PHOTO BY JIM SHOBE Darrion Stewart waits to hear his sentence after being found guilty by a jury on 23 drug-related counts Tuesday in Seneca County Common Pleas Court. He was sentenced by Judge Steve Shuff to a mandatory 36 years and 11 months in prison.

A drug supplier was sentenced Tuesday; law enforcement says a message was sent.

Tuesday Darrion Stewart, 27, was sentenced to a mandatory 36 years and 11 months after being convicted on all 23 drug-related and weapons charges he faced as a result of a two-year investigation “Operation Block Busta.”

“It is of this court’s opinion — I have said it often — that crack cocaine and cocaine are poisonous. It is illegal and dangerous, people do unusual and abnormal things because of addiction. This court sentenced Alexa Johnson to 20 years and will not sentence you to less. The starting point for this court is 20 years,” Seneca County Common Pleas Judge Steve Shuff said. “You are a major supplier.”

Stewart also was ordered to make restitution of $7,050 to the Seneca County Drug Task Force — METRICH Enforcement Unit. Stewart, through his attorney, said they would be asking for an appeal, and would request a court-appointed attorney to handle that case.