INFORMANT LINKS CAMDEN MAYOR TO ILLEGAL GUN

CAMDEN - Mayor Milton Milan ordered his then-police bodyguard to
retrieve an illegal assault pistol the officer sold to an alleged drug
lord, a government witness testified in federal court Monday.

Juan Marquez, a former drug dealer turned FBI informant, testified in
U.S. District Court that during a meeting in the summer of 1997,
Camden police Detective Pierre Robinson told alleged drug kingpin Jose
''JR'' Rivera that he wanted the gun back because the mayor feared the
weapon might be seized by authorities.

A short time later, Marquez said Rivera showed him the gun - a banned
semi-automatic IntraTec-9 - and told him he planned to use the weapon
to ''massacre'' the mother and sister of a jailed drug dealer.

The killings never occurred, but FBI agents did raid Rivera's East
Camden auto parts store on Feb. 25, 1998, and seized the assault
pistol and 30-round ammunition clips from an office there.

The same day, the U.S. Attorney's Office unsealed an indictment
charging Rivera, 40, of Cherry Hill, with heading a violent,
multimillion-dollar cocaine operation known as "The Organization," in
the city for nearly a decade.

Rivera and co-defendant Luis ''Tun Tun'' Figueroa, 34, of Ciales,
Puerto Rico, are the last of 15 defendants in the case and are on
trial on charges of conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine.

Marquez, a former Mr. Universe, is one of the government's key
witnesses in the federal case against both men. He interacted with
various suspected Organization members and recorded 40 tapes of
conversations for the FBI between August 1996 and January 1998.

Carlos A. Martir Jr., the attorney for Milan and Figueroa, said Monday
that there is no evidence other than Marquez's word that the
discussion between Robinson and Rivera took place. Marquez did not
record the conversation.

''He (Marquez) loves to explain. He had everything to confirm these
comments, but he never makes a recording,'' said Martir.

Marquez has mentioned Milan numerous times during his testimony. The
mayor's name has also been brought up at the trial by several
government witnesses, most of them admitted drug dealers.

Two convicted drug dealers have testified that Milan purchased bulk
quantities of cocaine in the early 1990s, accusations the mayor has
repeatedly denied.

Milan has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing. State and
federal authorities raided Milan's East Camden home and City Hall
office in August searching for evidence of criminal activity.

Milan first ran for Camden City Council in 1991 and lost, then was
elected to council in November 1995, and as mayor in May 1997. Marquez
testified the conversation he heard between Robinson and Rivera over
the gun occurred that summer, after Milan became mayor.

Robinson, 45, admitted in state court last March that he sold the
assault pistol and ammunition to Rivera for $800 in June 1996. The
13-year department veteran resigned from the police force in November
1998 and is awaiting sentencing on the state weapons charge.

Prosecutors have not disclosed whether Robinson will testify in
federal court.

Robinson, who worked for the mayor's campaign, was picked by Milan to
serve as one of his two police bodyguards.

Its unclear if the gun was ever returned to Robinson during the
approximately six-month period between the conversation Marquez claims
occurred and the FBI raid of Rivera's business.

Martir and Rivera's attorney, Marc Neff, took issue Monday with
Marquez's testimony about events both recorded and unrecorded. The
attorneys attempted to depict him to jurors as a man who would say
anything to stay out of jail and justify an estimated $100,000 the
government has paid him for his work as an informant.
It was revealed for the first time on Monday that Marquez is currently
in the federal witness protection program.

During cross-examination of Marquez, defense attorneys picked apart
his testimony trying to show he was claiming to know more than he did.

Under questioning by Martir, Marquez admitted that nowhere on the
tapes does Marquez talk to Figueroa. Marquez also admitted that while
working for the FBI he never saw Figueroa deliver drugs or pick up
drug profits.

Marquez, however, testified Monday that before working for the FBI, he
witnessed several drug transactions involving Figueroa.

Neff, Rivera's attorney, also attacked Marquez's credibility,
suggesting what Marquez knew came from gossip that had been passed on
to him.

Under Neff's questioning, Marquez admitted he had lied to state police
after being arrested for possession of steroids in July 1994.

Both attorneys also admonished Marquez for giving lengthy responses to
yes or no questions.

Martir questioned Marquez aggressively, at times growing argumentative
with the witness. A couple of jurors looked upward and sighed as the
questioning grew tense.

Neff was gentler with Marquez, addressing him politely.

When Marquez, who has a ninth-grade education and cannot read,
continued to respond beyond the question, Neff told him to raise his
hand if he was confused or unclear.
The cross-examination of Marquez is expected to continue today.