Pubdate: Fri, 11 Feb 2000
Source: Inquirer (PA)
Copyright: 2000 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  400 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19101
Website: http://www.philly.com/
Forum: http://interactive.phillynews.com/talk-show/
Author: Barbara Boyer, Angela Couloumbis and Dwight Ott

DRUG WITNESS SAYS MILAN WARNED HIM OF INQUIRY

Saul Febo Also Said Four Officers Tipped Off Dealers Or Took Bribes. The 
Mayor Has Denied Allegations.

The day after Milton Milan was elected mayor of Camden in May 1997, he 
warned the leader of a multimillion-dollar drug organization that "the feds 
are watching," the drug leader testified yesterday.

That is how Saul "Gordo" Febo, 32, learned that federal authorities were 
investigating his drug empire in East Camden and his close relationship 
with Milan, Febo said yesterday in a federal drug trial in U.S. District 
Court in Camden.

"I don't want anything to happen to you," Febo quoted Milan as saying as 
the two huddled at the mayor's victory party at Casablanca, a Federal 
Street nightclub Febo co-owned. "If I were you, I'd leave town for a while."

Febo, the government's key and final witness, yesterday provided the 
trial's most detailed account of Milan's alleged dealings with the city's 
largest drug organization after he was elected to the city's top post.

He also, for the first time, named Milan's former bodyguard, Camden 
Detective Miguel Torres, as having passed along confidential police 
information about approaching drug raids. Febo then named three additional 
officers, all currently on the city's police force, as having either tipped 
off drug dealers or accepted bribes.

Milan, who declined to comment yesterday, has repeatedly denied involvement 
with the drug organization. He has not been charged with any crime.

Torres, in an interview yesterday, denied ever giving Febo confidential 
police information.

Milan's attorney, Carlos A. Martir Jr., called Febo's testimony a 
"fabrication" and said Milan would endure this trial as he had an ongoing 
federal investigation of allegations of corruption in his administration.

"For close to two years, I think they've made it clear that they want the 
mayor," Martir said.

Febo testified that although Casablanca was not legally open in 1997, he 
received a special permit through city officials to hold Milan's party. On 
that warm May night, everyone was shaking his hand and thanking him for his 
help when he swung open the doors to the club. He said Milan's wife, 
Kathryn, had kissed him on the cheek. Milan then shook his hand, Febo 
testified, and invited him to his table.

"He told me . . . someone is investigating us," Febo said, adding that he 
moved to Florida soon after that warning. He quoted Milan as saying: "They 
told me that the feds are watching me and you."

It was Febo's second day on the stand in the drug-conspiracy trial of Jose 
Luis "J.R." Rivera, 40, a Camden businessman, and Luis "Tun Tun" Figueroa, 
34, of Puerto Rico. Both men, if convicted, face life in prison.

Although Milan is not a defendant, at least five drug dealers have 
testified during the six-week trial that he bought or sold drugs, or tipped 
off dealers. Most of the accusations concerned the period before Milan was 
an elected official.

Febo also said this week that he began his drug career in the late 1980s 
selling drugs in North Camden with a group of dealers that included Milan.

Yesterday, Febo testified that Torres, removed late last year as Milan's 
bodyguard, twice tipped him off about police raids. Febo also said Torres 
worked as a bouncer at Casablanca in 1996, despite an order from 
then-Police Chief William Hill to stay away from the bar because it was "a 
drug dealers' club."

"He [Torres] was telling me 'to be careful, let your people know there are 
going to be some raids next month,' " Febo testified. "He said, 'I'm just 
telling you as a friend.' "

Torres said yesterday that he never worked at Casablanca. He said that the 
club was "the place to be for Latin dancing," and that he often went there 
on weekends.

He said he did not know that Febo owned the club.

Torres, who joined the Police Department in 1994 and was assigned as 
Milan's bodyguard in 1998, added: "I never worked for narcotics, I never 
worked vice, and was never privy to any information on any raids as a 
patrolman."

"I have no clue what he [Febo] is talking about," said Torres, who now is 
assigned to the department's community-oriented policing unit.

In the last two days, the courtroom has been filled with spectators eager 
to hear Febo describe how members of the drug organization protected its 
turf using violence, intimidation and connections to the highest echelons 
of city government.

On the stand yesterday, Febo named police officers, some still on the 
force, whom he described as "crooked," and recounted the gruesome murder of 
a rival drug dealer, Manuel "Manolin" DeJesus, in 1993. DeJesus, who was 
allegedly plotting to kill Febo and Figueroa, was lured to an apartment and 
shot twice in the head.

As DeJesus lay dead on the floor, Febo said, he kicked him in the face and 
told him: "You wanted to kill me. That's what you get now."

Febo said that type of action was how he protected his reputation as he 
built the city's largest open-air drug market, called "The Alley," near 
Bank and Boyd Streets. The Alley was so profitable that Febo was able to 
finance two businesses in East Camden: Sal's Auto Sales and Casablanca.

Febo said he bought into Casablanca in 1996. He said Milan had his campaign 
headquarters as well as his 1997 mayoral victory party there. Febo said he 
had gotten his special "24-hour permit" from former acting Fire Chief 
Herbert Leary.

In an interview yesterday, Leary said he never issued a 24-hour permit but 
said the club may have obtained a 90-day certificate of occupancy.

"I never dealt with Febo," Leary said.

At Casablanca, Febo said, Torres agreed to work as a bouncer at the back 
door, where he would not be visible to other police officers.

"He used to sit down at the table and talk to me," Febo said. "He knew I 
was the owner of the Alley."

Although Febo said he did not trust Torres, he said the detective 
volunteered confidential police information at least two times - 
information that turned out to be accurate.

Other Camden police officers, Febo testified, also provided cover for the 
drug ring's operation - sometimes in exchange for money. During several 
hours on the witness stand, Febo often added details before prosecutor 
Sally Smith asked a question.

He said an officer named Steve, whom law enforcement officials identified 
as Steve Gracia, often would patrol the Alley and shake down dealers.

"He used to tell the guys, 'I'm working in this area today,' " Febo said. 
"He said, 'If you're going to make money, I'm going to make money.' "

Febo said he told his employees to pay $200 to $300 to keep the officer happy.

Gracia still works for the department as a patrolman and could not be 
reached for comment yesterday.

"Officer Colon," Febo said, operated differently. He would pick up drug 
dealers, steal their drugs and money, and drop them off near a high school. 
Febo said Colon, whom authorities identified as Patrolman Frank Colon, once 
picked up Febo's brother-in-law and stole marijuana and $1,500.

When Febo heard about it, he said he told his relative he was lucky.

"It was better for him to do that than lock you up," Febo told him. "So you 
got blessed."

Colon, who still works for the Police Department as a patrolman, could not 
be reached for comment.

Febo also testified that Officer Carmen Ortiz, now a patrol officer, tipped 
him off about raids. Ortiz could not be reached for comment.

Camden Police Chief Robert E. Allenbach said his office would investigate 
allegations against his officers after the trial.

Allenbach said the allegations against Torres were the reason the detective 
was reassigned. He said, however, that yesterday's testimony was the first 
time he heard allegations against Colon and Ortiz.

"Everything will get turned over to Internal Affairs," he said, adding that 
he will work with the FBI and the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. "I 
will act severely, but I need information."

Camden County Prosecutor Lee A. Solomon, the state-appointed monitor of the 
department, was in the courtroom yesterday afternoon when the allegations 
surfaced, but he declined to comment. 
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