DEALER MAY HAVE KEY ROLE IN MILAN CASE

Saul Febo's Lawyer Says His Client Is Helping In Probes Of Camden'S
Mayor And Possible Police Corruption

A convicted drug dealer who helped bring down Camden's most notorious
multimillion-dollar cocaine operation returned to the U.S. Attorney's
Office yesterday to speak with officials investigating corruption in
the mayor's office and Camden Police Department.

Saul "Gordo" Febo, 32, who pleaded guilty to drug-conspiracy charges
last year, is likely to be a key witness against Camden Mayor Milton
Milan, who was indicted on corruption charges March 30, said Febo's
attorney, Richard Sparaco.

"Whenever he's brought in, it's about Milton Milan and others,"
Sparaco said.

He said federal investigators were looking into campaign financing and
whether Milan, 37, a Democrat who became mayor in July 1997, paid for
part of his campaign with drug profits.

Sparaco said Febo, a boyhood friend of the mayor's, is also giving
officials information about others who may be indicted, but Sparaco
would not elaborate about who they are.

Yesterday's meeting with officials from the U.S. Attorney's Office,
who are investigating Milan, and from the Camden County Prosecutor's
Office, who are investigating police corruption, was Febo's third
since March.

Last month, he was called as a witness for the largest drug
prosecution in Camden's history. During his testimony, he said Milan
was a drug dealer in North Camden in the late 1980s, before he was
elected to public office.

Febo testified that he and other drug dealers had paid police officers
to turn a blind eye to the drug operation in East Camden. He also
testified that Milan and Camden Detective Miguel Angel Torres, his
former bodyguard, had tipped him off about confidential police
investigations.

The day after Milan was elected mayor, Febo said, Milan's victory
party was held at Febo's Camden nightclub, Casablanca. Febo said Milan
had warned him then that federal authorities were investigating Febo's
drug activity.

At the time, Febo, who helped pay for Milan's campaign, was running an
open-air drug market called "the Alley" at Bank and Boyd Streets.
Torres also had worked for a short while at Casablanca as a bouncer.

Last month, county authorities launched an intensive probe of
corruption in the Camden Police Department and subpoenaed personnel
records of nearly 500 current and retired officers. Late last week,
Camden's personnel director and the Police Department received state
subpoenas to turn over all records of overtime or other payments
related to Torres.

Camden County Prosecutor Lee A. Solomon said yesterday that he could
not comment on the police-corruption investigation. Assistant U.S.
Attorney Renee M. Bumb declined to comment on the federal Milan
investigation and Febo's cooperation.

Torres has denied that he tipped off Febo or ever had access to
narcotics investigations. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Milan, who is free on bail, has denied the allegations in a 19-count
indictment that accuses him of accepting bribes from organized-crime
figures, accepting free gifts and services from contractors who had
lucrative city contracts, and laundering $65,000 in drug money.

Milan said that he would fight the charges, and that he had no
intention of stepping down as mayor.

Sparaco said Febo was likely to be a strong witness against Milan,
although his role may not be of the same magnitude it was during the
recent drug trial. When Febo decided to cooperate with authorities
last summer, Sparaco said, Febo agreed to tell them the truth about
everything he knew regarding corruption.

Febo was the final witness for prosecutors Kevin Smith and Sally Smith
during the federal drug trial against Jose Luis "J.R." Rivera, a
Camden businessman, and Luis "Tun Tun" Figueroa, a car dealer from
Puerto Rico. Both were convicted of drug conspiracy and face possible
life sentences. Although Milan was not indicted in that case, his name
popped up throughout the trial.

The trial stretched from January through March and painted an often
gruesome picture of the drug world in Camden, one that used extreme
violence, including murder, to protect the cocaine ring that Febo,
Figueroa, Rivera and numerous others operated. In all, 14 people were
convicted.

Febo, stocky and muscular, often smiled as he testified in that trial
about his relationship with Milan and about police corruption. He said
he had used violence to keep his workers in line and had participated
in the murder of a rival drug dealer whom Figueroa is accused of
shooting in the head. (Figueroa is scheduled for trial this year on a
murder charge.)

While he was running the drug organization in East Camden, Febo also
was promoting Milan's mayoral candidacy and drove around the city in a
red truck with a poster endorsing Milan for mayor.

Milan's attorney, Carlos A. Martir Jr., who represented Figueroa
during the drug trial, has said Febo is among a long list of convicted
felons willing to lie about Milan to shave time off lengthy prison
sentences.

Febo is hoping to get a reduced sentence in exchange for his
cooperation, Sparaco said. He is facing a possible life sentence, but
the judge can sentence Febo below the guidelines.