EX-COP WAS DRUG RING'S 'SHIELD,' COURIER SAYS

A Florida man admitted in federal court Tuesday that he was a courier for a
Miami-to-Chicago drug ring allegedly run by a former police officer and said
the ex-cop gave the ring a "shield" of protection.

The latest allegation against former gang crimes officer Joseph
Miedzianowski came when another of Miedzianowski's co-defendants in the drug
conspiracy case pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with federal
authorities in their ongoing investigation into corruption in the Chicago
Police Department.

By pleading guilty and agreeing to testify against Miedzianowski and others,
Orlando Martir probably will receive a prison sentence of no more than 12
years, said John Lausch, an assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case. He
had been facing life behind bars.

Martir, of Miami, is the 14th of Miedzianowski's 21 co-defendants to agree
to testify against the former officer. No sentencing date was set.

As part of the investigation, Miedzianowski's former partner and three
officers from the Grand-Central Area have been stripped of their police
powers and transferred to administrative jobs.

Miedzianowski is the only police officer to be indicted amid accusations
that he oversaw a crew of Chicago cops who shook down drug dealers and
helped fix narcotics cases in Cook County Circuit Court.

Miedzianowski has pleaded not guilty to drug conspiracy charges and is in
federal custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. His lawyer, Thomas
Breen, declined to comment on Martir's cooperation.

Martir's lawyer, James Tunick, also would not comment.

But in court Martir provided fresh details that included an allegation that
Miedzianowski helped him smuggle money to Miami to pay for cocaine.

According to the plea, Maritr said he met Miedzianowski, Miedzianowski's
ex-girlfriend Alina Lis and other ring members at a North Side apartment
where they stored drugs and money.

In the apartment, another courier strapped a "large quantity of money" to
Martir's legs to conceal the cash during his Miami flight.

Concerned that the money bulged from under his clothing and could be
noticed, Maritr asked Miedzianowski how it looked.

Martir's plea says, "Joseph Miedzianowski assured Orlando Martir that he
could not see the concealed money and that it looked good."

Miedzianowski and Lis drove Martir to the airport in the officer's family
truck and parked in the departure area. Miedzianowski placed his portable
police radio on the truck's dashboard, according to the plea agreement, and
assured the nervous Martir not to worry because he was protected.

Miedzianowski remained with his truck, and Lis escorted Martir to the
departure gate to make sure he boarded the Miami-bound plane, Martir told
authorities.

According to his plea, Martir met Miedzianowski in 1996 when he stopped at
one of the ring's stash houses.

Inside the house, Martir said he saw a handgun, a police holster and a badge
on a living room sofa.

Martir's brother, Juan Martir, a co-defendant, also is cooperating with
federal authorities.