EX-OFFICERS GET 9 YEARS FOR SHIELDING DRUG DEALER

Rebuffing Pleas For Mercy, The Sentencing Judge Calls Conduct 'Way
Over The Line.'

Former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers Gerald Holas and Jason
Ross, accused of protecting a drug dealer, were each sentenced
Wednesday to nine years in prison for conspiring to distribute
cocaine. Federal authorities say the sentences are the longest
imposed on Charlotte law enforcement officers they can recall.

The officers admitted they shielded a drug dealer's cocaine operation
but said they did so in an effort to gain information they could use
to arrest his suppliers and customers, according to court documents.
In a packed courtroom at Charlotte's federal courthouse, Holas
apologized to family and friends.

"I always tried to do what I thought was best," said Holas, his legs
shackled. "My actions, I can't explain. ...I always tried to do more
good than harm." Holas' mother wept as she begged U.S. District Judge
Bob Conrad to have mercy on her son.

"Please don't condemn him and send him away for his first mistake,"
she said. "Please restore our family. He's our only son." After Ross
was sentenced, one woman leaving the courtroom turned to prosecutors
and said: "You guys are wrong. You are heartless." Holas and Ross,
both 36, were accused of helping suspected drug dealer David Lockhart
avoid police detection. The officers told authorities they were using
Lockhart as an informant to make more arrests - although police said
he was never registered as an informant with the department. Holas
tipped off Lockhart about police activities, and both officers helped
him get revenge on a rival whose house was firebombed with Molotov
cocktails, according to an affidavit filed in the case. Judge Conrad
said the pair had put other police officers in danger, helped a drug
dealer distribute drugs and damaged the reputation of police. The
judge told Ross his conduct was an abuse of his position.

He called Holas' conduct "way over the line." "The defendant Holas
violated the implicit trust society placed in its police officers,"
Conrad said. "He did so in a manner that facilitated drug
trafficking, placed his fellow officer in harm's way and contributed
to acts of violence perpetrated by a drug trafficker against other
citizens." Conrad also noted that 50 criminal cases had to be
dismissed because of the illegal conduct.

"Officers who come after the defendant will have to deal with the
stain placed upon their uniforms by the defendant's illegal conduct."
Ross and Holas pleaded guilty last July to conspiring to distribute
cocaine. In exchange for their guilty pleas, prosecutors recommended
the minimum sentence of 10 years.

The suspected drug dealer, Lockhart, 26, has also pleaded guilty to
the drug conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.

He admitted he moved large quantities of cocaine, according to the
affidavit, and confirmed the officers' account that he got their
protection in exchange for information.

"It is tragic that these two officers chose to violate their sacred
obligations to uphold the law and join forces with a dangerous drug
dealer," acting U.S. Attorney Edward Ryan said.

Police Chief Rodney Monroe said last year he was disappointed in the
officers and that their actions angered many in the department. He
said Wednesday via e-mail: "Under these unfortunate circumstances, I
want to re-enforce CMPD's commitment to providing high quality police
services to our community. As always, we uphold the expectation that
our officers enforce and obey the law." Court documents detail
several instances of how the officers helped Lockhart. Last June,
Holas alerted Lockhart about a possible drug bust at a motel where
Lockhart had drugs, according to an affidavit. Holas phoned Lockhart
and told him that police or informants were watching the motel and
that he needed to leave immediately. A few minutes later, Holas
called again, this time warning that police activity at the motel was
likely forthcoming. The court documents also outline an October 2007
incident that involved helping Lockhart find an enemy so he could get
revenge. A robber had stolen money and cocaine from Lockhart.
Lockhart asked the officers for help identifying the man - and soon
had a name and address.

Lockhart poured gasoline in at least four large beer bottles and
placed rags in the bottle openings, according to the affidavit. He
set fire to the bottles and threw them against the suspected robber's
house, shouting expletives, the document says. The suspected robber,
along with other residents, ran from the burning house.

During Wednesday's sentencings, defense lawyers urged the judge to
impose less than the 10 years prosecutors recommended.

"Officer Holas didn't do this for money...," Tony Scheer told the
judge. "It doesn't excuse the acts of Jerry Holas. He did it thinking
he was balancing good versus evil. It was a terrible decision." Chris
Fialko asked the judge to sentence Ross to five years. That sentence,
he said, would deter other police officers. It also would mean that
Ross' young daughter would still be able to remember him and that
Ross would be able to see his son graduate from high school.

As the officers' family and supporters left the courthouse, some
crying, most declined to talk to reporters.

Holas' wife, asked about her reaction to the sentence, replied: "I
don't have one." Ross' aunt told reporters: "He did nothing wrong.
He's an innocent man. A good man. Nine years is ridiculous."