Pubdate: Mon, 03 Feb 2003 Source: Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC) Copyright: 2003 The Herald-Sun Contact: http://www.herald-sun.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1428 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States) EX-CASWELL DEPUTY NABBED IN DRUG BUST ROXBORO -- Teddy Willis might have to wait a while to get his gun back. Just hours before the retired Caswell County sheriff's deputy and lake warden was to be handed his service revolver in a ceremony Friday in Yanceyville, he was arrested in Person County for allegedly buying 15 pounds of marijuana,. "He was in custody at the time [of the ceremony] so I don't think he could make that date," said Person County Sheriff Dennis Oakley. Deputies contacted Willis at his attorney's office in Yanceyville Friday morning and arranged for him to turn himself in later the same day, Oakley said. Willis was charged with two counts of conspiracy to traffic in marijuana and was initially placed under a $500,000 bond. District Judge Mike Gentry reduced that to $25,000, which Willis posted, Oakley said. Willis was released late Friday and is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 11, Oakley said. Sheriff's deputies observed Willis, 61, and a co-conspirator, who has not been arrested, buying the marijuana at a Collin Road house that deputies had under surveillance last Tuesday, Oakley said. Deputies searched the home and arrested a resident, Bernice Michael Jacobs, but did not bring Willis in for questioning or arrest until Friday, Oakley said. Willis was already under investigation before deputies spotted him buying the marijuana, Oakley said. "We were suspecting him of other things anyway," Oakley said. "We had received reports of drugs and other illegal activities." Deputies found some, but not all, of the marijuana Willis allegedly bought, Oakley said. Neither Willis nor his attorney could be reached for comment Monday. Oakley said his office was still investigating the alleged drug ring and could not yet say how big it was or how many people were involved. "The investigation is still ongoing and there will probably be other people arrested," he said. Depending on the quality, that much marijuana could have a street value of $12,000 to $18,000, according to Durham County Sheriff's Lt. N.H. Gordon, a member of the county's drug task force. Oakley said he had worked with Willis, who lives in Milton, over the years when the Person and Caswell county sheriff's offices cooperated on a case. "I've been knowing him all my career," Oakley said. "We weren't friends or anything, but I knew him." Caswell County Manager Jeff Earp said he was set to hand Willis his revolver in a 1 p.m. ceremony Friday. "It's our policy that if you are retired law enforcement you can request your weapon," Earp said. Willis retired in December after working in law enforcement in Caswell County for 34 years, Earp said. He was a sheriff's deputy and a lake warden for Farmer Lake. Shortly before the ceremony someone called with a message from Willis that he would not be able to make it, Earp said. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager