OFFICER ACCUSED OF DRUG CRIMES

Federal marshals arrest Roanoke Officer Frederick Pledge

Pledge's lawyer said Monday he will plead innocent to charges of
racketeering and drug conspiracy.

Frederick Pledge was a seven-year beat cop who knew the bad guys.

He knew them all too well, according to a federal indictment that said
Pledge used his position as a Roanoke police officer to buy and sell
drugs, have people "roughed up," tip dealers about upcoming busts and
orchestrate drug shipments to New York.

In a federal magistrate's courtroom Monday, Pledge stood in a military
stance, his body shaking as he sighed while reading the racketeering
and drug conspiracy charges against him. Among other things, they
allege that he took more than $2,000 in bribes, provided security for
a deal involving 10 to 15 kilograms of cocaine and went to strip
parties with drug dealers.

Pledge exploited "his position as a police officer to illegally enrich
himself," said the indictment that was unsealed Monday. He started
scheming in 1995, two years after joining the force, the indictment
said.

The indictment alleges 16 examples of dealing and stealing to support
the racketeering charge and nine dubious activities that led to the
drug conspiracy charges.

Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Don Canestraro testified
that Pledge admitted to some of the allegations in June, but Pledge's
lawyer said Monday he will plead innocent.

Pledge, who has been on administrative leave since late June, was
lured to the police department Monday morning to discuss the terms of
his leave, only to be arrested by federal marshals, said Assistant
U.S. Attorney Tom Bondurant. Pledge is being held at New River Valley
Regional Jail until his scheduled bond hearing July 31.

If convicted, Pledge could serve 10 years to life and could be fined
up to $4.25 million.

He was not taken to Roanoke City Jail because it could be unsafe for
him to be among people he arrested, said his lawyer, Darren Haley of
South Carolina.

An investigation continues into whether other officers helped Pledge
steal and push drugs, said Bondurant, but he said the investigation
involves only a few officers and not the entire department. Two other
officers have been put on administrative leave during the DEA
investigation.

Pledge is still an employee of the Police Department and will remain
so until disciplinary action is warranted, said police spokeswoman
Shelly Alley.

Police Chief Atlas "Joe" Gaskins said department policies governing
the handling of drugs and money have not changed since the
investigation began, but are being evaluated.

Gaskins said the police started investigating Pledge and other
officers about a year ago after hearing rumors of their activities,
then turned the investigation over to the DEA. But Bondurant said
their investigation was born out of drug dealers' tips that there were
dirty cops on the street.

Bondurant said this was the first case of corruption within the
Roanoke Police Department that he has seen in his 20 years with the
U.S. Attorney's Office. But it wasn't the first time recently that
police in the valley have been accused of improperly handling drugs.
Last year, the Vinton Police Department was rocked when a grand jury
found its two top officers mishandled drugs, money and weapons, though
the grand jury did not indict them.

Like the Vinton officers, Pledge was well liked in the community and
trusted by its residents.

In December he was given a certificate of appreciation by the
Lafayette Watchdogs for his work in fighting drugs and the people who
push them. On Monday, members of the Lafayette Boulevard neighborhood
group wondered about that award.

Former group president Jeff Artis said he had heard rumors that Pledge
was on the take, but Pledge "was so cooperative I figured the rumors
weren't true," he said.

Artis routinely gave Pledge information the group had on where drug
dealers hung out and where deals went down.

"It was like a fox guarding the hen house," Artis said.

He said Pledge always seemed eager to help out and curious about the
goings-on of the neighborhood bad guys. Monday's indictment outlines
why that might have been. Among the charges, the indictment states
that Pledge:

Took bribes from at least 10 known drug dealers in exchange for not
arresting them.

Worked with other officers to recruit someone to drive drugs to New
York City.

Had one man "rough up" another who was talking too much about the drug
deals.

Used drugs in the presence of dealers to strengthen their trust.

Provided uniformed security for a drug dealer party at Marriott
Hotel.

Went to strip parties with drug dealers on numerous occasions.

Tipped dealers about upcoming busts.

When asked about the investigation at his modest home in a Northeast
Roanoke subdivision a few weeks ago, Pledge declined to comment on the
charges, but did say one thing:

"Pray for me."