A Boone County jury awarded a Raleigh County man $1.8 million Wednesday after deciding that his former company discriminated against him because of his age when it fired him in January.

Danny L. Frye, a 62-year-old human resources manager, was let go following the merger of Superior Highwall Miners, Inc. and Terex Corp.

According to the jury verdict form, the jurors found the companies discriminated against Frye because of his age, but not because of a disability.

They awarded him $59,420 in back pay, $243,860 in front pay and $25,000 for "aggravation, inconvenience, humiliation, embarrassment and loss of dignity." They also gave Frye $1.5 million in punitive damages.

The case was tried before Boone Circuit Judge William Thompson.

Lawyers Mark Atkinson and Harry Hatfield represented the plaintiff. Neal Barkus represented the defense.

In federal court news, a New Jersey man was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison on Thursday for possession with intent to distribute heroin.

Darin Richards, 44, of Orange, was arrested on Jan. 29 with 10 bricks of heroin which each contained 50 bundles of the drug under his jacket, according to a news release by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. imposed the 157-month sentence.

Danny L. Frye, a 62-year-old human resources manager, was let go following the merger of Superior Highwall Miners, Inc. and Terex Corp.

According to the jury verdict form, the jurors found the companies discriminated against Frye because of his age, but not because of a disability.

They awarded him $59,420 in back pay, $243,860 in front pay and $25,000 for "aggravation, inconvenience, humiliation, embarrassment and loss of dignity." They also gave Frye $1.5 million in punitive damages.

The case was tried before Boone Circuit Judge William Thompson.

Lawyers Mark Atkinson and Harry Hatfield represented the plaintiff. Neal Barkus represented the defense.

In federal court news, a New Jersey man was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison on Thursday for possession with intent to distribute heroin.

Darin Richards, 44, of Orange, was arrested on Jan. 29 with 10 bricks of heroin which each contained 50 bundles of the drug under his jacket, according to a news release by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. imposed the 157-month sentence.

On Tuesday, a Cross Lanes man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Cornelius Hill, 33, pleaded guilty in July, admitting he had sold cocaine to an undercover operative monitored by members of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, the release states.

Hill was also sentenced by Copenhaver.

In a separate case, an Ohio man was sentenced to three years in prison by Copenhaver on Wednesday for assaulting a law enforcement officer during the execution of a federal search warrant.

A jury convicted Brian Ranaldson, 30, of Maples Heights, of the charge in January. According to the release, Ranaldson assaulted Sgt. Ron Arthur of the State Police when troopers served a warrant at the Red Roof Inn in Charleston.

In federal court in Huntington on Monday, a Fort Gay man pleaded guilty to transportation of stolen vehicles across state lines.

David Lee Eslick, 50, admitted that he had arranged for the delivery and sale of a stolen John Deere backhoe in Columbus, the release states. The backhoe was taken from Ohio to Wayne County in September 2004 on a flatbed truck and trailer that had also been stolen, according to the release.

Eslick agreed to pay $389,620 in restitution, admitting he had been involved in stealing vehicles and equipment over a several year period, according to the release.

U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers scheduled Eslick's sentencing for March 2. Eslick faces up to 10 years in prison.