COLONEL KNEW OF WIFE'S DRUG DEALING

An army colonel commanding the military's anti-drug operation in
Colombia knew his wife - who has admitted dealing drugs - was involved
in money laundering but failed to turn her in, prosecutors revealed
Monday.

In a letter to a federal judge, prosecutors said James Hiett, 48, has
agreed to plead guilty to ignoring a felony committed by his wife,
Laurie. The charge carries up to three years in prison.

It was the first time the colonel was at all connected to the scandal,
but prosecutors refused to detail the case against him. His attorney,
Abraham Clott, did not return a phone call.

Laurie Hiett, 36, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges in
January, saying she shipped packages containing $700.000 worth of
drugs to New York City. She also admitted traveling to New York to
collect the illicit proceeds to take back to Colombia - an act falling
under the legal definition of money laundering.