SHERIFF RAKES IN WINDFALL FROM DEA

Take from Florida case may pay for police cars in St. Bernard

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens said his department has
received about $488,000 from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
as its 1 percent share of assets forfeited by a Florida drug smuggler
because of work done on the case by Maj. Forrest Bethay of the
Sheriff's Office.

"We're pleased. It's a great windfall" that will be used to buy police
cars and surveillance equipment for narcotics officers and to pay for
certain insurance premiums, Stephens said.

"We will leave some in a special fund for narcotics investigation,"
the sheriff said.

Bethay, who directs narcotics investigations for the Sheriff's Office
and has been with the department since 1983, was asked by the DEA to
help with a task force that was identifying the assets of convicted
smuggler William Pegg of Florida, Stephens said.

Pegg didn't have any connection to St. Bernard, the sheriff
said.

"We've got a good relationship with the Drug Enforcement
Administration," Stephens said.

"I did legwork for them," Bethay said this week. "I'm just glad I was
able to help the sheriff get the money."