Pubdate: Thu, 07 Jul 2005 Source: Virginian-Pilot (VA) Copyright: 2005, The Virginian-Pilot Contact: http://www.pilotonline.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/483 Author: Michelle Washington INMATE, EX-DEPUTY GUILTY IN DRUG CASE NORFOLK — A former sheriff's deputy and a jail inmate pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to bring marijuana into the City Jail. The former deputy, Monique N. Whitehurst, will be sentenced in October. Whitehurst, 27, also was charged with felony attempt to deliver marijuana and misdemeanor possession of marijuana, but those charges were withdrawn after her plea to the felony conspiracy charge. She faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The inmate, Ernest J. Wilson, was sentenced to 10 years, but eight years of the time was suspended. Because of his cooperation with investigators, 18 months of the time will run in conjunction with a 7 1/2-year prison term Wilson is already serving for his conviction on possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. A second conspiracy charge against him was withdrawn. Sheriff's investigators began recording phone calls between Whitehurst and Wilson in February 2004. During their conversations, Whitehurst agreed to deliver marijuana to Wilson, who was housed on the sixth floor of the jail. They referred to the drugs as "trees," "collard greens," "jank" and "ball-fifty," court documents said. Whitehurst got the marijuana from a woman outside the jail and smuggled the drugs into the jail in her vagina. In Wilson's statement to police, he said the investigation started because other inmates smoked the marijuana he provided. It was getting a little obvious about the smoke in the air," Wilson told police. "You know, with stupidity comes foolishness, so that is what brought about the investigation." Wilson said he gave Whitehurst money through an intermediary for her participation and helped her to pay some bills. They developed a romantic relationship and Wilson told Whitehurst that he loved her. Indictments said Whitehurst brought the drugs into the jail between January and April 2004. Wilson said she delivered marijuana three times. On April 2, 2004, Whitehurst's supervisor called her into his office. At first Whitehurst denied a relationship with anyone in the jail. Then she admitted to talking to Wilson and asked for a lawyer. Deputies searched Whitehurst's blue Mazda 626 in a city parking lot after a drug-sniffing dog alerted on the door of the car. Deputies found 3.3 grams of marijuana about $25 worth in the glove box of the car. Whitehurst was to have delivered the drugs to Wilson that afternoon during her shift. Prosecutor Amy Cross said police and sheriff's investigators suspended Whitehurst, then turned the case over to the commonwealth's attorney to determine what charges should be filed. Whitehurst was indicted on March 2 and arrested two days later. Whitehurst had worked as a sheriff's deputy for almost four years, said Bonita Harris, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth