By Tom Breen
CHARLESTON — Calling Geoffrey Harold Harvey “a dangerous man,” U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Goodwin sentenced the Logan County hostage-taker to 30 years in federal prison on Tuesday.
“Mr. Harvey’s crime — the nature of the offense — demonstrates a complete and utter disregard for the value of human life,” Goodwin said in handing down a stiffer sentence than what’s called for under federal sentencing guidelines.
“He is dangerous to himself — very dangerous,” Goodwin said. “He is dangerous to others — very dangerous.”
Harvey stood staring straight ahead with his hands clasped behind his back during the hearing. Before Goodwin pronounced his sentence, Harvey said he was sorry for the crime.
“It wasn’t purposeful, it really wasn’t,” he said.
Harvey, 32, pleaded guilty in June to taking, with the use of a firearm, a controlled substance worth more than $500 from a licensed pharmacy and to discharging a firearm while committing a pharmacy robbery.
Exactly one year before he was sentenced, Harvey walked into the Family Discount Pharmacy in Stollings and fired a shotgun as a warning before demanding prescription painkillers.
After allowing some people to leave the building, he barricaded himself in an office with four women and two men. According to Goodwin’s sentencing, Harvey crushed and snorted the prescription drugs while threatening to kill the hostages and firing his shotgun.
No one was injured in the situation, which ended when the hostages overpowered Harvey, but Goodwin said the victims suffered lasting psychological trauma.
“Without exception, each hostage believed they would be murdered,” Goodwin said.
Harvey’s lawyer, David R. Bungard, argued that Harvey was trying to kill himself rather than intimidate the hostages. In court on Tuesday, Bungard questioned a forensic psychiatrist at West Virginia University who had examined Harvey.
Dr. Ryan Finkenbine testified that Harvey tried to commit suicide more than once before the hostage situation, including an attempt earlier the same day.
Finkenbine said Harvey suffers from a range of mental disorders, mostly brought on by drug and alcohol abuse.
“This wasn’t for him to go and rob a pharmacy,” Bungard said. “He was in there with the intent and purpose to kill himself.”
Besides the 30-year sentence, Goodwin ordered Harvey to be placed on suicide watch until he’s transferred to the federal Bureau of Prisons, and expressed the hope that Harvey will get psychiatric treatment while serving his sentence.
Harvey has 10 days to appeal the sentence. Bungard said he isn’t sure whether his client plans an appeal.
