WORMSCAN: WORMSCAN [PART 1 1981-1987]

Involvement of Politicians, Judges, Lawyers, & Police in the Drug Business

NOTES: I made a few corrections to spellings but left the original document mainly untouched. All dates are in YYMMDD format. These files are only a portion of the entire WORMSCAN file and includes all entries from 1981 to 1987. I had to break it up due to length. There are hundreds of pages.

WORMSCAN

By David P Beiter

*WORMSCAN Updated: 981106 [NOVEMBER 6, 1998]

(c) Copyright 1980, 1998, by David P Beiter, proliferate freely. [REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION]

WORMSCAN is a collection of news items concerning the involvement of police, lawyers, judges, politicians, bankers, prison guards, spooks, and other social predators in the enormously profitable illegal drug business.

What had at first appeared to be merely a can of worms has, upon further examination, proven to be a barrel of vipers.

No attempt has been made to note every news item.  These are simply those cases which have come to my attention in the everyday news.  Note that many sources are radio news reports, and thus the spelling of many names is undoubtedly bogus.

Disclaimer: This material is presented for educational purposes only.  I am not trying to sell you any political agenda here.  I am not even suggesting a conspiracy theory.  I don't care if you don't believe that anything like this could happen here.  I won't ask you to construct a testable hypothesis (whatever THAT is). All I need is for you to see it as an interesting conjecture. That is sufficient.

Additions, comments, criticisms, clarifications, or corrections (even mispellings and typograhpical errors) should be directed to: David P Beiter, [REDACTED], Monticello KY  42633-8809

[REDACTED]

"In Germany they first came for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.  Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.  Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.  Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.  Then they came for me--and by that time no one was left to speak up."

—Pastor Martin Niemoller.

All items are Monticello, Wayne County, Kentucky, United States of America, unless otherwise specified.

Sources include:

The Wayne County Outlook, Monticello, KY.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY.
WFLW, WKYM & WMKZ, radio, Monticello, KY.
WSEK & WSFC, radio, Somerset, KY.
WBBM, radio, Chicago, IL.
WBKY, WUKY, radio, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.
WEKU, radio, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY.
WKYU, radio, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
WHAS, radio, Louisville, KY.
WLAP, radio, Lexington, KY.
KET = Kentucky Educational Television rebroadcast of WKYT, WLEX,
Lexington or WHAS, WLKY, WAVE, Louisville or WTVQ, Hazard. local news.
CBC = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
CNN = Cable News Network radio news.
KNN = Kentucky News Network & KYnet = The Kentucky Net.

All times are Central Time, even if the broadcast originates in a different time zone.  Dates (YYMMDD) in the header are generally the date of the news item, not the date of the action.

810000, Marion County, KY, Al Cross, reporter for The Courier-Journal, personal communication.  Officials in the Kentucky state government became suspicious of cash excesses in banks in Marion County, KY.  An investigation led to the purchase of the Bank [of Lebanon?  (Marion County Seat)] by a cabinet official [The Kentucky State Secretary of Commerce?] Needless to say, no evidence of marijuana cultivation or other illicit activities was uncovered.

820000?, Hart County, Kentucky, Bowling Green, KY, Newspaper clipping, Hart Co?  Jane Paquin, neighbor to a growing location, personal communication.  "Thirteen arraigned in marijuana case" in Bowling Green, KY, after raids on Hart County, KY, marijuana fields on 26 July.  Donnie Nunn, former Hart County, KY, Sheriff, Joe Dunagan, and Tm Chaney, all of Horse Cave; Hulen Russell, Charles Richardson, Jr, and Gary Coffee, all of Hardyville; James Stanon [Stanton?], of Munfordville; James Benningfield of Magnolia; Freeman Swartz of Summerville; and Randall Skaggs, Neal Lnu, James K. Mattingly, and James N. Mattingly, of Lebanon. Also Nunn, Stanton, and Russell were indicted on charges of attempting to bribe two state police, Ron West and Robert Sheldon, and Hart County Sheriff Daymond Humphrey.  22,500 marijuana plants in five locations in Hart Co confiscated on 26 July and 8,000 on 29 July at another Hart Co site.  This was the biggest marijuana raid in Kentucky history, valued at over $12 million.  Incidentally, Sheriff Nunn is the nephew of former Governor Louis B Nunn.

820211, Washington, DC.  Attorney General William French Smith exempts the CIA from reporting drug smuggling by Agency assets. Reportable offenses included assault, homicide, kidnapping, Neutrality Act violations, communication of classified data, illegal immigration, bribery, obstruction of justice, possession of explosives, election contributions, possession of firearms, illegal wiretapping, visa violations and perjury.  Rep Maxine Waters, 980507.

841100, Florida, The Nation, May 7 1988, p634.  In November 1984 FBI agents in Florida intercepted a shipment of 760 pounds of cocaine from Honduras and arrested a top-ranking Honduran officer, Jose Bueso Rosa, for his role in a plot to overthrow and murder the President of Honduras, to be financed by $10 million from the drug deal.  And from 1982 to 1986 a drugs-and-arms network which supplied the contras operated out of Honduran airstrips, according to Jose Blandon, former aide to Manuel Noriega, and ABC News.  After Bueso was convicted, Oliver North and six other Administration officials pleaded for leniency in sentencing him.  They were willing to overlook Bueso's association with drug smugglers because of his valuable, unspecified services to U. S. policy makers.  The DEA denies that it showed similar leniency toward the contras' patrons when it closed its office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras between 1983 and 1988.

850912, Knoxville, TN, multiple news reports.  Andrew Thorton III, retired Lexington, Kentucky, Police Department Narcotics Officer, crash landed via parachute in suburban Knoxville TN with 79 pounds of cocaine.  Several other duffle bags of cocaine were found in the Chattahoochee National Forest, totaling approximately 400 pounds.  See 870112, 871123, 890225, 900820, 930409, Sally Denton, The Bluegrass Conspiracy, Doubleday, 1990.

860220, Wayne Co, KY, multiple rumors.  Rumors abound that the FBI had caught Joe Conn, former Wayne County, KY, Sheriff; Ralph Miniard, Monticello, KY, Chief of Police; and Don Richardson, local gas station operator.  They are rumored to have been caught loading marijuana into an airplane owned by Nick Cooley, a local coal tycoon.  This rumor sounded fresh, but there is also a rumor of letting Joe Conn serve out his term as Sheriff, which would put it as last year.  Present Sheriff Jim Hill would neither confirm nor deny, but eventually admitted that he had heard the rumor.  He was not happy about my questioning.  My impression was that he was covering for his compatriots, and didn't like it.

860319, Monticello, KY, personal communication with Wayne county Outlook.  Brenda Sexton at The Wayne County Outlook says that they tried three times to check out the Joe Conn rumor at Federal Court in London, KY, but all were negative.  She did not know the source of the rumors.  [It may have been the local radio station.] Jim Hill, present Wayne County Sheriff, seemed very agitated when I questioned him, did not want to talk and ran out of his office.  On 860809 Donald Jones says that Conn, Miniard, and Richardson were caught off-loading in northern Kentucky. Carl Jones says that were caught on-loading at Somerset airport. Other sources have said that Joe Conn was caught transporting marijuana three times, locally (McCreary County), northern Kentucky, and in Georgia.

860324, Morgan Co, KY, multiple reports.  Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, is arrested for extorting a one million dollar bribe from a cocaine smuggler (also an FBI agent).  This was for airport landing rights in Morgan Co, KY.  Several other officials were arrested for assorted corruption: former Morgan County, Kentucky, Judge-Executive Gene Allen; Allen's son Steve; Morgan County, Kentucky, Sheriff Roger Benton; Coal Baron Titus Frederick; former Kentucky District Judge James H Noble; former State Senator and former State Trooper Lester Burns, Jr; and physician, Dr Bill Davis.  ref: "Operation Leviticus" of the FBI.  They weren't even looking for drug trafficking!  The FBI thought they were looking at coal money!!

860330, Whitley Co, KY, multiple reports.  The Whitley County Kentucky Sheriff, one other KY & 3 TN Sheriffs are arrested for drug trafficking.

860619, Marion Co, KY, WLEX, CNN.  Kentucky State Police Detective, 19 year veteran of The Force, Joseph Greenwall (Greenwald), age 41, of Loretto, Marion Co KY is arrested for extorting $5000 to protect marijuana growers, after a two month investigation.  Arraignment is set for 27 June.

860700, Playboy, p47.  NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) has a list of approximately 300 public officials who have been involved in drug crimes in the past three years.  (This might be July 87.)

860700, Miami, FL, personal communication.  John Ruehle, a Dade County, FL, resident states that per capita drug trafficking arrests are greater among police than among the general population in Miami and/or Dade Co, FL.

860800, Flint, MI, Sinsemilla Tips v6#2p16.  14 Michigan police officers indicted were on drug charges from 84 to 86.

860800, TN, Sinsemilla Tips, v6#2.  East Tennessee Sheriffs' report.  Scott County, Tennessee, Sheriff Marion Carson & deputy Wayne Caldwell are charged by a Federal Grand jury with conspiracy & selling methaqualone, marijuana, cocaine & diazapam.  Claiborne County, Tennessee, Sheriff Billy Wayne Smith & Juvenile Court Referee R. Jackson Rose pleaded guilty to conspiring to take payoffs to protect gambling operations.  Since 82, The Sheriff of Cocke Co, TN, Bobby Stinson; The Sheriff of Roane Co, TN, Gillis Narramore; The Sheriff of Union Co, TN, Paul Hill; and The Sheriff of Anderson Co, TN, Dennis O Trotter also have been arrested for drug trafficking.

860811, 76- 86?  Boston, MA, Newsweek: August 11, 1986 p 24. Federal Grand Jury indictments have been handed down for 10 police officers, including 2 current police chiefs & 1 former chief, including Gerald Clemente, 52, retired Captain of Metropolitan District Commission & Thomas Doherty, 45, former Medford Police Lieutenant, for police exam theft & rigging of scores.  This was used to maneuver conspirators into key positions to cover for crimes.  These include a $1.5 megabux bank robbery at Medford, MA & cocaine trafficking from Tennessee in 84.  Thomas Doherty shot Joseph Bangs, retired MDC police sergeant, 4 times but did not kill him.  Bangs then squealed. Various police are accused of assorted robberies, drug trafficking, IRA gun trafficking.  These events occurred from 76 to 86.

860812, Minneapolis, MN, CNN, 11:35 PM..Small amounts of speed, marijuana, and LSD were found in various police cruisers. Marijuana was also found in the central garage locker.  Speed was found hidden in a steering wheel.  Apparently the illegal drugs were for personal use, not resale.  Chief Bozo says that he is still opposed to drug testing for cops, but not for ordinary citizens.

860813, Mexico, Newsweek Aug 25, 86, p42; The Courier-Journal, 21 Aug 86, p2.  Victor Cortez, DEA agent in Guadalajara was tortured by 11 Mexican state police officers in an attempt to gain information on collaborators.

860909, Monitor Radio.  26 Sheriffs in GA & TN have been arrested & convicted for drug trafficking.  Ryan Freemantle, author, The Fix

860924, New York, NY, CNN News, WBKY, 11:30PM CDT.  In the 77th Precinct of Brooklyn, NY, thirteen cops have been arrested for shaking down drug dealers, and reselling drugs, mostly crack. Paul Harvey, 9 Oct 86, quotes Newsday, as saying that thirteen cops sledgehammered their way into drug dealers' houses, stole drugs & money, and resold drugs.

860929, Plainfield, NJ, Newsweek, Sep 29, 1986, p18.  Surprise urine tests of all police & firemen in May yielded 20 positive for marijuana and/or cocaine, including 2 cops.  On 16 July, the suspended firemen filed in federal court.  US District Judge H Lee Sarokin ruled that "mass roundup urinalysis" violated constitutional prohibitions against unreasonable search & seizure.  But of course it's not unconstitutional nor unreasonable for mass urinalysis of schoolchildren.

861002, San Antonio, TX, CNN, WBKY, 2 Oct 86, 3:30pm; 31 Oct 86, 11:25PM.  There is a loss of credibility of the police department.  There have been assorted scandals, such as Cop Smith (murderer, arsonist) being shot by cop Ferrell Tucker for knowing too much.  A 34 year veteran, unnamed, was arrested on drug charges.

861007, Pikeville, KY, The Courier-Journal, p1.  Not a drug story, probably.  Pike County, Kentucky, Sheriff Charles "Fuzzy" Keesee "misplaced" $300,000 in tax collections during his previous administration.

861007, Louisville, KY, The Courier-Journal, pB4.  The Jefferson County, Commissioner, Carl Brown, is charged with distribution of marijuana and cocaine.

861010, London, KY, WBKY.  Morgan Co Judge-Executive Gene Allen has a motion to dismiss charges of conspiracy for murder of VA man in Morgan Co drug ring.

861011?, Whitley County, KY, The Wayne County Outlook p22, from The Whitley Republican.  Larry R Patrick of Williamsburg is convicted on conspiracy to import cocaine.  He was found guilty of scheming with former Scott Co, TN, Sheriff Marion Carson & Deputy Wayne Caldwell.

861018, KY, The Courier-Journal, pB1.  Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell & Kentucky State Trooper Gerald Griggs were arrested for cocaine trafficking.

861022, London, KY, multiple newscasts.  Gene Allen (Morgan County Kentucky Judge-Executive) & Gerald Griggs (State Police Trooper) are convicted of "murder for hire".  Marion Campbell (Kentucky State Police Commissioner) testified that they were part of a counter-investigation so secret that no written records were ever kept of their findings, but this was not convincing to the jury.

861024, Miami FL, CNN News, 3:45PM.  Seven cops are on trial for selling $5 million (15M$, DH, 2 Nov 86) of cocaine stolen from smugglers.

861110, USA, "Inside the DEA", Reason, Dec 86, p23-29.  A compendium of DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) corruption reported by Dale Gieringer, Decision & Ethics Center, Dept of Engineering-Economic Systems, Stanford Univ.

861111, New York City, NY, CNN News, WBKY, 11:40PM.  There is a New York City Police "slowdown" (strikes are illegal) to protest investigation of police corruption.  See 860924

861113, London, KY, Lexington Herald-Leader, Nov 13, 86, pA1, A16.  "Corruption probe: Half of cases resolved" by Assistant US Attorney James E Arehart.  Gene Allen, 3 time Judge-Executive of Morgan County, Kentucky, was convicted of conspiracy to murder. Gerald Griggs, Kentucky State Police Trooper, was convicted in the same murder for hire scheme.  Both were represented by Kevin Charters of Lexington, KY.  William Titus Frederick, coal operator and businessman, of West Liberty, KY, pleaded guilty to manufacturing marijuana.  Benny Neely, London, KY, pleaded guilty to transporting stolen heavy equipment across state lines. Norman B Williams III, of Detroit, MI, pleaded guilty to transporting a stolen car across state lines.  Dr Billy Davis, Urgent Care Center of Burnside, KY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud two insurance companies of $1.1 million for a phony traffic accident.  Lester H Burns, Jr, former Kentucky State Senator[, former Kentucky State Trooper] & attorney, Somerset, KY, pleaded guilty to insurance fraud and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen money ($1.9 million stolen from the Dr R J Acker robbery & murder) across state lines.  James H Noble, former Kentucky District Judge, convicted of obstruction of justice and yet to be tried in the insurance fraud conspiracy.  Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, to be tried on Jan 5, 87, for extortion for allegedly taking money for protecting drug-trafficking activities.  Roger Benton, Morgan County, Kentucky, Sheriff, accused of conspiracy of drug-trafficking.

861113, Knoxville, TN, Knoxville TV.  9 cops arrested in the Charles Walker cocaine trafficking ring.

861118, Miami, FL, CNN News, WBKY (Lexington, KY) 11:45PM.  1300 pounds marijuana was stolen from police headquarters evidence storage.  This theft is thought to be an inside job.  The marijuana was valued at $4 million.  That's $3000 per pound. This is the 4th major theft of drug evidence in last few months. Also a Columbian cocaine ring was indicted, but the indictees are safely in Columbia.

861120, London, KY, The Wayne County Outlook, 20 Nov 86, p18. From The Sentinel-Echo.  Lester Burns, Jr, 55, (attorney, former Kentucky State Police Trooper, former Kentucky State Senator) pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy with Dr Bill Davis to defraud two insurance companies by faking a vehicle accident.  He also pleaded guilty to receiving stolen money from the Dr Roscoe Acker robbery & murder.  Charges of conspiracy with former Breathitt District Judge James Noble (recently convicted of perjury in Federal Court in Lexington) to defraud an insurance company were dropped.  The Assistant US Attorney was James Arehart.  The Judge was Eugene Siler, Jr.

861126, Somerset, KY, personal communication, Dallas Hammond. The younger brother of David Dick, Kentucky State Police Trooper, was arrested last month for cultivating 78 marijuana plants.  The police missed a quarter acre plot.  James Dick, older brother, was recently arrested on drug charges.  Trooper Dick was finally apprehended 901104, see 901108.

861200, Somerset, KY.  Lester Burns, Jr., former Kentucky State Senator, former Kentucky State Police, disbarred.  Now former attorney.

861212, London, KY, KET, WLEX.  Gene Allen, Judge-Executive of Morgan County, Kentucky is sentenced to 5 years for conspiracy to murder.  Gerald Griggs, Kentucky State Police, had his sentencing delayed.  Titus Frederick, coal baron, was let off in return for testifying against Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, in his trial for conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs.

861216, London, KY.  Gerald Griggs, Kentucky State Police, is sentenced to 5 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in "Operation Leviticus" drug deal.

861222, Louisville, KY, KET, Louisville.  Carl Brown, Jefferson County Commissioner, is arraigned for something, and sent to Missouri [?], for psychiatric evaluation.  Brown is to be arraigned later on drug distribution charges.  His left hand was severely swollen and ace bandaged, but no explanation was given. He also looked very woozy and inattentive.

861200, London, KY, The Wayne County Outlook, 861224, p19.  From The Sentinel-Echo.  Sherry Lorraine Hodge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen money across state lines in $1,900,000 (that's 1.9 megabux) Acker robbery & murder.  Hodge says that she gave $300,000 to C Gene Foust, 49, Detective Sergeant and Head Narcotics Officer and 21-year veteran of the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Police Department.  The Head Narcotics Officer was to invest it "to make more money for me." Mrs Hodge's attorney is Robert Wilmott of Lexington, KY.  Formerly her attorney was Lester Burns, Jr, former Kentucky State Senator, former Kentucky State Police, of Somerset, KY, who pleaded guilty to receiving stolen money and is now disbarred.  The Judge is Eugene Siler, Jr.  Co-transporters of stolen money are Anna Louise Farley (mother of Donald Terry Bartley), Sharon Joyce Wilson, & Barry Wilson, with whom she transported $1,200,000 from Florida to Knoxville, TN, after the arrest of her husband, Benny Lee Hodge.  Donald Terry Bartley, Roger Dale Epperson, and Benny Lee Hodge are to be tried May 1987 for robbery & murder of a Jackson County, KY, couple, and also face unspecified charges in other unspecified states.  The FBI searched the home of Head Narcotics Officer and Investment Advisor to the stars, C Gene Foust on 861202.

861231, Somerset, KY.  Lester Burns, Jr is ordered to return $175,000 to Dr Roscoe Acker.  This was his attorney's fee for the defense of the murderers/robbers.

870112, Boston, MA, Margo Monaco, Boston, National Public Radio. See also Newsweek, 11 Aug 86.  David McCuen joined Wilmington police in 73, and was promoted to sergeant in 78, after paying $4000 for a copy of the sergeant's exam.  Several hundred individuals eventually were involved.  Many individuals were placed into positions to promote the organized crimes of the Police Department.  Chief of the scam was Gerald W Clemente, who did a $1.5 million bank robbery and other burglaries to finance drug deals.

870112, Lexington, KY, KET\WLEX.  Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, and Roger Benton, Morgan County, Kentucky, Sheriff, are on trial.  Houston McNeal, two years a undercover FBI agent, testified that he had made payments of $5000 a month to Campbell, Benton, and Titus Frederick for landing rights at the West Liberty, KY, airport. (It is unclear if this was each or total.)

870113, Lexington, KY, WBKY (Lexington, KY).  In the Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner trial, Campbell is represented by William Johnson.  The Trial apparently started 9 Jan 87.  Houston McNeal, two years an undercover FBI agent from Virginia, testified that he had made installment payments to Roger Benton, Morgan County Kentucky Sheriff; Gene Allen, Morgan County Kentucky Judge-Executive; and Marion Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, for assistance in drug trafficking.  McNeal said that he met Campbell on a dark backroad, where Campbell thanked him for the money.  A tape recording of Campbell taking payoffs from McNeal was played.

870114, Lexington, KY, WBKY, KET, WLKY(?).  In the Kentucky State Police Commissioner Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell trial, Titus Frederick, coal baron and marijuana manufacturer testified that in a meeting at Frederick's house in 1984, three-time Morgan County Kentucky Judge-Executive Gene Allen and Marion Campbell had asked him for contacts in the marijuana and cocaine business.  Lester Burns, Jr, former Kentucky State Senator, former Kentucky State Police Trooper, former attorney (now disbarred) bankrolled the operation, and Marion Campbell was in charge of security at the Morgan County airport.  Their business grossed about 3/4 of a million dollars a week in cocaine. Houston McNeal, undercover Virginia FBI investigator, testified that Campbell said that he was receiving payments from undercover agents.  It is unclear whether Campbell thought that they were FBI agents or drug dealers.  Or both.

870115, Lexington, KY, WEKU, KET\WLEX In the Kentucky State Police Commissioner Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell trial, Steve Allen, son of the Morgan County Judge-Executive, testified that he saw a $90,000 cocaine sale in November 85 at the house of his father, Morgan County, Kentucky, Judge-Executive Gene Allen.  In this transaction, Gene Allen was paid his share plus a share to pass along to Marion Campbell.  Gene Allen, Morgan County, Kentucky, Judge-Executive and convicted murder conspirator, testified that he has known Marion Campbell for 25 years and Morgan County Sheriff Roger Benton all of his life.  He met several times in late 1983 with Marion Campbell, Titus Frederick, and Lester Burns, Jr to import cocaine from Okalachee, FL. Campbell was said to want the money for his retirement fund. Titus Frederick testified that Gene Allen and Marion Campbell had pushed him to find a cocaine connection.

870116, Lexington, KY, KET\WLKY, 10:07PM.  In the Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell trial, Gene Allen, former Morgan County, Kentucky Judge-Executive who has been convicted of conspiracy to murder, was cross examined.  He has changed his story because he got religion in jail.  In his trial in September 86 he claimed that he and Campbell were running their own investigation of drug corruption, without telling anyone else and keeping no records of what they had discovered.  He passed money to Campbell once by laying an envelope full of money on the dash of Campbell's truck, and once on the truck seat, but never actually in Campbell's hand.

870121, Miami, FL.  Seven Miami cops are given a mistrial in a case of racketeering and drug corruption.  The reasons are undisclosed.  See 861024 & 870116.

870123, Lexington, KY, WBKY.  In the Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell trial, Jack Evans, Kentucky State Police, testified that he had talked with Campbell thrice about the trial, and got the idea (but was never told openly) that Campbell wanted him to perjure.

870126, "Is There a Contra Drug Connection?", Newsweek, p26. Gary Betzner, 45, a crop duster pilot from Arkansas, says that he imported Columbian cocaine thru contra airstrips in Costa Rica with George Morales, a Columbian emigre with an aircraft chartering business.  Both claim that they had the full knowledge and assistance of CIA and DEA.  A third witness, unnamed, claims to have seen Southern Air Transport planes being loaded with cocaine in Barranquilla, Columbia in 1985.  So cocaine trafficking is OK if it supports revolution in Nicaragua.

870126, Lexington, KY, KET\WTVQ.  In the Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell & Sheriff Roger Benton trial, Louie di Falais, US Attorney & apparently part of the "Operation Leviticus" investigation, testified that in two years of investigation of Marion Campbell, Campbell gave no indications of ever conducting his own investigation.  The Chief of Police of West Liberty, the Morgan County Seat, said that he knew nothing of the two years of drug traffic thru the West Liberty airport.  Roger Benton, Sheriff of Morgan County, Kentucky, has a previous conviction for bootlegging.

870127, Lexington, KY, WBKY.  In the Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch Campbell & Morgan County Kentucky Sheriff Roger Benton trial, Roger Benton testified that he went along with the drug trafficking in hopes to make some arrests and stop the drug operations.

870202, Miami, FL, USN&WR, Feb 2, 1987, p28.  Seven cops are given a mistrial in their drug racketeering trial.  Thus they did not rob a boat and drown the owners and sell the cocaine.  Roman Rodriguez, Ricardo Aleman, Rodolfo Arias, Osvaldo Coello, Arturo de la Vega, Armando Estrada, & Armando Garcia, are the fortunate cops.  They managed a fine lifestyle on a $30,000 per year salary.  The Judge was Kenneth Ryskamp.  The holdout juror was William Rountree.  See 880105 & 880106 for a recant.

870204, Lexington, KY, KET\WKYT.  Morgan County Kentucky Sheriff Roger Benton says that he will appeal his conviction on drug trafficking charges on grounds that his trial should have had nothing to do with the trial of Marion "Butch" Campbell.  He obviously thinks that Campbell will be found guilty.  This came after one verdict was reached but not announced.

870205, Lexington, KY, WLAP (Lexington, KY), 2PM.  Roger Benton, Sheriff of Morgan County, KY, is found guilty on all counts, three counts of extortion and two of drug trafficking conspiracy.  He faces a maximum sentence of 80 years.

870206, Lexington, KY, WLAP.  Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, is acquitted on four counts of extortion and given a mistrial on one count of conspiracy to traffic in marijuana and cocaine.

870206, KY, Comment on Kentucky, KET.  Three reasons are given for Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell's acquittal on charges of extortion and drug trafficking.  1) Gene Allen, Morgan County Judge-Executive changed his story from his trial where he was convicted of conspiracy to murder.  Formerly, he had said under oath that Campbell was conducting his own investigation.  The new story is that they were indeed trafficking in cocaine.  2) Allen said that on four occasions that he gave payoff money to Campbell, but never directly.  Allen was the only solid witness against Campbell on this, but he is a self-confessed perjurer.  3) In a taped meeting with an FBI informant, Campbell thanked him for "information".  The prosecution said that this was code word for protection money; the defense said that this was just normal information.  The FBI never actually got Campbell on tape accepting payoff money.  The jury was leaning towards acquittal on the drug trafficking conspiracy charges, with at least two holdouts.  Prosecutor Arehart wants a retrial.  I'm sure that none of the jurors would have been in the least bit concerned about their personal safety after finding the State Police Commissioner guilty of drug trafficking!

870200, KY.  There are various news reports of a retrial for Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell on charges of trafficking in cocaine and marijuana, but no date was given.

870223, Washington, DC, "Contra Drug Inquiry Stirs Growing Interest", by Keith Schneider, The New York Times, Tuesday, February 24, 1987, pA22.  US Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, a committee member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has witnesses and evidence that a private network had been organized by the National Security Council [NSC] and the Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] to provide military equipment to Contras in Nicaragua.  The investigators said that they also believed that the same network was shipping cocaine and marijuana back to the United States.  Federal officials, of course, deny this vicious rumor spread by Communist sympathizers.

870313, Lexington, KY, Various radio reports.  Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell is scheduled for retrial on 11 May 87 for conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and marijuana.  But 11 May 87 will come and go with absolutely no mention on any newscast that a Butch Campbell had ever existed. Morgan County Kentucky Sheriff Roger Benton is denied a retrial on his conviction for extortion and conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

870322, Richmond?, KY, WBKY, 11PM.  Kentucky State Police crime lab director Glen Morgan Baxter is accused of falsifying hundreds of tests, including his own qualifications.

870326, Lexington, KY, KET.  Morgan County, Kentucky, Sheriff Roger Benton is sentenced to 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000 on three counts of extortion and two counts of conspiracy to traffic in illegal drugs.

870331, Louisville, KY, KET.  Jeffrey Miles of 2401 Coolridge Ave, Okalona, age 24 or 25, is shot and killed by Louisville cop, John Rucker (Rutger) in a raid on Miles' home.  Miles' crime was to be living in an apartment inhabited two years ago by a suspected drug dealer.  (The correct address was available in the phone directory.) The murderer was sentenced to paid leave and consultation with the chaplain.

870402, Breathitt Co, KY.  James H Noble, Kentucky District Judge, Breathitt County, Kentucky, previously convicted of obstruction of justice for offering to lie in the witness stand for Lester Burns, Jr in a mail fraud trial, is temporarily disbarred.  Judge Noble was sentenced to two years on the obstruction of justice conviction.

870400, Wayne Co, KY, rumors only.  More unconfirmable rumors that Joe Conn, former Sheriff of Wayne County, Kentucky, is in prison for drug trafficking.  Dallas Hammond says that Joe Conn was jailed about five months ago.  Reportedly the FBI caught him near Wayne/McCreary line with 18 wheeler full of marijuana headed for the airport in Pine Knot, KY.  Harold Tucker says that he was told by Roosevelt Jones that Joe Conn was in prison on drug charges, but could not confirm the details of the reputed arrest.  These are unconfirmed rumors only.  Nobody has any hard news.  See 860220.

870429, Jeffersontown (Louisville), KY, WHAS.  Policeman John Rutger is indicted for second degree manslaughter and suspended from the police department.  This is for "accidentally" shooting Jeffrey Miles for the crime of living in an apartment inhabited two years ago by a suspected drug dealer.  See 870331.

870511, KY.  This is the supposed retrial date of Kentucky State Police Commissioner (now retired) Captain Marion "Butch" Campbell on charges of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and marijuana. There was absolutely no mention of this unevent on several Kentucky radio newscasts.  See 870313.

870515, Somerset, KY, WBKY.  Lester Burns, Jr., former Kentucky State Senator, former Kentucky State Police, former attorney, is sentenced to eight years in prison, four each for receiving stolen money from Epperson's Acker robbery/murder, and for conspiracy to defraud an insurer.  Burns will be eligible for parole in two years.  See 860324, 860716, 861113, 8612??, 861231, 870114.

870518, Ocean County, NJ, phone conversation, Margaret Stiles. Fifteen people are arrested by DEA at the home of a local policeman.  No information was given of what they were doing to merit this attention.

870520, Nicaragua, MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour.  The plane used by the Brother-in-law of Alphonso Collero (of Nicaragua Contras) to transport drugs was then used to transport supplies to the contras.  This was the testimony of Robert Owen, "The Courier". 25K$ in travelers checks were given to DEA by Alphonso Collero.

870524, Nicaragua, Steve Waddams, Sunday Morning, CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), quoting Daniel Sheehan of The Christic Institute of Washington DC.  "The Secret Team", started as a CIA Cuban anti-Castro operation, which funded itself by drug trafficking.  In about 1966, Richard Secord under CIA auspices, bombed the opposition of Vang Pao, their pet Opium Emperor of Laos.  "The Secret Team" was importing 600 pound loads of cocaine from Costa Rica while supplying Nicaraguan contras.

870630, Nicaragua, WSFC(ABC).  In secret testimony in the Iran-Contra hearings, Ramon Milian-Rodriguez testified that he sold to Felix Rodriguis $10,000,000 (ten million dollars) of cocaine for CIA contra funding.

870709, Miami, FL, CNN, AP.  US Attorney General Edwin Meese tries to prevent a House of Representatives Committee from questioning three federal prosecutors in Miami, FL concerning CIA drug and gun smuggling.  A House subpoena is issued.

870725, Cumberland and Clinton Cos, KY, The Wayne County Outlook, Aug 6, 87 from the Clinton County News.  Lloyd Stockton, Clinton County Clerk, and James Stonecipher hang the jury on marijuana cultivation charges.  Found on Sep 14, 1986 were 3 patches with 300 estimated plants already harvested, and 634 plants in a tobacco field.  See 860914.

870900, Burma, American Information Network Freedom League Newsletter, p6, quoting Daily News Digest, POB 39027, Phoenix, AZ 85069.  Lt Col Bo Gritz testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, International Narcotics Control Task Force, Larry Smith (D-FL) Chairman.  Gritz has 40 hours of video tape with General Khun Sa of Burma, the recognized opium kingpin (700 tons in 86, 900 tons in 87) in the Golden Triangle.  Khun Sa "charged American officials, both past and present, with being the chief buyers of drugs produced in that part of the world." Also he claims that he wants to stop drug trafficking, but that the US government won't let him.  Khun Sa said that individuals in CIA are some of his best customers.  He offered support to DEA to alert them of drug movements, but this was rejected at the headquarters level.  Theodore Shackley CIA agent in Laos from 1965-1975, was involved with Mao Se Hung (leading drug smuggler) and Santo Trafficante (Florida Mafia boss).  Khun Sa says that Richard Armitage (then in the US Embassy, now Assistant Secretary of Defense) financed drug smuggling in VietNam, then in Bangkok from 1975 to 1979.  CIA agents Daniel Arnold and Jerry Daniel trafficked weapons and drugs with Khun Sa.  Gritz claims that there is a parallel US government which started with the "Phoenix Program" in VietNam twenty years ago.

870905, Spain, The Nation, p189-192.  "How the Drug Czar Got Away", by Martin A.  Lee.  The gist of the story is that the USA is more interested in implicating Nicaraguan Sandinistas in drug running than in prosecuting smugglers.  Also the US Government funded contras with drug money.  Jorge Luis Ochoa of Columbia was captured in Spain.  The DEA (at least one agent was also member of Lieut Col Oliver North's team) offered to have extradition bungled if Ochoa would implicate the Nicaraguan Sandinista government in cocaine trafficking.  Ochoa refused.  After 20 months, Spain decided that USA was seeking to use Ochoa as a political instrument and denied extradition to USA.  Ochoa had fled to Spain in June 1984 after being implicated in the assassination of Lara Bonilla, the Columbian Minister of Justice who had crusaded against his country's $5 billion per year cocaine trade.  Adler Berriman Seal (Barry Seal) said he flew 1500 kilograms of cocaine from Columbia to Managua for Ochoa. The story quotes The Wall Street Journal as reporting that four imprisoned drug pilots who knew Seal said that Seal was part of contra supply network, delivering weapons and drugs.  Seal also took secret photos of Sandinista soldiers loading cocaine on his C-123 transport (the same plane as shot down with Eugene Hasenfus).  Ochoa contributed money to contras.  Ramon Milian-Rodriguez told Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics and International Operations that he had funneled $10 million to the contras thru former CIA operative Felix Rodriguez in 1983. James Kible, Madrid Spain based DEA agent assigned to Ochoa case and another DEA agent, Victor Oliveira were caught while boarding a plane for Switzerland at Madrid Barajos Airport with $5 million in cash, supposedly for North's contra-aid team.  The records of these arrests have been disappeared.

870912, Owensboro, KY, 11:01 PM, WBKY.  A drug bust in Owensboro, KY, in June 1986 lead to conviction of a staff officer and 6 other officers of the Philadelphia, PA, Police Department for drug manufacturing. See 880601.

870913, Clay Co, KY, 3:20PM, WBKY.  Cooms?  of Clay Co, KY, busted for marijuana production two weeks ago, says that the police should be spending their time chasing criminals, not pot patches.  Kentucky State Police Commissioner Elkins replies that there is nothing under the law to make them do so.  This may be the same as J.  C.  Lawson, see Sinsemilla Tips, Fall 87, p24.

870921", Mexico, Time, p33.  Jamie Herrera Nevarez, 60, the "Drug Lord of Durango" Mexico and former policeman, was arrested by Mexican police for US DEA.  He ran $200 million heroin pipeline into midwest USA.

870900, Nicaragua, CIA Drug Connection, The Christic Institute, 1324 North Capitol Street, NW, Wash DC 20002.  (202)797-8106. Lawyers from The Christic Institute were retained by Tony Avirgan and Martha Honey, reporters wounded in the May 30, 1984 terrorist bombing in La Penca, Nicaragua.  John Hull, CIA contract operative in Costa Rica, has a ranch which is used as airstrip for arms and drug running for Nicaraguan contras.  The cocaine was supplied by Columbians Pablo Escobar and Jorge Ochoa, partners of Carlos Lehder.  Francisco Paco Chanes was the connection on US end.  "The Secret Team", including retired Air Force Maj Gen Richard Secord; Albert Hakim, international arms dealer; Theodore Shackley, head of covert operations during Vice President George Bush's term as Director of the CIA; Thomas Clines, Shackley's deputy; and retired Army Maj Gen John K Singlaub, backed Vang Pao, a major opium trafficker, in Southeast Asia, 1965-75, using the resulting money to train Hmong tribesmen.  The heroin connection in USA was Mafia "Don" Santo Trafficante.  The opium business banked with Nugen Hand Bank of Australia.

870917, Washington, DC, CNN 4:43AM.  6000[?] drug trafficking cases dismissed as a result of a FBI investigation of police stealing from drug dealers during arrests.

870919, The Nation, p254-274.  There is a spat between Daniel P Sheehan of The Christic Institute and Jonathan Kwitny, author of _The Crimes of Patriots: A True Tale of Dope, Dirty Money, and the CIA_, published by WW Norton, over the extent of USA complicity in Nicaraguan contra drug smuggling.

871000, American Information Network Newsletter, p2.  There is more on the Bo Gritz/CIA/heroin connection.  The operation is said to have been at its peak in 1975 & 76 under George Bush. CIA agents Theodore Shackley and Richard Armitage (now Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense) as The Far East Trading Company were involved in heroin smuggling with Mao Se Hung.  H Ross Perot found the same drug connections and was told by Frank Carlucci (National Security Advisor) to stop pursuing the connection to Richard Armitage.  Last year 700 tons of opium were exported from Burma and this year's crop is 900 tons.  There is also a statement by Lance Trimmer about two trips to the lair of Khun Sa, opium smuggler and chief of his own 40,000 man private army in Burma.  By Don Bell, POB 2223, Palm Beach, FL 33480.

871019, Louisville, KY, KET, 32.  Tringle, a Louisville Kentucky narcotics officer wrecks his undercover cruiser at high speed while off duty.  A cooler full of liquor was found in the vehicle and officer Tringle was found to have a blood alcohol level of 2.5 (said to be too drunk to stand up).  [That's gotta be 0.25 blood alcohol!]

871111, Bowling Green, KY.  KET, WAVE.  John Rucker is found not guilty in the murder of Jeffrey Miles.

871112 12:09AM, Chicago, IL, WBBM radio.  Eugene Harnalski, Chicago cop, left his badge and service revolver as collateral for a drug buy.  Now he is on trial for racketeering, so apparently he was not supposed to do it.  This came out in the testimony of the drug dealer [named, but not remembered].

871123, KY.  Congressman Carroll Hubbard asks FBI to investigate the involvement of Henry Vance (Lexington bigwig recently convicted of supplying the gun used to kill the prosecutor in a drug case in Florida) in wholesale cocaine and marijuana trade in western Kentucky.  Hubbard states that major drug smugglers are using local airports, including Bowling Green, KY.  On 930416, Comment on Kentucky, Bonnie Kelly (the shooter) is the wife of Mike Kelly, Lexington cop.

871130, Charleston, WV, Time, p29.  Mike "Mad Dog" Roark (so named for his fierce pursuit of drug dealers while outfitted in combat fatigues and packing a pistol) prosecutor and mayor of Charleston, WV pleaded guilty to six counts of cocaine possession.  Does this sound like any local officials you know? See 880114.

871100, "The Contra-Drug Connection", The Christic Institute, 1324 North Capitol Street, NW, Wash DC 20002.  (202)797-8106. $2.  12p.  Extensive documentation associates several of Oliver North's team with large-scale drug trafficking to finance covert wars in Cuba, Southeast Asia, and Central America, for over two decades.  Plane loads of cocaine from Columbia, supplied by Pablo Escobar and Jorge Ochoa, were flown to John Hull's ranch in northern Costa Rica.  Three pilots say that they delivered weapons to John Hull's ranch and returned to USA with cocaine and marijuana.  Cocaine was also smuggled from John Hull to Miami in frozen shrimp, shipped to Ocean Hunter, Inc and Mr. Shrimp, Inc.