Pubdate: Mon, 21 Mar 2005
Source: Robesonian, The (Lumberton, NC)
Copyright: 2005 The Robesonian
Contact:  http://www.robesonian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1548
Author: Scott Witten
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

SHERIFF'S OFFICE SEARCHED

LUMBERTON - Federal and state agents spent more than seven hours Thursday 
removing documents and computers during a search of the Robeson County 
Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Kenneth Sealey said in a statement that the search was part of an 
ongoing investigation requested by former Sheriff Glenn Maynor in 2002. 
Maynor had called for the investigation after three of his drug agents were 
accused of misconduct. Maynor, who retired on Dec. 31, could not be reached 
for comment.

Sealey said the items were taken came from the Drug Enforcement Division 
Office, which is the focus of the investigation. Drugs agents were told to 
leave the office for the day while the search was done.

"... The department is cooperating completely with the SBI, the IRS 
(Criminal Investigation Division) and the U.S. Attorney's Office," Sealey 
said in the statement.

Sealey declined to comment further, referring questions to the U.S. 
Attorney's Office. But an official with that agency would not confirm 
whether agents are investigating the Sheriff's Office.

"I don't have any paperwork on this ... we don't confirm or deny any 
investigations," said Gloria Dupree, a spokesman for the Raleigh office.

A woman who didn't want her name used said about a dozen agents from the 
SBI and the Internal Revenue Service arrived at the Sheriff's Office at 
about 10 a.m. Thursday.

"Just as I pulled up, I saw several cars converge at the Sheriff's Office," 
she said. "They all parked at the sheriff's back door. When they got out, 
they were wearing black jackets with the yellow letters SBI and IRS."

SBI Special Agent Jerry Weaver confirmed that he and about 15 state and 
federal agents were at the Sheriff's Office on Thursday morning. Weaver 
would not say what investigators were looking for or what was in the 40 or 
so cardboard boxes that agents placed in the back of a Ryder rental truck 
at the rear entrance of the Sheriff's Office. Agents could be seen placing 
computers and several small plastic bags containing what appeared to be 
computer disks into the truck.

There was a B&B Locksmith truck parked behind the rental truck.

"I can't comment at this time on any this," said Weaver, who heads the 
SBI's Southeastern District Office in Fayetteville. He did say he doesn't 
expect any more searches at the Sheriff's Office.

No Information

Robeson County District Attorney Johnson Britt said investigators have not 
shared information with him about the case, but he believes it stems from 
allegations of misappropriation of money seized by lawmen in the Drug 
Enforcement Division. The division has been praised for its ability to 
identify drug traffickers passing through Robeson County on Interstate 95, 
even offering training for other lawmen. The Sheriff's Office shares in 
assets seized during those arrests - including cash - and Sheriff Maynor 
used to point at the division's ability to help equip the Sheriff's Office 
while saving taxpayer money.

Three people who worked in the Drug Enforcement Division Office have been 
investigated for wrongdoing in recent years.

C.T. Strickland lead the division until he was accused in 2002 of providing 
false information to a magistrate to obtain a warrant. As a result, Britt 
dismissed drug charges against two men. Strickland later resigned. His law 
enforcement certification was revoked last year by the Criminal Justice 
Training and Standards Commission.

J.W. Jacobs, a former sergeant in the division, pled no contest to a 
misdemeanor charge that he failed to include in a report that a sheriff's 
informant who was a convicted felon was in possession of a 9 mm handgun 
during an undercover sting operation in November 2001. Jacobs had faced 
felony obstruction of justice charges. Jacobs was given probation.

Roger Taylor, also charged in that case, faces two felony counts of 
obstruction of justice and felony conspiracy to obstruct justice. His case 
is pending.
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