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.
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