EX-COP SENTENCED IN DRUG MONEY THEFT

Judge Orders 54-Month Prison Term

A former Memphis police officer convicted of stealing more than $135,000
confiscated from suspected drug dealers was sentenced to serve four years
and six months in prison by a federal judge Monday.

Alandas McGraw, 32, was convicted by a jury in U.S. District Court in
September on all 22 counts of an indictment for conspiracy, money
laundering and defrauding a government agency.

He was accused of recruiting a cousin and the cousin's girlfriend to claim
large amounts of money seized in interstate stops and left unclaimed by its
owners, suspected drug dealers.

As forfeiture and settlement officer in the Vice and Narcotics Unit, McGraw
had authority and control of the necessary paperwork to pave the way for
the city to cut two settlement checks that he split with his two confederates.

Memphis narcotics officers checked into the backgrounds of the people who
made the claims, which led to charges against McGraw and his two associates.

Victor Bowen, McGraw's cousin, and Barbara Patrick, pleaded guilty in
federal court to conspiracy, mail fraud, embezzlement and money laundering,
and testified against McGraw at trial.

During the sentencing hearing, federal prosecutor Stuart Canale introduced
recently uncovered evidence that McGraw also extorted money from a
suspected drug dealer, prompting U.S. Dist. Judge Jon McCalla to hike the
sentence.

Decarlos Rodgers testified he paid McGraw $5,500 for the return of a Lexus
that had been seized by drug agents. Rodgers is facing drug charges in
state court, Canale said.

"He (McGraw) was no better than a drug dealer himself, a money launderer
for a drug dealer," Canale said.

Citing McGraw's "acquisitive and directly corrupt conduct," McCalla hiked
the sentence from 46 months to 54 months.

McGraw was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. He will
remain free until notified by the federal Bureau of Prisons to report.

Attorney Jeffrey Jones said his client was fortunate he did not get a
longer sentence. Prosecutors were seeking up to 71 months in prison, Jones
said.