The imprisoned son of actor Michael Douglas has been sentenced to spend four and a half years in prison beyond the five years he already is serving for drug offenses.
Cameron Douglas, 33, will begin serving that sentence only after he completes his current, five-year prison term he began in April 2010 for possessing heroin and dealing large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine out of a New York hotel room.
Manhattan federal court Judge Richard Berman handed down a stiff sentence that was more than double what prosecutors sought, despite a tearful and contrite Douglas asking the judge to consider his crime a consequence of drug addiction he has been unable to shake.
"You see your honor, I cannot seem to find comfort in my own skin," Cameron said before sentence was imposed.
However the judge criticised the government for being too lenient on Cameron Douglas after he repeatedly violated prison rules by arranging to get drugs. The judge said the violations included four instances in which a lawyer smuggled drugs into prison for Douglas in her bra.
At the time of his 2009 arrest, Douglas agreed to co-operate with agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration who are pursuing other cases. He recently testified in the Manhattan federal court trial of one of his drug suppliers.
