TOP COP IS HELD ON DRUG CHARGES

He's Accused In Sale Of Cocaine, Pain Pills

The Lutcher police chief, accused of selling $5,000 worth of narcotics to
undercover federal officers, was denied bond on Friday after a federal
judge determined he represented too much of danger to society to be
released. Corey Pittman, 29, was remanded without bail to the custody of
U.S. marshals by Magistrate Judge Louis Moore Jr. during a detention
hearing in federal court in New Orleans. A grand jury will be convened to
determine whether Pittman will be indicted on charges of selling $5,200
worth of crack cocaine, cocaine and prescription drugs to federal Drug
Enforcement Administration officers during a sting operation over the past
three months, said Jan Maselli Mann, the first assistant U.S. attorney.

Mann said that Pittman could be indicted within the next few weeks, and
said she cannot say what his maximum sentence could be until then. In his
formal detention order, Moore said that Pittman failed to overcome the
prosecution's contention that drug defendants typically represent a danger
to society, and therefore should not be released on bond. Mann said that
federal prosecutors did not treat Pittman any differently from any other
drug defendant, although she said his position as a law enforcement
official did make his crimes more egregious. Pittman's mother asked the
court to grant bail for her son, but to no avail. Pittman was provided with
a federal public defender, but his attorney did not return several calls
for comment on Friday.

Pittman, who was elected as Lutcher's youngest and first black police chief
in 2002, was arrested Wednesday after officials lured him to St. Charles
Parish, saying they needed to discuss an imminent arrest in his jurisdiction.

Federal officials said they have videotapes of Pittman selling drugs to
federal officers on several occasions, at times while wearing a T-shirt
proclaiming his job title.

All told, federal officials claim that Pittman sold five ounces of crack
cocaine, one ounce of cocaine hydrochloride and 40 tablets of hydrocodone,
a pain pill. One transaction took place at night near a Garyville school
and the most recent one at a Reserve gas station on Aug. 12, officials
said. Pittman's arrest has rocked the 6,000-resident community of Lutcher,
where many residents say that Pittman has been a great police chief since
his inauguration. They said Pittman seemed to be an upstanding citizen who
had the best interests of the community at heart.

Some St. James Parish officials said there had been rumors of possible
illegal drug activity, but nothing had been substantiated. However,
Pittman, who headed a four-person department and made $24,000 annually, had
previously admitted to selling narcotics in his youth, but while
campaigning for the job he told residents that part of his life was over.
Lutcher Mayor Troas Poche has said he will take over as police chief until
a legal decision is rendered as to whether a special election can be held.
Under Louisiana law, public officials may remain in office unless they are
convicted of a felony.