Pubdate: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2005 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: John Holl Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) VETERAN OF STATE POLICE IS CHARGED IN DRUG CASE ELIZABETH, N.J. - A highly decorated New Jersey State Police trooper was indicted on Monday on charges of divulging confidential information to members of a reputed Colombia drug ring who were under investigation for distributing heroin and cocaine, according to authorities. Detective Moises Hernandez, 39, of Union, who has 19 years on the force, was indicted along with 20 others in what the authorities described as one the biggest drug rings in Union County. The group distributed drugs throughout New Jersey and New York and around the Pittsburgh area, the authorities said. "He knew that he jeopardized the safety of other state troopers and also law enforcement officers when he provided that information to a person involved in a drug conspiracy," said Theodore J. Romankow, the Union County prosecutor. "He violated the trust, and put officers' lives at risk." Mr. Romankow said the drug organization was headed by Alejandro Cleves, 25, who fled to Colombia, where is being sought by authorities. He said the group brought up to six kilograms of cocaine and heroin into the United States from Colombia every day. Each kilogram was worth $750,000 to $1 million in street sales, Mr. Romankow said. Authorities said Mr. Hernandez had provided one of the suspects in the drug ring with confidential information about undercover vehicles being used in surveillance operations against the group. He was charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, official misconduct and falsifying reports. Mr. Romankow said Mr. Hernandez "not only became a part of the drug conspiracy by using his position to help, but, after the original tip-off, he covered it by creating a totally fictitious report to his superiors to cover himself." Col. Joseph R. Fuentes, the State Police superintendent, declined to discuss specifics of the case, including a motive, how the charges against Mr. Hernandez came about or whether he was paid for information. He described Mr. Hernandez as "a complex individual," but would not elaborate. The indictments, handed down on Monday by a grand jury, followed the arrest of 20 others in April after a four-year investigation that began with a single street source, Mr. Romankow said. More than 220 officers from various agencies worked on the case, seizing more than 15 vehicles, a motorcycle, $400,000, seven guns and a large quantity of hollow-point bullets. Mr. Hernandez was suspended from his $78,000-a-year job in June when authorities began investigating him in connection with the case. He is being held on $150,000 bail at the Union County Jail and will be arraigned within the next two weeks, the authorities said. Mr. Hernandez and another plainclothes narcotics officer were involved in a well-publicized case last October when they confronted three drug suspects at a Bergen County motel. One of the suspects pulled a handgun and was fatally shot by Mr. Hernandez's partner in a struggle over the gun. Mr. Hernandez received a commendation for his action in assisting his partner that day in a case that dramatized the dangers that undercover officers face. "He was a very decorated veteran," said Colonel Fuentes, who added: "Any time you get something like this, it's very, very disturbing. But don't let it be a blight on all the good work that's being done in this agency." - --- MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman