INDICTED FORMER DTF HEAD FACES ADDITIONAL CHARGE

The former director of the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force was arraigned on
indictments in McMinn County Criminal Court this and a new charge was
listed on the indictments.

Kenneth Don Wilson, 53, of 179 County Road 633, Etowah, was initially
charged with simple possession of cocaine, according to TBI agents.

A new charge of simple possession of marijuana was on the indictment issued
by the Grand Jury last week.

The case has now been taken by an out-of-county, pro-tem prosecutor at
District Attorney Victor S. "Torry" Johnson's office in Davidson County.
District Attorney General Jerry Estes said at the time of Wilson's arrest
that his office would recuse itself from the case because the DTF office in
Charleston and the local District Attorney's office have worked together on
cases in the district. Davidson County Assistant District Attorney John C.
Zimmerman is the prosecutor now handling the case.

Contacted Tuesday, Zimmerman said he couldn't comment on the case because
it is still ongoing, and he deferred to the TBI.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman, and former local TBI agent
T.J. Jordan, said this morning the new misdemeanor drug charge stemmed from
a search conducted during the initial TBI probe Sept. 3, 2002.

The new charge was "the result of a vehicle search and obviously contraband
was found which resulted in that charge," Jordan said.

Jordan said the investigation is continuing.

"Other charges are anticipated," he said.

At the time of Wilson's arrest in September, Estes said he was told by one
of his assistant district attorneys that an informant had contacted her
regarding the possibility that evidence was missing the the Charleston DTF
office's evidence storage lockup.

Estes said the allegations constituted enough reason to call in the TBI to
investigate and a search was conducted, which resulted in the initial
charges of simple possession of cocaine.

Wilson was fired from his post by the DTF Board the day following his
arrest and a new director has since been installed.

Roxanne Blackwell, a former detective with the Bradley County Sheriff's
Department, was named to the director's position in November. Another
Bradley County officer, Jack Damuth, was named interim director in the
weeks that followed Wilson's arrest until the DTF's Board of Directors
chose Blackwell to head the office.

Wilson is due back in Criminal Court for a case status hearing May 5,
according to court officials. . E-mail: bbenton@xtn.net