WORMSCAN Updated: 960420
(c) Copyright 1980, 1996, by David P Beiter, proliferate freely.
WORMSCAN is a collection of news items concerning the involvement
of police, lawyers, judges, politicians, bankers, prison guards,
spooks, and other social predators in the enormously profitable
illegal drug business.
What had at first appeared to be merely a can of worms
has, upon closer examination, proven to be a barrel of vipers.
No attempt has been made to note every news item. These are
simply those cases which have come to my attention in the
everyday news. Note that many sources are radio news reports,
and thus the spelling of many names is undoubtedly bogus.
Disclaimer: This material is presented for educational purposes
only. I am not trying to sell you any political agenda here. I
am not even suggesting a conspiracy theory. I don't care if you
don't believe that anything like this could happen here. I won't
ask you to construct a testable hypothesis (whatever THAT is).
All I need is for you to see it as an interesting conjecture.
That is sufficient.
Additions, comments, criticisms, clarifications, or corrections
(even mispellings and typograhpical errors) should be directed
to: David P Beiter, Rte 572 Box 8460, Monticello KY 42633-8809
606/376-3137
byter@mcimail.com
jascii@highland.net
"In Germany they first came for the Communists and I didn't speak
up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for
the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a
trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't
speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me--and
by that time no one was left to speak up."
--Pastor Martin Niemoller.
All items are Monticello, Wayne County, Kentucky, United States
of America, unless otherwise specified.
Sources include:
The Wayne County Outlook, Monticello, KY.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY.
WFLW, WKYM & WMKZ, radio, Monticello, KY.
WSEK & WSFC, radio, Somerset, KY.
WBBM, radio, Chicago, IL.
WBKY, WUKY, radio, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.
WEKU, radio, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY.
WKYU, radio, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
WHAS, radio, Louisville, KY.
WLAP, radio, Lexington, KY.
KET = Kentucky Educational Television rebroadcast of WKYT, WLEX, Lexington or
WHAS, WLKY, WAVE, Louisville or WTVQ, Hazard. local news.
CBC = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
CNN = Cable News Network radio news.
KNN = Kentucky News Network & KYnet = The Kentucky Net.
All times are Central Time, even if the broadcast originates in a
different time zone. Dates (YYMMDD) in the header are generally
the date of the news item, not the date of the action.
810000, Marion County, KY, Al Cross, reporter for The
Courier-Journal, personal communication. Officials in the
Kentucky state government became suspicious of cash excesses in
banks in Marion County, KY. An investigation led to the purchase
of the Bank [of Lebanon? (Marion County Seat)] by a cabinet
official [The Kentucky State Secretary of Commerce?] Needless to
say, no evidence of marijuana cultivation or other illicit
activities was uncovered.
820000?, Hart County, Kentucky, Bowling Green, KY, Newspaper
clipping, Hart Co? Jane Paquin, neighbor to a growing location,
personal communication. "Thirteen arraigned in marijuana case"
in Bowling Green, KY, after raids on Hart County, KY, marijuana
fields on 26 July. Donnie Nunn, former Hart County, KY, Sheriff,
Joe Dunagan, and Tm Chaney, all of Horse Cave; Hulen Russell,
Charles Richardson, Jr, and Gary Coffee, all of Hardyville; James
Stanon [Stanton?], of Munfordville; James Benningfield of
Magnolia; Freeman Swartz of Summerville; and Randall Skaggs, Neal
Lnu, James K. Mattingly, and James N. Mattingly, of Lebanon.
Also Nunn, Stanton, and Russell were indicted on charges of
attempting to bribe two state police, Ron West and Robert
Sheldon, and Hart County Sheriff Daymond Humphrey. 22,500
marijuana plants in five locations in Hart Co confiscated on 26
July and 8,000 on 29 July at another Hart Co site. This was the
biggest marijuana raid in Kentucky history, valued at over $12
million. Incidentally, Sheriff Nunn is the nephew of former
Governor Louis B Nunn.
841100, Florida, The Nation, May 7 1988, p634. In November 1984
FBI agents in Florida intercepted a shipment of 760 pounds of
cocaine from Honduras and arrested a top-ranking Honduran
officer, Jose Bueso Rosa, for his role in a plot to overthrow and
murder the President of Honduras, to be financed by $10 million
from the drug deal. And from 1982 to 1986 a drugs-and-arms
network which supplied the contras operated out of Honduran
airstrips, according to Jose Blandon, former aide to Manuel
Noriega, and ABC News. After Bueso was convicted, Oliver North
and six other Administration officials pleaded for leniency in
sentencing him. They were willing to overlook Bueso's
association with drug smugglers because of his valuable,
unspecified services to U. S. policy makers. The DEA denies
that it showed similar leniency toward the contras' patrons when
it closed its office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras between 1983 and
1988.
850912, Knoxville, TN, multiple news reports. 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. See 870112, 871123, 890225, 900820,
930409, Sally Denton, The Bluegrass Conspiracy, Doubleday, 1990.
860220, Wayne Co, KY, multiple rumors. Rumors abound that the
FBI had caught Joe Conn, former Wayne County, KY, Sheriff; Ralph
Miniard, Monticello, KY, Chief of Police; and Don Richardson,
local gas station operator. They are alleged to have been caught
loading marijuana into an airplane owned by Nick Cooley, a local
coal tycoon. This rumor sounded fresh, but there is also a rumor
of letting Joe Conn serve out his term as Sheriff, which would
put it as last year. Present Sheriff Jim Hill would neither
confirm nor deny, but eventually admitted that he had heard the
rumor. He was not happy about my questioning. My impression was
that he was covering for his compatriots, and didn't like it.
860319, Monticello, KY, personal communication with Wayne county
Outlook. Brenda Sexton at The Wayne County Outlook says that
they tried three times to check out the Joe Conn rumor at Federal
Court in London, KY, but all were negative. She did not know the
source of the rumors. [It may have been the local radio
station.] Jim Hill, present Wayne County Sheriff, seemed very
agitated when I questioned him, did not want to talk and ran out
of his office. On 860809 Donald Jones says that Conn, Miniard,
and Richardson were caught off-loading in northern Kentucky.
Carl Jones says that were caught on-loading at Somerset airport.
Other sources have said that Joe Conn was caught transporting
marijuana three times, locally (McCreary County), northern
Kentucky, and in Georgia.
860324, Morgan Co, KY, multiple reports. Marion "Butch"
Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, is arrested for
extorting a one million dollar bribe from a cocaine smuggler
(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; Allen's son Steve; Morgan County,
Kentucky, Sheriff Roger Benton; Coal Baron Titus Frederick; former
Kentucky District Judge James H Noble; former State Senator and
former State Trooper Lester Burns, Jr; and physician, Dr Bill
Davis. ref: "Operation Leviticus" of the FBI. They weren't even
looking for drug trafficking! The FBI thought they were looking
at coal money!!
860330, Whitley Co, KY, multiple reports. The Whitley County
Kentucky Sheriff, one other KY & 3 TN Sheriffs are arrested for
drug trafficking.
860619, Marion Co, KY, WLEX, CNN. 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, after a two month
investigation. Arraignment is set for 27 June.
860700, Playboy, p47. NORML (National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws) has a list of approximately 300 public
officials who have been involved in drug crimes in the past three
years. (This might be July 87.)
860700, Miami, FL, personal communication. John Ruehle, a Dade
County, FL, resident states that per capita drug trafficking
arrests are greater among police than among the general
population in Miami and/or Dade Co, FL.
860800, Flint, MI, Sinsemilla Tips v6#2p16. 14 Michigan police
officers indicted were on drug charges from 84 to 86.
860800, TN, Sinsemilla Tips, v6#2. East Tennessee Sheriffs'
report. Scott County, Tennessee, Sheriff Marion Carson & deputy
Wayne Caldwell are charged by a Federal Grand jury with
conspiracy & selling methaqualone, marijuana, cocaine &
diazapam. Claiborne County, Tennessee, Sheriff Billy Wayne
Smith & Juvenile Court Referee R. Jackson Rose pleaded guilty to
conspiring to take payoffs to protect gambling operations. 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.
860811, 76- 86? Boston, MA, Newsweek: August 11, 1986 p 24.
Federal Grand Jury indictments have been handed down for 10
police officers, including 2 current police chiefs & 1 former
chief, including Gerald 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. Thomas Doherty shot Joseph Bangs, retired MDC police
sergeant, 4 times but did not kill him. Bangs then squealed.
Various police are accused of assorted robberies, drug
trafficking, IRA gun trafficking. These events occurred from 76
to 86.
860812, Minneapolis, MN, CNN, 11:35 PM..Small amounts of speed,
marijuana, and LSD were found in various police cruisers.
Marijuana was also found in the central garage locker. Speed was
found hidden in a steering wheel. Apparently the illegal drugs
were for personal use, not resale. Chief Bozo says that he is
still opposed to drug testing for cops, but not for ordinary
citizens.
860813, Mexico, Newsweek Aug 25, 86, p42; The Courier-Journal, 21
Aug 86, p2. Victor Cortez, DEA agent in Guadalajara was tortured
by 11 Mexican state police officers in an attempt to gain
information on collaborators.
860909, Monitor Radio. 26 Sheriffs in GA & TN have been
arrested & convicted for drug trafficking. Ryan Freemantle,
author, The Fix
860924, New York, NY, CNN News, WBKY, 11:30PM CDT. In the 77th
Precinct of Brooklyn, NY, thirteen cops have been arrested for
shaking down drug dealers, and reselling drugs, mostly crack.
Paul Harvey, 9 Oct 86, quotes Newsday, as saying that thirteen
cops sledgehammered their way into drug dealers' houses, stole
drugs & money, and resold drugs.
860929, Plainfield, NJ, Newsweek, Sep 29, 1986, p18. Surprise
urine tests of all police & firemen in May yielded 20 positive
for marijuana and/or cocaine, including 2 cops. On 16 July, the
suspended firemen filed in federal court. US District Judge H
Lee Sarokin ruled that "mass roundup urinalysis" violated
constitutional prohibitions against unreasonable search &
seizure. But of course it's not unconstitutional nor
unreasonable for mass urinalysis of schoolchildren.
861002, San Antonio, TX, CNN, WBKY, 2 Oct 86, 3:30pm; 31 Oct 86,
11:25PM. There is a loss of credibility of the police
department. There have been assorted scandals, such as Cop
Smith (murderer, arsonist) being shot by cop Ferrell Tucker for
knowing too much. A 34 year veteran, unnamed, was arrested on
drug charges.
861007, Pikeville, KY, The Courier-Journal, p1. Not a drug
story, probably. Pike County, Kentucky, Sheriff Charles "Fuzzy"
Keesee "misplaced" $300,000 in tax collections during his
previous administration.
861007, Louisville, KY, The Courier-Journal, pB4. The Jefferson
County, Commissioner, Carl Brown, is charged with distribution of
marijuana and cocaine.
861010, London, KY, WBKY. Morgan Co Judge-Executive Gene Allen
has a motion to dismiss charges of conspiracy for murder of VA
man in Morgan Co drug ring.
861011?, Whitley County, KY, The Wayne County Outlook p22, from
The Whitley Republican. Larry R Patrick of Williamsburg is
convicted on conspiracy to import cocaine. He was found guilty
of scheming with former Scott Co, TN, Sheriff Marion Carson &
Deputy Wayne Caldwell.
861018, KY, The Courier-Journal, pB1. Kentucky State Police
Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell & Kentucky State
Trooper Gerald Griggs were arrested for cocaine trafficking.
861022, London, KY, multiple newscasts. Gene Allen (Morgan
County Kentucky Judge-Executive) & Gerald Griggs (State Police
Trooper) are convicted of "murder for hire". Marion Campbell
(Kentucky State Police Commissioner) testified that they were
part of a counter-investigation so secret that no written records
were ever kept of their findings, but this was not convincing to
the jury.
861024, Miami FL, CNN News, 3:45PM. Seven cops are on trial for
selling $5 million (15M$, DH, 2 Nov 86) of cocaine stolen from
smugglers.
861110, USA, "Inside the DEA", Reason, Dec 86, p23-29. A
compendium of DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) corruption
reported by Dale Gieringer, Decision & Ethics Center, Dept of
Engineering-Economic Systems, Stanford Univ.
861111, New York City, NY, CNN News, WBKY, 11:40PM. There is a
New York City Police "slowdown" (strikes are illegal) to protest
investigation of police corruption. See 860924
861113, London, KY, Lexington Herald-Leader, Nov 13, 86, pA1,
A16. "Corruption probe: Half of cases resolved" by Assistant US
Attorney James E Arehart. Gene Allen, 3 time Judge-Executive of
Morgan County, Kentucky, was convicted of conspiracy to murder.
Gerald Griggs, Kentucky State Police Trooper, was convicted in
the same murder for hire scheme. Both were represented by Kevin
Charters of Lexington, KY. William Titus Frederick, coal
operator and businessman, of West Liberty, KY, pleaded guilty to
manufacturing marijuana. Benny Neely, London, KY, pleaded guilty
to transporting stolen heavy equipment across state lines.
Norman B Williams III, of Detroit, MI, pleaded guilty to
transporting a stolen car across state lines. Dr Billy Davis,
Urgent Care Center of Burnside, KY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy
to defraud two insurance companies of $1.1 million for a phony
traffic accident. Lester H Burns, Jr, former Kentucky State
Senator[, former Kentucky State Trooper] & attorney, Somerset,
KY, pleaded guilty to insurance fraud and pleaded guilty to
conspiracy to transport stolen money ($1.9 million stolen from
the Dr R J Acker robbery & murder) across state lines. James H
Noble, former Kentucky District Judge, convicted of obstruction
of justice and yet to be tried in the insurance fraud
conspiracy. Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky State
Police Commissioner, to be tried on Jan 5, 87, for extortion for
allegedly taking money for protecting drug-trafficking
activities. Roger Benton, Morgan County, Kentucky, Sheriff,
accused of conspiracy of drug-trafficking.
861113, Knoxville, TN, Knoxville TV. 9 cops arrested in the
Charles Walker cocaine trafficking ring.
861118, Miami, FL, CNN News, WBKY (Lexington, KY) 11:45PM. 1300
pounds marijuana was stolen from police headquarters evidence
storage. This theft is thought to be an inside job. The
marijuana was valued at $4 million. That's $3000 per pound.
This is the 4th major theft of drug evidence in last few months.
Also a Columbian cocaine ring was indicted, but the indictees are
safely in Columbia.
861120, London, KY, The Wayne County Outlook, 20 Nov 86, p18.
From The Sentinel-Echo. Lester Burns, Jr, 55, (attorney, former
Kentucky State Police Trooper, former Kentucky State Senator)
pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy with Dr Bill Davis to
defraud two insurance companies by faking a vehicle accident. He
also pleaded guilty to receiving stolen money from the Dr Roscoe
Acker robbery & murder. Charges of conspiracy with former
Breathitt District Judge James Noble (recently convicted of
perjury in Federal Court in Lexington) to defraud an insurance
company were dropped. The Assistant US Attorney was James
Arehart. The Judge was Eugene Siler, Jr.
861126, Somerset, KY, personal communication, Dallas Hammond.
The younger brother of David Dick, Kentucky State Police Trooper,
was arrested last month for cultivating 78 marijuana plants. The
police missed a quarter acre plot. James Dick, older brother,
was recently arrested on drug charges. Trooper Dick was finally
apprehended 901104, see 901108.
861200, Somerset, KY. Lester Burns, Jr., former Kentucky State
Senator, former Kentucky State Police, disbarred. Now former
attorney.
861212, London, KY, KET, WLEX. Gene Allen, Judge-Executive of
Morgan County, Kentucky is sentenced to 5 years for conspiracy to
murder. Gerald Griggs, Kentucky State Police, had his sentencing
delayed. Titus Frederick, coal baron, was let off in return for
testifying against Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky
State Police Commissioner, in his trial for conspiracy to
distribute illegal drugs.
861216, London, KY. Gerald Griggs, Kentucky State Police, is
sentenced to 5 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder
in "Operation Leviticus" drug deal.
861222, Louisville, KY, KET, Louisville. Carl Brown, Jefferson
County Commissioner, is arraigned for something, and sent to
Missouri [?], for psychiatric evaluation. Brown is to be
arraigned later on drug distribution charges. His left hand was
severely swollen and ace bandaged, but no explanation was given.
He also looked very woozy and inattentive.
861200, London, KY, The Wayne County Outlook, 861224, p19. From
The Sentinel-Echo. Sherry Lorraine Hodge pleaded guilt to
conspiracy to transport stolen money across state lines in
$1,900,000 (that's 1.9 megabux) Acker robbery & murder. Hodge
says that she gave $300,000 to C Gene Foust, 49, Detective
Sergeant and Head Narcotics Officer and 21-year veteran of the
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Police Department. The Head Narcotics
Officer was to invest it "to make more money for me." Mrs Hodge's
attorney is Robert Wilmott of Lexington, KY. Formerly her
attorney was Lester Burns, Jr, former Kentucky State Senator,
former Kentucky State Police, of Somerset, KY, who pleaded guilty
to receiving stolen money and is now disbarred. The Judge is
Eugene Siler, Jr. Co-transporters of stolen money are Anna
Louise Farley (mother of Donald Terry Bartley), Sharon Joyce
Wilson, & Barry Wilson, with whom she transported $1,200,000 from
Florida to Knoxville, TN, after the arrest of her husband, Benny
Lee Hodge. Donald Terry Bartley, Roger Dale Epperson, and Benny
Lee Hodge are to be tried May 1987 for robbery & murder of a
Jackson County, KY, couple, and also face unspecified charges in
other unspecified states. The FBI searched the home of Head
Narcotics Officer and Investment Advisor to the stars, C Gene
Foust on 861202.
861231, Somerset, KY. Lester Burns, Jr is ordered to return
$175,000 to Dr Roscoe Acker. This was his attorney's fee for the
defense of the murderers/robbers.
870112, Boston, MA, Margo Monaco, Boston, National Public Radio.
See also Newsweek, 11 Aug 86. David McCuen joined Wilmington
police in 73, and was promoted to sergeant in 78, after paying
$4000 for a copy of the sergeant's exam. Several hundred
individuals eventually were involved. Many individuals were
placed into positions to promote the organized crimes of the
Police Department. Chief of the scam was Gerald W Clemente, who
did a $1.5 million bank robbery and other burglaries to finance
drug deals.
870112, Lexington, KY, KET\WLEX. Captain Marion "Butch"
Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, and Roger Benton,
Morgan County, Kentucky, Sheriff, are on trial. Houston McNeal,
two years a undercover FBI agent, testified that he had made
payments of $5000 a month to Campbell, Benton, and Titus
Frederick for landing rights at the West Liberty, KY, airport.
(It is unclear if this was each or total.)
870113, Lexington, KY, WBKY (Lexington, KY). In the Captain
Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner
trial, Campbell is represented by William Johnson. The Trial
apparently started 9 Jan 87. Houston McNeal, two years an
undercover FBI agent from Virginia, testified that he had made
installment payments to Roger Benton, Morgan County Kentucky
Sheriff; Gene Allen, Morgan County Kentucky Judge-Executive; and
Marion Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, for
assistance in drug trafficking. McNeal said that he met Campbell
on a dark backroad, where Campbell thanked him for the money. A
tape recording of Campbell taking payoffs from McNeal was played.
870114, Lexington, KY, WBKY, KET, WLKY(?). In the Kentucky State
Police Commissioner Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell trial, Titus
Frederick, coal baron and marijuana manufacturer testified that
in a meeting at Frederick's house in 1984, three-time Morgan
County Kentucky Judge-Executive Gene Allen and Marion Campbell
had asked him for contacts in the marijuana and cocaine
business. Lester Burns, Jr, former Kentucky State Senator,
former Kentucky State Police Trooper, former attorney (now
disbarred) bankrolled the operation, and Marion Campbell was in
charge of security at the Morgan County airport. Their business
grossed about 3/4 of a million dollars a week in cocaine.
Houston McNeal, undercover Virginia FBI investigator, testified
that Campbell said that he was receiving payments from undercover
agents. It is unclear whether Campbell thought that they were
FBI agents or drug dealers. Or both.
870115, Lexington, KY, WEKU, KET\WLEX In the Kentucky State
Police Commissioner Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell trial, Steve
Allen, son of the Morgan County Judge-Executive, testified that
he saw a $90,000 cocaine sale in November 85 at the house of his
father, Morgan County, Kentucky, Judge-Executive Gene Allen. In
this transaction, Gene Allen was paid his share plus a share to
pass along to Marion Campbell. Gene Allen, Morgan County,
Kentucky, Judge-Executive and convicted murder conspirator,
testified that he has known Marion Campbell for 25 years and
Morgan County Sheriff Roger Benton all of his life. He met
several times in late 1983 with Marion Campbell, Titus Frederick,
and Lester Burns, Jr to import cocaine from Okalachee, FL.
Campbell was said to want the money for his retirement fund.
Titus Frederick testified that Gene Allen and Marion Campbell had
pushed him to find a cocaine connection.
870116, Lexington, KY, KET\WLKY, 10:07PM. In the Kentucky State
Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell trial, Gene
Allen, former Morgan County, Kentucky Judge-Executive who has
been convicted of conspiracy to murder, was cross examined. He
has changed his story because he got religion in jail. In his
trial in September 86 he claimed that he and Campbell were
running their own investigation of drug corruption, without
telling anyone else and keeping no records of what they had
discovered. He passed money to Campbell once by laying an
envelope full of money on the dash of Campbell's truck, and once
on the truck seat, but never actually in Campbell's hand.
870121, Miami, FL. Seven Miami cops are given a mistrial in a
case of racketeering and drug corruption. The reasons are
undisclosed. See 861024 & 870116.
870123, Lexington, KY, WBKY. In the Kentucky State Police
Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell trial, Jack Evans,
Kentucky State Police, testified that he had talked with Campbell
thrice about the trial, and got the idea (but was never told
openly) that Campbell wanted him to perjure.
870126, "Is There a Contra Drug Connection?", Newsweek, p26.
Gary Betzner, 45, a crop duster pilot from Arkansas, says that he
imported Columbian cocaine thru contra airstrips in Costa Rica
with George Morales, a Columbian emigre with an aircraft
chartering business. Both claim that they had the full knowledge
and assistance of CIA and DEA. A third witness, unnamed, claims
to have seen Southern Air Transport planes being loaded with
cocaine in Barranquilla, Columbia in 1985. So cocaine
trafficking is OK if it supports revolution in Nicaragua.
870126, Lexington, KY, KET\WTVQ. In the Kentucky State Police
Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell & Sheriff Roger
Benton trial, Louie di Falais, US Attorney & apparently part of
the "Operation Leviticus" investigation, testified that in two
years of investigation of Marion Campbell, Campbell gave no
indications of ever conducting his own investigation. The Chief
of Police of West Liberty, the Morgan County Seat, said that he
knew nothing of the two years of drug traffic thru the West
Liberty airport. Roger Benton, Sheriff of Morgan County,
Kentucky, has a previous conviction for bootlegging.
870127, Lexington, KY, WBKY. In the Kentucky State Police
Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch Campbell & Morgan County
Kentucky Sheriff Roger Benton trial, Roger Benton testified that
he went along with the drug trafficking in hopes to make some
arrests and stop the drug operations.
870202, Miami, FL, USN&WR, Feb 2, 1987, p28. Seven cops are
given a mistrial in their drug racketeering trial. Thus they did
not rob a boat and drown the owners and sell the cocaine. Roman
Rodriguez, Ricardo Aleman, Rodolfo Arias, Osvaldo Coello, Arturo
de la Vega, Armando Estrada, & Armando Garcia, are the fortunate
cops. They managed a fine lifestyle on a $30,000 per year
salary. The Judge was Kenneth Ryskamp. The holdout juror was
William Rountree. See 880105 & 880106 for a recant.
870204, Lexington, KY, KET\WKYT. Morgan County Kentucky Sheriff
Roger Benton says that he will appeal his conviction on drug
trafficking charges on grounds that his trial should have had
nothing to do with the trial of Marion "Butch" Campbell. He
obviously thinks that Campbell will be found guilty. This came
after one verdict was reached but not announced.
870205, Lexington, KY, WLAP (Lexington, KY), 2PM. Roger Benton,
Sheriff of Morgan County, KY, is found guilty on all counts,
three counts of extortion and two of drug trafficking
conspiracy. He faces a maximum sentence of 80 years.
870206, Lexington, KY, WLAP. Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell,
Kentucky State Police Commissioner, is acquitted on four counts
of extortion and given a mistrial on one count of conspiracy to
traffic in marijuana and cocaine.
870206, KY, Comment on Kentucky, KET. Three reasons are given
for Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch"
Campbell's acquittal on charges of extortion and drug
trafficking. 1) Gene Allen, Morgan County Judge-Executive
changed his story from his trial where he was convicted of
conspiracy to murder. Formerly, he had said under oath that
Campbell was conducting his own investigation. The new story is
that they were indeed trafficking in cocaine. 2) Allen said that
on four occasions that he gave payoff money to Campbell, but
never directly. Allen was the only solid witness against
Campbell on this, but he is a self-confessed perjurer. 3) In a
taped meeting with an FBI informant, Campbell thanked him for
"information". The prosecution said that this was code word for
protection money; the defense said that this was just normal
information. The FBI never actually got Campbell on tape
accepting payoff money. The jury was leaning towards acquittal
on the drug trafficking conspiracy charges, with at least two
holdouts. Prosecutor Arehart wants a retrial. I'm sure that
none of the jurors would have been in the least bit concerned
about their personal safety after finding the State Police
Commissioner guilty of drug trafficking!
870200, KY. There are various news reports of a retrial for
Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch"
Campbell on charges of trafficking in cocaine and marijuana, but
no date was given.
870223, Washington, DC, "Contra Drug Inquiry Stirs Growing
Interest", by Keith Schneider, The New York Times, Tuesday,
February 24, 1987, pA22. US Senator John Kerry, Democrat of
Massachusetts, a committee member on the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee has witnesses and evidence that a private network had
been organized by the National Security Council [NSC] and the
Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] to provide military equipment
to Contras in Nicaragua. The investigators said that they also
believed that the same network was shipping cocaine and marijuana
back to the United States. Federal officials, of course, deny
this vicious rumor spread by Communist sympathizers.
870313, Lexington, KY, Various radio reports. Kentucky State
Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell is scheduled
for retrial on 11 May 87 for conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and
marijuana. But 11 May 87 will come and go with absolutely no
mention on any newscast that a Butch Campbell had ever existed.
Morgan County Kentucky Sheriff Roger Benton is denied a retrial
on his conviction for extortion and conspiracy to distribute
cocaine.
870322, Richmond?, KY, WBKY, 11PM. Kentucky State Police crime
lab director Glen Morgan Baxter is accused of falsifying hundreds
of tests, including his own qualifications.
870326, Lexington, KY, KET. Morgan County, Kentucky, Sheriff
Roger Benton is sentenced to 10 years in prison and a fine of
$10,000 on three counts of extortion and two counts of conspiracy
to traffic in illegal drugs.
870331, Louisville, KY, KET. Jeffrey Miles of 2401 Coolridge
Ave, Okalona, age 24 or 25, is shot and killed by Louisville cop,
John Rucker (Rutger) in a raid on Miles' home. Miles' crime was
to be living in an apartment inhabited two years ago by a
suspected drug dealer. (The correct address was available in the
phone directory.) The murderer was sentenced to paid leave and
consultation with the chaplain.
870402, Breathitt Co, KY. James H Noble, Kentucky District
Judge, Breathitt County, Kentucky, previously convicted of
obstruction of justice for offering to lie in the witness stand
for Lester Burns, Jr in a mail fraud trial, is temporarily
disbarred. Judge Noble was sentenced to two years on the
obstruction of justice conviction.
870400, Wayne Co, KY, rumors only. More unconfirmable rumors
that Joe Conn, former Sheriff of Wayne County, Kentucky, is in
prison for drug trafficking. Dallas Hammond says that Joe Conn
was jailed about five months ago. Reportedly the FBI caught him
near Wayne/McCreary line with 18 wheeler full of marijuana headed
for the airport in Pine Knot, KY. Harold Tucker says that he was
told by Roosevelt Jones that Joe Conn was in prison on drug
charges, but could not confirm the details of the reputed
arrest. These are unconfirmed rumors only. Nobody has any hard
news. See 860220.
870429, Jeffersontown (Louisville), KY, WHAS. Policeman John
Rutger is indicted for second degree manslaughter and suspended
from the police department. This is for "accidentally" shooting
Jeffrey Miles for the crime of living in an apartment inhabited
two years ago by a suspected drug dealer. See 870331.
870511, KY. This is the supposed retrial date of Kentucky State
Police Commissioner (now retired) Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell
on charges of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and marijuana.
There was absolutely no mention of this unevent on several
Kentucky radio newscasts. See 870313.
870515, Somerset, KY, WBKY. Lester Burns, Jr., former Kentucky
State Senator, former Kentucky State Police, former attorney, is
sentenced to eight years in prison, four each for receiving
stolen money from Epperson's Acker robbery/murder, and for
conspiracy to defraud an insurer. Burns will be eligible for
parole in two years. See 860324, 860716, 861113, 8612??,
861231, 870114.
870518, Ocean County, NJ, phone conversation, Margaret Stiles.
Fifteen people are arrested by DEA at the home of a local
policeman. No information was given of what they were doing to
merit this attention.
870520, Nicaragua, MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour. The plane used by
the Brother-in-law of Alphonso Collero (of Nicaragua Contras) to
transport drugs was then used to transport supplies to the
contras. This was the testimony of Robert Owen, "The Courier".
25K$ in travelers checks were given to DEA by Alphonso Collero.
870524, Nicaragua, Steve Waddams, Sunday Morning, CBC (Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation), quoting Daniel Sheehan of The Christic
Institute of Washington DC. "The Secret Team", started as a CIA
Cuban anti-Castro operation, which funded itself by drug
trafficking. In about 1966, Richard Secord under CIA auspices,
bombed the opposition of Vang Pao, their pet Opium Emperor of
Laos. "The Secret Team" was importing 600 pound loads of cocaine
from Costa Rica while supplying Nicaraguan contras.
870630, Nicaragua, WSFC(ABC). In secret testimony in the
Iran-Contra hearings, Ramon Milian-Rodriguez testified that he
sold to Felix Rodriguis $10,000,000 (ten million dollars) of
cocaine for CIA contra funding.
870709, Miami, FL, CNN, AP. 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.
870725, Cumberland and Clinton Cos, KY, The Wayne County Outlook,
Aug 6, 87 from the Clinton County News. Lloyd Stockton, Clinton
County Clerk, and James Stonecipher hang the jury on marijuana
cultivation charges. Found on Sep 14, 1986 were 3 patches with
300 estimated plants already harvested, and 634 plants in a
tobacco field. See 860914.
870900, Burma, American Information Network Freedom League
Newsletter, p6, quoting Daily News Digest, POB 39027, Phoenix, AZ
85069. Lt Col Bo Gritz testified before the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, International Narcotics Control Task Force,
Larry Smith (D-FL) Chairman. Gritz has 40 hours of video tape
with General Khun Sa of Burma, the recognized opium kingpin (700
tons in 86, 900 tons in 87) in the Golden Triangle. Khun Sa
"charged American officials, both past and present, with being
the chief buyers of drugs produced in that part of the world."
Also he claims that he wants to stop drug trafficking, but that
the US government won't let him. Khun Sa said that individuals
in CIA are some of his best customers. He offered support to DEA
to alert them of drug movements, but this was rejected at the
headquarters level. Theodore Shackley CIA agent in Laos from
1965-1975, was involved with Mao Se Hung (leading drug smuggler)
and Santo Trafficante (Florida Mafia boss). Khun Sa says that
Richard Armitage (then in the US Embassy, now Assistant Secretary
of Defense) financed drug smuggling in VietNam, then in Bangkok
from 1975 to 1979. CIA agents Daniel Arnold and Jerry Daniel
trafficked weapons and drugs with Khun Sa. Gritz claims that
there is a parallel US government which started with the "Phoenix
Program" in VietNam twenty years ago.
870905, Spain, The Nation, p189-192. "How the Drug Czar Got
Away", by Martin A. Lee. The gist of the story is that the USA
is more interested in implicating Nicaraguan Sandinistas in drug
running than in prosecuting smugglers. Also the US Government
funded contras with drug money. Jorge Luis Ochoa of Columbia was
captured in Spain. The DEA (at least one agent was also member
of Lieut Col Oliver North's team) offered to have extradition
bungled if Ochoa would implicate the Nicaraguan Sandinista
government in cocaine trafficking. Ochoa refused. After 20
months, Spain decided that USA was seeking to use Ochoa as a
political instrument and denied extradition to USA. Ochoa had
fled to Spain in June 1984 after being implicated in the
assassination of Lara Bonilla, the Columbian Minister of Justice
who had crusaded against his country's $5 billion per year
cocaine trade. Adler Berriman Seal (Barry Seal) said he flew
1500 kilograms of cocaine from Columbia to Managua for Ochoa.
The story quotes The Wall Street Journal as reporting that four
imprisoned drug pilots who knew Seal said that Seal was part of
contra supply network, delivering weapons and drugs. Seal also
took secret photos of Sandinista soldiers loading cocaine on his
C-123 transport (the same plane as shot down with Eugene
Hasenfus). Ochoa contributed money to contras. Ramon
Milian-Rodriguez told Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics
and International Operations that he had funneled $10 million to
the contras thru former CIA operative Felix Rodriguez in 1983.
James Kible, Madrid Spain based DEA agent assigned to Ochoa case
and another DEA agent, Victor Oliveira were caught while boarding
a plane for Switzerland at Madrid Barajos Airport with $5 million
in cash, supposedly for North's contra-aid team. The records of
these arrests have been disappeared.
870912, Owensboro, KY, 11:01 PM, WBKY. A drug bust in Owensboro,
KY, in June 1986 lead to conviction of a staff officer and 6
other officers of the Philadelphia, PA, Police Department for
drug manufacturing. See 880601.
870913, Clay Co, KY, 3:20PM, WBKY. Cooms? of Clay Co, KY,
busted for marijuana production two weeks ago, says that the
police should be spending their time chasing criminals, not pot
patches. Kentucky State Police Commissioner Elkins replies that
there is nothing under the law to make them do so. This may be
the same as J. C. Lawson, see Sinsemilla Tips, Fall 87, p24.
870921", Mexico, Time, p33. Jamie Herrera Nevarez, 60, the "Drug
Lord of Durango" Mexico and former policeman, was arrested by
Mexican police for US DEA. He ran $200 million heroin pipeline
into midwest USA.
870900, Nicaragua, CIA Drug Connection, The Christic Institute,
1324 North Capitol Street, NW, Wash DC 20002. (202)797-8106.
Lawyers from The Christic Institute were retained by Tony Avirgan
and Martha Honey, reporters wounded in the May 30, 1984 terrorist
bombing in La Penca, Nicaragua. John Hull, CIA contract
operative in Costa Rica, has a ranch which is used as airstrip
for arms and drug running for Nicaraguan contras. The cocaine
was supplied by Columbians Pablo Escobar and Jorge Ochoa,
partners of Carlos Lehder. Francisco Paco Chanes was the
connection on US end. "The Secret Team", including retired Air
Force Maj Gen Richard Secord; Albert Hakim, international arms
dealer; Theodore Shackley, head of covert operations during Vice
President George Bush's term as Director of the CIA; Thomas
Clines, Shackley's deputy; and retired Army Maj Gen John K
Singlaub, backed Vang Pao, a major opium trafficker, in Southeast
Asia, 1965-75, using the resulting money to train Hmong
tribesmen. The heroin connection in USA was Mafia "Don" Santo
Trafficante. The opium business banked with Nugen Hand Bank of
Australia.
870917, Washington, DC, CNN 4:43AM. 6000[?] drug trafficking
cases dismissed as a result of a FBI investigation of police
stealing from drug dealers during arrests.
870919, The Nation, p254-274. There is a spat between Daniel P
Sheehan of The Christic Institute and Jonathan Kwitny, author of
_The Crimes of Patriots: A True Tale of Dope, Dirty Money, and
the CIA_, published by WW Norton, over the extent of USA
complicity in Nicaraguan contra drug smuggling.
871000, American Information Network Newsletter, p2. There is
more on the Bo Gritz/CIA/heroin connection. The operation is
said to have been at its peak in 1975 & 76 under George Bush.
CIA agents Theodore Shackley and Richard Armitage (now Acting
Assistant Secretary of Defense) as The Far East Trading Company
were involved in heroin smuggling with Mao Se Hung. H Ross Perot
found the same drug connections and was told by Frank Carlucci
(National Security Advisor) to stop pursuing the connection to
Richard Armitage. Last year 700 tons of opium were exported from
Burma and this year's crop is 900 tons. There is also a
statement by Lance Trimmer about two trips to the lair of Khun
Sa, opium smuggler and chief of his own 40,000 man private army
in Burma. By Don Bell, POB 2223, Palm Beach, FL 33480.
871019, Louisville, KY, KET, 32. Tringle, a Louisville Kentucky
narcotics officer wrecks his undercover cruiser at high speed
while off duty. A cooler full of liquor was found in the vehicle
and officer Tringle was found to have a blood alcohol level of
2.5 (said to be too drunk to stand up). [That's gotta be 0.25
blood alcohol!]
871111, Bowling Green, KY. KET, WAVE. John Rucker is found not
guilty in the murder of Jeffrey Miles.
871112 12:09AM, Chicago, IL, WBBM radio. Eugene Harnalski,
Chicago cop, left his badge and service revolver as collateral
for a drug buy. Now he is on trial for racketeering, so
apparently he was not supposed to do it. This came out in the
testimony of the drug dealer [named, but not remembered].
871123, KY. Congressman Carroll Hubbard asks FBI to investigate
the involvement of Henry Vance (Lexington bigwig recently
convicted of supplying the gun used to kill the prosecutor in a
drug case in Florida) in wholesale cocaine and marijuana trade in
western Kentucky. Hubbard states that major drug smugglers are
using local airports, including Bowling Green, KY. On 930416,
Comment on Kentucky, Bonnie Kelly (the shooter) is the wife of
Mike Kelly, Lexington cop.
871130, Charleston, WV, 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.
871100, "The Contra-Drug Connection", The Christic Institute,
1324 North Capitol Street, NW, Wash DC 20002. (202)797-8106.
$2. 12p. Extensive documentation associates several of Oliver
North's team with large-scale drug trafficking to finance covert
wars in Cuba, Southeast Asia, and Central America, for over two
decades. Plane loads of cocaine from Columbia, supplied by Pablo
Escobar and Jorge Ochoa, were flown to John Hull's ranch in
northern Costa Rica. Three pilots say that they delivered
weapons to John Hull's ranch and returned to USA with cocaine and
marijuana. Cocaine was also smuggled from John Hull to Miami in
frozen shrimp, shipped to Ocean Hunter, Inc and Mr Shrimp, Inc.
880105, Los Angeles, CA, CNN News. A Los Angeles Federal Grand
Jury indicts nine, including three Mexican police officers for
the murder of DEA agent Enrique Camerara Solarez [sp?] in
Guadalajara, Mexico three years ago.
880105, Miami, FL, CNN, 3:13P. I only caught the last part of
the story. A Miami cop acquitted in the case of the murder and
rip-off of three drug dealers recants. On tape he says that he
is sorry and that he disgraced his badge, but that there are
thousands of honest police. [Maybe even several thousand honest
police, if you were to look over the entire country.] Miami
officials want an end to investigations of this case, as it is
showing their wonderful city in a bad light, among other reasons.
880106, Miami, FL, "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. See 861024,
870121, 870202.
880109, The Nation, p6. Chapter 23, page 371, footnote 84 of the
Iran/Contra report. In 1986 Fawn Hall asked DEA agents to meet
with Michael Leeden. Leeden had a $30,000 contract with
Continental Airlines to find out how to stop the DEA from seizing
their airplanes when cocaine was found aboard.
880114, Charleston, WV, WHAS. 12:04P "Mad Dog" Roark, mayor of
Charleston WV, plea bargains guilty on six cocaine charges,
twenty-four others were dropped. Mad Dog was sentenced to 179
days in jail, three years probation, and a $5000 fine. See
871130.
880202, Lumberton, NC. An American Indian takes hostages to
publicize the actions of the local sheriff. A radio tape by this
hostage taker starts with the accusation that the sheriff's
department was involved with drug trafficking, and then went on
to complain about the killing of a Black and two Indians by the
sheriff.
880204, Panama. General Noriega of Panama is indicted by a
Federal Grand Jury in Miami FL on thirty counts of assorted drug
trafficking charges, taking millions of dollars in payoffs from
The Medellin Cartel, racketeering, conspiracy with Oliver North
to fake a shipment of arms from Nicaragua to El Salvador [on the
Pia Vesta, which Noriega seized and kept the arms], obtaining
chemicals for and protecting cocaine labs, providing airstrips
for drug smuggling, providing refuge for drug traffickers, etc.
Leon Keller is the Federal Attorney. Also more indictments of
Noriega are opened in Tampa for conspiracy to import one million
pounds of marijuana. Testimony was given by pilot Floyd Carlton
and Panamanian Consul General Jose' Blandon. This was reported
by Alan Tomlinson, NPR. On top of that, Noriega has been on the
CIA payroll since 1966 at $200,000 per year. Senator John Kerry
chaired a hearing on Noriega, with Jose' Blandon as star
witness. Blandon says Noriega made $80 million per year in drug
trafficking and another $20 million for emigration papers at
$4000 per head, allowing Cubans to claim to be Panamanians for
migration to USA.
880205, Cincinnati, OH, KET. Kentucky State Police Commissioner
Marion "Butch" Campbell is appealing in Federal Court the
government plans for a retrial on drug trafficking conspiracy
charges. Morgan County Kentucky Sheriff Benton, convicted on
conspiracy to murder witnesses to drug trafficking, is still not
in prison.
880208, Columbia, USN&WR, p28. The Medellin Cartel controls 80%
of cocaine imported into the United States. Fifty Columbian
judges have been murdered by the cartel in the past five years.
Columbia is unable [or unwilling?] to control the drug business.
880213, Nicaragua. An article in The Boston Globe by Stephen
Kurkjian and Mark Hosenball reports on the Senator John F Kerry
hearings. "About a dozen Nicaraguans who back the contras have
been prosecuted in the United states for drug-related felonies."
Michael B Palmer, 41, of Florida indicted in June 1986, walked
away from an airtight drug smuggling case because a Detroit
federal prosecutor dropped it in the "interest of justice".
Palmer was alleged to have flown marijuana into US from Columbia
from 1977 to 1986. In 1985 & 86 Palmer flew humanitarian aid to
Central America for the State Department. Leigh Rich testified
that the marijuana smuggling group headed by Palmer grossed
billions of dollars. Customs, at the request of the CIA, did not
search the planes. The plane was registered to Vortex, Inc, a
State Department and CIA contractor.
880306, Nicaragua, Minneapolis Star Tribune, p17A. An article by
Daniel Siegel and Jenny Yancey reports on the Senator John Kerry,
Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee hearings. Ramon
Milian-Rodriguez, Medellin Cartel money launderer, said that he
gave money, including $10 million in cocaine profits, to Felix
Rodriguez between 1982 & 1985. The cocaine was flown from
Columbia to the John Hull ranch in Costa Rica. Weapons for
contras were flown to the Hull ranch and cocaine was flown back
on return trips. Pilot Gary Betzner returned with 1000 kilo of
cocaine. Pilot Michael Tolliver said that he flew 25000 pounds
of marijuana into Homestead Air Force Base, Florida.
880330, Caribbean, In These Times, p 11. An article by
Anne-christine d'Adesky gives a partial list of Caribbean
officials alleged to have smuggled [illegal] drugs thru their
respective countries. From the Bahamas, Prime Minister Pindling,
top customs official John Rolle, and conservative political party
leader Sammy L. Miller. From Haiti; Defense Minister Brig.
Gen. Williams Regala, Army Chief Gen Henri Namphy, Chief of
Narcotics Carel Occel, Police Capt Gregoire Figaro, civilians Joe
Namphy (brother of Gen Namphy) and Alexander Paul (brother of Col
Paul) were part of group of Haitians who smuggled cocaine from
Columbia to South Florida via Bahamas and Dominican Republic.
Cuba; Fidel Castro and Raul Castro and several navy officials are
alleged to have smuggled cocaine from Columbia to Florida via
Cuba. On Mar 16, 1988 US Attorney Leon Keller (who indicted both
Noriega and Paul) told two congressional subcommittees a that a
recent drug seizure produced evidence of official Cuban and
Haitian involvement. Also Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Honduras,
Mexico, and Panama.
880405, Honduras. The Nation, May 7, 1988, p634. Ramon Matta,
suspected drug kingpin and friend of several top Honduran
military officers, is captured by US Marshals. The Honduran DEA
office, closed between 1983 & 1988, is reopened.
880413, In These Times, April 13-19, 1988, p5. Maj Gen Richard
Secord is suing Leslie Cockburn for $38 million for the loss of
"business opportunities", such as the gun and drug smuggling by
the CIA in Central America.
880507, Burma, The Nation, p634. Here is a summary of the Bo
Gritz story. In 1986, Gritz went to Burma with White House
blessings to meet with the drug warlord Khun Sa, who supposedly
had information of MIAs. Khun Sa said that he wanted to end the
opium and heroin traffic in his territory and to expose U. S.
officials involved in the drug smuggling. Gritz claims that he
took this message to the US government and was told by Tom Harvey
of the National Security Council (NSC) that "there is no interest
here" in the Khun Sa overture. In May 87, Gritz, with Lance
Trimmer, a private detective, again visited Khun Sa in Burma. In
a recent letter to George Bush, who heads the National Narcotics
Border Interdiction System, Gritz maintained that Khun Sa claimed
that he had once engaged in narcotics transactions with Richard
Armitage, now Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Theodore
Shackley, the former director for operations at the CIA, and
other US officials. George Bush was head of the CIA in 1976 when
Khun Sa said that he was selling drugs to top CIA officials.
Gritz says that, strangely, nobody in the US government is
interested in investigating this.
880601, Philadelphia, PA, Mutual News, WSFC. Seven Philadelphia,
PA, cops have been arrested with $150,000 for drug trafficking
over the past two years. This may be the same seven involved in
drug trafficking in Owensboro, KY. See 870912, 950623.
880608, Nicaragua, In These Times, Jun 8-21, 1988, p7. Arms
broker Richard Brenneke publicly charges that George Bush's
office directly supervised the contra arms network which was
funded by Columbian drug money in association with the Israeli
Mossad. The Washington contact was Donald Gregg, Bush's national
security advisor. /Is this the same Donald Gregg who in now the
US Ambassador to South Korea? 9101.
880905, Detroit, MI, Newsweek, Sep 5, 1988, p37. Detroit, MI has
at least 100 police officers under investigation for ties to the
drug underworld. However, Chief of Police William Hart insists
that His Force is free of systemic corruption. /Chief Hart was
finally arrested and charged with embezzlement of 2.5M$ from the
Police Department undercover narcotics fund on 910213.
881003, Columbia, U. S. News & World Report, Oct 3, 1988, p13.
Elaine Shannon in _Desperados_ says that in June 1984, Oliver
North, in an effort to expose alleged links between the
Sandinistas and drug dealers, leaked information which exposed
Barry Seal who was infiltrating The Medellin [cocaine] Cartel.
881122, Los Angeles, CA, CNN 11:05PM. Two Los Angeles DEA agents
are arrested for hiding money in Switzerland. Another DEA agent,
Darrell [Daniel?] Garcia who bought a $500,000 home, is still at
large. These three agents had amassed $600,000 in drugs and
laundered money in the past 4 years. Two drug dealers under
investigation were tipped off by these Agents of Justice. CNN
3:13PM 25 Nov
881128, CNN radio, 3:43PM, quoting The Houston Chronicle.
Sinsemilla Tips, V8#3p21. Drug agents nationwide have been
staging phony drug busts on their own agents for years in an
effort to gain the confidence of the "real" drug smugglers.
881129, Lexington, KY, KET. Marvin Washington, Lexington Fayette
County Kentucky police officer for the past eleven years, is
arrested for armed robbery and possession of illegal drugs.
Officer Washington accosted at gunpoint two restaurant employees
attempting to make a night bank deposit. He was also found to be
in possession of cocaine.
881200, US Senate, (GOV DOC # Y 4.F 76/2:S.prt.100-165). In
December 1988 the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and
International Operations of the Committee on Foreign Relations,
United States Senate released its report. It is for sale by the
U.S. G.P.O., Supt. of Docs., Washington, April 13, 1989. The
Nicaraguan Contras were funded by drug trafficking, facilitated
by Oliver North, John Hull, and Robert Owens.
Companies used by the State Department included: SETCO Air, a
company established by Honduran drug trafficker Ramon Matta
Ballesteros; DIACSA, a Miami-based air company operated as the
headquarters of a drug trafficker enterprise for convicted drug
traffickers Floyd Carlton and Alfredo Caballero; FRIGORIFICOS DE
PUNTERENNAS, a firm owned and operated by Cuban-American drug
traffickers; VORTEX, and air service and supply company partly
owned by admitted drug trafficker Michael Palmer.
More in WORMSCAN.&
881201, New York City, NY, Monitor Radio. A retired New York
City policeman was arrested in The Great Mafia Drug Bust.
881205, Nicaragua, US News & World Report, p16. Special
prosecutor Lawrence Walsh is investigating allegations that the
"Justice" Department deliberately stymied a Senate inquiry into
contra gun and drug smuggling in the spring of 1986.
890114, Costa Rica, WBKY, 4:15 PM. John Hull is arrested by
Costa Rican authorities on Thursday, 12 Jan 89 on charges of arms
trafficking, drug smuggling, and espionage. Warrants were
obtained in part from information from George Morales, drug
smuggling pilot for the CIA. Hull steadfastly claims that he is
a simple farmer and is not a CIA operative. His salary from the
United States National Security Council (NSC)is $10,000 per
month. /Farmer Hull has skipped bail an as of late 1990 is
reported to be hiding with his 20 year old female companion in
Nicaragua.
890100, Clay County, KY, KET. J.C. Lawson is arrested. A
vendetta is specifically denied by the cops. This is the fellow
who had the nerve to suggest that the police spend their time
chasing murderers and thieves, rather than pot patches. Ain't no
money in murders and thieves.
890130, Adelaide, Australia, Insight, p35. Detective Inspector
Barry Moyse was head of the police drug squad and was known for
his high profile attack on narcotics use. In late 1987 he was
convicted of trafficking in heroin he had taken from the police
property room.
890123. Newsweek, p 60. The Surgeon General's Report states
that the annual death toll in the United States from cigarettes
is 390,000. By 1992 the figure has risen to 450,000 deaths per
year from tobacco consumption in the US.
890220, Costa Rica, Newsweek, p8. The Bush administration and a
bipartisan group of congressmen are quietly pressuring Costa Rica
to release an American farmer [sic] jailed there on drug
charges. John Hull, whose ranch near Nicaragua's border figured
in Oliver North's contra-supply network, was charged last month
with cocaine smuggling. The US Embassy has protested his arrest,
and 19 legislators - including Democratic Rep Lee Hamilton, a
critic of contra aid - are urging the case 'be concluded
promptly ... in a manner that will not complicate U.S.-Costa
Rican relations.'
890220, KY, KET. On a Crime in Kentucky program, it was
mentioned that 90% of prison inmates in Kentucky are imprisoned
for either drug or alcohol charges.
890225, Lexington, KY, WSEK. Fayette County, Kentucky, Sheriff
Lonas Taulbee and five others are indicted on cocaine trafficking
charges.
890231, Lexington, KY, WBKY, KNN. Fayette County Sheriff Lonas
Taulbee resigns effective 14 April. He was convicted and
sentenced to 5 years for theft and malfeasance. He is yet to be
tried for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
890411, Lexington, KY, KNN. Fayette County Sheriff Lonas
Taulbee, convicted for stealing $15,000 from the Sheriffs
Department, will resign and rerun for election.
890417, The Nation, p 512. Guillermo Tabraue received $1400 per
week from CIA and did $75 million in marijuana and cocaine
business between 1976 and 1987, supposedly with the blessings of
the CIA.
890419, FL, WFLW, 9:58AM, also ABC. The Everglades fire of about
two weeks ago was started by the burning of the records of a
Miami cop arrested for cocaine smuggling.
890508, The Nation, p619. "Drugs, Law Enforcement and Foreign
Policy", a report of the Senate Subcommittee on Narcotics,
Terrorism and International Operations released April 13. It
concludes that US knowingly used several drug traffickers in its
contra supply operations. Four companies owned and operated by
narcotics traffickers, SETCO Air, DIASCA, Frigorificos de
Punterenas, and Vortex were selected by State Department. John
Hull accused of preparing false affidavits for US Attorney Leon
Kellner.
890508, Cleveland, OH, Newsweek, p26. Arthur Feckner, drug
wholesaler, helped capture his supplier and 100 pounds of cocaine
in 1985. Feckner was then allowed by Cleveland police to sell 13
pounds of cocaine for $452,000 [$35/gm]. An internal police
inquiry had enough evidence to indict five officers. A judge
ruled that state law permitted police drug sales if they were
claimed to be in pursuit of a dealer. Present Police Chief
Howard Rudolf was head of narcotics department at start of
Feckner affair.
890803, St Louis, MO, Matt Elrod. Marijuana claims another
life. At 5 a.m. on August 3, 1989, police came to the home of
Bruce Lavoie, (34), a machinist with a wife and three children.
Without announcing themselves and with no evidence that Lavoie
was armed, police smashed the door in with a battering ram. They
had a search warrant based on an informant's tip that was 20
months old. As he arose from his bed, Lavoie was shot to death
as his son watched. A single marijuana cigarette was found.
More in WORMSCAN.&
890810, Russell Co, KY, WKYM. Judge Eddie Lovelace files suit
against a Russell County KY radio station for reporting on 24
July 89 that he was suspended for 6 months for interference with
the Clinton County marijuana cultivation case against Clinton
County Court Clerk Lloyd Stockton. Believe it or not, it is
illegal to mention that a lawyer has been reprimanded!
890815, Boston, MA, 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.
890830, KY, KNN. Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell wins! On a
final appeal, Judge Carl Forrester rules that evidence is
inadmissible for a retrial. Kentucky State Police Commissioner
makes a good front for cocaine smuggling.
890907, Owsley Co, KY, WTVQ. Jackie, son of [Bill Robert ?],
Owsley Co, KY, Judge-Executive arrested on CBS TV by FBI for
marijuana cultivation.
890925, OH, Insight, p 44. Democrat Rep. James A. Traficant, Jr.
received $108,000 in bribes from organized crime in the 1980 race
for Mahoning County, Ohio Sheriff. The 6th US Court of Appeals
sez that the bribes are taxable.
890928, Clinton Co, KY, WFLW. Judge Eddie Lovelace has his
suspension for protecting the local marijuana industry reduced
from 6 months to 45 days.
891122, Lexington, KY. Gatewood Galbraith runs for Governor of
Kentucky on a marijuana platform. A tax of $1000 per pound is
proposed. Kentucky consumption is estimated at 700,000 pounds
per year.
891218, Detroit, MI, Newsweek, p 30. Detroit, MI, top police
officials are accused by FBI of stealing more than $1 million
intended for "buy and bust" operations against competing drug
dealers. /Similar charges were also made in Sep 88 and Feb 91.
900118, Hopkinsville, KY, WHAS, KNN. Christian County, KY,
Sheriff William Dillard & chief deputy & others arrested 17 Jan
90 on Federal indictment for cocaine distribution & accepting
bribes to protect cocaine distribution after a one year FBI
investigation.
900226, Mexico, Insight, p 37. Murder indictments are handed
down for Manuel Ibarra Herrera, former chief of the Mexican
Federal Police, and Miguel Aldana Ibarra, his deputy and former
Interpol director for murder and narcotics trafficking in the
death of DEA agent Enrique Camerena in 1985. The kidnapping and
torture of Camerena was to find out how US officials had learned
of the ties of members of then-President Miguel de la Madrid
Hurtado's Cabinet to drug payoffs.
900305, East Wendover, UT, Paul Harvey. The East Wendover, UT,
police chief and his wife are arrested for drug trafficking.
900400, Iran. Acres, USA p 21. Iran paid our conspirators for
part of the contra arms deal with heroin & morphine.
900403, Warren Co, KY, WDCL. Bowling Green, Warren Co, KY,
Jailor Bunch & 7 deputies indicted on many charges including drug
dealing at the jail.
900414, Bowling Green, KY WHAS. John Roger McDonald, age 22,
dispatcher at Bowling Green, KY, State Police is accused of
stealing an undisclosed amount of cocaine from evidence.
900425, KY News Net. John Roger McDonald is accused of stealing
200 to 300 grams of cocaine in several thefts over 5 months from
State Police Evidence.
900428, Costa Rica, The Orange County Register. Costa Rica is
not happy with Contra drug smuggling through their country.
Costa Rica bans former U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica Lewis
Tambs, former National Security Adviser John Poindexter, Lt.
Col. Oliver North, ex-CIA station chief Joe Fernandez, and arms
dealer Richard Secord. John Hull is stripped of citizenship.
More in WORMSCAN.&
900608, Lexington, KY. Murphy wants change of venue.
900613, The Bronx, NY, Paul Harvey. The Bronx, NY cops hold a
"job action" to protest probes of corruption in the police
department. They write no parking tickets.
900615, Lexington, KY, WEKU. Lexington, KY Fayette Co, KY
Sheriff Taulbee loses appeal on theft & malfeasance and is
sentenced to 5 years.
900616, Nicholasville, KY, KNN. Danny Allen Murphy is charged
with suffocating his wife in 85. Also on trial next month on
Federal drug charges. His occupation is given as
Lexington-Fayette County Police Officer.
900623, Hopkinsville, KY, WKYU. William Dillard, Christian Co,
KY, Sheriff is convicted of cocaine trafficking and taking a
$5000 bribe from the Feds. Found not guilty on some other
charges.
900717, Vine Grove, Hardin Co, KY, KNN. Police Chief Abshire
pleads guilty to cocaine possession.
900727, Whitley Co, KY, WSEK. Former Whitley County, KY,
Judge-Executive Archie Powers and Clifford Silers plead not
guilty to cultivating 849 marijuana plants in 2 plots in the
National Forest in Whitley County.
900816, Eastern Kentucky, WSEK, WKYU. 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, who took $38,500 in bribes from FBI
agents; 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. Two FBI agents
masqueraded as big Chicago "businessmen", in the business of
importing marijuana and cocaine. They got a business license to
air-drop and outship their products from backwoods airstrips.
This is supposedly the biggest [bigger than catching the Kentucky
State Police Commissioner doing 3/4 million dollars per week in
cocaine trafficking??] bust in Kentucky. Several newscasts
emphasized that this is no reason for good citizens to question
the integrity of their police; other radio stations issued an
appeal for their good citizens to report such activities to the
FBI hotline. 800/752-6000
900820, Lexington, KY, KET. Lexington Police Officer Dan Murphy
is on trial for distribution of marijuana, and weapons charges.
Judge Forrester will decide if the jury should see Murphy's
Jessamine County fortress/plantation/home. The charges are worth
30 years.
900822, Lexington, KY, KET. 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 in
Jessamine County.
901008, Columbia, SC, USN&WR, p24. In FBI Operation Lost Trust,
10 legislators are indicted on bribery & drugs charges. 30 of
170 state legislators are implicated.
901011, Christian Co, KY, KNN. Christian County Kentucky Sheriff
Dillard is sentenced to 9 years in prison for selling cocaine &
stealing $12,000 from the government.
901018, Perry Co, KY, KET\WYMT. In Perry County, Kentucky, 40
state and 14 federal indictments were handed down for assorted
drug dealing in a joint FBI & KSP case. 40+ have been arrested,
including former county attorney Kenneth Baker who is charged
with taking gratuities for influencing drug cases in court. This
is thought to be independent dealers rather than a conspiracy.
901018, Boston, MA, PBS Frontline, "When Cops Go Bad", WGBH.
Discussed the Miami, FL, case (see 7 previous entries from 861024
to 890419) 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.
901022, London, KY. Lee County KY Sheriff Jonathan Mann is being
held without bond in the Laurel County jail. He is charged with
19 counts of drug trafficking and extortion, and taking $85,000
in payoffs from drug traffickers posing as FBI agents. He is
running the Sheriff's Office from jail, having appointed his wife
as administrator.
901024, Monticello, KY, WFLW. Ed Reynolds was arrested by the
Wayne County Sheriff last Friday with 24 pounds of processed
marijuana. Rumors are that Reynolds was a Wayne County Special
Sheriff's Deputy for Drug Operations.
901029, Los Angeles, CA(?), 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.
901108, Somerset, KY, WFLW & WSEK. Ten year veteran Kentucky
State Police Trooper David Dick was issued a criminal summons
(not arrested) as the result of his superiors finding marijuana
less than two ounces in the trunk of his cruiser Sunday. He
claimed that this was leftover from an arrest and that he had
forgotten about it. On Monday he resigned, according to Pulaski
County attorney Fred Neikirk. On Thursday he pleaded guilty, was
fined $25, and immediately had his conviction voided. His
attorney was Larry Whittaker. Trooper Dick has been rumored to
be involved in marijuana production and marketing for several
years. See 861126.
901110, Wayne Co, KY, personal communication, MG. Ed Reynolds, a
member of the auxiliary police ( or Monticello Police?), who
lives at Gap of the Ridge near Fred West, had a pre-trial
hearing (Thursday, 8 Nov ?) for possession of 25 pounds of
processed marijuana. A trial is set for May.
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.
901217, Lockerbie, Scotland, Primary source here is from
Barron's, 12/17/90, "Unwitting Accomplices?" by Maggie Mahar.
Lockerbie Pan Am bombing is linked to CIA heroin smuggling.
Monzer Al-Kassar, a Syrian drugs and arms smuggler, had started a
heroin-smuggling operation at the Frankfurt, Germany airport.
Al- Kassar "reportedly received $1.2 million from a Swiss company
controlled by Albert A. Hakim and retired Air Force Maj. Gen.
Richard V. Secord." These folks, in turn, were part of the Iran-
Contra network. More in WORMSCAN.&
910108~, St Regis, suburb of Louisville, KY, KET? St Regis
policeman Bersot (Bursoe?) is accused of planting drugs & guns on
David Trigley(sp?). Trigley's crime was to date the cop's
ex-wife. Captain Eppeley deplored the accusation. See 920826 &
930320. [David Trigley may have been one of the cops. A David
Tingley was involved with another drug planting case on Ricky Lee
Pardu.]
910213, Detroit, MI, NPR. William Hart, the Police Chief of
Detroit, MI, is accused of embezzlement and tax fraud for
diverting 2.5M$ 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. On 920827 they made it stick, 10 years'
worth.
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. The shot was meant for the dog, but
missed, hitting her in the stomach.
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.
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 incidentally
drug distribution, over two years.
910619, Frankfort, KY, KET. 5 marijuana plants were found
growing in an apartment owned by Gary Faulkner, KY Drug Czar and
Commander of The Governor's Marijuana Strike Farce. This time
they believed the landlord when he said that he did not know of
this activity and furthermore, he had no way of knowing. 60 more
plants were found in another Frankfort indoor harvest.
910712, London, KY, KNN. In the trial of Jonathan Mann etc,
evidence showed that informant David Richardson was paid $77,000
by the FBI for salary & expenses. His previous career was a
marijuana dealer.
910716, London, KY, WSFC. John Quinn (or maybe Flynn?) of
Lebanon, OH is Jonathan Mann's attorney. Mann has had a
jailhouse conversion, and now has found God, who should forgive
all his sins. Mann gave an interview to a Lexington newspaper,
but this was declared insufficient to grant a mistrial.
910718, London, KY, WKYM. In the Mann et al trial, David
Richardson is alleged to have killed fellow agents Doug & Brenda
(Davidson?). But he passed a FBI lie detector test, and that's
that. These allegations are adjudged to be irrelevant and not
admissible as evidence.
910719, Nicholasville, KY, KNN. Former Lexington cop Murphy
pleaded guilty to suffocating his wife and was given 20 years.
910731, London, KY, WSEK. Jonathan Mann etc trial prosecution
finished. James [not David] Richardson of Owsley Co given as the
marijuana dealer who cooperated with the FBI. The judge is
Siler.
910816, London, KY, KNN. Late today a verdict was delivered in
the drug conspiracy trial of Lee County Sheriff Jonathan Mann and
Associates. I think that 5 of 6 were convicted on one count of
conspiracy to distribute cocaine, but reports are very unclear.
Sheriff Dean Spencer of Breathitt Co was the odd man. Five were
convicted of conspiracy of extortion, and three were convicted of
conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
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.
910821, Wayne Co, KY, WFLW. Paul Eugene "Gene" Upchurch, age 44,
is found shot dead by his pickup truck on the Millsap Mountain
Road.
910826, Marshall Co, KY, KNN. Bruce E Buchanan, deputy jailor of
Marshall Co, KY, is charged with marijuana trafficking in the
county jail, and trafficking within 1000 feet of a school, since
the school is only a block from the jailhouse.
910826, Laurel Co, KY, WSEK. The Robert Foley, age 56[?], of
Harlan, alleged to have recently killed two brothers (& Harry
Lynn Vaughn) and dumped their bodies into Sinking Creek is a FBI
informant, according to an Ohio lawyer. A Federal judge issues a
gag order on the subject. Foley's father and wife are arrested
and alleged to have intimidated witnesses.
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.
911101, Laurel Co, KY, WSEK. Ron Pool, FBI handler for
"Operation Walking Short", the Jonathan Mann case, attempted to
influence Judge Watson to release Robert Foley on murder charges.
911002, Clinton Co, KY, WMKZ, WKYM. Following a two year
undercover investigation, the FBI arrested David M Stonecipher,
47; John Henry Cravens, 45; Anthony "Tony" Seratto, 39; and was
attempting to find Paul A Brown; on charges of conspiracy to
distribute marijuana. The break came with a $14K sale by
Stonecipher the previous Tuesday & Wednesday to a KSP agent.
This Duvall Valley operation was a marijuana clearinghouse,
exporting to GA, OH, IL. The FBI does not usually investigate
mid-level drug dealers, but this was an exception. Capt Gary
Lusher of the Bowling Green SP and Terry O'Connor of the FBI
publicized the bust. 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 conspiracy.
911029, Laurel Co, KY, KNN. Robert Foley, 39, is arrested &
pleads not guilty for the murder of four people found entombed in
an abandoned septic tank since 1989. This was on a farm at Bald
Rock, Laurel Co, owned by his father, and formerly owned by
___________, also alleged to have been murdered by Foley.
Victims include Kimberly Bowersods (?) 20, of Ohio; and Calvin
Reynolds, 22, of Laurel Co, KY. See also 910826 for rumor that
Foley is a FBI protected informant. Note that Foley had aged -17
years during this unfortunate incident. See 940404.
911030, Breathitt Co, KY, KNN. After a two month investigation,
Mike Goff of the Kentucky National Guard working in The
Governor's Marijuana Task Force, is among 31 arrested for
marijuana trafficking. According to Mike Powell, the Governor's
mouthpiece, participants are carefully screened for drug use,
criminal tendencies, and correct thinking before being allowed to
participate in The Governor's Marijuana Task Force.
911101, Laurel Co, KY, WSEK. Ron Pool, FBI handler for Operation
Walking Short, the Jonathan Mann case, attempted to influence
Judge Watson to release Robert Foley on murder charges.
911105, Clinton Co, KY. Eddie Lovelace wins election for Circuit
Judge. During the campaign, no mention is made of his
disbarment. However, new connections to the marijuana industry
are alleged when Lovelace accepts a $500 contribution from an
arrestee (Cravens?) in the 911002 FBI marijuana raids.
911121, Charleston, TN, KNN. Four of four police officers of
Charleston, TN, are arrested for conspiring to have a town
councilman arrested last year. Said harassee was investigating
corruption in the police department.
920130, Laurel Co, KY, WSEK. Robert Foley was being handled by
FBI agent "Ron Poole" at the marijuana arrest of Larry Vaughn.
920324, Knox Co, KY, WSEK. Sheriff Bingham & Judge-Executive
Hampton wrote letters of recommendation of lenient sentences for
growers of 300 pounds of marijuana in the Stinking Creek area.
Also "Ron Poole" of the FBI is accused by Kathy Putnam, wife of
his ex-partner, of buying drugs for cash and buying drugs without
accompaniment. Pardner Putnam is presently serving 16 years for
the murder of an informant rather than take responsibility for
her pregnancy. Talk about screwing a confidential informant!
920504, The Nation, Alexander Cockburn, p582. A drug & gun
trafficking operation thru Mena in western Arkansas was protected
by Federal officials. A 1983 IRS drug smuggling & money
laundering investigation by the Arkansas State Police, prime
investigator Russell Welch, uncovered CIA connections, and was
warned off by the FBI. Arkansas state agencies brokered loans to
associated companies and interfered with investigations. Terry
Reed was a pilot & contra trainer.
920509, Presidio Co, CA, Paul Harvey. The former Presidio County
CA Sheriff is busted for cocaine trafficking. But there is no
Presidio County in California. But Sheriff Rick Thompson of
Presidio County, Texas, and his business partner Robert Chambers
(a Senator?) have been sentenced to life in prison for cocaine
smuggling according to Frontline, "What Happened to the Drug
War?", 930206. I was really impressed by Sheriff Thompson's
television adv for his tollfree drug smuggler hotline, 800
BE-ALERT. Apparently they were caught when another business
partner reported them to the real cops.
920513, Harlan Co, KY, WMKZ. LeRoy Helton and Don Helton file a
$12 million lawsuit against Sheriff Bill Redwine & 2 deputies for
unlawful arrest in a 1988 drug raid.
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. Rumors have it
that this is a common practice everywhere.
920806, Kentucky, WMKZ. "Operation Walking Short" continues.
Former Lee County Sheriff Jonathan Mann is accused of taking
$40,000 in payoffs from phony drug dealers. The Feds are
confiscating $132,000 in property as drug profits. Meanwhile,
Sheriff Mann is serving 24 years 4 months in prison. Wolfe
County Deputy Sheriff Wilson Stone was sentenced to 10 years 1
month.
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.
920809, Clay Co, KNN. Marijuana claims another young victim.
Melissa K Cotton (20) of Patterson, New Jersey, a Ft Campbell
soldier, was killed in Clay Co, KY, as part of The Governor's
Marijuana Task Force (GMTF). She was a passenger in a fuel
tanker truck which ran off the road. The shoulder collapsed, and
the truck rolled down a hill and into a tree. The truck was in
the area supporting helicopters searching for marijuana. The
claim was made on several newscasts that "The Army is not heavily
involved in marijuana eradication". The GMTF score so far this
year is about a half million plants.
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. See 930225, 930723
920827, Detroit, MI, Paul Harvey. Detroit Police Chief William
Hart is sentenced to 10 years for embezzlement and tax evasion
for stealing millions of dollars which was supposed to have been
used for undercover drug buys.
920829, Clinton Co, KY, KNN. Anthony Seratto is sentenced to 70
months for marijuana trafficking. Not mentioned was his
occupation (Albany city cop) or the disposition of charges of use
of a firearm in the commission of conspiracy to traffic in
illegal drugs.
920911, Clay County, KY. Vicki ____ wins $70K lawsuit against
Clay County jail for a BCS. While six months pregnant, her anus
and vagina were searched with the same unlubricated glove. No
contraband, but a nice infection anyway.
921030, Jessamine Co, KY, WSEK. Former Jessamine County Sheriff
Steven Roy Walker, is given a one year diversion in lieu of a
retrial on 35 counts in 1989 of illegally obtaining pain
killers. This means that if Sheriff Walker stays clean for a
whole year that his record will be wiped clean. Carl Forster,
judge.
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 $7,000 and some marijuana in return for protection of a
marijuana dealer. This came after a one year Grand Jury
investigation. When Judge Collins took over his office in
January 92, he immediately dismissed a Grand Jury which was
investigating corruption.
921212, Louisville, KY, KNN. A drug sweep in Louisville, KY,
catches 24 drug dealers, including a Jefferson County Deputy
Sheriff. Deputy Gerald LaMotte Gray was charged with two counts
of marijuana trafficking. Also paraquat has just been declared
safe and efficacious for use on homegrown marijuana.
921218, Comment on Kentucky, KET. ? Estep of Lexington
Herald-Leader says that the value of the marijuana crop has been
forced below the value of the tobacco crop in Kentucky this year,
which is 900M$. [But on 921112, the harvest was claimed to be
worth $1,300,000,000.] During the 80's, marijuana was usually of
more value than tobacco, 1B$ in some years. Most is produced in
southeastern Kentucky, Clay, Leslie, Laurel, Harlan, Whitley,
McCreary, Wayne, Clinton counties. Prices this year are $1200
to $2600 per pound. Judge Collins has been suspended with pay
after continuing to hold court after his arrest on bribery
charges. Al Smith speculates as how the drug trade has caused a
lot of corruption.
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".
921230, Eastern KY, KNN. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld
the "Operation Walking Short" convictions of five Eastern
Kentucky cops on assorted drug trafficking conspiracy charges.
It does admit that maybe the punishment of Omer Noe was too
harsh.
930127, Miami, FL, WSFC (ABC?). Three customs agents and an FBI
agent are charged with drug trafficking, bribery, and money
laundering in Miami, FL.
930128, Lexington, KY, KET. Former Lexington Police Officer
Danny Murphy has his charges of use of a machine gun while drug
trafficking overturned in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in
Cincinnati, OH. He still is in prison for murdering his wife.
In a personal conversation with DPB at Rainbow 93, an individual
volunteered that his brother-in-law was one of the fronts for
Murphy, holding title to Murphy's estate in alternate years.
Murphy beat the machine gun rap because the gun was in the attic
and the pot was in a freezer in the basement, this being a
sufficient distance that he could not be using his machine gun in
perpetration of a drug crime.
930201. Ex-Miami cop Armando Garcia is on the FBI most-wanted
list. This may be one of the Miami's Finest who was given a
mistrial for robbing and killing cocaine smugglers. See 870202.
930209, Beattyville, Lee Co, KY, WMKZ. Beattyville Chief of
Police Omer Noe of Lee County, KY, is resentenced to 12 years 7
months in prison for his part in in the "Operation Walking Short"
drug smuggling. The Appeals judge was Eugene Siler, who had
originally tried Noe. Not that Noe doesn't deserve another 12
consecutive life sentences for hypocrisy, but has a judge ever
overturned himself on appeal?
930225, Louisville, KY, KNN. Jefferson County policeman Ron Pike
is convicted of possession of two automatic weapons. No mention
of any connection with his planting drugs and weapons on Ricky
Lee Pardu who was informing on their security service. See
920826, 930723. WSEK says that the trial for drug planting is
scheduled for April 6.
930318, Lexington, KY, KET. Former Lexington, KY, police officer
Danny Murphy is convicted of possession of a pistol while
marijuana trafficking and sentenced to five years in prison. He
was formerly acquitted of possession of a machine gun while
engaged in his moonlight business. See 930128 & 910719 &
900822 & 900820 & 900816 & 900608.
930120, St Regis, KY, WKYU. St Regis Police Captain Epperly
pleads guilty to planting drugs to facilitate the arrest of an
inconvenient criminal. It is unclear whether this concerns the
case of David Trigley or that of Ricky Pardu. See 920826 &
910108.
930226, Lebanon, KY, KNN. Three State Troopers bound and robbed
Garry Mattingly and family near Lebanon, Marion County, KY. The
authorities say that the armed robbers were actually phoney state
police. There may be no connection, but the name Mattingly is
famous in marijuana production. See 820000 & 920120.
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 and intimidation of a witness. 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 1.5
years. Police Chief Walsh vows that he is "finally gonna clean
up the Good Ole Boy Network" [his words]. See 850912, 930716.
930416, Lexington, KY, WSEK. Ella Flynn, mother of Melanie Flynn
who was disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1977,
claims police ineptitude & indifference. Mrs Flynn claims that
she gave police many details of names, places, times, etc, which
were ignored. She also claims that part of the case file was
disappeared. Chief Walsh denies all these false allegations.
This re-surfaced upon the arrest of Bill Canan former Lexington
Police Officer on cocaine trafficking charges. Rumors at the
time of Melanie Flynn's disappearance were that she knew too much
about the Lexington Police drug trafficking. See 850912, 870112,
871123, 890225, 900820, 930409, Sally Denton, The Bluegrass
Conspiracy, Doubleday, 1990.
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.
930421, Lexington, KY, KET. Former Lexington Kentucky Police
Officer Bill Canan is indicted on 14 counts. Charges include
drug possession and distribution in '88, possession of a fake DEA
ID, and possession of a pen gun and machine gun. His lawyer is
Fred Peters. One of the character witnesses at the bail hearing
was the same as for Danny Murphy. (See 900608, 900816, 900820,
900822, 910719, 930128, 930318). The Judge had enuf sense not to
pay any attention to him this time. Officer Canan is ajudged to
be a danger to the community and an escape risk.
930528, Christian County, KY, WKYU. Sheriff William Dillard has
his conviction overturned on appeal. Thus he really did not
partake in cocaine trafficking or take bribes for protection of
the drug industry in his dominion. See 900118, 900823, 901011.
930624, Paducah, KY, WKYU. Captain William Gorden of the Narco
Squad is fired for recording and reporting corruption in the drug
unit by city manager Pennington. A whistle blower lawsuit is
filed.
930626, Catletsburg, KY, WMKZ. Timothy Woods (39), a Kentucky
Department of Forestry Ranger, is arrested for cultivation of
marijuana, tending a patch on a hillside, while on duty in
uniform.
930716, Lexington, KY, KET. Former Lexington Police Officer and
accused cocaine trafficker Bill Canan has his 13 counts (didn't
it used to be 14 counts?) dropped to 6 counts. Apparently he is
still charged with threatening to kill a confidential informant.
See 850912, 930409
930722, Paducah, KY, WSEK. The Western Kentucky Narcotics Unit
"needs to restore credibility", and be moved out of Paducah city
hall. The corruption ridden operation was funded by $220K in
state money and $73K in local taxpayer extortions.
930723, Louisville, KY, WHAS-KET. Louisville, KY, police
officers Ron Pike and James Goodman are convicted of planting
cocaine on a Federal informant, George [wasn't it Ricky Lee?]
Pardu. George Tingley was found not guilty. See 920826, 930225
930803, Kentucky, KNN? Just a piece of a story about someone
agreeing to resign from the State Police in face of corruption
charges.
930806, Harlan Co, KY, WMKZ. Howard Taylor, Harlan County
Kentucky Jailor, is accused of stealing two pounds of marijuana
from the Sheriff's evidence room.
930819, Laurel Co, KY, WMKZ. FBI Confidential Informant Robert
Foley is to go on trial for the murder of Rodney (Robert) Vaughn
and Harry Lynn Vaughn after being released from other murder
charges upon request by FBI Handler "Ron Poole".
930819, Louisville, KY, WKYU. The sentence of David Tingley was
ruled too lenient, even tho he testified for The State. David
Tingley had turned State Witness against his brother Deputy
Sheriff George Tingley in his trial for planting drugs on another
narc.
930802, Laurel Co, KY, KNN. Robert Foley, confidential informant
for the FBI, was convicted of the murder of Rodney and Harry Lynn
Vaughn. The jury did not believe his claim of self defense.
930820, Whitesburg, Letcher Co, KY, WSEK. Circuit Court Judge
Larry Collins decides to plead guilty to bribery for taking
marijuana to protect drug dealers, among other indiscretions.
930824, Whitesburg, KY, KNN. Letcher County Circuit Court Judge
Larry Collins pleads guilty to bribery for extorting drugs and
money from James Braddock. Several other charges are dropped.
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.
930905, Paducah, KY, WKYU. The Western Kentucky Drug Task Force
has been found to have been the subject of "loose management by
the Paducah Police". Some Kentucky Cabinet Committee has
investigated.
930916, Letcher Co, KY, WFLW. Howard Ratliff, Jr (49 or 59) of
Kings Creek, Letcher Co, KY, was arrested while cutting more than
400 marijuana plants in a field behind his house. Officer
Ratliff is a fifteen year veteran Forest Ranger. His uniform is
being subjected to forensic analysis to determine if he wore it
in his marijuana patch (apparently a greater crime).
930917, Louisville, Jefferson Co, KY, many. Jim Greene, former
High Sheriff of Jefferson County, Kentucky, goes for a six month
vacation at Maxwell AFB (AL?) for tax evasion. Also $128,000
fine. He seemed bitter about it, complaining that he had made a
deal for no prison time. He declared that, "My debt to society
will be completely paid after this six months." This contradicts
the three year probation. All they could make stick to Al Capone
was tax evasion, too.
931019, London, KY, WSEK. Former Lexington, KY, Police Officer
Bill Canan's trial started on 12 Oct. Today he took the witness
stand and swore that he had never engaged in the trafficking of
cocaine!! More to come, I expect. See 850912, 930409, 930716.
He was eventually convicted on the cocaine trafficking and
witness intimidation charges & not guilty on the weapons charge.
931104, Kentucky, KET-WAVE. Joseph Shawn Kelley and three other
National Guard members of GMTF plead guilty to padding their
expense accounts in last summer's War on Drugs.
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.
931113, Whitesburg, Letcher Co, KY, WKYU. Circuit Court Judge
Larry Collins is sentenced to five years for taking a bribe to
protect drug dealers. Also some other official has been
implicated. See 921123, 921218, 930820, 930824.
931129, Caracas, Venezuela, 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
Ramo'n Guille'n Da'vila, the head of the National Guard
antinarcotics unit. Guille'n told DEA & CIA officials in Nov
1991 that he had cooperated with two "unauthorized" shipments of
cocaine to the United States. The 940704 USN&WR p 41 reports
this as "knowingly allowing several shipments of cocaine from
Venezuela to the United States."
931215, ???, Paul Harvey. Some cops somewhere got caught
stealing money from drug dealers. Chief Kelley declares that he
will root out corruption.
931216, Lexington, KY, WSEK. Lexington Police Officer Bill Canan
has his convictions on cocaine trafficking, intimidation of
witnesses, and carrying a false DEA badge upheld.
931228, NYC, NY, NPR. Judge Milton Mullins (sp) 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".
940104, Lexington, KY, KET. Horrace Inman, 15 year veteran of
the Lexington Police Force, is charged with felony possession of
cocaine. The Police Department has no further comment.
940202, San Juan, Puerto Rico, "FBI This Week" (radio spot).
Victor Zapata was arrested in Puerto Rico. The FBI claims to
have been surveilling Victor Zapata for three years. Armando
Garcia was arrested about two weeks ago in Columbia. These are
ex Miami Police Officers wanted for racketeering, corruption, and
conspiracy to traffic in cocaine. Garcia was on the prestigious
FBI 10 Most Wanted List. No mention of assisting the suicide of
drug smugglers. See 861024, 870207, 880105.
940218, Lee County, KY, KNN. Lee County, KY, Sheriff Brandenburg
passes a lie detector test, proving that he was not responsible
for the disappearance of 1650 marijuana plants worth $100,000
[must be real little plants] from evidence. This merited
attention because his predecessor was Sheriff Mann, presently
serving time for extortion and cocaine trafficking.
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.
940222, CIA Headquarters, MacNeil-Lehrer, KET. 940310, WSJ.
Aldrich Ames and his wife Maria are arrested on charges of being
Soviet spies in the CIA. Ames was head of the CIA narcotics
intelligence for the Black Sea countries. Some think that the
cash ($2.5 million at last count) did not all come from the
Soviet KGB.
940223, Beattyville, Lee Co, KY, WSEK. Sheriff Brandenburg is
released on $25,000 bail on drug conspiracy charges. Strangely,
the charges are now cocaine trafficking.
940312, Hazard, KY, WSEK. Kentucky State Police Narcotic Officer
Mark Lopez is indicted on five charges of forgery. What he
forged was another officer's signature on reports on how he used
money which was supposed to be used for undercover drug buys. He
was also reprimanded for taking home ("I didn't steal it!
Honest!!") vehicles seized in drug raids.
940317, Philadelphia, PA, AP. Two FBI agents are wounded, but
they killed two criminals and wounded two others in a drug raid
in Philadelphia, PA.
940317, WV?, WSEK. Over 70 criminals are having their cases
reinvestigated after eight years because a State Police
Forensics "Expert" falsified the evidence. Is this the Fred Zain
who was acquitted on an assortment of perjury charges 951209?
More in WORMSCAN.&
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 (Acelynne?)
Williams, a 75 year old retired minister died under the attentions
of 13 narcotics agents who raided his home. No drugs were
found. It is unknown what merited this attention.
940326, Miami, FL, CNN. Renee De Lacoma, a DEA agent who busted
Manuel Noriega has been convicted of keeping $250,000 for
himself.
940328, Boston, MA, NPR. 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!
940404, Madison Co, KY, KET. Twice convicted murderer and
sometimes FBI Confidential Informant Robert Foley (37) [still
37?] is on trial (moved to Madison Co) for the murder of four
more persons in 89. [So that's before the Vaughn murders, &
while he was working for the FBI?] Three bodies from Van Wert,
Ohio, Kimberley Bowersocks (20), Lillian Cantini (26), and Jerry
McMillan (36) and one from Laurel Co, KY, Calvin Reynolds (22)
were found in the septic tank on a burnt-out farm near Baldrock
in western Laurel County, KY. On September of 93, Foley was
convicted of murder for disposing of two other persons who had
become inconvenient to his operations. He was also earlier
convicted in a single murder. See 911029
940404, Beattyville, Lee Co, KY, KET. Irvine Shouse (32), a
prospective witness to the theft of pot from the Lee Co jail has
unexpectedly become dead. No other reason for his demise was
apparent. Sheriff Brandenburg is out on bond on charges of
conspiracy to traffic in drugs. See 940222.
940411, Mt Vernon, KY, KNN. It has been determined by a county
jury that Gary Shepherd forced the confrontation with GMTF,
justifying his execution. But see a letter from his family's
attorney in WORMSCAN.& Date: Thu Dec 01, 1994 9:07 am CST
940415, Harlem, NYC, NY, Paul Harvey. Twelve cops were caught in
a sting operation. Mostly night shift officers were buying and
selling drugs and guns. One Officer was caught on video tape
buying a kilogram of cocaine for $10,000.
940420, Mena, AR, WSJ. "On the Mena Trail" by Edward Jay
Epstein. CBS News recently focused two segments of "Eye on
America" on Mena, AR. 1) In Reagan years, local airstrips were
used to supply Contras. Supposedly Lt-Col Oliver North
supervised the operations. 2) Reputedly cocaine was brought back
on return trips, over 20 tons. Barry Seal was a pilot and
government informant. 3) Money laundering of $9 million per
week. 4) The strange lack of interest in the foregoing by the
"Justice" Department. _Compromised: Clinton, Bush and the CIA_
by Terry Reed and John Cummings reports on the alleged
conspiracy.
940429, Barbourville, Knox Co, KY, KNN. Senator Tom O'Dell
Smith's conviction is upheld for solicitation of a $10,000 bribe
for his efforts to reduce the sentence of a drug dealer. Senator
Smith offered his services to the wife of the unfortunate
citizen.
940504, Beattyville, Lee Co, KY, KNN. Beattyville, KY, Chief of
Police Townsend is suspended following the strange death of drug
dealer in Lexington who had implied involvement with the
disappearance of marijuana from evidence.
940504, Louisville, KY, KNN. There is an investigation of police
drug tactics as a result of the attack on a black police officer
mistaken for a drug dealer a couple weeks ago.
940505, Leslie Co, KY, KET. Deputy Sheriff Lyn Doyle Parr and
Roger Wells were sentenced for protecting marijuana dealers.
940506, Middlesboro, KY, KET. Middlesboro Policeman Garrett Lee
Russell was given a postponement of his trial for running a
multi-state marijuana trafficking ring.
940515, West Harlem, New York City, National Public Radio, All
Things Considered, Jim Zorowley (sp?). The latest New York City
cop scandal is 14 cops in the 30th precinct arrested and more to
go for robbing drug dealers, shooting a man in custody, etc. The
Knapp (sp?) Commission investigated systemic corruption,
especially in the narcotics business. Also a Mallen (sp?)
Commission last October. A "Blue Wall of Silence" was found
where officers lied to protect each other. Also referenced was
the 77th precinct in Brooklyn where in 86, 12 cops were stealing
and selling drugs.
940518, Thailand, Paul Harvey. Ten politicians, including six
present members of Parliament, are accused of drug dealing.
940601, Middlesboro, KY, KNN. Middlesboro Police Officer James
Patterson pleads guilty to cocaine trafficking. Sentencing is
scheduled for August. Note that as of 941104 he was still
running loose and still doing coke.
940604, Louisville, KY, KNN. FBI Agent Withers is accused of
heroin trafficking. He reputedly stole 100 pounds of heroin from
the evidence room and sold it to dealers who were under FBI
surveillance. Solicitations were by telephone and mail, and
payment was to various Post Office boxes. Much of the evidence
was found in a relative's home in Louisville, KY.
940610, Beattyville, Lee County, KY, KET? Sheriff Brandenburg is
real careful when he busts 123 marijuana plants. He is under
indictment for trafficking in marijuana confiscated last year.
940614, Hazard, KY, WKYU, KNN. A internal investigation hearing
in Frankfort was indefinitely postponed for another of Kentucky's
Finest yesterday. Hazard Post Kentucky State Police Officer Mark
Lopez (28) is accused of stealing $2000 [not clear if of or in
addition to] marijuana from evidence and threatening to kill an
informant. WSEK says that an informant got $450, but Officer
Lopez claimed $2475 in his report. No mention of how much
marijuana he scored.
940621, Louisville, KY, KET\WHAS. Louisville Police Officer
George Bell is busted for cocaine possession.
940628, Beattyville, KY, Kentucky Tonight, KET. Beattyville
Police Chief Townsend is finally fired after being on suspension
with pay since May. The fate of the 16,000 marijuana plants
which were disappeared under his care is still unknown.
940707, New York City, NY, NPR. The (Judge Jim) Mollen (sp)
Commission Report has been released documenting years of highly
organized police corruption. Gangs of Our Finest rushed to crime
scenes to collect the booty. They also used police equipment to
break and enter and burglarize. They protected narcotics
dealers, stole and resold narcotics and handguns (New York has a
"Sullivan Law" prohibiting private ownership of handguns). When
investigated, they lied and perjured. Honest(?) police and
supervisors chose to ignore this. Three former Police
Commissioners, including present National Drug Czar Lee Brown,
"showed a willful blindness to corruption". The extent of this
corruption is unknown, but "everywhere we looked for it, we found
it". Suggestions on cleaning up NYC Police are hotly contested
by the department.
940707, Louisville, Jefferson County, KY, WKYU. A NCIC All
Points Bulletin is out for Special Deputy Badges issued by
Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Green. Sheriff Green is presently
serving time for tax evasion (he didn't report the money he
extorted from his deputies).
940712, Eastern Kentucky, WKYU, WMKZ. An unnamed Eastern
Kentucky man (25) pleaded guilty to selling marijuana within 1000
yards of a school in the Mexican dilution connection. He was
sentenced to 8 months in jail. The real target is Lee County
Sheriff Douglas Brandenburg.
940727, Lexington & Beattyville, KY, WSEK. Deceased drug dealer
Irvine Shouse (32) died 03 Apr 94 of acute cocaine and diamulid
(sp?) (a strong cancer painkiller) poisoning. No fowl [sick]
play is suspected! Shouse claimed that Beattyville Police Chief
Townsend tried to sell him part of the 1600 marijuana plants
which were disappeared from evidence and mysteriously reappeared
in his car trunk, but didn't live long enough to tell that to a
jury.
940804, Middlesboro, KY, KNN. Former Middlesboro Police Chief
Steeley Barnett and sidekick Gerald Pratt, superintendent of the
streets department now want to plead guilty to federal drug
trafficking charges.
940805, Jefferson Co, Louisville, KY, KNN. The Grand Jury is
ready to indict 50 jailors and employees of the Jefferson KY
County jail on charges of drug smuggling within the jail.
940906, Pikeville, KY, WKYU. The trial of Lee County, KY,
Sheriff Douglas Brandenburg is scheduled to start today in
Pikeville. Sheriff Brandenburg is accused of importing cheap
Mexican marijuana to adulterate his higher quality domestic
product.
940906, Pikeville, KY, KET. George Nobel, Jr, of Breathitt
County pleas guilty in the Mexican adulteration operation. He is
the fourth of seven to plea guilty. He got seven years. Sheriff
Brandenburg still maintains his innocence.
940907, Pikeville, KY, KNN. Lee County Sheriff Douglas
Brandenburg is said to have taken payments of "thousand of
dollars per month" to protect the drug operations in his county,
starting shortly after he was elected and ending in June 94 as
his operation was taken down by federal action.
940909, Pikeville, KY, WKYU. Three more codefendants plead
guilty in the Lee County Sheriff Douglas Brandenburg marijuana
adulteration trial.
940909, Pikeville, KY, KNN. Lee County Sheriff Douglas
Brandenburg is given a mistrial. The reason given is that his
co-conspirators have all plead guilty, and it looks bad for him.
940912, London, KY, KNN, WSEK. The drug trial of Middlesboro
Officer Garrett Lee Russell starts today. He is accused of three
counts of dealing in cocaine, marijuana, and pain killers, 1
count of possession, 2 of use of a firearm in the commission of
drug dealing. He was arrested in March in "Operation Broken
Shield", after a 20 month investigation. He is accused of also
being a USER, using, dealing and letting his customers use in his
cruiser. All of his co-conspirators have pleaded guilty , but
this apparently is not sufficient for a mere city cop to be given
a mistrial.
940916, London, KY, WSEK. Middlesboro City Police Officer
Garrett Lee Russell claims that FBI Informant Benny Meyers gave
him free cocaine, and then demanded that Orificer Russell supply
him with other drugs. He carried a firearm during these drug
transactions because it was part of his uniform.
940916, London, KY, WKYM. Middlesboro Kentucky City Police
Officer Garrett Lee Russell is convicted of drug dealing charges,
but not of the use of a firearm in the commission of a drug crime
charges.
941022, New Orleans, LA, Washington Post. Oliver North claims to
have told the DEA of a Nicaraguan Contra supply plane returning
with cocaine in 1985. Unfortunately, the DEA claims that there
is no evidence that they were ever contacted. More in WORMSCAN.&
941103, This file distributed to Dan Drumm
941104, Middlesboro, KY, KNN. Middlesboro, KY, policeman James
Patterson was sentenced to 16 months for drug trafficking. Since
he is still using cocaine while free on bond, Judge ______
ordered him to prison immediately.
941117, Somerset, KY, WMKZ. Former Wayne County resident Tim
Gregory (29) of 232 March St, Somerset, KY, was arrested for the
1991 murder of Gene Upchurch. Upchurch had been found shot in
his truck near Mt Pisgah, Wayne Co. Rumors had it that he was a
special confidential informant for the Wayne County Sheriff.
941211, New Orleans, LA, Reuter. Nine New Orleans police
officers, including one arrested earlier for ordering a murder,
were indicted for drug trafficking by a federal grand jury
Wednesday. The officers were charged with protecting the storage
and movement of more than 130 kilograms of cocaine. Indicted
are: Len Davis, Davis' patrol partner, Sammy L. Williams Jr.,
Christopher Evans, Adam E. Dees, Sgt. Carlos Rodriguez, Keith
Johnson, Brian K. Brown, Sheldon Polk and Larry Smith Jr., a
juvenile division officer. More in WORMSCAN.&
941213, Mexico City, Wall Street Journal. _Garcia Is Enemy in
Mexican War on Drugs: Cartel Lord Protects Empire With Bribery
and Violence_, by Paul B Carroll and Dianne Solis. Juan Garcia
Abrego is doing from $10 billion to $20 billion per year in
cocaine trafficking. Bribes to officials are millions of dollars
per month, including to Deputy Attorney General Javier Coello
Trejo in 1989 and 1990. Guillermo Gonzalez Calderoni, former top
narcotics chief in the federal judicial police amassed $6
million. Interestingly, witnesses have now recanted their
stories. As an example of the "gateway theory", Garcia started
by smuggling whiskey, graduated to marijuana, and then cocaine.
950124, Honduras, Reuters. A groups of airline workers and
passengers filed suit charging they were imprisoned and tortured
in Honduras in 1991 because US officials botched a drug sting and
then waited over a week before seeking their release. The DEA
hid 100 pounds of cocaine on a Belize Air International flight
from Miami to Central America without informing the airline, the
crew or local governments. The cocaine was discovered when the
plane touched down in Honduras and all on board were arrested in
what was touted as a Honduran government Drug War victory. The
group was subjected to 12 days of prison and torture, including
electric shocks and beatings with rubber hoses, before the USA
finally acknowledged that the DEA had placed the coke on the
plane.
950206, Beattyville, Lee County, KY, KNN. The day before their
trial in Pikeville, Lee County Sheriff Douglas Brandenberg and
two co-conspirators plead guilty on one charge of obstruction of
justice in interference with a Federal Drug Investigation. But
they are now NOT guilty on charges of taking bribes to protect
the illegal drug business.
950216, NPR. The US military cost last year for its share of The
Drug War was $13billion, mostly spent in Latin America. Gen.
Barry R McCaffrey, head of the U.S. Southern Command
encompassing all of Latin America, said that despite a well
organized and costly counter-drug operation, ``these current
efforts are not achieving their purpose.''
950218, Floyd Co, KY, WSEK. Deputy Judge-Executive James Stumbo,
son of Floyd County Judge-Executive John Stumbo, pleads guilty to
drug dealing.
950304, Lexington, KY, WSEK. (Former) Lexington Policeman and
cocaine dealer Bill Canan loses his appeal. He claimed that the
search warrant was based on old information, and the evidence
should be suppressed. Also his diary of cocaine transactions
deciphered on videotape by a confidential informant held, even
tho the informant was subsequently deceased. His 17 year 8 month
sentence is said to stand. Also, Lexington's biggest (for a
while) cocaine haul resulted from the arrest of one of the
criminals from this weeks crack dealer collection.
950313, Honduras, Chicago Sun Times. * In March a federal judge
awarded $871,000 in damages to six Belize nationals on the
payroll of U. S. drug agents. The six had been hired to fly
cocaine to Miami in order to sting the drug runners who would
meet the plane, but at a scheduled stopover in Honduras, the
cocaine was detected by Honduran officials, who arrested the six
and subjected them to 12 days of torture before U. S. officials
were able to intercede. [Chicago Sun Times, 3-13- 95]
950407, New York City, NY, NY Times. Three more cops arrested in
the 30th Precinct of New York City on charges of robbing drug
dealers. This brings the total to 33, out of a possible 192
officers, or 17% crooked. See 951207, 960105, 960110, 960112.
More in WORMSCAN.&
950414, Puerto Rico. Big stink about drug trafficking corrupting
Puerto Rican politicians. More in WORMSCAN.&
950422, London, KY, WSEK. Six time murderer and sometimes FBI
Special Informant Robert Foley has another murder to his credit.
Robert Tucker, beaten to a pulp by Foley has finally died from
his injuries. Also there is a victim of another assault in 89.
Foley demands a speedy trial, but the judge says that six death
sentences are sufficient.
950502, Beattyville, KY, WKYU. Lee County Sheriff Douglas
Brandenberg goes to federal prison for nine months for
interfering with a drug investigation. But he got off on the
drug trafficking charges.
950510, Beaver Dam, Dodge Co, WI, Wisconsin State Journal. Scott
Bryant (29) was killed by Dodge County Sheriff Detective Robert
Neuman. Neighbors claim that the door was kicked down without
warning and Bryant immediately shot. The cops claim that they
knocked and announced that they had a warrant for marijuana, but
Detective Neuman also claims that he does not remember shooting
Bryant! More in WORMSCAN.&
950531, Breathitt County, KY, KNN. Breathitt County, KY, Deputy
Sheriff Larry Smith sentenced to 80 months and a $25,000? fine
for marijuana distribution.
950606, Cali, Columbia, MacNeil-Lehrer. Bunch of indictments in
the Cali cocaine cartel, which is credited with 80% of the
cocaine in the United States. The total is 60 (?), mostly
Columbians, who will not be extradited. The biggest catch is
William (?) Abell, former US Justice Official Head of
International Affairs prosecuting cocaine suppliers in Columbia,
who retired and became a lawyer for the cartel. Donald Ferguson,
another US Justice Official (?). A total of seven lawyers were
caught, two who were former US Justice Officials, two others, and
three who have already pleaded guilty. More in WORMSCAN.&
950610, New York City, AP, WKYU. New York City Police Chief
promises to clean up corruption in The Force!
950608, Arizona. Unlawful arrest based on "computer error" does
not lead to exclusion of evidence, at least drug evidence. More
in WORMSCAN.&
950623, Latin America, NAFTA & Inter-American Trade Monitor.
Cocaine and other drugs represent a large segment of agricultural
production in the Americas and a significant aspect of
international commerce. In 1993, in Colombia alone, coca
planting was estimated at 42,000 hectares, with an additional
20,000 hectares in poppies and 6-8,000 hectares in marijuana.
The Colombian government claims that coca and other drug
production has doubled since 1993, due to defense of producers by
guerrillas, who charge a tax for protecting growers,
laboratories, and air fields. More in WORMSCAN.&
950623, Philadelphia, PA, Inquirer. Fifteen more drug cases
overturned due to Philadelphia cops planting the evidence. The
arresting officers in the cases - five former 39th District
policemen - all have admitted they lied about drug arrests and
searches in the North Philadelphia district between 1988 and
1991, and have pleaded guilty to federal charges. See 880601,
950623, 960120. More in WORMSCAN.&
950624, Mexico City, CBS, WBBM. Mexican drug kingpin and 35
federal police are arrested by Mexican army.
950700, Mena, AR, Penthouse. Report of drug smuggling into Mena,
AR, by Barry Seal. Vast quantities of cocaine were imported
under the protection of our CIA. See WORMSCAN.& and MENA
950704, NYC & Miami FL, MacNeil-Lehrer. Interview with Michael
Dowd, former New York City cop, now in prison (20 years?) in
Miami, FL. New York's Finest admits that he ripped off drug
dealers for money and drugs, and used and sold cocaine, among
other acts not normally part of the job of the police. Dowd
brags how easy it was to lie and be covered by the other cops. He
admits to hundreds of illegal acts, and could have done hundreds
of times that. He admits to beatings, but no killings.
950705, Yuma, AZ, NPR. Yuma, AZ, Sheriff Deputy Jack Hudson shot
and killed two other deputies. All were part of a drug task
farce. Reasons for the executions are pending.
950712, Columbia, KY, WSEK. Adair County, KY, Magistrate Jeff
Miller (34) was arrested yesterday. Magistrate Miller was
stopped for no license plate, but fled. He was finally stopped
on the Columbia Town Square. He was found to have a large
quantity of marijuana, cocaine, crack, and prescription drugs, as
well as guns and money.
950719, Chicago, IL, Sherman Skolnick.
Sherman Skolnick claims in Conspiracy Nation -- Vol. 5 Num. 60
By 1986, the First National Bank of Chicago (a Rockefeller
entity) had loaned billions and billions of dollars to mainland
China which reneged on their promises to pay back in gold. To
help China pay, the CIA and the Bank arranged for massive amounts
of "China White", high purity heroin, to be smuggled in through
Joliet, just south of Chicago. Supervising this was Bush's crony,
Jim Thompson, Illinois Governor until 1990.
The "China White" deluge is handled by Te-Wu in the U.S. and by a
secret unit in the Chicago-based law firm, Winston & Strawn, of
which Thompson is chairman.
950730
From: Dr. Linda D. Thompson - American Justice Federation
* 61 percent of federal inmates are confined for drug offenses.
* Of the rest, 10 percent of federal inmates are confined for
robbery, 9 percent are serving time for firearms & explosives
offenses.
950720, San Antonio, TX, UPI. Two high-ranking officials of the
Maverick County Sheriff's Department were arrested by federal
agents Thursday on drug distribution charges. Maverick County
Chief Deputy Rudy P. Rodriques and Jail Administrator Miguel A.
Omana were taken into custody without incident in Eagle Pass. A
federal grand jury indicted the pair on a variety of charges,
including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin,
cocaine and marijuana, and aiding and abetting in the possession
of drugs. More in WORMSCAN.&
950707, Yuma, AZ, AP. Sheriff's Deputy Jack Hudson was charged
with murdering Yuma police Lt. Dan Elkins and Sgt. Mike Crowe
of the state Department of Public Safety. This member of the
elite drug task force was caught by the deceased while stealing
confiscated guns and drugs. A third officer escaped to talk
about it because Hudson's gun jammed. More in WORMSCAN.&
950803, Bogota, Columbia, Reuter. BOGOTA, Aug 3 (Reuter) -
Thirty officers stationed at Bogota's international airport
have been arrested and accused of helping cocaine couriers thwart
airport security in return for big bribes, the CMI television
news programme reported Wednesday evening. A National Police
official confirmed to Reuters that the colonel in charge of
airport security -- Leonel Mendoza -- and an unspecified number
of airport police had been suspended from their jobs pending an
investigation. The official, who asked to remain anonymous,
declined to comment further, saying the matter was in the hands
of prosecutors. CMI said police at the airport, who search
passengers boarding flights abroad for drugs and use sniffer dogs
to check baggage, allegedly took payments from traffickers in
return for allowing travelers carrying narcotics to board
international flights. The scandal was uncovered when five
police officers who refused to participate in the scam were fired
from their airport jobs by the colonel and decided to tell the
prosecutor's office what was going on, CMI added. Prosecutors
ordered surveillance of the airport police, uncovered the bribery
and immediately ordered the arrest of 30 police accused of
involvement, CMI said. Colombia is the world's top exporter of
cocaine, one of the biggest sellers of marijuana and a growing
player in the heroin trade. Large amounts of cocaine and heroin
are smuggled out of the country concealed in the luggage or
bodies of couriers paid by drug barons.
950805, Sydney, Australia, Reuter. A serving drug squad police
officer, George Sabados, 27, of Sydney, was among 18 people
arrested on Friday in what a police spokesman said could prove to
be Australia's largest-ever drug haul. Several tonnes of
cannabis resin originating in the Middle East, as well as illegal
firearms, were seized from several boats in the tourist town of
Hervey Bay, 250 km (155 miles) north of Brisbane on Australia's
east coast, a spokesman for the Australian Federal Police (AFP)
said. More in WORMSCAN.&
950813, Latin America, SD UNION. Ex DEA Agent Celerino Castillo
recants. While stationed in Central America, Castillo kept
records on planes used in the U.S.-Contra resupply operation at
Ilopango Air Force Base in El Salvador---arriving with guns and
departing to the United States with cocaine from Columbia. He
claims that on January 14, 1986, he forewarned then Vice
President George Bush of the U.S. government involvement in
narcotics-trafficking. Had Castillo testified at the Iran-Contra
hearings, he says North would have gone to jail and both Bush and
President Reagan would have been impeached. Castillo says that
on the basis of his work, he is convinced that drug money is what
finances U.S. covert operations world wide. He believes that
despite the "War on Drugs," there are more drugs coming into the
United States today than 15 years ago and estimates that at least
75 percent of all narcotics enter the country with the
acquiescence of or direct participation by U.S. and foreign
intelligence services. It is they who must be held accountable
for the flood of drugs on our streets today, he says. More in
WORMSCAN.&
950819, Floyd County, KY, WKYU, KNN. Kentucky State Police
raided the home of former Kentucky Supreme Court Judge Dan Jack
Combs and produced 4 ounces of processed marijuana, one marijuana
plant growing in a container, rolling papers, pipes, and scales.
Judge Combs says that he has no idea of how such things might
have gotten into his home. Really! Judge Combs retired in 1993
because of a "memory disorder". By 950822, His Honor Combs has
decided that State Police have framed him by planting the
evidence on him. More in WORMSCAN.&
950822, Pikeville, KY, WSEK. Pike County, KY, Judge Charles
Huffman III pleads guilty to extorting drugs from Vivian Adams.
His Honor Huffman demanded loracet (lorazepam??) for quashing
drunken driving arrest. His Honor is subject to a twenty year
prison sentence.
950825, Floyd County, KY, WKYU. Former Kentucky Supreme Court
Judge Hiz Honner Dan Jack Combs now says that he uses marijuana
to help him sleep. His memory disorder must have made him forget
his previous claims. The first story was that he had no idea of
how this diabolical substance could have appeared in his house.
Then he claimed that the cops planted it. Stay tuned for the
next story.
950826, Floyd County, KY, WSEK. Former Kentucky Supreme Court
Judge Hiz 'Onher Dan Jack Combs now claims that he did not smoke
marijuana while he was judging pot smokers. His insomnia began
after he retired, and a friend suggested the evil weed. Stay
tuned for the next claim.
950831, Cleveland, OH, AP. County Judge Michael Gallagher who
favored legalizing drugs was indicted on cocaine charges after
offering the drug to an undercover federal agent. More in
WORMSCAN.&
950907, Atlanta, GA, Paul Harvey. Six cops in Atlanta are
charged with stealing money while searching suspects and taking
bribes to protect drug dealers.
950911, Washington, DC, Washington Weekly, Sarah McClendon. At a
White House press conference, Sarah McClendon hypothesizes that
drug money is financing the political campaigns of both
Republicans and Democrats. More in WORMSCAN.& and MCCLENDN
950913, Somerset, KY, WSEK. The Somerset narcs have $25,000 left
over which they must spend or loose it. They want a sniffer
dawg, among other toys.
950913, Knott County, KY, WSEK. State Police Paul Sandlin was
seriously burned while trying to burn some marijuana at Big
Branch, near Hindman.
950914, Floyd County, KY, WSEK. Former Hiz 'Onher Dan Jack Combs
says that he still smokes marijuana, in a WTVQ interview. His
attorney says that Judge Combs has a memory disorder, and thus
may not really mean it.
950915, ,,. FBI chemist claims that FBI evidence is falsified.
Special Agent Frederic Whitehurst claims that evidence is rigged
or slanted to produce the desired results.
Personal observation of David Perry Beiter, Analytical Chemist,
US Army, 1966. The way that it was done in my lab was that The
Boss (a psychic chemist) would reanalyze some of the tests in the
privacy and security of his office. The offending bench chemist
never saw these new and improved results. This falsification of
chemical analyses was defended on grounds that it assured the
uninterrupted supply of petroleum products to The Army of The
Government of The United States of America.
"And the Ends shall justify the Means."
950921. In a story about Gen Colin Powell friends, mention is
made of the role of Richard Armitage, George Bush, Nugan Hand
Bank, and the CIA in heroin smuggling. More in WORMSCAN.&
950923, San Diego Union-Tribune. Former DEA agent Celerino
Castillo stated that he and three other ex-narcs were willing to
testify before Rep. Robert Toricelli's proposed subcommittee on
the intelligence community and human rights violations in
Guatemala and Central America regarding the extent of direct
involvement by the Central Intelligence Agency in international
drug trafficking. The estimate he gave the newspaper was that
approximately 75 per cent of the drugs that enter the United
States do so with the acquiescence or direct participation of
U.S. and foreign CIA agents. But this story has been around
longer than has the War On Drugs. More in WORMSCAN.&
950923, Pacifica Radio Network, Daniel Sheehan interview. Daniel
Sheehan of the Christic Institute claims that the CIA has assets
working as reporters at most of the major media, under the name
"Operation Mockingbird". More in WORMSCAN.&
950922, Tuscon, AZ, Reuter via pshe. A Mexican immigration
official has been arrested after crossing the border with 233
pounds of cocaine hidden in his car, the U.S. Border Patrol in
Tucson announced Friday. (Reuter)
950926, Nashville, TN, The Tennessean. Joining more than 60
other Federal judges, U.S. District Judge Thomas Wiseman spoke
up in opposition to this country's "war on drugs" in an interview
with The Tennessean. Judge Wiseman said that "We've spent $100
billion on the war on drugs and we're losing it." Wiseman
recommends that the U.S. should legalize drugs. That, he says,
is the only real way to win the war. "If you take the profit out
of it, nobody will be pushing it. Wiseman, a 17 year veteran of
the federal bench, said that when President Bush escalated the
war on drugs in 1989 [Omnibus Crime Bill, Asset Forfeiture, DARE
educational programs, Partnership for a Drug Free (sic) America,
Mandatory minimum prison sentences, etc....-ed.], the country not
only lost the battle, but also, "We've just about lost a
generation of young people," he told The Tennessean.
950929, ??, ABC, WSEK. Another bunch of cops somewhere charged
with drug trafficking.
950930, Muskogee, OK, AP. Choctaw County Sheriff J.W. Trapp
took more than $150,000 to protect drug operations, in some cases
by warning alleged drug dealers about federal investigation,
according to a federal indictment handed up Thursday. Sheriff
Trapp was convicted on 951209. More in WORMSCAN.&
951011, Monticello, Wayne Co, KY, Outlook. Circuit Judge Eddie C
Lovelace is honored as The Outstanding Trial Judge of the Year,
the Henry V Pennington Award of the Kentucky Association of
Trial Attorneys. Quite a improvement from being disbarred by the
Feds for interfering with the Clinton County marijuana
cultivation case against Clinton County Court Clerk Lloyd
Stockton. Then again, maybe he is honored to be protecting his
own kind.
951017, Mena, AR, Orlin Grabbe. Operation Black Eagle, under
Oliver North, trafficked arms and drugs with Central America.
Secure airfields used were Mena, AR; Fire Lakes, NV; Joppa, MO;
and Iron Mountain, TX. Personnel were Oliver North, Navy Lt.
Commander Alexander Martin, Major General Richard Secord, Richard
Secord, Felix Rodriquez, and Jeb Bush (son of Vice-President
Bush). More in WORMSCAN.&
951018, Atlanta, GA, WSB. Police Lieutenant Carl Angel of
Bowden(?) is arrested on drug trafficking charges. In addition
to the cocaine, Lt Angel was relieved of over $10,000 in jewelry
and guns. Lt Angel claims that he was set up, framed, had
evidence planted on him, etc, because he was the new Police Chief
Apparent. Either way, it is an interesting example of "Your Cops
at Work".
951008, Herndon, VA, Ralph McGehee. Distributing CIABASE of
covert CIA operations. Claims police harassment. More in
WORMSCAN.&
951023, Washington, DC, The White House Press Secretary.
Executive Order No. ##?? is issued prohibiting any transactions
or dealings with Columbian drug traffickers. The CIA is
presumably exempt. More in WORMSCAN.&
950304, San Francisco, CA, San Jose Mercury News (AP).
San Francisco (AP) - Reporters have no right to see police files
of public complaints of officer misconduct, even with the
officers' names left out, a state appeals court ruled Friday.
State law provides only for disclosure of data showing the
number, type and disposition of complaints against officers, said
the 1st District Court of Appeal. More in WORMSCAN.&
951104, Washington, DC, Reuter. WASHINGTON (Reuter) - Federal
prosecutors have acknowledged that Ricardo Bilonick, a key
witness in the drug trafficking trial of Panamanian dictator
Manuel Antonio Noriega may have been bribed into testifying by
the Cali drug cartel, The Washington Post reported Saturday. The
disclosure of an alleged payoff of $1.25 million was made in the
government's written response to Noriega's demand for a new
trial. More in WORMSCAN.&
951111, Lee County, KY, WSEK. It's official. Beattyville Police Chief
Danny Townsend is elected to the Lee County, KY, Jailor's office. His
opponent was ______ Noe, brother of Omer Noe, the former Beattyville
Police Chief. Chief Danny Townsend is still officially a suspect
in the disappearance of 1600 marijuana plants from a locked jail
cell and the subsequent reputed offer of sale of the booty. The
reputer died of an "overdose" [really!] six days later. Chief
Omer Noe is serving 12+ years in prison for his part in
"Operation Walking Short". See 900816, 921230, 930209, 940504,
940628, 940727.
951121, Vineland, NJ, New York Times. Gilbert Lopez, a former
police officer in Vineland, NJ has been found guilty of charges
of selling illegal drugs and protecting drug dealers. Lopez had
claimed he had been conducting his own private investigation. He
faces 5 - 40 years for the offenses for which he was convicted.
(New York Times, 10/21/95)
951124, Washington, DC, US Dept of Justice.
US JUSTICE DEPT. 1993 MISCONDUCT COMPLAINTS UP 78% OVER 1992
A report of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) shows
a 78% increase of misconduct complaints against Department of
Justice attorneys and assistant US Attorneys in 1993 over the
number of such complaints in 1992. More in WORMSCAN.&
951125, Washington, DC, Dept of Justice. Federal convictions of
public officials went from 40 in 1970 to 1065 in 1988. See
WORMSCAN.&
951201, London, KY, WSEK. The FBI is disciplining agents for
keeping Confidential Informant Robert Foley free on assorted
murder charges. The parents of the Vaughn brothers are suing
for $10.3 million.
951202, Naples, Italy, AP. Roger D'Onofrio, 72, former CIA
agent, is arrested in Sicily on charges of money laundering and
trafficking in arms, drugs, and radioactive materials. More in
WORMSCAN.&
951204, Pikeville, KY, KNN, WSEK. Former (removed from office in
84 for drug abuse) Circuit Judge Randall Starnes is on trial for
conspiracy and drug trafficking in cocaine and pain killers.
Star witness is Judge Starnes' drug supplier, former Judge and
Compromised Informant Charles Huffman, who has already been
sentenced for drug trafficking. Judge Starnes is on tape
bragging about snorting coke with Governor John Y Brown, Jr.
951205, Mexico City, Wayne Mann. In today's (Nov 25) issues of
From: Wayne Mann
In today's (Nov 25) issues of El Financiero and La Jornada, two
of Mexico City's most influential daily papers, it is reported that
Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Mexican ex-president and now
member of the board of directors at Dow Jones, along with his
father and brother, maintained extensive joint business operations
with Juan Garcia Abrego, one of Mexico's top drug traffickers. In
earlier reports, Mr Salinas' net worth had been estimated at
between $10 and $25 Billion dollars, in spite of his
comparatively miserly $400,000. salary as president.
951206, Pikeville, KY, WSEK. Another tape has Judge Starnes
saying that State Representative Kelsay Friends, Jr started him
on cocaine. Rep Friends denies that he ever did cocaine, and
claims to have no idea of why Judge Starnes would perpetuate such
an obvious falsehood. Stay tuned for the Jury's opinion.
951207, Pikeville, KY, WSEK. Judge Starnes is given a mistrial.
Some jurors thought that the Feds had overstepped their bounds by
blackmailing Judge Hoffman. The Other Judge agreed to be a
Compromised Informant after he was caught extorting drugs from a
client. Other jurors thought that Judge Starnes should have
known better than to sell cocaine to someone who had just been
busted.
951207, New York City, NY, Paul Harvey. Some NYC 30th Precinct
cops are on the payroll of the drug dealers to protect them
against other cops. See 950407, 960105, 960110, 960112.
951209, Fairmont, WV, AP. State Police crime lab chemist Fred
Zain is cleared of felony perjury charges of fabrication of
evidence. Texas wants to try him now, again on evidence
fabrication. More in WORMSCAN.&
951209, Panama, New York Times. COPS & MILITARY OF US JOIN SAME
OF LATIN COUNTRIES FOR JOINT DRUG OPERATIONS
In an apparent big step toward police militarization, police
forces of the US are operating jointly with the US military and
police and military of Mexico and Central America in a 10 day
drug operation. The operation involves border patrol, port
inspections and road side stops and inspections. The US is
providing radar, communications gear and intelligence (if they
have any - Bob) according to an unnamed official.
951209, Mexico City, Los Angeles Times. Mexico and all seven
Central American countries have carried out what a U.S. official
Friday called the biggest multinational counternarcotics blitz in
history, a ten-day operation enlisting the Mexican army, navy and
police forces. The operation seized more than five tons of
cocaine, nearly forty tons of marijuana, two aircraft, six ships
and more than 650 alleged drug traffickers in Mexico alone. More
in WORMSCAN.&
951212, Canberra, Australia, Extracted from The Canberra Times.
Detective Sergeant Wayne James Eade, former head of the Gosford
drug unit told the police Royal commission yesterday that he was
not corrupt. Detective Eade was filmed secretly, ordering a
child sex pornographic movie, watching X-rated videos and
engaging in oral sex with a woman who gave him cocaine, ecstasy
and cannabis. More in WORMSCAN.&
951221, Minneapolis, MN, Star Tribune. Stanley J. Capistrant,
described as a veteran city police narcotics officer is under
investigation for stealing nearly $200,000 from the city's asset
forfeiture "trust" fund. More in WORMSCAN.&
951221, Sydney, Australia, AAP
Date: Wed, 27 Dec 1995 20:48:45 +0000
From: Peter Webster
To: drctalk@drcnet.org
Subject: Australia News
Message-ID: <199512272044.VAA10050@HADES.MONACO.MC>
SYDNEY, Dec 21 AAP - The Academics' Group of the Australian
Drug Law Reform Foundation said criminals would prosper and
police corruption would continue as long as drugs were outlawed.
Written under the chairmanship of Peter Baume, the group
said: "Surveys suggest that up to five million Australians have
used the banned substance cannabis.
"Unless there is major reform to drug laws, it is inevitable
that drug-related corruption will continue and that those
subverting the processes of law and control will remain one step
ahead of anything that parliaments or judges can do."
AAP kr/msk
951222, Cuyahoga County, OH, New York Times. Cuyahoga County,
Ohio Judge Michael Gallagher faces up to 20 years in prison, $1
million in fines and loss of his law license after pleading
guilty to federal cocaine distribution charges. What actually
happened was that he offered to share a line of coke with his
supplier, who turned out to be a undercover narc. It is claimed
that Judge Gallagher's well known position on the Drug War had
nothing to do with his being targeted. On 960320, Judge Gallager
was sentenced to a year in prison, fined $20,000, and three years
probation. More in WORMSCAN.&
951227, Los Angeles, CA, LA Times. The Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Department, beset in recent years by charges of racial
discrimination and harassment, was accused Tuesday of falsely
arresting and routinely planting evidence on minority group
members in heavily black and Latino communities. Aurora Alonso
Mellado, a five-year deputy says that in seven weeks of being
trained as a patrol deputy last summer, she found that her
trainer was "engaging in illegal activities, including planting
evidence, using throwaway guns, transferring drugs, assaulting
and battery of civilians, and violating of suspects' civil
rights." The race-related allegations are reminiscent of
testimony by a lead prosecution witness in a string of federal
cases in recent years involving drug money skimming. Robert R.
Sobel testified that as a former sheriff's sergeant in Lynwood
and nearby communities, he frequently arrested African Americans
who were simply walking the streets and had committed no crime.
Sobel later acknowledged in court lying more than 100 times in
his testimony in such cases. More in WORMSCAN.&
960102, Urbandale, IA, The Des Moines Register. Urbandale Police
Officer James R Trimble (43) is arrested with methamphetamine.
This 18-year veteran of The Force also had scores of sex-related
items in his van. Officer Trimble was also a D.A.R.E. cop,
teaching the children all about drugs. Much more in WORMSCAN.&
960105, Newark, NJ, Star Ledger. Police Officer Darrell
Armstrong is ordered reinstated after he was fired for cocaine
use. Officer Armstrong testified that his wife had put cocaine
in his juice, unbeknownst to him. He claimed that this was her
treatment for his bad back! More in WORMSCAN.&
960105, New York City, NY, NY Times. Police Officer, Steven L
Pataki (32) is sentenced to three months in jail for perjury.
Lest this seem harsh, note that the civilian convicted on the
strength of Officer Pataki's testimony spent three years in
prison. And that's just one. Of course Officer Pataki's lawyers
claim that the testimony against him is perjured. See 950407,
951207, 960110, 960112. More in WORMSCAN.&
960106, Peru & Columbia, NBC. WASHINGTON (Reuter) - The United
States is quietly directing Peru and Colombia in a campaign to
shoot down planes operated by South American drug cartels, NBC
News reported Friday. Quoting unidentified sources, the network
said the Pentagon, the Customs Service and the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) were involved in directing tracking and
intelligence gathering outposts in Peru and Colombia. More in
WORMSCAN.&
960107, New York City, NY, Trenton Times. Police Officer Darryl
Edmunds was on the payroll of a crack cocaine gang operating in
Manhattan. Officer Edmunds warned his gang of impending police
actions, and even carried a gang beeper. More in WORMSCAN.&
960110, New York City, NY, NY Times. In the perjury trial of
Police Officer, Michael Dauphinee, in State Supreme Court, former
Supervisor Kevin P. Nannery testified that his Force would
routinely break, enter, and rob apartments suspected of belonging
to drug dealers. Nannery testified that top aide Captain Lewis T
Manetta handed him a sledgehammer and that Precinct Commander
Captain Peter J Buccino led the raids. See 950407, 951207,
960105, 960112. More in WORMSCAN.&
960111, Boston, MA, PRN. Bernard G Sylvia, "corrections" officer
at the Bristol County "House of Correction" [no jails in The
People's Democratic Republican Commonwealth of Massachusetts]
pleaded guilty to laundering $250,000 in drug money. He was paid
in cocaine. More in WORMSCAN.&
960112, New York City, NY Times. Police Commissioner William J.
Bratton denies endemic corruption in New York's 30th Precinct.
See 950407, 951207, 960105, 960110. More in WORMSCAN.&
960115, Sydney, Australia, AP. New South Wales Police
Commissioner Tony Lauer said he was retiring in the wake of
exposure that senior officers have taken bribes from underworld
figures for years. Other have dealt in narcotics and
prostitution. More in WORMSCAN.&
960118, New York, NY, NY Times. Police Officers Hilton Velez
(28), and Bienveni Rodriguez (25), formerly partners in the 75th
Precinct in East New York, were caught stealing cash and
simulated cocaine in a setup made to look like a drug dealer's
apartment. Also caught was a "civilian employee", Felix Acosta
(28). The 75th Precinct was previously the base of Officer
Michael Dowd, who admitted running a drug ring from the station
house between 1986 and 1992 and accepting tens of thousand of
dollars in payoffs from dealers. More in WORMSCAN.&
960120, Philadelphia, PA, Reuters. Police Officer Louis Maiier
is sentenced to five years for conspiracy to deny civil rights
by framing the punks on drug charges. See 880601, 950623. More
in WORMSCAN.&
960126, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia Inquirer. Former
Philadelphia, PA, Police officers Thomas DeGovanni, Thomas Ryan,
James Ryan, John Baird and Steven Brown have had their sentencing
postponed. All have pleaded guilty to assorted charges of
fabricating evidence of drug dealing and of stealing over
$100,000 from the criminals. The reason given for this third
postponement is that more cops have been implicated. More in
WORMSCAN.&
960130, Mexico City, Mexico, Reuters. Jose Armando Cruz
Gutierrez, who was voted policeman of the year just two months
ago by colleagues in the Chihuahua state detective force, was
arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking with 436 pounds of
marijuana. Also detained were three other policemen including
Chihuahua state detective police commander Gerardo Maximiliano
Coronel and his wife. More in WORMSCAN.&
960201, Ashland, KY, WEKU. Pike County, KY, Judge Stearns pleads
guilty to avoid a second trial. The jury hung in the first
trial. The prosecution promised to play more tapes of Hiz
Hon'her dealing drugs. It is undisclosed exactly what was
pleaded. Stearns was charged with one count of conspiracy to
traffic in narcotics, three counts of cocaine distribution, and
one count each of possession and distribution of pain killers.
960201, New York City, NY, NY Times. Police Officer Randolf
Vazquez (39) acknowledged in court that between October 1991 and
April 1992 he engaged in a conspiracy with his partner, Officer
Jorge Alvarez, to steal narcotics while on duty and sell them to
dealers. He admitted to taking crack from an apartment in
October and selling it. He also admitted to assaulting Paul
Stevens while in a police car. His punishment is six months in
jail. Officer Alvarez, who cooperated with the authorities,
pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny and faces up to
seven years in prison. Of 33 officers arrested on corruption
charges since March 1994, 20 have pleaded guilty, 3 have been
convicted and 2 have been acquitted. Two cases were dismissed
and six are pending. More in WORMSCAN.&
960210, Mexico City, Mexico, Reuter. Up to 30 tons of cocaine
have disappeared into the hands of Mexican federal police over
the last two years, the Mexico City newspaper El Financiero
reported Saturday. The newspaper said that in the last two years
more than 100 tons of cocaine has entered Mexico by air, but
police have seized and declared just a tenth of that amount.
Earlier this week, the Mexican Attorney-General's office accused
19 Mexican police officers of helping Colombia's Cali drug cartel
smuggle cocaine into the United Sates. More in WORMSCAN.&
960212, Baja California Sur, Mexico, LA Times. 19 Mexican state
and federal police officers, including the deputy federal police
chief in the state of Baja California Sur have been arrested for
their part in smuggling 10 tons of cocaine. More in WORMSCAN.&
960213, Daytona Beach, FL, Philadelphia Inquirer. Francis
"Frank" Thompson (52) of Ormond Beach, a veteran of the Daytona
Beach Police Department, was found guilty by a federal jury
yesterday of stealing cocaine and guns from his department's
evidence room over seven years and giving them to Timothy Wardle
(35), his nephew, in Philadelphia for sale on the streets. He
was cleared of two counts of distributing cocaine. His business
thus did not distribute the 10 kilograms of cocaine which he
stole. More in WORMSCAN.&
960213, San Jose, CA, LA Times. Joseph D. McNamara, 35 year
veteran police officer and the former police chief of San Jose,
claims that police are taught to lie. He implies that the
majority of police testimony in drug cases is perjured. More in
WORMSCAN.&
960221, New York City, NY, NY Times. Two United States Customs
inspectors have been charged with kidnapping and beating a
suspected drug dealer last year while trying to rob him of cash
and cocaine, Federal prosecutors said. Richard Ramos and
Gerasimos Kapsaskis, who worked as inspectors at Kennedy and
Newark airports, were arrested on Friday and charged in the
kidnapping of a man on Sept. 23, 1995, on the Grand Concourse in
the Bronx. More in WORMSCAN.&
960323, San Francisco, CA, San Francisco Chronicle. Three cops
are NOT charged with theft for failing to book property stolen
over a 14 month period. More in WORMSCAN.&
960224, Mexico, PNS, by Beatriz Johnston Hernandez. Accused drug
trafficker Juan Garcia Abrego, now awaiting trial in Houston, is
notorious for bribing high-level Mexican officials to help turn
Mexico into a major transshipment point for Colombian cocaine.
Less known is his role in bribing federal officials on the U.S.
side of the border. Information gleaned from drug trials and
gang insiders reveals that Abrego paid out hundreds of thousands
of dollars to Immigration and Naturalization Service agents and
National Guardsmen to drive cocaine and marijuana in their buses
past U.S. customs checkpoints on the road between McAllen and
Houston. More in WORMSCAN.&
960224, New York City, NY, NY Times. Police officer in the
Unionport section of The Bronx, Antonio Camacho (22) was arrested
for drug trafficking. Gang leader was his brother-in-law, Pedro
Perez (31). The case prompted related arrests of 85 people in
recent weeks in Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, and Newark,
N.J., and the seizure of more than 5 tons of cocaine, a half-ton
of marijuana, and nearly $12.5 million in drug proceeds. Another
accused courier, Edward Vasquez, arrested on Friday in
Pennsylvania, spent 14 years in the National Guard and
transported drugs in his Army sergeant's uniform. More in
WORMSCAN.&
960226, FBI, Wash DC, Star Ledger. US attorney's offices
throughout the nation have been directed by the Justice
Department to weed through cases in their files in an effort to
identify cases that could be tainted by allegations of misconduct
involving the FBI crime lab in Washington. Dr Frederic
Whitehurst, a supervisory special agent, contends that certain
FBI lab examiners have slanted their conclusions to favor the
prosecution; that certain FBI examiners who testify in criminal
proceedings are not qualified to analyze the evidence involved in
those cases; and that certain key units within the lab maintain
insufficient scientific controls over the testing procedures.
More in WORMSCAN.&
960226, Abingdon, VA, WSEK. Cop Stevens, former Letcher County,
KY, sheriff's deputy and former Whitesburg, KY, police officer is
charged with handcuffing his girlfriend and pistol whipping her,
and threatening to inject her with AIDS contaminated blood. In
addition he is charged with narcotics possession with intent to
traffic.
960226, Guamuchilito, Mexico, SF Chronicle. Amado Carrillo,
Mexico's biggest drug trafficker may be a wanted man north of the
border, but back home he walks tall and unafraid. More hero
worship for the man who bring BIG bux to his home village. More
in WORMSCAN.&
960321, New York City, NY, AP. Harlem police officer Barry Brown
admits that lying in court is standard operating procedure. More
in WORMSCAN.&
960326, Philadelphia, PA,. The Civil Rights Committee of the
Philadelphia Bar Association will host a forum titled "Police
Accountability: Problems, Solutions, and the Role of Special
Commissions." The forum will be held from 5:30PM to 8:00PM on
March 26, 1996, in Philadelphia. In New Orleans, more than 50
police officers have been arrested, indicted or convicted since
1993 on charges including rape, aggravated battery, drug
trafficking and murder. In Atlanta, six police officers were
arrested in September of last year on drug charges and extorting
money from citizens for police protection. In Philadelphia, six
police officers confessed to planting drugs on suspects, lying
under oath and stealing from innocent citizens. More in
WORMSCAN.&
960327, St Louis, MO, UPI. Cop George DeLuca (55), 20 year
veteran of the New York City Police Department, was sentenced to
life in prison for running a cocaine and heroin trafficking
business in New York & St Louis. More in WORMSCAN.&
960327, Los Angeles, CA, Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Cop admits
lying about arrest of Rodney King. Los Angeles police officer
Clint Garver admits that he lied in testimony about preparation
of the arrest memo. More in WORMSCAN.&
960330, Louisville, KY, Courier-Journal. Louisville Police Chief
Richard Frey (50) was sentenced to 5 years 3 months in prison for
bribery. He was on the payroll at $4,000 per month of J Clifford
Todd to supply criminals for Todd's private prison. More in
WORMSCAN.&
960330, New Castle, PA, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Rodney King
(of Los Angeles beating fame) was found innocent of drunken
driving. The cop that arrested him admitted in court that he had
lied about the arrest report. More in WORMSCAN.&
960331, New Orleans, LA, New York Times Magazine (3/31/96, p.32)
via RISKS DIGEST 18.01 The FBI was wiretapping a number of New
Orleans police officers who were allegedly guarding a 286 pound
shipment of cocaine. During that time the FBI overheard a
conversation between the police chief and several other police
officials that the FBI alleges was a murder plot. The intended
victim had previously filed a police brutality complaint against
the chief. Kim Groves, a 32 year old mother of three, was shot
while standing in front of her house. 960424, police officer Len
Davis (31) and triggerman Paul Hardy (28) were convicted and
sentenced to death. No report on The Chief. Davis and eight
others of New Orleans' Finest still face charges in the cocaine
deal.
960416, New York City, NY, NY Times. Cocaine dealing cop gets 8
years in prison. A nine year veteran of The Force, Harlem 30th
Precinct police officer Christopher DiLorenzo (32) admitted that
he stole money and drugs. From Jan 91 to Dec 92, Officer
DiLorenzo received $50,000 in protection, thefts, and his cut of
four pounds of cocaine. Officer DiLorenzo also admitted to
taking $500 per week from other dealers for over a year, and
perjury while convictiong those who did not pay. His partner in
crime, Officer Alberto Vargas, has pleaded guilty and is to be
sentenced later this year. Eleven other former officers from the
30th Precinct remain to be sentenced. More in WORMSCAN.&
960416, Philadelphia, PA, Pholadelphia Daily News. 5 cops
sentenced for corruption. The leader of the corrupt officers,
John Baird (41) got 13 years. Cop Steven Brown (49), 10 years.
Sgt. Thomas DeGovanni (45), 7 years. James Ryan (40), 6 years.
Thomas Ryan, 10 months. These Officers of The Force were charged
with robbery, asssault, planting evidence, false arrest, but
strangely, not with selling the stolen drugs, false testimony at
trials if their victims, or RICO. More in WORMSCAN.&
960424, Philadelphia, PA, Phila Inq. Corruption investigation
spreads to Bureau of Narcotics Investigaton. More in WORMSCAN.&
960425, Los Angeles, CA, LA Times. SCAN. Southeast Cities [of
Los Angeles County] Against Narcotics Task Force members caught
keeping some of the booty for themselves. More in WORMSCAN.&&
960426, Norristown, PA, Phila Inq. Greaterford Prison guard
Ronald Shepherd (46) found guilty of smuggling heroin into the
prison. More in WORMSCAN.&
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Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins
It has often been argued by progressive voices that the World Bank / IMF do more harm than good for developing countries they are supposed to be helping. Example 1 and Example 2. The criticism is that the World Bank's main goal is generating revenue for American business--that the World Bank loans US taxpayer dollars to poor nations with little chance of repayment for the building of huge infrastructure projects by American companies. Not only does the American treasury get ripped off but the loan recipient countries are saddled with huge debt. But doesn't it seem strange that x-military officials such as Robert S. McNamara and Paul Wolfowitz were made president of the World Bank? What do war-mongers like McNamara and Wolfowitz have to do with civilian aid projects?
According to John Perkins, World Bank loans to developing countries serve not only the desires of large American engineering / constructions companies such as Bechtel and Halliburton but, also, the American government. By saddling a country with debt, the American government (through the World Bank) is able to make this country dependent upon the US and, thereby, gain leverage over its foreign policy. Ever wonder how the US lined up so many countries in Africa and Central / South America for Bush's "coalition of the willing" to invade Iraq? Was it not further interesting that those countries who supported Bush on Iraq were given massive debt relief from World Bank and other loans a few years later? Perkins tells us that the World Bank acts as an integral part of US foreign policy to control developing countries.
Who was John Perkins? He was a middle-class kid from New Hampshire who was afforded a much better education than the economic station into which he was born due to the fact that his father was a teacher at an elite prep-school. Perkins earned an academic scholarship to Middlebury College but partied his brains out resulting in a loss of his scholarship. Thereafter, he moved to Boston and attended Boston University while working at a newspaper. The short-happy life of John Perkins might have, at that point, been consigned to oblivion ... but it didn't. There was this thing called the Vietnam War going on at the time and Uncle Sam was drafting bright young men like John who lacked draft-deferment status (which was going to happen to John upon graduation from BU). Serendipitously, his then wife had a highly placed, family friend at the National Security Agency (NSA) who interviewed John for a job as a spy, a job that came with draft-deferment! Just as he was ready to become a spy to avoid the draft, our boy hits on an alternative grand plan: join the Peace Corps with his wife and go to Ecuador. "Uncle Frank" at the NSA encourages John to go to the Peace Corp to gain experience living native in a South American country.
Thus began the odyssey of John Perkins: three years of Peace Corps service in Ecuador taking him beyond the draftable age of 26. Apparently NSA/CIA kept its file open on young Mr. Perkins. A partner at the large, international engineering firm of Chas. T. Main, Inc. (a contractor of the World Bank and US governmental organizations) visited him in Ecuador and recruited him to work for the engineering firm. What possible talents could a guy with a BS in marketing from Boston University who had been living in a hut in the rain-forest for the last 3 years have to offer to an international engineering firm? Simple, in very short order they made John Perkins their head economist. How does a person with only two intro-level economics courses (followed up after he was hired by a few post-graduate courses) to his credit get to be the head economist at a multi-national company? By having no compunction about lying, lying his *** off and doing it convincingly. For similar reasons, Andrew Fastow rose to become CFO of Enron (note: Fastow was not a CPA nor an accounting major in college). The corporate world has traditionally been full of such highly compensated, under-qualified liars. Hopefully times are changing.
Here was John Perkins' roll in the World Bank con: Main, Inc. sends a team into a developing country to study their electric power needs far into the future. American industry wants Main, Inc. to produce studies justifying the need for a massive power plant, one the country shall never be able to pay for and probably does not need for decades to come. The actual facts on the ground do not justify the huge power plant so John Perkins just makes up numbers. My view from reading the book is that Perkins had just enough smarts to put together graphs and charts plausible enough to pass the laugh test but, also, he could deliver high level presentations of these bogus numbers with a straight face and hardened enough as a liar not to crack under questioning.
How did Perkins know his real employer was the US Government? A mysterious economic hitman trainer--called Claudine in the book--told him so. She laid it all out to Perkins in black and white at the start of his Main, Inc. career. Unsaid in the book (but highly implied): Claudine laid Perkins as well (all their meetings took place in her apartment). Shortly after receiving "training" from Claudine, Perkins separated from his wife (and later divorced her). As Perkins rose through the ranks to become a partner at Main, Inc., he became wealthy and, from my vantage point, a self-indulgent blob of goo. He secured mistresses for foreign government officials, had sexual relationships with subordinates and co-workers at Main, Inc., continued to create bogus economic reports and coerce staff members to do likewise. According to Perkins, his career at Main, Inc. ended due to pangs of conscience but, co-incidently, he left shortly after his boss and benefactor was fired. I think John jumped rather than be pushed out of the company.
The self-indulgent golden-boy landed on his feet though. After launching and later selling an independent power company for significant personal gain, John Perkins has re-invented himself as a New Age spiritualist. He leads trips into the Amazon to bring awareness to a place that he did much to destroy. I applaud Mr. Perkins for his re-awakened conscience but I'm always leary of x-conmen.
In closing, I'd like to cover one last topic in the book: the Saudi Arabia project. Saudi Arabia was a special case because the Saudis could actually afford just about any infrastructure project Perkins and the other economic hitmen could dream up. Thus, getting the Saudis on-board the program would be a gold rush for the American companies. John Perkins was one the of suits tabbed to woo the Saudi royal family and they were successful in the mid-1970s. FN1 The agreement would have an important collateral effect: bringing Saudi society into the 20th century and help convert them to a nation of consumers. As the Saudi populace suckles at the tit of western consumerism, it slowly draws them west (a fact the jihadists despise). America has built many billions of dollars in infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia. Who was the American official who sealed the deal with the Saudis in the mid-1970s? Perkins guesses Henry Kissinger but I think not. FN2 Henry is Jewish and Jewish power in American political circles is the biggest single obstacle to American relations with the Muslim world. A more likely closer for what I'll call the secret "American--House of Saud Joint Cooperation Treaty" was George H.W. Bush (father of the current president). H.W. Bush founded Zapada Oil Company and had done business with the Saudis and other Arabs going all the way back to the 1950s. After the secret US-Saudi treaty was in place, H.W. Bush was appointed CIA director by Gerald Ford. Why? Bush had supposedly never before worked in the intelligence field. Apparently Gerald Ford understood papa Bush possessed credentials that qualified him to be CIA director. Might this have been a reward to papa Bush for pulling off the Saudi deal?
Final Thoughts. This book contains very interesting and important historical information regarding how the US government conducts foreign affairs from an insider. For that reason, I highly recommend it.
Comments (1)
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Footnote 1: The secret cooperation treaty struck between the US and the House of Saud in the mid-1970s, in my opinion, involved the following: What US promised: (a) US political support for and promise to defend Saudi Arabia, (b) military hardware and training for Saudi government, (c) agreement not to interfere with or condemn internal repression by House of Saud of its dissidents (i.e., no agitation for women's rights or free speech or other democratic freedoms in Saudi Arabia), (d) Saudis will have free access to US market for its oil v. What Saudis promised: (a) stable price of oil with no embargoes such as occurred in 1973 (Saudi will use excess pumping capacity to pump more oil when necessary to moderate prices), (b) use US companies to build huge infrastructure projects such as roads, hospitals, power plants, sea ports, airports, hotels, new housing, desalination plants, etc., and (c) in foreign affairs position itself as a moderate Arab country on the issue of the US.
Footnote 2: I'll go even further. In my opinion, John Perkins knows who closed the secret deal with the Saudis. If he had personal interaction with the Saudi royal family and spent significant amounts of time in Saudi Arabia during this time period (as he claims) with US Embassy and US intelligence community contacts, etc., it's inconceivable to me that Perkins does NOT know who was the US government front-man on this project. Thus, again in my opinion, Perkins is covering his *** by "guessing" in his book that Kissinger was the US government front-man. It's a misdirection meant to sooth any potential ill-will from the current US Administration with his book.