SENTENCING LOOMS FOR 17 FORMER DEPUTIES

LUMBERTON - The 17 former Robeson County deputies who have pled guilty
as part of the Operation Tarnished Badge investigation are expected to
be sentenced by the end of September.

Sentencing hearings are scheduled before U.S. District Judge Terrence
Boyle in Elizabeth City on Sept. 25, 26 and 28.

Facing some of the longer sentences are Roger Taylor, Steven Lovin and
C.T. Strickland, the former deputies first indicted in the state and
federal investigation that has spanned more than four years and
continues to this day.

Taylor, Lovin and Strickland were charged in June 2006 and federal
investigators have handed down a steady of stream of indictments ever
since with charges against the deputies ranging from pirating
satellite TV signals to setting fires and kidnapping and robbing drug
dealers.

Taylor, Lovin and Strickland are expected to be sentenced last, going
before Boyle on Sept. 28 at 10:30 p.m. Each faces a maximum of 20
years in prison.

Strickland, a former supervisor of the sheriff's Drug Enforcement
Division, pled guilty in February to stealing drug seizure money.

Taylor pled guilty in May to stealing federal drug seizure money and
pirating satellite TV signals.

Lovin also pled guilty in May to stealing tens of thousands of dollars
during drug interdiction stops on Interstate 95 and to pirating
satellite TV signals.

Federal prosecutors say Lovin and his partner, James O. Hunt, stole
about $160,000 during six drug interdiction stops along I-95. Lovin is
accused of using the stolen money to buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle
and a Ford F-250 pickup. Those vehicles were seized by the government.

Hunt is expected to be sentenced on Sept. 25, along with Kevin Mears
and Patrick Terrell Ferguson. That hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

Hunt agreed to pay $150,000 in restitution and testify against other
former deputies of the sheriff's Drug Enforcement Division. Hunt used
part of the money to make improvements to his home and to buy a
pontoon boat.

Mears pled guilty to stealing about $25,000 in federal drug forfeiture
money that was earmarked to pay confidential informants.

Ferguson pled guilty to conspiring to kidnap at gunpoint two suspected
drug dealers from Virginia whom he believed were carrying more than
$400,000.

Hunt and Mears face up to 20 years in prison. Ferguson could receive
up to life in prison.

Also on the Sept. 25, Joey Smith, Paul Pittman, Billy Hunt and Vincent
Sinclair will go before Boyle at 2 p.m.

Smith pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Federal
investigators said he misappropriated about $4,000 seized from drug
dealers. Smith could get 20 years in prison.

Sinclair pled guilty to trying to distribute cocaine, kidnapping and
possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. During his plea,
Sinclair said he waited for a drug dealer to leave a card game in
2003, then duct taped the man's mouth, took him into the woods and
beat him, robbing him of 2 kilograms of cocaine and $150,000. Sinclair
faces up to two life sentences.

Pittman and Billy Hunt pled guilty to helping former Sheriff Glenn
Maynor landscape his yard and move into a new house while on county
time. Pittman and Hunt each face a maximum of five years in prison.

Maynor has not charged with any crimes.

Gary Odum, Billy Strickland, Ricky Britt and Herman Madden will be
sentenced Sept. 26 at 10:30 a.m.

All four pled guilty to conspiring to pirate satellite TV signals and
each faces a maximum of five years in prison.

Odum also pled guilty to fraud charges related to private work he did
for a former elected official while on duty.

On Sept. 26, at 2 p.m., a hearing is set for Randal Patterson, Lester
Floyd and James Carter. All three former deputies pled guilty to
stealing satellite TV signals. They each face a maximum of five years
in prison.