Pubdate: Fri, 28 Oct 2005
Source: Fayetteville Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2005 Fayetteville Observer
Contact:  http://www.fayettevillenc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/150
Author: Melissa Willett, staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

DEPUTY JAILED ON DRUG CHARGES

A Cumberland County sheriff's deputy was charged with trafficking in
drugs after Harnett County lawmen found marijuana, cocaine and crack
cocaine in her personal car.

Tirhonda Yvette Leach, 26, of the 800 block of Cypress Church Road in
Cameron, was arrested at her sister's home Tuesday after lawmen found
the drugs.

Leach was fired Wednesday.

At the time of the arrest, deputies were searching the home of
Shalonda Lanette Leach in the 20000 block of N.C. 24 in Cameron, an
arrest report said.

Tirhonda Leach drove up with Shalonda Leach and their mother, Beverly
Ann Judd. Deputies searched the vehicle and found 135.5 grams of
marijuana, 12.5 grams of crack cocaine and 41 grams of powder cocaine,
the arrest report said.

"That's a dealer amount of drugs," said Harnett County Sheriff Larry
Rollins. "That's what was inside the car."

Tirhonda Leach and Shalonda Leach, 25, were each charged with two
counts of trafficking in cocaine and two counts of conspiring to
traffic in cocaine. Tirhonda Leach was charged with maintaining a
vehicle to keep a controlled substance. Shalonda Leach was charged
with possession with the intent to sell or distribute marijuana.

Rollins said Judd was the target of their investigation, which lasted
for several months.

"It's possible that Tirhonda was involved, but we didn't know she was
a deputy until the arrest," Rollins said. "I do not think her name
came up prior to the arrest."

Judd, 42, of the 80 block of Judd Lane in Cameron, was charged with
two counts of trafficking in cocaine, two counts of conspiring to
traffic in cocaine and one count of maintaining a dwelling for a
controlled substance.

The Leaches and Judd made a first appearance in court Wednesday.
Tirhonda Leach and Judd are in the Harnett County Jail on $300,000
bail each. Shalonda Leach was released on an unsecured bail.

Tirhonda Leach had worked for the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office
about 2 years, spokeswoman Debbie Tanna said.

"Her background check was pristine, I mean pristine," Tanna said. "She
had no violations at all."

Leach applied for a job with the Sheriff's Office while she was in the
Navy. Leach was honorably discharged and passed an extensive
background check, review board, polygraph test and medical exam.

"We want to make sure when we hire them they have the wherewithal to
make good decisions," Tanna said. "There were no red flags in her file."

Tirhonda Leach began working at the jail and moved to the courthouse
after she completed the basic law enforcement course in August. She
asked to be reassigned to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center on Oct. 16,
Tanna said.

On Wednesday, internal affairs investigators went to the Harnett
County Jail to tell Tirhonda Leach she was no longer employed with the
Sheriff's Office.

"Normally the process is that we'd have a 10-day investigation," Tanna
said. "But not this time. Because of what transpired, we decided it
was not needed."

During that 10 days, the accused person has the opportunity to rebut
the allegations, Tanna said. Leach will not have the chance.

"Even though our deputies aren't on duty all the time, they are still
law officers 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,"
Tanna said. "We expect them to obey the law and respect this office.
If you're going to enforce the law, you have to obey the law."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin