Pubdate: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN) Copyright: 2006 Star Tribune Contact: http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/feedback/form.php?opinion=1 Website: http://www.startribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/266 Author: Randy Furst, Star Tribune TEARFUL FORMER ST. PAUL COP PLEADS GUILTY TO INVOLVEMENT IN HUGE DRUG BUST Dabbing his eyes with facial tissues, former St. Paul Police Sgt. Clemmie Tucker pleaded guilty today in a halting voice to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, which carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen, noting that Tucker appeared "somewhat emotional," questioned him extensively to make sure that he still wanted to plead guilty, but Tucker said he did. After the hearing at the Federal Courthouse in Minneapolis, Tucker, 55, walked a few feet from the defense table, sat down in another chair, his eyes still wet from tears, and put his head in his hands. Asked by a reporter whether he would be willing to comment, Tucker said, softly, "No, thank you." Tucker turned himself in to Minneapolis police on June 7, five days after he showed up at the Minneapolis Greyhound bus depot to collect a package that contained 10 kilos, about 22 pounds, of cocaine and 8 pounds of methamphetamine. Minneapolis Police Capt. Rich Stanek called it one of the largest, if not the largest narcotics seizures, by Minneapolis police and estimated its street value at $4 million. A second federal count having to do with the cocaine was dropped in connection with Tucker's guilty plea. Under the plea agreement between the U.S. attorney's office and Tucker's lawyers, federal prosecutors acknowledged that Tucker accepted responsibility for his actions. But Ericksen noted that she is not bound by the agreement, which means that based on her own review of the case and a pre-sentencing investigative report on Tucker, she could depart upward or downward from the 10-year minimum sentence. Tucker arrived in Erickson's 12th-floor courtroom wearing a brown suit, carrying a leather hat, and his right arm in a sling due to an unspecified shoulder injury. Asked by Ericksen whether he could raise his right hand to be sworn in, Tucker indicated that he could not and instead raised his left hand. Ericksen, saying she wanted to make sure he was clear-headed enough to make a plea, asked what medications he was taking. Questioned by federal prosecutor Drew Winter, Tucker admitted he knew that accepting the drugs was illegal, that they were going to be sold and he was going to be paid for them. He also acknowledged that he would be paid at least $10,000, although Winter noted that Tucker had previously said he did not know the quantity of drugs that had been sent to him. Winter declined to comment after the hearing as did Tucker's attorneys, Eric Olson and Anthony Spector of Minneapolis. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine