Pubdate: Tue, 21 Jul 1998 Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Contact: Fax: (414) 224-8280 Website: http://www.jsonline.com/ Author: David Doege of the Journal Sentinel staff WOMAN GUILTY IN FAMILY DRUG RING Eleven years after she claimed she could lead authorities to Police Department detectives using narcotics, but instead went to prison on drug charges of her own, a 46-year-old woman pleaded guilty Monday to running a crack cocaine ring with two sisters, a brother and three daughters. Nancy K. Ezell, a controversial figure in a 1987 John Doe investigation into drug use among police officers, pleaded guilty to eight felony counts that leave her facing 195 years in prison when she is sentenced in September. Seven of the counts involve drug dealing, and one is for receiving stolen property. She has now been convicted of felony drug trafficking four times. Ezell is believed to be the central figure in a cocaine business that has resulted in convictions for seven defendants, most of whom are members of her immediate or extended family. One other family member is still awaiting trial in the case, and two more are being sought on bench warrants for failing to return to court. The family business also included a fencing operation for stolen goods, according to circuit court records. Ezell's latest conviction stems from a four-month probe during which she and her relatives made a series of crack and powder cocaine sales ending in March to undercover police officers, according to court records. Ezell is depicted in the court records as the central figure in the drug ring. At times, drug or stolen goods transactions were delayed or postponed because her daughters could not waken a deep-sleeping Ezell to complete the deals or arrange the narcotics deliveries, records indicate. "Nancy don't keep anything on her because she's on paper (parole) because she just got out of Taycheedah (Correctional Institution)," her daughter once explained to an officer while they waited for a cocaine delivery arranged by Ezell, according to the criminal complaint. "I'm 24. Mama's been doing this for 12 years, and she's good at it." The complaint says that for one of the many crack deals, Ezell's 3-year-old granddaughter accompanied her mother. During another deal, Ezell's 12-year-old nephew looked on as cocaine was being poured onto a scale, according to the complaint. During the weighing, the nephew allegedly announced, "Some of this is mine." It wasn't until several weeks and several drug transactions into the sting operation that undercover officers got to meet Ezell face-to-face. Prior to that, they dealt with her sisters, daughters and acquaintances, the complaint says. Ezell also eventually finalized the stolen goods transactions, according to the complaint. She expressed a keen interest in hot televisions, videocassette recorders and video cameras, although she also said she could fence microwave ovens and computers. An officer once told her that he could bring her "as many of the 25-inch televisions as she wanted," according to the complaint. "Bring them all because I can move a lot of them," Ezell responded, according to the complaint. Ezell also volunteered during the meeting to provide the officer with a van for hauling the stolen goods to her house, and promised to have someone ready to help carry the hot property into her home, the complaint says. Ezell, who lived in the 3700 block of N. 6th St., has been in the County Jail since she was charged in April. She entered the guilty pleas Monday on the day she was scheduled to begin her trial. Her attorney, Jeffrey W. Jensen, told Circuit Judge Jeffrey A. Kremers that Ezell was skeptical of the representation she was receiving. "She said she felt that I was working with the DA's office," Jensen said. Jensen subsequently detailed his time spent in the case on Ezell's behalf, concluding, "I believe my conscience is clear as far as the effectiveness of my representation." Kremers then explained that Jensen had entered into plea negotiations with Assistant District Attorney Patrick J. Kenney based on the strength of the evidence in the case against her, not because Jensen was conspiring with authorities. "Any other problems?" Kremers asked Ezell. "No," she replied. In exchange for Ezell's guilty pleas, Kenney explained that he would not recommend a specific prison term, only "a substantial term of imprisonment." The case marked the fourth time Kenney has prosecuted Ezell for drug trafficking. The three previous cases -- in 1985, 1986 and 1987 -- resulted in a single six-year prison term for Ezell in 1987. Ezell garnered some attention from the news media and police in 1987 as an informant in the John Doe investigation into drug use by police that began two years earlier. Police dismissed her claim and said at the time that they decided against using Ezell as an informant because of her repeated drug dealing and previous manipulation to avoid prosecution. As with several officers and private citizens, the evidence against Ezell at that time was based largely on wiretapped telephone conversations that showed she was involved in drug dealing. More than a dozen people, including several police officers, were convicted as a result of the probe. - --- Checked-by: Melodi Cornett