SECURITY GUARD GUILTY IN TBI COCAINE THEFT

A former private security guard at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's
headquarters in Nashville has pleaded guilty to charges that he stole
cocaine from the agency's evidence room early last year.

Jody Mark Tolar, 28, was sentenced Monday by Criminal Court Judge Steve
Dozier to 15 years in prison on conspiracy charges related to selling the
cocaine. He must serve at least 30% of the sentence.

Two drug possession charges against Tolar were dismissed.

Tolar admitted that he used a coat hanger to open the door to the TBI
evidence room on two occasions last year and removed a total of about 50
pounds of cocaine, according to testimony in Davidson County General
Sessions Court.

Tolar worked for U.S. Security, a private company hired by a Florida firm,
Meridian Management Corp., which contracted with the state to provide
various services at the TBI's new $20.5 million headquarters building.

Meridian Management cut its ties with U.S. Security, dropping the company's
contract soon after the cocaine theft was discovered in January 2001.

Last year, then-TBI spokesman Mark Gwyn said the agency never received
Tolar's job application from U.S. Security so it could run a background
check before giving him access to the building, located off Ellington
Parkway in east Nashville.

Investigators focused on Tolar because he had been fired by U.S. Security
shortly before the cocaine was discovered missing. The TBI learned he had
been arrested several months earlier on charges of reckless driving and
unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.