Borders faces six years on drug charge

A Cedartown man who worked for Georgia Power his whole life, paid his taxes and had a large amount of community support was sentenced last week to six years in a federal prison, plus four years probation, for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Arthur Lewis Borders pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Rome for trying to buy $33,500 worth of cocaine from an undercover agent.

Judge Harold L. Murphy said he took into account Borders’ lack of a criminal record, reputation, church service and job history when he sentenced him.

While all of the support and history was admirable, Murphy said, Borders “sells the very devil itself.”

During a search of his home at 1076 Potash Road, police found 1.5 pounds of cocaine, a half-pound of marijuana and about a pound of meth. Officers also found 55 gallons of moonshine there.

Borders had approximately 30 supporters from his family, church and community at the sentencing.

Two character witnesses were called to speak to the judge about Borders, including Pastor Curtis Dixon, who has known Borders since 1997, when he became the preacher at the same church Borders attended.

Borders was highly involved in the church, as well as the community, according to Dixon, who visited Borders in prison in Alabama.

Dixon said Borders is currently teaching Bible lessons to prison inmates based on his Sunday morning sermon notes.

“You don’t get support like this unless you merit it,” according to Borders’ defense attorney John Garland.

Garland recommended the mandatory minimum sentence of five years.

The prosecutor said the whole case was unusual because of Borders’ job history, church service and community reputation.

He even compared Borders to the apostle Paul, because of his Bible lessons in the prison.

Still, the prosecutor said the judge must take into account the large quantities of drugs, which is why he recommended the judge sentence him to six years and six months.