JUDGE RELEASES FORMER DEPUTIES

RALEIGH - A federal judge released three former Robeson County
sheriff's deputies accused of arson, assault and stealing money seized
during drug busts. U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle ruled Wednesday
that the government did not present enough evidence to show that C.T.
Strickland, Roger Taylor and Steven Lovin were a danger to the
community or that they are likely to flee to escape trial.

The ruling was made following a hearing at the Terry Sanford Federal
Court Building in Raleigh. Lawyers for the former deputies appealed
last month's federal rulings in which all three men were ordered
detained until trial. Strickland, 39, who led the department's Drug
Enforcement Division, Taylor, 39, a former drug task force lieutenant,
and Lovin, 36, a drug agent, have been held since June 9. None could
be reached for comment. The men were released to their homes and will
be evaluated in 10 days to determine whether they should be held on
house arrest. Sue Berry, one of Taylor's lawyers, said her client
would be assigned a federal probation officer until trial.

"People who are on release awaiting trial are supervised by
individuals who are in the federal probation office," Berry said.

Berry said the judge set some initial conditions of release and the
probation office could set more conditions later. She would not
elaborate on what the conditions of release were. Taylor also is
represented by James Parish of Fayetteville, but he declined to comment.

A spokesman with the U.S. Attorney's Office would only confirm that
the men had been released.

Federal prosecutors have said a 10-count racketeering indictment dates
back to crimes committed as early as 1995. The investigation started
partly because the deputies were apparently living beyond their means,
authorities have said. Strickland, Taylor and Lovin are indicted on
charges of racketeering and theft.

Strickland is accused of stealing $11,000 from a man, taking money
seized in drug operations and committing arson.

Taylor is charged with arson, six counts of providing marijuana and
cocaine to drug informants and stealing money from drug operations.
Lovin alone faces accusations that he stole in excess of $10,000
during each of six traffic stop drug seizures along Interstate 95 from
October 2001 to April 2004. Lovin also is accused of arson and using
stolen money to buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a Ford F-250 pickup.

Lovin resigned last year after working for nearly 14 years as a
Robeson County sheriff's deputy, primarily as a sheriff's drug agent
patrolling the interstate. Strickland worked for the sheriff's office
for about 13 years and resigned in June 2003.

Taylor began working for the Robeson County Sheriff's Office in 1991
and was suspended after state authorities charged him with two felony
counts of obstruction of justice in September 2003.

The investigation is continuing and authorities have not ruled out the
possibility of more arrests.