Pubdate: Thu, 20 Jan 2000
Source: Orange County Register (CA)
Section: Local News,page 2
Copyright: 2000 The Orange County Register
Contact: letters@link.freedom.com
Address: P.O. Box 11626, Santa Ana, CA 92711
Fax: (714) 565-3657
Website: http://www.ocregister.com/
Author: Stuart Pfeifer(714)834-3773

SPECIAL AGENT GETS LIFE TERM

A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a state drug agent from San
Juan Capistrano to life in prison for the theft of 650 pounds of
cocaine from an evidence locker.

Richard Wayne Parker, 45, was convicted in October of conspiracy to
distribute narcotics and three counts of possession with the intent to
distribute.

Federal prosecutors believe Parker helped orchestrate the July 4,
1997, theft from the Riverside offices of the state Bureau of Narcotic
Enforcement, where he worked as a special agent. It was the largest
theft of narcotics from a California police agency.

Parker's half-brother, former California Highway Patrol officer George
Ruelas, is scheduled to stand trial Feb. 29 in connection with the
theft. According to court documents, Parker provided his brother with
keys and security-alarm codes used to break into the evidence vault.

A third former law-enforcement officer, Michael Wilcox, is also
accused of participating in the scheme.

Federal agents arrested Parker in 1998 after they watched the special
agent accept a large amount of cash from his ex-girlfriend, who
allegedly helped him sell the stolen cocaine.