VALLEY LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKS HUNDREDS OF METH LABS IN YEAR

Several Convicted Of Murder Or Molestation

The year 2002 proved to be another banner year for methamphetamine as
police have shut down more labs in Vigo County than last year.

It also was one of closure for many as several individuals were sentenced
in 2002 for crimes such as homicide and child molesting.

The increasing number of meth labs is not the only thing that has police
concerned -- it's also who is operating the labs. More "newbies" are
popping up in the local meth trade, said Detective Greg Ferency of the Vigo
County Drug Task Force.

He doesn't worry about the "old timers" because police know who they are
and know they eventually will go to jail. It's the "up and comers" that
worry Ferency because police don't know who they are, he said.

As of Thursday, the Task Force worked 94 labs in Vigo County in 2002. A
little more than half of those labs resulted in arrests, said Detective
Chris Gallagher of the Drug Task Force.

The Indiana State Police worked 105 labs throughout its district of Clay,
Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties in 2002.

State police did not have the numbers for each county available for 2002,
said Trooper Matt Ames.

Last year, the Task Force put 88 labs out of business and the State Police
cracked 16 labs in Vigo County. A total of 681 labs were worked in 2001 in
Indiana by law enforcement agencies, according to State Police.

"We're at the point where the problem has been thrown on the backs of law
enforcement. It's not just a law enforcement problem. It's a community
problem," Ferency said.

The community faced other problems in 2002 as several individuals went to
jail for homicide and child molesting.

A Seelyville man was convicted in May of what medical witnesses called the
worst case of child molesting they had seen. Judge Michael H. Eldred, Vigo
County Superior Division 1, referred to it as "torture" during the sentencing.

Doug Sanders, 35, was convicted of child molesting and battery. He was
sentenced to 70 years in prison with his earliest possible release in 2036.

Sanders slammed a car door on a boy under the age of 10, breaking his hand
in June 2001. Days later, he poured lighter fluid into the boy's cast,
which caused the arm to die. Doctors had to amputate the arm just below the
elbow.

During treatment for the arm, health officials discovered evidence of
severe sexual abuse of the boy. The boy identified Sanders as the person
who abused him.

Also in May was the first of three convictions in the beating death of a
Shirkieville man.

Steve Cooper, 19, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 60 years in
prison for his part in the death of Robert Sekerak Sr., 56, in April 2001.

Steve Cooper and his cousins -- Peter Demetro, 20, and David M. Cooper, 18
- -- broke into Sekerak's home on April 28, 2001, ransacked the residence and
beat Sekerak with ax handles and a baseball bat in retribution for a fight
between Demetro and Sekerak's son. Sekerak died two days later in an
Indianapolis hospital.

Demetro and David M. Cooper both pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter
under plea agreements. In October, Demetro was sentenced to 30 years in
prison. David M. Cooper was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with four
years of it suspended, in mid-December.

The earliest release dates for Steve Cooper and Demetro are 2061 and 2016,
respectively, according to the Indiana Department of Correction. David M.
Cooper could be released in 2004.

William "Jeff" Simpson will spend at least the next 15 years in prison
after he was convicted in June of child molesting and child exploitation.

He was arrested in June 2001 and pleaded guilty in April to the charges
under a plea agreement that stipulated he identify all the children he had
victimized. Six other child molesting charges were dismissed under the
agreement because the prosecutor wanted the children identified so they
could receive counseling.

Simpson enticed children with promises of money, alcohol, marijuana and
cigarettes in exchange for sexual activities. He also videotaped his victims.

In October, a tragedy that began in June 2001 was over as the second of two
men was convicted of murder and arson for a fire that killed two children
and seriously injured one woman.

Raymond Thompson, 18, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and one count
of arson for providing a lighter to another man to start the blaze at 220
N. 21st St.

Cousins Micheal Phillips, 10, and Lacey Phillips, 9, died in the fire.
Vicki Norton, Micheal Phillips' mother, suffered severe burns.

Thompson was sentenced in November to three concurrent 45-year sentences.
The earliest he will be released from prison is 2023.

John Cloyd, 20, was convicted in May on two counts of murder and one count
of arson for setting the fire. He was sentenced in September after months
of debate on whether he received a fair trial. Documents surfaced after the
trial that defense attorney Jim Organ said could have affected the verdict.
A request for a retrial was denied.

Cloyd received a 90-year sentence for the children's deaths and 30 years
for injuring Norton. The sentences are to be served concurrently, making
his earliest release date is 2046.