Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 Source: Houston Chronicle (TX) Copyright: 2000 Houston Chronicle Contact: Viewpoints Editor, P.O. Box 4260 Houston, Texas 77210-4260 Fax: (713) 220-3575 Website: http://www.chron.com/ Forum: http://www.chron.com/content/hcitalk/index.html Page: 36A Author: Steve Brewer EX-COP GETS 10 YEARS IN IN `DRUG RIP' An ex-Houston police officer accused of stealing $6,200 in drug money from two men who were set up by an accomplice was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison. Roylin Jackson, 33, who worked as an officer for seven years before he was fired, pleaded no contest to a charge of theft by a public servant. Visiting state District Judge Robert Jones also fined Jackson $10,000. Jones said he would consider a motion to free Jackson after six months in prison and put him on "shock probation." Prosecutor Donna Goode said that on Sept. 17, 1998, Jackson was working traffic enforcement on overtime and left that assignment to pull over two men in the 600 block of Rushcreek in northwest Houston. He searched both, took their money and let them go, Goode said. Notified of the incident, police tracked Jackson down by going through the roster of who was on duty in that area that day. Apparently, Jackson knew the men would be there because they were sent there by his accomplice, Ronald Richardson, 33, Goode said. Richardson -- a probationer with a record that includes drug charges, credit card abuse and theft -- also worked with Jackson on two other "drug-rips" in which he and officer allegedly split 75 pounds of marijuana taken in one heist and $3,500 taken in a third, Goode said. Richardson cooperated with authorities and was prepared to testify against Jackson. He previously pleaded guilty to theft and was sentenced to two years in a state jail. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart