Alva Mae GrovesSentence: 24 years, 7 months
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base; Use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; Trading food stamps for crack cocaine
Priors: Possession of alcoholic beverages (’79); Larceny (’94) for stealing $8.09 worth of groceries from a Food Lion
Year sentenced: 1995
Age at sentencing: 73
In 1994, authorities arrested 16 people believed to be involved in a large-scale crack cocaine ring based in rural North Carolina. Alva Mae’s son supposedly headed the drug ring and four additional family members were allegedly involved. Authorities claimed that the drugs, which were typically exchanged for food stamps as payment, were housed and distributed from the mobile home Alva Mae shared with her son. While Alva Mae claimed she was not aware that drug deals were being conducted in her home, coconspirators and criminal informants told police that Alva Mae had sold small quantities of crack for her son on numerous occasions and had even been known to recruit street dealers.
Alva Mae was held accountable for all the drugs and illegal food stamps allegedly exchanged in the conspiracy: 1,887 grams of crack and $15,930 in food stamps. She was also charged with using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime because a gun was discovered in a bedroom of her home. Alva Mae believed that she was prosecuted because she would not provide authorities with information that would implicate her family members.
Alva Mae has an 8th grade education and spent most of her working career as an in-home care provider. After her retirement in the late 1980’s, she survived off of Social Security and rental income. At the time of her arrest, Alva Mae was 72 years old and the primary caretaker of her two young grandchildren. Alva Mae sold eggs, candy, and soda to neighbors to supplement her income and support her grandchildren. Alva Mae has no history of substance abuse.
While incarcerated,Alva Mae’s health continued to decline. Her remaining family could not afford to make the trip from North Carolina to Texas to visit her. On August 9, 2007, Alva Mae died in federal prison. She was 86 years old.
Click here to read Alva Mae's story in her own words on the November Coalition website.