PAROLE BOARD DEFENDS ITSELF

Agency 'Not Negligent' in Oversight of Drug Chief, Spokesman Says

The Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole on Wednesday defended its
handling of a parolee who ran one of Knoxville's largest-ever drug rings
while under the board's supervision.

For more than five years, Ronnie "Goodie" Rodgers, 47, headed up a drug
trafficking network that put at least 150 kilograms of cocaine into the
hands of Knoxville dope peddlers.

All the while, Rodgers was on parole from a 36-year prison term for a
series of thefts and burglaries.

Parole board spokesman Jack Elder said his agency had reviewed Rodgers'
case after questions from the News Sentinel following Rodgers' guilty plea
in U.S. District Court on Tuesday.

That review "indicated we were not negligent in our supervision" of
Rodgers, Elder said.

Rodgers pleaded guilty to masterminding the local branch of a cocaine
trafficking network that authorities said spanned from Miami to Knoxville.
He was indicted in December 2002, along with his wife, three brothers and
six others authorities said worked for Rodgers.

Also indicted were high-flying Miami businessmen Alexis Munoz and Javier
Martinez. Munoz, who pleaded guilty last month, supplied the cocaine that
Martinez then transported to Knoxville, where an unidentified West
Knoxville resident then funneled it to Rodgers and his group.

The organization operated from at least October 1997 until the 13 alleged
conspirators were arrested late last year.

Both Munoz and Rodgers have admitted using drug money to foot the bill for
lavish lifestyles.

Elder said his agency's Knoxville office, which was responsible for
monitoring Rodgers, had "concerns" about the parolee whose assets seemed
greater than the income he reported to his parole officer.

"Even though we had some concerns about him, we didn't feel we had enough
to (find Rodgers in violation of his parole)," Elder said.

Then, in April 2001, a parole officer went to the Norwalk Avenue address
Rodgers had listed as his home for a "home visit" but "couldn't get in
because of security gates," Elder said.

The gates were part of what federal court records show was an elaborate
security system set up at the house, which Rodgers and one of his brothers
bought in October 1998. The nearly $48,000 purchase price was paid with
drug money, records allege. Authorities later would seize $48,400 in cash
found in that house when Rodgers was arrested.

After the unsuccessful attempt to visit Rodgers at his home, Elder said his
agency contacted the Knoxville Police Department, a move that "somewhat
alerted law enforcement" to the possibility Rodgers was earning money
illegally, Elder said.

A short time later, police "asked us to continue to supervise him as usual
and not to do anything that would make him suspicious," Elder said.

"We cooperated," Elder said. "Cooperation with law enforcement is
definitely a usual thing to do."

KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk said he could neither confirm nor deny that
the agency asked the parole board not to change Rodgers' status.

"We really at this point cannot discuss the case," he said, noting two of
the Rodgers brothers are set to stand trial in December.

The parole board filed a violation warrant against Rodgers after he was
arrested in the federal drug case. He faces up to life in prison in the
federal system, which has no parole.