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FORMER CARTERET SHERIFF ACCUSED OF SKIMMING DRUG MONEY

RALEIGH -- A former Carteret County sheriff and a former deputy who served under him face federal charges alleging they stole federal funds intended for covert drug investigations.

Ralph Thomas Jr., Christopher Cozart and unnamed co-conspirators are accused of illegally taking more than $5,000 and putting the drug funds to personal use, according to criminal information filed Monday in U.S.  District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

The alleged thefts occurred on multiple occasions between about 1997 and October 2006 according to the charges.  Thomas retired in 2006 after a 20-year career as sheriff.

According to the court documents, sheriff's deputies under Thomas' supervision, including Cozart, used checks drawn on official accounts maintained by the Carteret County Sheriff's Office to withdraw funds designated only for use in covert drug investigations.  "Thereafter, Thomas was provided with said county funds and he misappropriated the funds by keeping a portion of the cash for his own personal use and benefit.  Other individuals likewise received misappropriated funds which they used for their personal use and benefit," the court information states.

The information on Cozart's charges say he also received funds and kept a portion for personal use.

Cozart served as a deputy sheriff in Carteret County from 2002 to 2007, and in that position he served as a detective in the office's drug unit.  The court information indicates there were unnamed co-conspirators in the alleged incidents.

Robin Zier, a spokeswoman for the U.S.  Attorney's Office, said late Thursday that a news release is being prepared.

No court date has been set at this time.  According to Zier, Douglas Parsons of Clinton is Thomas' attorney.  Phone messages left for Thomas and Parsons were not immediately returned.  Contact information for Cozart was unavailable.