Editor's Note: Since the time of the story below, Jesse Sheckler was acquitted of all charges and a Charlottesville jury awarded him $10 million in compensation in a defamation suit against WVIR.

The article below was originally posted on this website on May 31, 2003. For more, see Index for Defamation Suit Against WVIR as Covered on Loper Website.

"The jury trial of a Stanardsville man charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics began Monday with testimony from a drug felon who said he received $37,000 in cash from the defendant to invest in drugs.

Jesse R. Sheckler, 50, who owns an automotive garage on Pea Ridge Road in Stanardsville, was indicted March 6 on one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics beginning in the spring of 1999, according to court records in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville.

The charges stem from Sheckler's alleged investments made to Samuel E. Rose, 30, for his buying and selling of cocaine and marijuana for a profit.

In opening arguments, Jack C. Frels, assistant U.S. Attorney, said the evidence would show that in early 2000, Sheckler invested $37,000 in Rose's drug business, expecting about $80,000 back.

Sheckler's attorney, Denise Y. Lunsford, said evidence presented by the defense would show that Sheckler did give money to Rose as an investment but "had no idea what Mr. Rose had planned for this money," she said.

"Rose came to Sheckler and misrepresented that he wanted to obtain funds and possibly use those funds illegally," Lunsford said.

Supporting evidence presented by the prosecution is Rose's Monday testimony and three taped conversations between Rose and Sheckler about money owed Sheckler. The taped conversations - one on Jan. 31 and two on Feb. 2 - were made after Rose's arrest in November on felony drug charges and were arranged by officials from the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Rose testified Monday about meetings between the men, how much money changed hands and conversations taped by Rose. Lunsford will question Rose today.

Rose, who pleaded guilty in July to the drug charges and will be sentenced Nov. 7, testified that he worked with Robinson and Sheckler's two brothers-in-law, Mark and Andy Lohr, in the buying and selling of drugs.

Through the Lohr brothers, Rose testified he met Sheckler and discussed with him investing in his drug business. After Sheckler invested $37,000 over about 6 months, Rose began paying him back in payments of $2,000 to $3,000, he testified. One of the taped conversations from Feb. 2, Rose testified, was about the amount of money he still owed Sheckler. The prosecution submitted as evidence a business card upon which Rose had written the amounts Sheckler said he was owed.

The trial is expected to go to the jury today." (Keri Schwab, The Daily Progress, October 30, 2001)