A man who escaped a drug conviction that could have amounted to life in prison for being a career crack cocaine dealer will serve seven months behind bars instead.The man, Jimmy Tyrone Wilkerson, 40, is presently serving the seven-month sentence handed to him by Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley. He was sentenced to serve 210 days of an 11-month, 29-day sentence for his conviction by a jury on the misdemeanor charge of casual exchange of cocaine. He will also be required to pay $750 plus costs and perform 24 hours public service work as part of his sentence.Wilkerson could have faced 40 years in prison had jurors opted to convict him of his indicted charge of sale or delivery of cocaine.