Several months ago, we published a blog item about Frank Anthony Herrera, who sold heroin several times to an undercover St. Charles County Drug Task Force detective. He was arrested after he brought two children, ages 4 and 6, with him to a drug deal in December in St. Charles.

Frank A. Herrera

Herrera, 31, pleaded guilty in May of five counts of sale of a controlled substance and one count of possession. This morning, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Assistant prosecutor Philip Groenweghe asked for a 30-year prison sentence. He said Herrera had prior felony convictions for first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and nonpayment of child support.

Sara Serot, Herrera’s public defender, asked for long-term drug treatment. The state has a two-year program that ends with probation.

When Circuit Judge Dan Pelikan gave Herrera a chance to speak, he apologized and said he had been addicted to heroin.

“I really have a bad drug problem,” Herrera said. “I am very sorry.”

Pelikan sentenced Herrera to concurrent terms of 10 years in prison on each of the drug sale counts and seven years on the possession count.