Pubdate: Fri, 20 Dec 2002
Source: Daily Advertiser, The (LA)
Copyright: 2002 South Louisiana Publishing
Contact:  http://www.theadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1670
Author: Richard Burgess

EX-OFFICER SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN DRUG CASE

Richard Burgess Posted on December 20, 2002 LAFAYETTE - A former Abbeville 
police officer was sentenced Thursday to 17 years and six months in prison 
for his role in what prosecutors said was one of the largest crack cocaine 
rings in Acadiana.

Calvin J. Broussard Sr., 49, who was a 17-year veteran of the police 
department when arrested, provided protection for the drug ring and passed 
along inside information on police activity to drug dealers to help them 
avoid getting caught, according to federal prosecutors.

"I'm sending a message today, Mr. Broussard," said U.S. District Judge 
Rebecca Doherty before handing down the maximum sentence allowed under 
federal guidelines.

The judge characterized Broussard's actions as "a betrayal" and "extremely 
heinous."

"I think any dirty cop deserves what they get," said former Abbeville 
Police Chief Mike Hardy.

Hardy, who led the department when Broussard was arrested but has since 
lost a bid for re-election, sat at the back of the courtroom during the 
sentencing.

Hardy said that Broussard had most likely been working with members of the 
drug ring for four years before coming under suspicion.

"I think if they (the drug ring)

didn't have the help they had with him, they wouldn't have gotten as far as 
they did," Hardy said.

Broussard was one of 29 people indicted in March 2000 in what federal 
officials dubbed the "Legion of Doom" case. All but one of the defendants 
have pleaded guilty.

Prosecutors said the drug ring dealt hundreds of kilograms of cocaine in 
the Abbeville and Jennings areas from 1990 to 2000.

The group dealt "millions" of dollars in drugs, said Assistant U.S. 
Attorney Stephanie Finley.

The man identified as the ringleader, 49-year-old Leonard "Stridder" 
Castleberry Jr., is serving a life sentence in the case on cocaine charges. 
Prosecutors suspect he made nearly $18 million from drug sales.

In the last two days, 13 of the people charged with conspiring to 
distribute crack cocaine in the Abbeville area have been sentenced in 
federal court here.

Most of the sentences ranged from five years to 10 years in prison.

Broussard's sentence was the stiffest.

"I'm sorry for my involvement in with the Legion of Doom - to you, the 
people of Abbeville and the police department," Broussard told the judge 
before sentencing. "I learned my lesson."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Alex