OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY

The second of five Chicago police officers accused of robbing South
Side drug dealers pleaded guilty to federal charges Wednesday and
agreed to testify against his old crew.

Corey Flagg, 34, was part of the group of tactical officers who
worked together in the department's Englewood District. They're
accused of taking cash, drugs and guns from dealers they accosted in
2004 and 2005.

Flagg, the son of a retired Chicago officer, joined the department in
1996. According to his plea agreement with prosecutors, Flagg was
recruited by fellow officer Broderick Jones -- who by 2004 had been
stripped of his police powers and assigned to desk, but still cruised
the streets in his Cadillac Escalade and surveilled drug dealers.

Jones would allegedly direct Flagg to pull over vehicles of known
drug dealers and shake them down. In one so-called rip-off, Flagg
seized between $17,000 and $19,000 from a drug dealer at a car wash
near 85th Street and Ashland Avenue.

During most of the robberies, Flagg wore his badge, gun and
bulletproof vest, according to prosecutors.

In addition to Flagg and Jones, officers Darek Haynes, Eural Black
and Erik Johnson were also charged. Johnson pleaded guilty last year.
Several drug dealers also are charged in the case, accused of tipping
off the crooked cops to rival dealers to reduce their competition.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, Flagg faces a minimum of 21
years in prison. But he hopes to cut that in half by helping prosecutors.