CHICAGO COPS CONVICTED IN DRUG CASE

CHICAGO (AP) Three police officers were convicted Monday of robbing
suspected drug dealers and a civilian was convicted of helping the officers
set up the robberies.

Prosecutors said the four stole $23,000 in November and December 1996. The
robberies actually were sting operations set up by agents posing as dealers
and were recorded by the government.

All four defendants were convicted of conspiracy, attempted robbery,
depriving individuals of their civil rights and illegal use of a firearm.

The officers were Gerald Meachum, 35; Tyrone Francies, 39; and Baxter
Streets, 41. The civilian was Robert Meeks, 29, who also was convicted of
distributing heroin.

Scott Frankel, Meachum's attorney, said there would be an appeal. The
officers have been jailed without bond since their arrests last March.

Francies and Streets were acquitted of possession of cocaine with intent to
deliver.

U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle Jr. scheduled sentencing for March 23.

``We're talking about extremely lengthy doubledigit sentences,'' said
Randall Samborn, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.

The three officers were indicted last March, three months after seven other
officers were indicted on similar charges. They are scheduled for trial in
March.

Copyright 1997 Associated Press.