WIFE OF ANTI-DRUG COLONEL TO PLEAD GUILTY TO HEROIN CHARGE

NEW YORK (AP) - The wife of the former commander of the U.S. Army's
anti-drug operation in Colombia will plead guilty in a federal heroin
smuggling case, according to court papers.

Attorneys for Laurie Anne Hiett, 36, reached a plea bargain agreement
earlier this month with federal prosecutors, according to papers filed
by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Dunst.

Mrs. Hiett was expected to plead Jan. 26 in Brooklyn federal court to
drug conspiracy charges, which could carry a term of up to 10 years in
prison.

On Wednesday, Dunst refused comment on the deal mentioned in the court
papers. Mrs. Hiett's attorney, Paul Lazarus, did not return a call for
comment.

Mrs. Hiett surrendered to federal authorities in August after they
intercepted two 1.2 kilo packages of heroin that she allegedly shipped
to the United States from the U.S. Embassy in Bogota. She was accused
of making four other similar shipments.

Mrs. Hiett had claimed she believed the parcels contained books,
candy, coffee and Colombian artifacts. She was freed on bond after
pleading innocent.

Federal authorities said Wednesday that the investigation is ongoing,
with at least one other suspect - Jorge Ayala, a civilian driver for
U.S. military commanders in Colombia - remaining at large.

The Army insists Col. James Hiett, the head of U.S. anti-drug
operations in Colombia, was unaware of his wife's alleged crimes. But
papers filed in Brooklyn federal court alleged he was living with a
bungling drug smuggler who shipped her goods with a return address.

The colonel requested removal from his military post in Colombia after
the allegations arose.

Earlier this month, co-defendant Hernan Arcila, 54, pleaded guilty to
drug conspiracy, admitting that he accepted shipments from Colombia at
his Queens address. He, like Mrs. Hiett, faces a 10-year prison term
on the guilty plea.