes of sentencing should be considered a minor participant.

Only after becoming involved did Battles learn of Gorilla's connection to the drug trade, Huntley said. The ringleaders of the organization told Battles that to produce music, they first needed to raise money, and to do that, they needed to sell crack, Huntley said.

The Gorilla Records organization purchased large amounts of cocaine from Texas, transported it back to Mobile and Prichard, and cooked it into crack, court records show.

Steele told Huntley that his client's initial motive for joining the organization was immaterial.

The judge then recited portions of the "factual resume" that Battles signed as part of his plea deal. It contains Battles' statements that from about January 2001 to March 2003, he conspired with others to distribute about 1.5 kilograms of crack in Mobile; and that he and others cooked the cocaine into crack and sold it for a profit.

"I just want to apologize to the judge and my family," a tearful Battles told Steele, when the judge asked him if he had anything to say.

Bridgett walked to the front of the court and told the judge that as a single mother, she never had problems with her son until he became involved with Gorilla Records. He has turned his life around since his arrest earlier this year, she said.

"I have the child I raised again," Bridgett told Steele as about seven members of the family watched quietly, some crying.

Bridgett also told Steele that her son has a 2-year-old child who needs him.

In reducing Battles' sentence to 60 months, Steele remarked that the defendant had never been charged with any other crimes. He noted that a clean record is "not something you see much in this court."

Battles intends to take drug counseling in prison, which will knock a year off his sentence, and with other possible credits could be released in 38 months, Huntley said.

Sentencing dates were postponed for three other members of the Gorilla Records organization -- one who was to have been sentenced last week, and two others who were to have been sentenced Monday.

al.com