POLICE OFFICERS AIDED DRUG SUSPECT

Investigation Targeted Suspect's House

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers Gerald Holas and Jason Ross are
accused of helping a suspected drug dealer avoid police detection and
protecting his illegal drug activity, according to the FBI. Holas is
accused of warning the alleged drug dealer about an impending drug
bust earlier this month.

He's also accused of advising the suspected dealer to move because
his home was "hot" and that police might soon swoop in. The two
officers also allegedly gave the suspected dealer the address of a
person who had robbed him, allowing the dealer to seek revenge. The
details about the police officers' activities were revealed in a
27-page affidavit unsealed in federal court in Charlotte Tuesday.
Holas and Ross, both 35, resigned last week and were charged with
conspiring with alleged dealer David C. Lockhart to distribute crack cocaine.

The charge is punishable by up to life in prison and carries a
mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.

Lockhart, 25, also is charged in connection with the conspiracy. The
affidavit says the former officers have admitted to authorities that
they protected Lockhart's cocaine distribution, but say they did so
in exchange for Lockhart providing them information they could use to
arrest his suppliers and customers.

The officers also admitted participating in a number of acts to
further Lockhart's drug distribution, the court document says.
Lockhart has admitted that he moved large quantities of cocaine with
others, the affidavit says, and confirmed the officers' account that
he would get their protection in exchange for information that would
help in arresting others. In a case that has drawn criticism from
police brass and the Charlotte mayor, the FBI disclosed a series of
incidents linking the officers and Lockhart. Among the incidents
cited in the affidavit is a May 14 police search during which
Lockhart gets advice from officer Holas in series of phone calls. It
began when police went to Lockhart's home and searched him and
several others in the front yard. They suspected that Lockhart was
involved in distributing cocaine and might have a weapon, the
affidavit says. Electronic surveillance showed a series of six phone
conversations between Lockhart and officer Holas during the search.

Lockhart initiated several contacts, and Holas also phoned Lockhart,
the court document says. The affidavit details this exchange between
the two: Officer Holas: "Just you know, whatever it is, just be as
cooperative as you can be, but you don't have to let..." Lockhart
interrupts: "I'm trying to be cooperative, man. But they just messing
with me, man." Holas: "Are they detaining you?" Lockhart: "I don't
know if they detaining me or what." The call ended with Holas
instructing Lockhart to "get in the house" once the search was over.

Holas soon called back, the affidavit says, and the pair talked for
eight minutes and 22 seconds.

During that conversation, Lockhart spelled out what had happened.
Lockhart told Holas that things could have gone bad for him but that
police hadn't found any illegal drugs or guns during the search.

He told Holas that he had been selling drugs to a "white girl" just
before police arrived, but that he was not "dirty" when police showed
up, the affidavit says. Holas told Lockhart the girl must have been
an informant and instructed Lockhart to move to a new location
because his current address was now "hot" and that the investigating
officers will come back, the affidavit says. Lockhart then instructed
a relative to come get him and hid his drugs, money and a gun based
on Holas' warning, the affidavit says. The affidavit also describes a
June 3 incident in which Holas tips off Lockhart about a possible
drug bust at a hotel.

Holas was working that night with a drug interdiction team around
Sugar Creek Road and Interstate 85 where illegal drug activity was
suspected at several hotels.

At 9:32 p.m., officer Holas phoned Lockhart and asked him if he was
at the Economy Inn. When Lockhart said yes, Holas asked if he was
"dirty." Lockhart said yes, he was carrying drugs, the affidavit
says. Holas told Lockhart that police or informants were watching the
hotel and that Lockhart should leave immediately, the affidavit says.
At 9:36, Holas called Lockhart back and warned that police activity
at the hotel was likely forthcoming.

Lockhart asked Holas if he was "golden" to leave right then. Holas
told him that he was "clear to 85." "This activity and these overt
acts by Holas were to prevent Lockhart's arrest, and, thereby allow
his illegal cocaine distribution business to continue," FBI agent
Eric Davis wrote in the affidavit. The investigation began about six
months ago after a confidential source informed the FBI that Lockhart
was involved in the distribution of cocaine, and that at least two
CMPD officers knew about it and were protecting him, the affidavit
says. The source told the FBI that Lockhart had been in continuous
contact with the officers since July 2007. The affidavit also
outlines an October incident that involved officer Ross helping
Lockhart find an enemy so he could get revenge. Lockhart and at least
one of his associates had been the victims of an armed robbery, the
affidavit says, citing a confidential source.

The robbers took cocaine and money from Lockhart.

Lockhart asked Holas and Ross for assistance in identifying the
person who robbed him.

Within a day Lockhart had the name of the person he believed had
robbed him. Officer Ross accessed a report that showed a possible
address for the robber, the affidavit says.

Lockhart poured gasoline in at least four large beer bottles and
placed rags in the bottle openings.

He set fire to the bottles and threw then against the house, shouting
expletives, the affidavit says. The suspected robber, along with
other residents, ran from the burning house. In the next 48 hours,
there were 16 separate contacts between Holas or Ross and Lockhart's phone.

"There is no apparent law enforcement reason for Holas or Ross to
share an address of a robbery suspect in a drug robbery with the
victim ...," agent Davis wrote in the affidavit.