Pubdate: Thu, 20 Dec 2001
Source: Winston-Salem Journal (NC)
Copyright: 2001 Piedmont Publishing Co. Inc
Contact:  http://www.journalnow.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/504
Author: Dierdre Fernandes

JUDGE CLOSES DOOR ON BOND FOR 3 EX-OFFICERS

A 4th Could Be Released Without More Evidence

Three former law-enforcement officers and two other men charged with 
distributing drugs will remain in jail until their trial, a federal judge 
ruled yesterday.

But one of the men, Davidson County Deputy William Rankin, 32, could be 
released on bond by Jan. 7 if state and federal agents don't present more 
evidence against him, said Judge Russell Elliason.

Rankin, along with fellow former deputies David Scott Woodall, 34, and 
Douglas Westmoreland, 49, were arrested last week after an eight-month 
investigation.

Archdale Police Sgt. Christopher Shetley, 35, Wyatt Nathan Kepley, 26, and 
Marco Aurelio Acosta-Soza, 23, were also arrested. They are charged with 
distributing more than 5kilograms of cocaine, more than 100kilograms of 
marijuana and unspecified quantities of anabolic steroids and Ecstasy.

All six pleaded not guilty to the charges.

An affidavit that includes information from an unidentified police officer 
who was arrested Nov. 5 as part of the conspiracy, alleges that the 
officers also broke into homes, intimidated witnesses and stole drugs.

Kepley and Acosta-Soza supplied the drugs, including steroids and cocaine 
to the officers, the affidavit alleges.

"That so violates the law-enforcement system, I can't imagine the citizens 
of North Carolina would want the law-enforcement officers out," Elliason 
said. "When law-enforcement officers commit these kinds of acts it has to 
be treated more seriously."

Attorneys for all the men except Acosta-Soza argued that they should be 
released into the custody of their families. Acosta-Soza is an illegal 
immigrant, and prosecutors said that he is a flight risk.

The attorneys questioned the affidavit and the veracity of the information 
provided by the informant. They said that the informant has turned on his 
former partners in the hopes of a getting a lesser sentence.

"It's fair to say that this cooperating witness is in a great deal of 
trouble himself," said Walter Jones, a Greensboro attorney representing 
Shetley. "We only hear what the government wants us to hear."

The attorneys presented a variety of other arguments in their clients' defense.

Lisa Costner, the court-appointed attorney for Woodall, argued that it 
would be easier for officials if Woodall was released on bond.

Keeping the former deputy in jail requires additional security measures to 
make sure that the other inmates don't harm him, which puts a strain on the 
jail, Costner said.

But based on the amount of cocaine investigators allege that Woodall bought 
at one point - about three kilograms a week - and threats he made against 
other men linked to the distribution ring, Elliason declined the request.

Investigators allege that Woodall was the group's leader.

"The amount of cocaine you'd be talking about is extraordinary," Elliason 
said. "He would be flooding Davidson County and the surrounding counties. 
He would be the biggest drug dealer in Davidson County at the time."

The judge denied Westmoreland's bond request, in part, because the deputy 
told the judge last week that he had revealed all his financial resources 
to authorities. But since his arrest, one of his friends has turned over 
more than $30,000 in cash to investigators.

The friend, who was not identified, told authorities that Westmoreland had 
asked him to hold the money, officials said.

Attorneys for Shetley, Kepley and Rankin argued that their clients were 
minimally involved in the distribution ring, according to the affidavit.

Shetley primarily handled the Ecstasy transactions, and Kepley and Rankin 
were involved selling steroids, the informant alleges.

Prosecutors said that Shetley would be a danger to witnesses. The informant 
told investigators that he had received a threatening phone call since the 
men were arrested from a business associate of Shetley's brother.

The judge cited the allegation as one of the reasons that he was denying 
Shetley's request for bond.

More than 25 members of Shetley's family attended the hearing.

Kepley's attorney, Stuart L. Teeter of Winston-Salem, said that his client 
was a victim.

The other men stole from him and broke into his home, the informant alleges 
in the affidavit.

"He hasn't threatened anybody," Teeter said. "He is not an active player."

Elliason agreed but said that Kepley had violated a court order by owning a 
gun and possessing steroids after he was convicted on possession charges in 
San Diego last summer.

Investigators found a .45-caliber handgun and several steroid pills when 
they arrested Kepley on Dec. 12.

Prosecutors said that he could be charged with possession of a firearm by a 
felon.

However, prosecutors acknowledged that at this time their case against 
Rankin is limited. The evidence indicates that Rankin was only involved in 
steroids trafficking, prosecutors said.

"I'd release him but I'm not ready to release him today," Elliason said. 
Rankin could face home detention and electronic monitoring if he is 
released next month.

Elliason noted the irony of the situation as officer after officer asked 
that bond be set. On countless occasions the officers had told judges that 
they should deny bond to people charged with drug trafficking, Elliason said.

"They're in the situation that they're asking to be released," Elliason 
said. "If I was talking to them personally I would say, 'You know what has 
to be done.' "
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth