Pubdate: July 22, 1999 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Copyright: 1999 Chicago Tribune Company Contact: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Forum: http://www.chicagotribune.com/interact/boards/ Author: Todd Lighty COP TAKEN OFF STREET AS PROBE CONTINUES Drug Investigation Has Charged 14 People A Chicago police detective was taken off the street and reassigned to a desk job Wednesday as part of an evolving federal investigation into allegations that veteran officers helped run a narcotics ring, according to a law enforcement source. The move to reassign Detective Jon Woodall to an administrative job at police headquarters occurred a day after FBI agents made early-morning visits to the homes of at least five city police officers, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Agents have questioned several officers assigned to the Grand-Central District, including tactical officers, according to the sources. The agents questioned the officers as part of the ongoing federal investigation that to date has led to the indictment of former gang crimes officer Joseph Miedzianowski and 13 other people described as gang members and drug dealers. >From the outset, prosecutors have said that more than one Chicago police officer allegedly was involved in narcotics trafficking, and the latest developments indicate a widening investigation that sources said could involve as many as five more police officers. Federal prosecutors are pursuing leads alleging that officers shook down or robbed drug dealers of money and cocaine and planted drugs on suspects--allegations similar to those made in the Austin and Gresham police districts nearly three years ago. In particular, FBI agents on Tuesday questioned officers about the disappearance of more than 10 pounds of cocaine from a car at a city auto pound in early 1998, according to the sources. A drug suspect cooperating with authorities has told them that he helped sell cocaine that officers stole from drug dealers, according to sources and court documents. Neither federal authorities nor city police officials would discuss the latest developments or the action taken against Woodall. Woodall, a nine-year veteran assigned to the Grand-Central Area, could not be reached for comment. He is the second officer stripped of his police powers as part of the investigation. Former gang crimes Officer John Galligan, the longtime partner of Miedzianowski, was taken off street duty in April and reassigned to headquarters. Miedzianowski, who quit the force last month, remains in federal custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, awaiting trial on charges that he was the drug kingpin in charge of a Miami-to-Chicago operation. Additionally, according to federal court documents, Miedzianowski funneled guns to a gang in its street war with a rival gang and aided the drug ring by identifying undercover cops, describing undercover police vehicles and revealing the names of confidential informants working with law enforcement. Miedzianowski has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers have said the prosecution's case was built on the word of drug dealers looking to shave time off potential prison sentences. So far, eight of Miedzianowski's co-defendants have pleaded guilty and agreed to help prosecutors. In one case, according to sources, police in early 1998 made a traffic stop on the North Side and the car's occupant told them about another vehicle in a city pound that contained a hidden stash of more than 10 pounds of cocaine. Federal authorities have been chasing leads about what happened to that cocaine. One of the cooperating co-defendants, Frederick Rock, has told federal authorities about Miedzianowski and other police officers. In his plea agreement, Rock admitted that he sold more than 10 pounds of cocaine that had been "taken from drug dealers by Joseph Miedzianowski and/or other individuals associated " with Miedzianowski. Sources said those other individuals were Chicago police officers. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea