@x COPS & DRUGS, a can of worms. I am collecting reports of the involvement of our police and other government officials in the illegal drug trade. This is not an exhaustive count. This is just what I have heard from public sources, and mostly in Kentucky. Here in Kentucky, 9 Sheriffs, 5 deputy Sheriffs, 3 State Police, 10 local police, and 8 judges or other assorted politicians have been arrested on drug production, drug trafficking, or protection or extortion thereof charges. Also there were three cases of Sheriffs, deputy Sheriffs, or city policemen planting drugs, which were believed because the plantees were other cops. This has opened quite a ripe can of worms. It started as my curiosity as to how the police could possibly be so inept at catching the local thieves. Haven't you wondered too? It has now reached out to reports of involvement by all levels of governments in the $150 billion a year (tax-free!) dope business. I would appreciate reports of other instances of cops and drugs. Leave me a message on this board, byter@mcimail.com, or contact David P Beiter, CAVE Inc, Ritner, KY 42639. This database involves the symbiotic relationship between police/politicians/governments and the illegal drug trade. You should include a date and a reference for further verification. If you don't have a reference, then you are the reference. Unsubstantiated rumors by confidential informants will get you a search warrant, but not a place in my research. "Search Warrant? We don't need nosearch warrant. We got good faith." 82. Thirteen people are arraigned for marijuana growing, including Donnie Nunn, former Hart County KY Sheriff, nephew of Governor Louis B Nunn. 30,500 marijuana plants in six locations were confiscated. At the time, this was the biggest marijuana raid in Kentucky history, valued at over $12 million. 850912. Andrew Thorton III, retired Lexington, Kentucky, Police Department Narcotics Officer, crash landed via parachute in suburban Knoxville, TN, with 79 pounds of cocaine. Several other duffle bags of cocaine were found in the Chattahoochee National Forest, totalling approximately 400 pounds. 76- 86. Federal Grand Jury indictments have been handed down for 10 Boston, MA, police officers, including 2 current police chiefs & 1 former chief, including Gerald W. Clemente, 52, retired Captain of Metropolitan District Commission & Thomas Doherty, 45, former Medford Police Lieutenant, for police exam theft & rigging of scores. This was used to maneuver conspirators into key positions to cover for crimes. These include a $1.5 megabux bank robbery at Medford, MA, & cocaine trafficking from Tennessee in 84. 860324. The Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell, is arrested for extorting a one million dollar bribe from a cocaine smuggler who was also an FBI agent. This was for airport landing rights in Morgan Co, KY. Several other officials were arrested for assorted corruption: former Morgan County, Kentucky, Judge-Executive Gene Allen; Morgan County, Kentucky, Sheriff Roger Benton; Kentucky State Police Trooper Gerald Griggs; former Breathitt District Judge James Nobel; and former State Senator Lester Burns, Jr. This is "Operation Leviticus" of the FBI. They weren't even looking for drug smuggling! The FBI thought they were looking at coal money!! 860330. The Whitley County, Kentucky, Sheriff, one other KY & 3 TN Sheriffs are arrested for drug trafficking. 860619. Kentucky State Police Detective, 19 year veteran of The Force, Joseph Greenwall (Greenwald), age 41, of Loretto, Marion Co, KY, is arrested for extorting $5000 to protect marijuana growers. 84-86. 14 MI police officers indicted on drug charges in Flint, MI. 86. Scott County, Tennessee, Sheriff Marion Carson & Deputy Wayne Caldwell are charged by a Federal Grand jury with conspiracy & selling methaqualone, marijuana, cocaine & diazapam. Since 82, The Sheriff of Cocke Co, TN, Bobby Stinson; The Sheriff of Roane Co, TN, Gillis Narramore; The Sheriff of Union Co, TN, Paul Hill; and The Sheriff of Anderson Co, TN, Dennis O Trotter also have been arrested for drug trafficking. 860909. 26 Sheriffs in GA & TN have been arrested & convicted for drug trafficking according to Ryan Freemantle, author of The Fix 861113, Knoxville, TN. 9 cops arrested in the Charles Walker cocaine trafficking ring. Knoxville TV. 870322. Richmond, KY, Kentucky State Police Crime Lab director Glen Morgan Baxter is accused of falsifying hundreds of tests, including his own qualifications. 870709. US Attorney General Edwin Meese tries to prevent a House of Representatives Committee from questioning three federal prosecutors in Miami, FL, concerning CIA drug and gun smuggling. A House subpoena is issued. CNN, AP 871130, Time, p29. Mike "Mad Dog" Roark (so named for his fierce pursuit of drug dealers while outfitted in combat fatigues and packing a pistol) prosecutor and mayor of Charleston, WV, pleaded guilty to six counts of cocaine possession. Does this sound like any local officials you know? See 880114. 880106, "As It Happens", CBC. In "Miami Vice", a phone interview with Paul Miller, Special Agent, FBI, he states that there were three or four rip-offs of boatloads of cocaine by Miami Police from about May 85 to Summer 85. In the case where three drug smugglers were drowned, eight officers rushed the boat and the victims threw themselves into the sea and drowned themselves. The investigation is probing a conspiracy to kill witnesses. So far, nine have pleaded guilty, four more are cooperating, two more are on trial, two more are fugitives, and twenty more have been suspended from The Force. 890225. Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, Sheriff Lonas Taulbee and five others are indicted on cocaine trafficking charges. 901207, Lexington, KY. Former Fayette County, Kentucky, Sheriff Lonas Taulbee loses an appeal on conspiracy to traffic in cocaine. His grounds were that since he got caught before he was actually able to have the cocaine planted in the car of his Chief Deputy, he obviously was not distributing cocaine. Appeals on the charges of theft, misfeasance, and malfeasance for stealing from his office also failed. 890810. Judge Eddie Lovelace was suspended for 6 months for interference with the Clinton County, KY, marijuana cultivation case against Clinton County Court Clerk Lloyd Stockton. 890815. WBKY, 12:35PM. Edward O'Brien, DEA agent, was arrested at Logan airport in Boston, Massachusetts, with 62 pounds of cocaine in his suitcase. DEA Agent O'Brien is described as being "high ranking and decorated", as well as a cocaine smuggler. /Newsweek Aug 28, 1989. Edward, Paul, and John O'Brien, brothers, were all arrested. This is the fourth DEA agent arrested on drug charges this year. 900117. Christian County, KY, Sheriff William Dillard & chief deputy & others are arrested on a Federal indictment for cocaine distribution & accepting bribes to protect cocaine distribution. 900517. Vine Grove, Hardin Co, KY. Police Chief Abshire pleads guilty to cocaine possession. 900527. Former Whitley County KY, Judge-Executive Archie Powers and Clifford Silers plead not guilty to cultivating 849 marijuana plants in 2 plots in the Daniel Boone National Forest. 900816. In "Operation Walking Short", the FBI produces a 42 count indictment of Kentucky law officers for conspiracy to extort and protect illegal drug traffickers. Arrested were: John Mann, Sheriff of Lee County, allegedly the master-mind; Lester Dickerson, Sheriff of Wolfe County, Billy MacIntosh, Sheriff of Owsley County; Dean Spencer, Sheriff of Breathitt County; Wilson Stone, Deputy Sheriff of Wolfe County; and Omer Noe, Police Chief of Beattyville. 900822. Danny Allan Murphy, former Lexington Kentucky Police Officer is convicted on marijuana distribution and machine gun charges. He is yet to stand trial for murder. 901018, PBS Frontline, "When Cops Go Bad", WGBH, Boston, MA. Discussed the Miami, FL, case of organized gangs of Miami police stealing and selling boatloads of cocaine. In the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, $1.4 million was skimmed by the departmental drug squad. Approximately 30 indictments were rendered, including Jim Bouden and Dan Garner. This source of revenue spread from the the Los Angeles Police Department to the Feds. DEA agents Daniel [Darrell?] Garcia, Wayne Countryman, and John Jackson liberated 150 kilograms of heroin and sent it to New York by FedEx for sale. Two have plead guilty, and the third is on trial. 50% of police corruption cases in the US are drug related, according to the FBI. 32 DEA agents have been the target of internal investigations this year, 54 Federal agents [does that include the DEA agents?], 40 State Police, and 327 local policemen. There are approximately 17000 local police departments in the US. In Sea Girt, NJ, pop 2500, 20 local people were arrested in a drug dealing ring. These included 3 of the 12 police, Sgt Joseph Beaumont, Lt Robert Hindman, and Capt G Calusleri. School officials don't know how to explain to the children how these cops could preach their drug speech while dealing at the same time. There is a Justice Dept study of police corruption. 901029, WTHL. The drug trafficking trial of DEA agents Daniel [Darrell?] Garcia, Wayne Countryman, and John Jackson is scheduled for next month. Witness Stewart testified on videotape that that for three years he sold drugs supplied by these DEA agents, shared two million dollars in profits with them, and took lavish vacations with their families. Witness Stewart testified on videotape because he was not expected to live long enough to testify in person. 910108~, St Regis, suburb of Louisville, KY, KET? St Regis policeman Bersot is accused of planting drugs & guns on David Trigley(sp?). Trigley's crime was to date the cop's ex-wife. Captain Epperley deplored the accusation. 910213, Detroit, MI, NPR. William Hart, the Police Chief of Detroit, MI, is accused of embezzlement and tax fraud for diverting 2.5M$ from the Police Department undercover narcotics fund to his own private businesses. Chief Hart is sentenced to suspension with pay. The Mayor deplores this racist attack on the Black community. /Similar charges have previously been made in Sep 88 and Dec 89. 910522, Detroit, MI, Paul Harvey. 10 cops and the niece of the mayor are arrested in an Detroit, MI, FBI sting. They thought that they were taking payoffs from the real drug dealers. 910306, IN, KET. Barbara Grier (or is it in Grier, IN?) is listed in serious condition after the cops invaded her house to arrest her boyfriend. They shot the dog, but missed, hitting Grier in the stomach. 910530, Cleveland, OH, KNN. 30 police officials are caught in a FBI sting on drugs and gambling. This was reported by a Cleveland TV station, but no officials will make any official statements. MacNeil/Lehrer said that 47 cops including 30 current police officers, 4 former officers, and 13 others provided security services for illegal gambling and drug distribution, over two years. 910821, Gridley, IL, Paul Harvey News. Judge Mark Dalton was found by Federal Drug Agents to have a commercial marijuana garden in his back yard. 910924, Lexington, KY, KNN. Gregory Drake Wahl, a Fayette County Sheriff's Deputy, was arrested Monday for selling 1/4 pound of marijuana within 1000 feet of a school. 911002, Clinton Co, KY, WMKZ, WKYM. Following a two year undercover investigation, the FBI arrested Anthony "Tony" Seratto( 39). Seratto is an 14 year veteran of the Albany Police, and was charged with use of a firearm in a drug offense, an well as drug conspiracy. 920509, Presidio Co, TX, Paul Harvey. The former Presidio County, TX, Sheriff is busted for cocaine trafficking. 920617, Florida, KNN. Florida Sheriffs have been shaking down people for multi millions of dollars under the guise of drug forfeiture. The people were never charged, but they never complained either. The rat got out of the bag when a woman was relieved of her Federal hurricane relief check. 920807, Nashville, TN, WKYU. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Brothers is indicted at Nashville, TN, for his part in laundering $1.3million in cocaine profits into several corporations. Also indicted are Russell Brothers, nephew of The Judge, and G Thomas Newell, their attorney. 920825, Floyd Co, KY, KNN. Floyd County, Kentucky, Deputy Sheriff Larry Newsome (45) plea bargains guilty to one of five counts of drug trafficking. He was charged with selling pills to an undercover agent. This must have happened a while ago, since a trial was scheduled for tomorrow. 920826, Louisville, KY, many including KNN, KET, WLKY, WAVE, WHAS. Four law officers are arrested on charges of violating the civil rights of Ricky Lee Pardu by planting cocaine and a silenced pistol in his car. Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Ron Pike was the mastermind of the operation. Saint Regis Police Captain Gary Epperly was the operations chief, and Saint Regis Policeman James Goodman his assistant. They were hired by Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff George Tingley, who supplied the cocaine. Pardu was arrested by Epperly and Goodman on 1 Nov 90. David Tingley, Charles Bookout, and John Bursoe were also involved. Epperly and Goodman were also questioned in the murder of State Policeman Johnny Eddrington with his own gun in Laurel County, but have not been charged. Pardu was believed because he was an informant passing information on activities of Special Security Services, an operation of the officers located on the Rest Haven Cemetery property. 921113, Erlanger, KY, KNN & WSEK. Inspector David Woods (42) of the Erlanger, KY, (suburb of Cincinnati, OH) police was arrested for selling confiscated drugs. The East Kentucky Task Force of DEA, FBI, KSP, ETC, charged Inspector Woods with drug trafficking and theft of government property after a five to six month investigation. 921123, Whitesburg, Letcher Co, KY, WKYU, KNN. Circuit Court Judge Larry Collins was arrested on five bribery charges for taking $7,000 and some marijuana in return for protection of James Braddock, a marijuana dealer. This came after a one year Grand Jury investigation. When Judge Collins took over his office in January 92, he immediately dismissed a Grand Jury which was investigating corruption. 921212, Louisville, KY, KNN. A drug sweep in Louisville, KY, catches 24 drug dealers, including a Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff. Deputy Gerald LaMotte Gray was charged with two counts of marijuana trafficking. Also paraquat has just been declared safe and efficacious for use on homegrown marijuana. 921226, Russell Co, KY, WSEK. Matthew Gene Roy, Russell Co KY Magistrate is arrested in Lake Charles, LA, for marijuana trafficking in a "routine" traffic stop. 930127, Miami, FL, WSFC (ABC?). Three customs agents and an FBI agent are charged with drug trafficking, bribery, and money laundering in Miami, FL. 930409, Lexington, KY, KET. Former (fired in 1979 for insubordination after 8 years of service) Lexington Police Officer Bill Canan is arrested by Federal Marshals on charges of drug trafficking, intimidation of a witness, use of a fake DEA ID, and weapons charges. Officer Canan allegedly bought 24 oz of cocaine and then threatened to kill Robert Scott, his supplier turned Federal Witness, if he squealed. This is part of an investigation ongoing for 1« years. Police Chief Walsh vows that he is "finally gonna clean up the Good Ole Boy Network" [his words]. See 850912. This has reopened the Melanie Flynn disappearance. 930416, Covington, KY, WSEK. Undercover Narcotics Officer Randy Sebastian is charged with perjury for lying to obtain a search warrant on Dr Patricia Canfield. Officer Sebastian resigned when confronted. 930825, New York City, Paul Harvey. Calling themselves The Morgue Boys (their meeting place was in an old morgue), 35 of New York City's Finest preyed on drug dealers, robbing them of cocaine, guns and money. 931108, Evansville, IN, WKYU. A trial starts today at Vanderburgh Circuit Court for Richard Witlow (38), an Evansville, IN, narcotics agent. Witlow is charged with attempted bribery, attempted theft, and theft. Witlow solicited $100,000 to disappear evidence from Harris Roach, father of Tocio Roach, who was convicted of cocaine trafficking along with his wife. The FBI was present at the cash pickup. Witlow is also accused of stealing $6500, a semiautomatic pistol, and a gold bracelet while searching the home of Edward Cooper. 931129, USN&WR, p37. "At play in the fields of the spies". A somewhat confusing story about a CIA operation in Caracas. CIA case officer Mark McFarlin cooperated with Gen Ram¢n Guill‚n D vila, the head of the National Guard antinarcotics unit. Guill‚n told DEA & CIA officials in Nov 1991 that he had cooperated with two "unauthorized" shipments of cocaine to the United States. 931228, NYC, NY, NPR. Judge Milton Mullins Commission releases a preliminary report on New York City Police corruption, drug trafficking, police brutality, etc. Judge Clean Hand decries the "Blue wall of silence". 940222, Beattyville, Lee Co, KY, WKYU, WSEK. Lee County Sheriff Douglas Brandenburg was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury last Friday on charges of conspiracy to distribute hundreds of pounds of Mexican and domestic marijuana. Their market was southeastern and eastern United States. 25 others were also arrested, tho no names were given. As of 22 Feb, Sheriff Brandenburg was being held without bond. The Federal investigation has been ongoing since Sheriff Mann was caught. See 940404. 940317, WV?, WSEK. Over 70 criminals are having their cases reinvestigated after eight years because a State Police Forensics "Expert" falsified the evidence. 940318, Middlesboro, KY, KNN, WKYU, WSEK. Two Middlesboro, KY, city police and another former policeman are among eight charged with drug trafficking. This is the result of a FBI sting called "Operation Broken Shield". The investigation started October 92. Steeley Arlis Barnett and Garrett Russell are the greedy cops. Their business included OH, PA, and TN as well as Kentucky. 940401, WSEK. The FBI had wiretapped the home phone of Officer Barnett. 940326, Dorchester, Boston, MA, CNN. Hazaline Wiliams, a 75 year old retired minister died under the attentions of 13 narcotics agents who raided his home. Rev Williams was handcuffed and thrown to the floor. This was considered necessary, even tho he was a frail 75 year old. After ransacking his apartment and finding no drugs, it was noticed that the perpetrator had died choking on his own vomit. William's crime was to have his address confused with that of a drug dealer fingered by a confidential informant. The police have apologized to his widow, but maintain that because their informant was right twice before, they were within their rights. They even said that this shows just how dangerous drugs are to the community! 940411, Mt Vernon, KY, KNN. It has been determined by a county jury that Gary Shepherd forced the confrontation with GMTF, justifying his execution. More information in WORMSCAN
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