Drug conviction may result in lengthy sentence

ST. FRANCISVILLE — A West Feliciana Parish man faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison after his conviction Wednesday on a drug charge.

A jury found Michael Ravy, 58, guilty of distribution of Xanax by selling 10 pills for $50 to a Delta Drug Task Force police officer working undercover in July 2009.

Ravy, 7466 Solitude Road, St. Francisville, did not call any witnesses in his defense.

The distribution conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a fine of $15,000, but Ravy also is on parole after serving approximately 20 years of a 99-year prison sentence for armed robbery.

The drug conviction is grounds for revoking his parole and sending him back to prison to finish the armed robbery sentence, 20th Judicial District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla said.

District Judge William G. Carmichael set Ravy’s sentencing on the drug charge for Aug. 23.

D’Aquilla said state parole and probation officials would decide whether Ravy’s parole should be revoked. He is being held without bail.

Ravy was arrested in February 1987 in the robbery and shooting death of George Davis, 81, who was killed at his home near the gates of Louisiana State Penitentiary on Jan. 6, 1985.

Although sheriff’s deputies said then that Ravy shot Davis, Ravy pleaded guilty to armed robbery, drew the 99-year prison sentence and was not prosecuted for murder.

Corrections spokeswoman Pam Laborde said Ravy was released on parole in 2007 and was to remain under parole supervision until 2086, which she said is “effectively lifetime supervision.”

If his parole is revoked, Ravy would be going back to prison, “potentially for the rest of his natural life, given his current age,” Laborde said.