TIVERTON DETECTIVE GOES ON TRIAL IN FEDERAL DRUG CONSPIRACY CASE

He Is Accused Of Conspiracy To Sell Marijuana And Of Telling Drug
Traffickers About Undercover Police Investigations.

BOSTON -- Shortly before 9 a.m. they entered the courtroom carrying more
than a dozen oversized photographs. A table was moved back to make room for
a cart with three shelves of evidence, including 65 small bags of cocaine.

With their items in place yesterday, the prosecution was ready to start the
drug conspiracy trial of Tiverton Detective Sgt. William Sedoma Sr.

Shortly after 9 a.m., Sedoma and his lawyer, John M. Verdecchia, entered
the courtroom. Sedoma, 42, in a black suit, light blue shirt and a
gray-patterned tie, pulled a black wheeled suitcase that contained the
defense's files.

Then the nine men and five women that comprised the jury and two alternates
walked single file into the U.S. District courtroom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this case is about drugs, money and corruption. The
defendant betrayed the public trust by selling confidential police
information and other specialized assistance. . . It is about a marijuana
and cocaine trafficking organization," Asst. U.S. Atty. Emily R. Schulman
told the jury as she started her 18-minute opening statement. "How
detective William Sedoma protected and assisted the drug organization."

Sedoma, of 45 Adelard Ave., Tiverton, faces 19 federal counts for allegedly
conspiring to sell marijuana, tipping off drug traffickers about undercover
police operations, and abusing his duties as a police officer, all in
connection with a drug organization led by Alan Theberge, 36, of 156
Statler Ave., Somerset.

A Tiverton officer for 18 years, Sedoma was arrested Nov. 9, 1999, and
pleaded innocent. He has been suspended without pay since his arrest and
under home confinement on a $30,000 secured bond. Sedoma, a former head of
the local police union, had been involved with the Drug Awareness
Resistance Education, or DARE, program.

On Jan. 12, Theberge entered a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to 19
counts. The other defendants have entered pleas in this or related cases.

"The evidence will show that William Sedoma fed confidential information to
the drug organization," Schulman said, as Sedoma took notes on a yellow
legal pad with black, red and blue pens. "That man protected Alan
Theberge's drug organization."

In exchange for being the "lookout" for the drug group, Schulman said,
Sedoma was allegedly paid $25 for every pound of marijuana that made it to
Tiverton. A witness later testified that the organization received 150 to
200 pounds of marijuana from Arizona every week, in 10-pound packages.

"The defendant used his position as a Tiverton police officer to protect
Alan Theberge's drug organization time and time again," Schulman said. "You
will also hear from Alan Theberge himself and several of his associates."

Schulman also said that Edward Piszcz, 34, of 127 Sheraton Ave., Somerset,
will testify how he delivered cash payments from Theberge to Sedoma.
Piszcz, a defendant in the case, entered a plea agreement and pleaded
guilty to two counts on Nov. 3.

Schulman told the jury that some of the defendants "have troubled pasts and
have done bad things . . . but your question is not how you feel about the
witnesses . . . their testimony is credible."

At the end of the prosecution's statement, Verdecchia told Judge Robert E.
Keeton that the defense would not make an opening statement.

The first witness was Trooper Richard Scott Warmington of the Massachusetts
State Police. Warmington posed undercover as a large scale marijuana and
cocaine distributor, trying to infiltrate Theberge's organization in 1997.

Warmington testified that he told one of Theberge's associates that he was
concerned about traveling to Tiverton, to which the associate responded
that the organization "had the Tiverton, Rhode Island, police on the
payroll," with cash payments and free tanning at a salon owned by Theberge
and free drinks at a club owned by Theberge.

Warmington met repeatedly with the associate trying to arrange a purchase
of 200 pounds of marijuana for $130,000 directly from Theberge. Warmington
testified that he had set up several meetings and that Theberge did not
show up at any of them. The deal never occurred and the drug associate told
Warmington that Theberge suspected Warmington was a police officer.

Schulman entered several documents into evidence that say that registration
checks were made on Warmington's unmarked car from the Tiverton police
department.

The prosecution also entered a pink message note, found in Sedoma's desk,
that had the same license plate number on it and was dated the same day as
the check on Warmington's car. The note also contained the phone number
from which Warmington made the calls about the drug buy.

The defense also entered into evidence cocaine that was sold to Warmington,
allegedly by members of Theberge's organization. As the cocaine was passed
to the jury, Judge Keeton said, "Unfortunately, members of the jury, I will
have to tell you that you cannot open the package, just look through the
plastic."

Warmington also testified about a search of a package, being mailed to
Arizona, that contained more than $7,500 in cash. Warmington had seen the
associates mail the package, and had it intercepted by the U.S. Postal Service.

The package contained $1,100 of the $1,500 that police used to buy cocaine
from the drug ring.

The trial continues today with Warmington's testimony.