TWO AIR MARSHALS PLEAD GUILTY TO DRUG, BRIBERY CHARGES

Two federal air marshals pleaded guilty today to drug and bribery
charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, raising the
possibility that other air marshals are under investigation.

Burlie L. Sholar III, 38, and Shawn Ray Nguyen, 32, pleaded guilty to
agreeing to accept $15,000 in return for using their positions as air
marshals to bypass security to smuggle 15 pounds of cocaine on a
flight to Las Vegas.

Their arrests raised concerns about airport security, with
prosecutors pointing out during a detention hearing in February that
Nguyen had smuggled other items in a briefcase and had stated that he
didn't care what the briefcase contained.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McIntyre said the investigation was
continuing, but cautioned against the expectation of more arrests.

"We will have to wait and see where the investigation leads us," he said.

The possibility of wrongdoing by other air marshals was evident in
February when a third air marshal admitted during a dramatic
courtroom confrontation to sharing a room with Sholar so he could
bill the government for a second hotel room.

Patrick Hightower, one of four air marshals who appeared as character
witnesses for Sholar during a detention hearing, was relieved of his
credentials and badge and assigned to administrative duties in the
wake of his courtroom admission.

Homeland Security spokesman David Adams said Monday that Sholar and
Nguyen remained on indefinite suspension without pay.

A Homeland Security Department agent testified during the same
hearing that Sholar threatened Nguyen, saying that "his life wasn't
worth anything," if he offered incriminating information about other
air marshals.

Nguyen's attorney, Kent Schaffer, declined to say whether his client
would offer information about misconduct by other air marshals,
although he stated in the February hearing that Nguyen had done so.

Schaffer said Nguyen pleaded guilty because "he felt that the best
way to ... demonstrate his repentance about his conduct was to take a
guilty plea as early as possible."

Sholar's attorney, George Parnham, also declined to say whether his
client might have information about wrongdoing by other air marshals.

"We believe that this was the best alternative for Mr. Sholar,"
Parnham said of the guilty plea. "We want to save ourselves as much
of his future as we can."

In their plea agreements, the two admit that they discussed accepting
$5,000 per kilogram from an FBI informant in exchange for trying to
smuggle 15 kilograms, or about 33 pounds, of cocaine past security at
Bush Intercontinental Airport and onto a flight bound for Las Vegas.

Sholar made flight and hotel arrangements and agreed to meet Nguyen
at his house prior to making the smuggling attempt, according to the
plea agreements. A federal informant, who had recorded numerous
conversations with Nguyen, delivered the cocaine and $15,000 in
marked bills to Nguyen's house Feb. 9, shortly before the two were
arrested, the agreements state.

They were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to
distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and aiding and abetting
the bribery of a public official.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt told Sholar and Nguyen that they
could be sentenced to 10 years to life in prison and a maximum fine
of $4 million on the drug-smuggling charge and 15 years in prison and
a $250,000 fine on a bribery charge.