CHARGE: DEA AGENT TIPPED FRIEND

MEMPHIS -- A Drug Enforcement Administration agent has been indicted
on charges of tipping off a former high school classmate who was a
target in a drug trafficking investigation.

Tommie Purifoy II worked out of the agency's Miami field office and
turned himself in to authorities there, authorities said Wednesday.
He has been suspended without pay.

Purifoy is originally from West Memphis, Ark., and was a police
officer in Memphis from 2001 to 2004. He was in Memphis on personal
business on Aug. 21 and stopped by the local DEA office during a
wiretap operation, according to the indictment.

A chart of people suspected in a major cocaine trafficking ring was
posted and he remarked that he went to high school with one of the
suspects, Brian Nicholas Williams.

Purifoy is accused of passing the information to his friend [Name
redacted] , who passed it along to [Name redacted] , the cousin of
suspect [Name redacted] . Despite the tip, three days later
authorities made the largest drug bust in the area for the year, when
they seized more than 88 pounds of cocaine and over $500,000 cash.
[Name redacted] and 10 others were charged in connection with the drug ring.

Purifoy is charged with obstruction of justice and unlawful
disclosure of electronic surveillance and could face up to 25 years
in prison. [Name redacted] and [Name redacted] are charged with
obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal officers.

"It gives me great pain in the pit of my stomach," said Sherri
Strange, DEA special agent in charge in Atlanta. "The temptations for
agents are great. They handle millions of dollars in cash and
contraband, but they cannot compromise the integrity of the office."

U.S. Attorney David Kustoff and Strange said the tip was discovered
and investigated by the DEA.