News (Media Awareness Project) - US AL: Former Morgan Deputy Pleads Guilty To Distributing |
| Title: | US AL: Former Morgan Deputy Pleads Guilty To Distributing |
| Published On: | 2003-05-27 |
| Source: | Decatur Daily (AL) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-20 06:07:25 |
FORMER MORGAN DEPUTY PLEADS GUILTY TO DISTRIBUTING MARIJUANA; COULD GET
PRISON, $250,000 FINE
A former Morgan County sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty to distributing
marijuana, and faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Gregory Johnson, 37, of Decatur pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to
distributing drugs after prosecutors said he stole marijuana that had been
confiscated as evidence.
According to investigators, Johnson, while serving as a Hillsboro police
officer, stopped a person for speeding Oct. 7, 2001. He arrested the driver
on a marijuana possession charge.
Johnson turned the confiscated marijuana over to the Alabama Department of
Public Safety's Forensic Crime Laboratory for analysis.
Later, on March 25, 2002, when he had begun work as a Morgan County
sheriff's deputy, Johnson picked up the marijuana from the lab, authorities
said.
Instead of putting the marijuana into evidence storage, Johnson stole it
and exchanged it for sex with a woman who was known to be involved in
trafficking drugs, authorities said.
The woman cooperated with the FBI, officials said.
'I didn't do nothing'
At the time of his arrest, Johnson, denying he committed the crime, told
reporters, "I didn't do nothing. It's embarrassing to my family."
At the time of his March 3 arrest, Johnson was still a probationary
employee at the Morgan County Sheriff's Department because he had
transferred from Hillsboro on April 2002.
Sheriff Greg Bartlett fired him March 26, two days before a grand jury
indictment.
According to Bartlett, Morgan County deputies discovered Johnson's crime.
Because of Johnson's involvement, Bartlett gave the investigation results
to federal authorities.
Bartlett said Johnson received no sentencing promises in exchange for his
guilty plea.
Although Morgan County's investigative role in the case ended, Bartlett
said he feared Johnson might have engaged in other misconduct as a deputy,
but he had not discovered evidence of other crimes.
"You don't deal with something like that and just quit," Bartlett said.
PRISON, $250,000 FINE
A former Morgan County sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty to distributing
marijuana, and faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Gregory Johnson, 37, of Decatur pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to
distributing drugs after prosecutors said he stole marijuana that had been
confiscated as evidence.
According to investigators, Johnson, while serving as a Hillsboro police
officer, stopped a person for speeding Oct. 7, 2001. He arrested the driver
on a marijuana possession charge.
Johnson turned the confiscated marijuana over to the Alabama Department of
Public Safety's Forensic Crime Laboratory for analysis.
Later, on March 25, 2002, when he had begun work as a Morgan County
sheriff's deputy, Johnson picked up the marijuana from the lab, authorities
said.
Instead of putting the marijuana into evidence storage, Johnson stole it
and exchanged it for sex with a woman who was known to be involved in
trafficking drugs, authorities said.
The woman cooperated with the FBI, officials said.
'I didn't do nothing'
At the time of his arrest, Johnson, denying he committed the crime, told
reporters, "I didn't do nothing. It's embarrassing to my family."
At the time of his March 3 arrest, Johnson was still a probationary
employee at the Morgan County Sheriff's Department because he had
transferred from Hillsboro on April 2002.
Sheriff Greg Bartlett fired him March 26, two days before a grand jury
indictment.
According to Bartlett, Morgan County deputies discovered Johnson's crime.
Because of Johnson's involvement, Bartlett gave the investigation results
to federal authorities.
Bartlett said Johnson received no sentencing promises in exchange for his
guilty plea.
Although Morgan County's investigative role in the case ended, Bartlett
said he feared Johnson might have engaged in other misconduct as a deputy,
but he had not discovered evidence of other crimes.
"You don't deal with something like that and just quit," Bartlett said.
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