By Billy Davis

A Batesville drug dealer who used his home for the illegal activity has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Edward House was sentenced Friday by Circuit Judge Andrew C. Baker. His sentence also included 10 years of post-release supervision.

House had been indicted last February on two counts, one for conspiracy and a second for sale of narcotics. Before sentencing he had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and the second count was dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Authorities say they busted House and a second dealer, Brian Scurlock, in an undercover buy for crack cocaine and marijuana.

The Panolian reported in August that Scurlock, also indicted for conspiracy and sale of cocaine, entered a guilty plea on the single count of sale of cocaine.

He was also sentenced to 10 years in prison after the plea.

Scurlock was awaiting a trial by jury as a repeat offender and thus faced more than 80 years in prison, without the possibility of parole, if convicted on both counts. He was on parole for sale of cocaine and burglary of a dwelling when he was nabbed in the sting.

Before the plea agreement, Scurlock was also facing an aggravated assault charge stemming from a shooting in Batesville, Assistant District Attorney Jay Hale said at the time. That charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Faced with such a stiff prison sentence, Scurlock changed his plea to guilty as a pool of potential jurors watched the proceedings.

House’s home was used to store the narcotics, and Scurlock arranged the drug deal outside the home, said Hale. The home is located at Ozbirn and Jeffries streets in southwest Batesville.

The Panolian story in August reported that authorities used videotape and audiotape in the drug sting.