Eric Paul Zopf Judge Grubbs found his case “astonishing” because the convicted drug dealer compiled a 17-year criminal record

Eric Paul Zopf Judge Grubbs found his case “astonishing” because the convicted drug dealer compiled a 17-year criminal record after coming “from a background of society and privilege.” From the witness stand, Zopf told a story of a life of tragedies, beginning with being struck by a car and seriously injured, then suffering severe neurological damage from a lightning strike outside his home and additional injuries from a beating suffered while serving time in the New River Valley jail on a previous offense. “He’s a contradiction,” Zopf’s retired college professor father told Grubbs. But Paul Zopf said his son’s problems began at age two when he was diagnosed with a hyperactive disorder. Eric Zopf grew up in a college professor’s home and attended private schools. He admitted an addiction to drugs, alcohol and tobacco, telling the court he began abusing drugs and alcohol at 21. His criminal record dates back to 1991 with multiple arrests and convictions for drug use, drug distribution, driving under the influence, carrying a concealed weapon and other offenses. He was on probation for a drug conviction after police found 100 marijuana plants growing at his home in Floyd County. Zopf’s father said his son had an ideological disagreement with marijuana laws and felt they should be repealed. He said the younger Zopf only recently understood the seriousness of his crimes.
His son told Grubbs that he would “never, ever break the law again” and appreciated the support of friends and family. “I’ve lost everything but I still have my family,” he said. Besides Zopf’s father, defense attorney David Rhodes put four friends, including the defendant’s fiancé, on the stand for more than an hour of testimony in the sentencing hearing. Rhodes also introduced a sheaf of letters from family and friends asking for leniency in sentencing. Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Shortt argued that leniency was not the punishment Zopf needed for his long criminal history. She noted that Zopf sold drugs for profit and pushed drugs he did not use himself. Such actions, she said, deserve prison sentences.
After the testimony, Grubbs took a 20-minute recess to review the letters and testimony. He returned to sentence Zopf to 10 years on the mushroom charge, then suspended eight years. He added a year and seven months on the probation violation and ruled the sentences be served concurrently for a total of three years, seven months. Rhodes asked that at least some of the probation sentence be concurrent but Grubbs answered with an empathic “no.” He did grant a request that the Virginia Department of Corrections place Zopf in a prison that has a “thearaputic” drug dependence program. Zopf will also be on probation when released from prison.
In other court action Tuesday, Grubbs:
--Sentenced James Edward Overstreet to three years in prison on drug distribution charges but deferred sentencing if the defendant completes a drug treatment program;
--Gave Charles Henry Frazier a three-year suspended sentence and two years probation on drug possession charges.