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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

‘Doughboy’ Drug Figure Seeks Freedom

Convicted Spokane cocaine dealer Clarence “Cip” Paulsen III wants his prison term set aside, alleging mistakes were made by his lawyer and the government.

Paulsen is serving 14 years in prison after pleading guilty in 1994 to conspiracy, two counts of distribution of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

He was the primary target of “Operation Doughboy,” a lengthy investigation of major drug dealers in the Spokane area. Ultimately, 37 cocaine dealers were convicted.

In legal papers filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, Paulsen asks Judge Fred Van Sickle to reduce or vacate the 168-month prison sentence.

The judge can dismiss the request, order a response from the government, or schedule a hearing.

Paulsen alleges he was a victim of “ineffective assistance of counsel” prior to entering his guilty plea.

He also alleges federal prosecutors “failed to live up to their obligations” to him under terms of a plea bargain.

Thirdly, he says he was a victim of “outrageous government conduct” because of alleged “inappropriate conduct” by an investigator.

Federal prosecutors had no comment Friday on Paulsen’s claims.

Paulsen, who got the longest sentence in the Doughboy case, appealed what he alleged were disproportionate sentences given various defendants in the case.

But last May, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that appeal. His newly filed petition for sentence modification is now his last chance.

“The government has not been completely truthful,” Paulsen said from the Sandstone Federal Correctional Institution in Minnesota.

He works in the prison bakery where he gets paid $5.25 a month. “Now I’m a real ‘doughboy,”’ he laughed.

, DataTimes