PROBE NETS FORMER ROBESON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY

LUMBERTON -- A former Robeson County sheriff's deputy was charged
Wednesday with armed robbery and kidnapping in an investigation that
has already led to the arrest of five other men, including another
former detective. Patrick Ferguson surrendered to State Bureau of
Investigation agents at the Sheriff's Office. He was charged with two
counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of
kidnapping, according to an arrest report. Ferguson was jailed, with
his bail set at $20,000. He is 34 and lives in Red Springs. Vincent
Sinclair, the other former detective, was charged last year after an
investigation into robberies and kidnappings involving drug dealers.
A grand jury indicted Sinclair on two counts each of second-degree
kidnapping and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Others charged have no connection with law enforcement. They are: [4
names, ages, and cities redacted]

No Warning Signs

Ferguson worked for the Sheriff's Office for nearly 10 years. He
formerly served as a juvenile detective under Sheriff Ken Sealey when
Sealey headed the juvenile investigation division.

Ferguson left the department about five years ago to take a security
job working in the Balkans. Sinclair was promoted from road deputy to
take Ferguson's position.

Ferguson returned about a year later and went back to work in the
department's warrant division until taking a job as an investigator
with the public defender's office.

Sealey said Thursday that he was surprised when he heard Ferguson's
name come up in the investigation. He said Ferguson worked for him
for about three years and was an excellent employee.

"I never saw a sign of anything wrong," Sealey said. "He was a good
investigator when he worked with me." Ferguson, Sinclair and the
others are accused of robbing drug dealers and a kidnapping in the
Virginia Beach area, according to an indictment. Sinclair is accused
of using equipment and vehicles from the Sheriff's Office in a staged
drug raid on May 14, 2004, on McGirt Gin Road in Maxton. The other
men posed as police officers and held several people at gunpoint
while robbing a home there.

They are accused of kidnapping and beating a St. Pauls man -- Darius
Bain -- and holding him until a $150,000 ransom was paid.
Investigators say the men also kidnapped Ronald Lamont Wilson and
Elton Williams in February 2004 from Virginia Beach.

Wilson and Williams were able to escape in Johnston County and alert
police. Sealey fired Sinclair after his arrest last May. Sinclair had
worked with the Robeson County Sheriff's Office for about 10 years.
It is not known when Ferguson was last employed with the county.
County officials said they did not have access to his personnel
records Thursday afternoon. Ferguson could not be reached for comment.

Sinclair has said previously that he is innocent. He accused the
sheriff's investigators of trying to make him a "scapegoat" to cover
for other wrongdoing in the department.