JUDGE SHOWS MERCY TO CONVICTED EX-DEPUTY

The last member of a Manatee County Sheriff's narcotics unit charged in a
massive corruption case was sent to prison Monday, ending an investigation
that shook the county.

Deputies in the unit admitted to framing drug suspects, violating people's
civil rights, taking property and try ing to cover up their crimes, which
occurred between 1995 and 1999. More than 100 criminal cases had to be
dropped as a result of their conduct, since the prosecutor said the unit no
longer had credibility. Other members of the department have said morale
suffered because of the scandal.

On Monday, Christopher Wilson was the last of the group to be sentenced.
But he received a far more lenient sentence - 18 months - than most of his
co-defendants.

U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday cut his sentence because Wilson's
infant son has an incurable disease and is in need of constant care.
Wilson's attorney, Ed Page, had asked for house arrest, which the judge
refused.

"This kid is sick, and there's no question about it," Assistant U.S.
Attorney Jeffrey DelFuoco said. "But I do believe Mr. Wilson needs to go to
jail for his conduct.

"He was a sworn law enforcement officer sworn to protect the lives,
liberties and fortunes of citizens. And he trampled all over those rights,"
DelFuoco said.

Wilson and his co-defendants belonged to a high-profile Manatee County
sheriff's unit, the Delta Task Force, that was created to combat a growing
crack cocaine problem.

But according to investigators, some of its members became renegades and
used their authority to frame innocent civilians so they could extort money
or property from them.

Along with Wilson and four other Delta unit members, a sixth deputy has
pleaded guilty in the case. One Delta member who the prosecutor said
cooperated the most with the investigation got one year in prison. The
others received sentences ranging from 27 months to 63 months.

Wilson pleaded guilty specifically to planting crack cocaine on a motorist
just so his new Ford Mustang could be confiscated. That motorist, Scott
Shepard, was wrongly convicted and sentenced to probation.

Wilson also admitted to planting crack in the hotel room of a woman named
Sarah Smith. She, too, was falsely convicted and over time lost custody of
her 1-year-old daughter.

"It was very, very frustrating," Smith testified. "When you're innocent of
something you didn't ever do ... it's kind of hard when nobody believes you."

Three deputies, including Wilson, testified against her at trial, lying to
the jury about her possession of crack. After her arrest, she said they
called social services so her daughter would be taken away from her. She
regained custody 1 1/2 years ago.

Wilson could have been sent to prison for nearly four years. But Merryday
cut his sentence by more than half after listening to Wilson's teary
account of his son's poor health.

"It's a disruptive and disturbing crime," Merryday said. "But for this
child, I would have sentenced the defendant to the upper end of the
appropriate range."

Wilson said his 1-year-old son, Zachary, suffers from congenital adrenal
hyperplasia - a condition that can be fatal. With Wilson's wife at work,
the family will have no one to care for the infant, he said.

While DelFuoco was sympathetic, he reminded the judge, "Did he [Wilson]
have any concern for Sarah Smith's child?"