EX-COP JAILED, STOLE POT

A former Philadelphia police officer was sentenced yesterday to a year and
a day in prison by a federal judge for stealing about 70 pounds of
marijuana that he and a partner were supposed to destroy.

At the time of the theft in 1992, the defendant, Michael McCue, had been a
trusted undercover "narc" who had been detailed to a U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration task force for several years.

His police and DEA supervisors apparently didn't notice, but McCue also was
heavily addicted to drugs, himself, including cocaine and methamphetamine,
throughout the time he was out busting street drug traffickers, according
to McCue's own testimony.

The marijuana McCue was supposed to destroy was no longer needed as
evidence, and was to be burned at an incinerator in Harrisburg.

McCue and his partner, who wasn't identified and is still a Philadelphia
police officer, merely substituted books and burned the books, authorities
contend.

The prosecutor said evidence against the partner -- primarily McCue's
confession and testimony -- will now be turned over to the Police
Department, prompting the judge to suggest that this should have been done
a long time ago.

It's too late to prosecute the partner for criminal conduct, since the
statute of limitations has expired. McCue's 366-day sentence -- he'll get
about 47 days off for good behavior -- was a break.

His sentencing guidelines called for a prison term in the range of 24 to 30
months. But U.S. District Judge Jay Waldman found that McCue had turned his
life around, had been drug free for more than five years, had been
counseling drug addicts and had begun a new career, as a chef.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski