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Newshawk: chip
Pubdate: Wed, 23 Aug 2006
Source: Hattiesburg American (MS)
Copyright: 2006 Hattiesburg American
Contact:
Website: http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1646
Author: Nikki Davis Maute
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
EX-DEPUTIES ON TASK FORCE PLEAD GUILTY
LAUREL - Sheriff Larry Dykes has spent many days in the Jones County
Circuit Courthouse, sometimes as a witness.
On Tuesday, though, he was witness to three of his former deputies
pleading guilty to various charges ranging from embezzlement to
beating and torturing handcuffed suspects and planting illegal drugs
on residents. "This is the hardest day I've ever spent in this
courtroom," Dykes said as he quietly watched Roger Williams, 43;
Chris Smith, 34; and Randall Parker, 32, plead guilty before Circuit
Judge Billy Joe Landrum. "You grow up with people and work with them
and trust them. When something like this happens, it's a detriment to
all law enforcement in the state of Mississippi," Dykes added.
The charges against the three former deputies were the product of a
five-month investigation of the Southeast Mississippi Drug Task Force
of which they were members. The task force, which also included
deputies from Covington and Smith counties, was shut down earlier
this year as a result of the investigation. Task force members from
Covington and Smith counties were not implicated in wrongdoing,
District Attorney Tony Buckley said Monday. The former Jones County
deputies are scheduled to be sentenced in January. Williams, the task
force commander, faces up to 10 years in prison. Smith and Parker
each face up to five years behind bars.
[Remainder snipped]
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman
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