Pubdate: Wed, 04 Feb 2004
Source: Virginian-Pilot (VA)
Copyright: 2004, The Virginian-Pilot
Contact:  http://www.pilotonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/483
Author: Catherine Kozak

EX-SHERIFF'S INVESTIGATOR PLEADS GUILTY IN DRUG CASE

A former investigator with the Washington County Sheriff's Office has 
pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to distribute and possess 
with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.

According to a statement from the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of 
North Carolina, James Edward Leonard, 55, of Plymouth had set up a purchase 
of 2 kilograms of cocaine during the summer of 2003 from a person who was 
later revealed to be a confidential informant. The guilty plea was accepted 
by U.S. District Judge Malcolm J. Howard in federal court in Greenville. 
Leonard faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison without 
parole and up to a maximum of 40 years, a fine of $2 million and supervised 
release for four years.

Conspiring in the transaction with the late Albert Jean Stanley, Leonard 
had accepted money to provide license tag information and criminal history 
to the informant, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Both men also had 
accepted money from the informant to shield from other law-enforcement 
officers illegal drug shipments.

Leonard was arrested Sept. 11, 2003, and was soon terminated from his 
position with the sheriff's office. Washington County Sheriff Stanley James 
said he had hired Leonard as a deputy about three years ago and promoted 
him to investigator about two years ago.

Before coming to Plymouth, he said, Leonard had worked in law enforcement 
for 17 years in Florida and in Martin County.

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Until the day of Leonard's arrest, James, who has been sheriff since 1998, 
said there was no indication he was involved in the purchase or sale of 
illegal drugs.

"He did not give me any suspicion that anything like this was going on," 
the sheriff said Tuesday. "It was totally, totally shocking and surprising."

James said that he believed that Leonard's motivation was a need for money, 
not drugs. He said that regular drug tests administered to sheriff's office 
employees never showed any drug use by Leonard.

"He was a hard, hard worker," James said.

Leonard had no criminal record, James said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Bennett said it was stated during the court 
hearing Monday that Leonard had accepted a total of no more than $1,500 
from the informant to hide the purchase and sale of 500 grams - about 18 
ounces - of powdered cocaine. Bennett said Leonard also was intending to 
take a cut of the sales Stanley made.

Stanley, a 52-year-old Plymouth resident, died of natural causes in 
January, Bennett said.

Released on bond after his arrest, Leonard was taken into custody Monday 
after the court hearing. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 7 in federal 
court in Greenville.
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