AGENTS TESTIFY MPS USED DRUGS ON DUTY

The Army's own covert drug agents testified Thursday that they had
heard rumors about soldiers in the 82nd Military Police Company using
drugs while on duty and during airborne operations.

The testimony came during an Article 32 hearing for Pvt. Ciro Piompino
under cross-examination by civilian defense lawyer Todd Conormon. One
covert agent testified by telephone so no one could recognize her face.

Piompino is an MP in the company and has been charged in a series of
drug-related incidents.

Conormon is defending him along with a military co-counsel. Piompino
was recently charged with eight specifications relating to the drug
case.

The charges include distribution of ecstasy, LSD and cocaine and use of
ecstasy and cocaine.

Three agents of Fort Bragg's Criminal Investigation Division testified
at the hearing Thursday.

The agents said Piompino was caught selling drugs to CID agents on two
occasions.

One time, he made the sale at a Burger King parking lot on post, the
agents said. They said the other drug sale took place on Fort Bragg's
"Lemon Lot" -- a lot reserved for used-car sales.

One of the buys was caught on videotape, the agents said.

Both buys were for a predetermined amount of ecstasy. The agents said
they bought a total of $400 worth of drugs in both buys.

Undercover Source

Last week, Conormon said that his client had been singled out in a
unit that already has a pervasive drug culture.

His questioning of CID agents Thursday continued along those lines.

Under cross-examination, the woman agent who testified by telephone
said she knew of drug activity within the MP company from a secret
source, whom the government has refused to identify.

The undercover source "explained that there were several MPs that were
using drugs and distributing them,'92 the woman said.

She said Piompino also provided a list to CID that identified other
soldiers in the company who were dealing in drugs.

She said at least five MPs in the company were suspected of drug
dealing.

But Conormon asked why the woman agent didn't attempt other buys from
the soldiers she knew about.

"Didn't even try?" he asked.

"No, sir," the agent responded.

"Once you got one person, you just stopped?" Conormon added.

"Right," she answered.

Conormon asked if there is a drug culture in the company. He asked the
woman agent if drug use in the company is "widespread."

"Yes, sir," the agent answered.

Were soldiers using drugs on duty?

"Yes, sir," she said again.

Had soldiers used drugs during airborne operations?

"Yes, sir."

Another agent -- a 26-year-old man who is a covert investigator and MP
- -- interviewed Piompino for Army CID immediately after his detainment.

The agent said Piompino was cooperative and offered that he had used
and sold drugs.

"He talked about the people he used with and the people he witnessed
using," the agent said.

Piompino volunteered the information after waiving his rights, the
agent said.

Maj. Steven Roscoe closed the two-day hearing without making a final
ruling.

Officials said he may take as long as three weeks to decide if the
evidence against Piompino justifies a military court-martial.

Roscoe told the lawyers for both sides that he would look at the
videotape of the alleged drug transaction before ruling.

Immunity For Witnesses

Two MPs from the 82nd MP company testified against Piompino at the
first day's hearing. Pvt. Mark Ritcheson and Pvt. Randy Payne were
granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for testimony last week.

Both soldiers admitted using drugs while they were with the MP unit.

They discussed drug use in the MP barracks and drug offers between
soldiers standing in formation.

Seven other soldiers -- who are also suspected of buying, using and
distributing illegal drugs -- were called to testify against Piompino
last week.

But they all invoked their constitutional rights against self-
incrimination.

In all, 11 soldiers in the company have been investigated for drug-
related incidents.

Piompino is the only one so far to be charged.

Four others have received Article 15 administrative punishment for
drug involvement.

Twenty-three division soldiers currently have action pending against
them related to drug use.

The 82nd Airborne Division has given 37,000 drug tests to soldiers
since October.

Of the 242 cases in which soldiers failed drug tests, 188 -- or 78
percent -- have received nonjudicial punishment, according to a
division spokesman.