POLICE COCAINE THEFT ALLEGED

Three rogue cops ripped off 11 pounds of cocaine from a drug dealer's car
in a scheme tied to disgraced Chicago police gang investigator Joseph
Miedzianowski, federal prosecutors said today.

Chicago police officer James B. Benson pleaded guilty this morning in U.S.
District Court to conspiracy to possess cocaine. He faces 135 to 168 months
in prison. He was released on $4,500 bail.

Benson declined to make any statements as he stood before Judge John W.
Darrah in a brown leather jacket and blue jeans.

This afternoon, co-defendants Peter L. Matich, a fellow Grand Central
District tactical officer, and Detective Jon F. Woodall, are expected to be
arraigned on the same charge.

Woodall also is accused of obstructing a homicide investigation by
withholding key information from officers investigating the killing of the
man whose impounded car contained the cocaine. The car had been seized 19
days earlier, prosecutors said.

Woodall and Benson have been named in the prosecution of Miedzianowski, who
was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. Miedzianowski was painted as the
most corrupt cop in Chicago history, trading his badge to protect murderous
drug dealers and share in their profits. His partner, gang crimes
specialist John Galligan, is serving a 57-month prison term.

Miedzianowski alleged provided the name of a drug dealer, Fred Rock, who
could sell the stolen cocaine for Benson, Matich and Woodall.

The alleged scheme began on March 4, 1998, when the three officers, as well
as three others unnamed in court records, stopped a Chevy Camaro near
Foster and Cicero. In the car, they found almost 7 pounds of what later
turned out to be fake cocaine, as well as a 9mm gun, prosecutor Brian
Netols said.

One of the men in the Camaro agreed to tell police where other cocaine was
located, while the other man was taken to the Grand Central police station.

Benson, Matich and Woodall eventually were led to a South Side police
impoundment lot where they found more than 14 pounds of cocaine in the
hidden compartment of a Buick, Netols said.

They agreed to keep 11 pounds, falsify an arrest report and have the driver
of the Camaro charged with possession of the rest, Netols said. The
officers worked a deal in which each would get $12,000 from selling the
dope, he said.

Benson received his first $4,000 installment from Matich in the locker room
of the Grand Central station, Netols said.

It was unclear this morning whether the driver of the Camaro was convicted
or whether his case was overturned because of the corruption allegations.
The man whose Buick was impounded died March 23, 1998, but no details about
his death were in court documents.