Pubdate: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 Source: Kentucky Post (KY) Copyright: 2001 Kentucky Post Contact: http://www.kypost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/661 Author: John C.K. Fisher POLICE, FBI SPLIT SPOILS The Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force and the FBI will share $825,000 in cash, nine trucks or cars, a mobile home and 10 firearms taken from a marijuana ring based in Florence. The value of the confiscated property makes it one of the largest forfeiture cases ever in Northern Kentucky, officials said during Wednesday's announcement. "This was a good case for us," said Jim Paine, director of the anti-drug agency that operates in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties. What the money will be spent on locally and how it will be divided among the agencies that make up the agency hasn't been decided yet, Paine said. Federal law prohibits the money from being spent on salaries and dictates that it go for equipment, such as radios, guns and bullet-proof vests, to fight "the war on drugs," he said. Police haven't decided whether they will use or sell the vehicles, which include a 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck, a 1999 Toyota Landcruiser and a 1997 Clayton mobile home. Seven of eight people charged in the case have been convicted of marijuana possession and six have received prison sentences ranging from 18 months to five years, said Assistant U.S. Attorney David Bunning, who prosecuted the case. A seventh defendant, Marsheila Roberts, is to be sentenced soon in federal court in Covington. The eighth, John Vangor of Tucson, Ariz., remains at large. Bunning said authorities have seized 597 pounds of marijuana, believed to be worth about $597,000, from the ring The ring, led by Jerry Roberts of Florence, sold 300 pounds to 700 pounds of marijuana a month for the past 10 years, authorities said. Authorities began to infiltrate the ring in June 2000, when Detective Bill Wilson of the strike force used a cooperative witness to buy about 50 pounds of marijuana from Debra Wesley of Florence, who is Jerry Roberts' sister. The marijuana came from a storage facility in Florence. Jerry and Marsheila Roberts are married. Others involved in the ring: Jerry Roberts' brother, Louis "Pete" Roberts; his sister and brother-in-law, Kim McCoy Brock and Randy Brock; and Joe Woodland of Utah. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom