ROBESON DRUG OFFICIAL IS TOPIC OF INQUIRY

LUMBERTON - The state Sheriff's Education and Training Standards Commission
has confirmed that it is investigating the head of the Robeson County
Sheriff's Office's drug enforcement division.

John Bason, a public information officer for the N.C. Department of Justice,
however, would not say why Lt. C.T. Strickland is being investigated.

"We can't comment on the nature of the investigation, nor can we say how
long it will last," Bason said in a news release. "An allegation was brought
before the Sheriff Standards Commission and it is pending. It will be up to
the commission to decide what will happen, but it is possible that the
officer's law enforcement certification could be jeopardized."

Julia Lohman, executive director of the commission, said she could not
comment about an investigation. She referred questions to Bason.

Strickland, who is still in charge of the sheriff's narcotics unit, said
Thursday that he was unaware of an investigation and that no one from the
state has contacted him. He declined further comment.

Robeson County Sheriff Glenn Maynor could not be reached for comment.

Strickland came under fire Sept. 16 after Superior Court Judge Gregory Weeks
threw out evidence in a drug case. Weeks ruled that Strickland had
"knowingly" provided false statements to obtain a search warrant that led to
the arrests of two Red Springs men on charges of selling cocaine.

District Attorney Johnson Britt dropped the charges against Christopher Dean
Logan and Gary "Pee Wee" McLean. He said at the time that he was
"disappointed in the procedures that were followed."

According to court documents, Strickland told Magistrate Tom Espey that he
had information about illegal drug activity at the Samuel Drive house where
Logan and McLean lived. He swore under oath that he had seen an informant
purchase drugs at the house. He also swore that the informant had worked for
him several times.

Weeks ruled that Strickland had not witnessed a drug purchase and that the
informant had never been to the home or seen crack cocaine sold there.

Drug enforcement

Strickland has worked for the sheriff's office since 1988, primarily in drug
enforcement. Maynor has said that the Robeson County Sheriff's Office has
one of the most successful interstate interdiction drug enforcement units in
the nation.

Last month, the department was the host for a national law enforcement
conference about interstate drug trafficking. The conference was at the
Robeson County farmers' market.

The sheriff's narcotics unit has seized several hundred pounds of marijuana
and cocaine, and millions of dollars during the past 10 years. The unit
seized more than $2 million cash during a traffic stop Oct. 2, 2000.

Jerry Weaver, the Fayetteville district supervisor for the State Bureau of
Investigation, said the bureau is not investigating Strickland. Weaver said
the county district attorney would have to request an investigation.

Britt, the Robeson County district attorney, said he has not requested an
investigation by the SBI because any evidence against Strickland is recorded
on court documents. He said he has not decided if he will pursue a criminal
indictment against the deputy.

Britt said an indictment would likely be for perjury, a Class F felony
punishable by up to 68 months in prison. The case would have to go to a
grand jury.

"He testified in court," Britt said. "The fact that its on record, it's
established. The documents are a matter of record."