ABC AGENT FACES DRUG CHARGE

A state Alcoholic Beverage Control agent has been charged with trafficking
in cocaine after Bessemer police recovered at least 28 grams of cocaine,
court records show.

Jerome McKinney, 43, of Birmingham is on administrative leave with pay,
said his lawyer, Gregory Johnson.

"We are working with the DA's office, so we can't comment at this time,"
Johnson said Thursday. "There is also an internal investigation being
conducted into the incident."

According to police and court records, Bessemer police responded June 13 to
a call about a quarrel at a Bessemer motel. When police arrived, McKinney
told them he had a weapon. He then lifted his shirt to show police his gun,
according to records.

Police noticed a plastic bag of cocaine in his pants pocket. Police also
confiscated a bag of marijuana, crack pipes, crack cocaine and almost $500,
records showed.

Authorities are investigating whether the drugs had been confiscated by ABC
agents in other cases.

Johnson said McKinney has been an agent for about 31/2 years, but he
declined to say what his assignment was. McKinney has been released on
$3,000 bail from the Jefferson County Jail.

McKinney's superiors referrred questions to ABC lawyer Bob Hill. Efforts to
reach Hill were unsuccessful.