CHARGES LIKELY AGAINST FORMER OFFICIAL IN DEA

NEW YORK - A former senior official in the Drug Enforcement
Administration's New York office is expected to be charged this week
with stealing more than $150,000 from the agency's funds used to pay
informants and other incidental expenses, according to a law
enforcement official.

The former official, Kevin Tamez, who resigned several months ago as a
result of the investigation, first came under scrutiny last year and
was suspended in March. Mr. Tamez, 50, held the position of associate
special agent in charge of the New York office. He is expected to be
charged with as many as 200 counts of theft and related charges, the
official said.