Pubdate: Sat, 08 Dec 2001 Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (MS) Copyright: 2001 The Clarion-Ledger Contact: http://www.clarionledger.com/about/letters.html Website: http://www.clarionledger.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805 Author: Sherri Williams EX-JPD SERGEANT ENTERS GUILTY PLEA IN DRUG CASE Gaddis One Of 7 Officers Accused Of Taking Payoffs Fredrick Gaddis, one of seven Jackson police officers accused last year of taking payoffs to escort drug dealers, pleaded guilty Friday, thus cutting the maximum time he faces in prison by 12 years. His plea before U.S. District Judge William Barbour came a day after former Jackson Police Department Patrolman Tim Henderson and former Detective Wallace Jones drew the harshest prison terms of other officers sentenced. Gaddis, 38, a former Precinct 3 sergeant in charge of a drug unit, was scheduled to go on trial Monday on an extortion charge, which carries a maximum of 20 years imprisonment upon conviction. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Burkhalter said Gaddis agreed Thursday to plead guilty to two counts of use of a communications facility in a drug crime. Gaddis now faces a maximum eight years in prison. John Colette, Gaddis' lawyer, was in the courtroom Thursday when Barbour sentenced Henderson to eight years and Jones to four years. Colette would not comment when asked whether the sentencings affected Gaddis' decision to plead before Barbour Friday evening. Gaddis also would not comment. Gaddis, an officer for 13 years, is set to be sentenced Feb. 15. He remains free on bond. Gaddis pleaded guilty to accepting $1,000 for providing protection of a shipment of 10 kilograms of cocaine March 16, 2000, and to accepting $1,000 for providing protection for 10 kilograms of cocaine on June 2, 2000. He used a telephone and a pager to arrange the protection, according to prosecutors. Burkhalter said the government was prepared to present "absolutely overwhelming evidence" against Gaddis, including still and video photographs of the escorts, taped conversations and the testimony of two informants and former JPD Sgt. Ronald Youngblood, who worked with Gaddis in Precinct 3. Youngblood's cooperation with authorities led to the indictments against Gaddis and Henderson in the same sting operation that netted a total of six officers. Jones was indicted in a separate FBI investigation. Cases against two other officers charged with Gaddis and Henderson have ended in convictions, either by trial or plea. Charges against another officer, Joe Wade, were dismissed. Charges against Youngblood were dismissed without prejudice Dec. 14, meaning they could be brought up again. "That issue is being considered by our office right now," Burkhalter said of prosecuting Youngblood. Burkhalter said the nearly concluded prosecutions of the six officers bring closure to an era of corruption in the city. "The city can now put this behind them and a hovering cloud can be removed from the (police) department," he said. "This allows good police officers to get along with their jobs without any doubt lingering from the public." However, Ward 3 City Councilman Kenneth Stokes, who lives in Precinct 3, said he has doubts about the entire investigation. "I am concerned about the issue of entrapment," he said. "I do believe that some of these officers were good officers and simply because of bad judgment and entrapment some of their careers and lives have been destroyed. I feel there are crooked police officers in JPD but I don't think a vast majority of the crooked officers were set up in the sting." Also charged were Stanley Butler and Nate Thomas, both eight-year officers. Butler was sentenced to a year in prison in May after being convicted Feb. 23 of taking two $200 payments on Feb. 7 and 14, 2000. Thomas pleaded guilty Feb. 7. He accepted $150 payments eight times between Aug. 24-Oct. 12, 1999. He was sentenced to four months' imprisonment and five months' house arrest in April. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth