DRUG SENTENCES OVER 54 YEARS: 'RINGLEADER' WOODALL TO SERVE 27

WINSTON-SALEM - During hearings held Friday, six men charged with federal
drug trafficking conspiracy were sentenced by U.S. District Judge William
Osteen to serve a combined total of more than 54 years in prison.

Among the men were three former vice/narcotics officers from the Davidson
County Sheriff's Office (DCSO), a former Archdale police sergeant, and two
Lexington area residents.

Former DCSO Lt. David Scott Woodall, 35, was sentenced Friday morning to
serve 27 years in prison, while fellow DCSO Lt. Douglas Westmoreland was
sentenced to 11 years and three months. DCSO Sgt. Sgt. William Rankin was
sentenced to three years, seven months in prison.

Former Archdale police Sgt. Christopher Shetley was sentenced to two years,
ten months in prison, while Lexington area resident Wyatt Kepley was
sentenced to serve three years, three months in prison.

Illegal immigrant Marco Aurelio Acosta-Soza was sentenced to six years,
seven months in prison, and will likely be deported when his time is served.

WOODALL

Once the head of the Davidson County vice/narcotics investigation unit,
court documents allege Woodall, 35, was the "ringleader" of the drug
distribution operation.

Woodall, who began employment with DCSO in 1991 and served seven years in
the vice/narcotics unit, repeatedly sold and supplied quantities of
steroids and cocaine to former Thomasville Police Officer Russell McHenry.

Woodall also stole $160,000 in cash from co-defendant Wyatt Kepley.

"I realize I ruined my life and hurt people that care for me," Woodall
said. "I tried to be the best I could be, but I strayed and did things I
shouldn't have."

Woodall told Osteen that his problems began in 1999 when he started abusing
steroids.

"On the one hand, I hated myself but didn't know how to get out," Woodall
quietly admitted. "I wanted to die."

Woodall's lawyer, Eugene Metcalf, argued that Woodall's prolonged time in
vice/narcotics was the main reason he became involved in the drug conspiracy.

Metcalf subpoenaed forensic psychologist Terry F. Lynn, who said the
character traits assumed by undercover police officers posing as drug
dealers sometimes "becomes a separate but distinct part of the person's
identity."

"It becomes difficult for the officer to have an identity," Lynn said.
"There are times when an undercover persona can become as real to an
undercover officer as his real persona."

But Lynn admitted he was speaking in general, and had not actually reviewed
the time or circumstances under which Woodall was undercover with DCSO.

"Undercover became my life," Woodall said. "It became harder and harder to
tell the good guys from the bad guys."

Woodall's personnel file, subpoenaed and brought to the proceedings by DCSO
Major Brad Glisson, teemed with glowing recommendations and evaluations.

"He was one of my best officers," Glisson said.

WESTMORELAND

Among other things, Westmoreland participated in stealing the $160,000 from
Kepley, helped craft a bogus search warrant for Kepley's residence,
supplied McHenry with marijuana and signed 60 pounds of marijuana and two
kilograms of cocaine out of the DCSO evidence room.

"Doug became active in this after Mr. Woodall did," said Urs Gsteiger, his
attorney. "He was lured into this because of his friendship with the other
men involved."

Gsteiger added Westmoreland continued to make legitimate drug busts
throughout his participation in the conspiracy.

"That ought to count for something," Gsteiger told Osteen.

"There were things that happened to put me in this position," Westmoreland
said with a shaky voice. "I'm not that type of person. I wasn't raised that
way."

RANKIN

Rankin, 33, sold steroids to McHenry on at least two occasions,
participated in stealing money from Kepley under a false search warrant,
and stole drugs, money and drug paraphernalia from Michael Wayne Martin.
"He was introduced to this whole thing in ways that made it hard for him to
know what the right choices were," said his lawyer, Brett Harwell. "He
didn't know about the larger scope of the criminal activity."

Rankin wore a suit and entered the courtroom with his family. He had been
released on $50,000 bond in early January.

"I've asked the Lord to forgive me, and I think He has," Rankin said. "I
apologize to the law enforcement community, and hope I can be an example. I
don't want people to make the same mistakes I have."

SHETLEY

Shetley received a light sentence since he was on the fringes of the
conspiracy.

Shetley, 41, worked for the Thomasville Police Department before working
with the Archdale PD. On several occasions, he purchased marijuana from
McHenry.

His attorney, Walter Jones, said Shetley was motivated by money.

"He had too many bills in his mailbox saying 'second notice,' " Jones said.
"For him, it was need, not greed."

Jones added that Shetley did not "jump in with both feet," but instead
mainly transported drugs.

ACOSTA - SOZA

Acosta-Soza, 26, described in court documents as an informant and drug
supplier for Woodall, is an illegal immigrant from Mexico and will likely
be deported after his sentence is served.

He will be supervised for three years after his release.

"I tried to find a job," Acosta-Soza said. "I wanted to help my sick
sister, not get rich."

KEPLEY

Twenty-six-year-old Wyatt Kepley, son of Davidson County Commissioner Billy
Joe Kepley, will be supervised for three years after his release.

The former DCSO officers shared a history of anabolic steroid use and used
Kepley as their source.

Kepley, a major steroids dealer and distributor, used steroids "as a
vehicle to develop his body," said lawyer Duane Bryant.

"Other bodybuilders approached him wanting to look like him," Bryant said.

"Prior to 2001, he had no record."

Russell McHenry was sentenced in June to serve two years in a medical
treatment facility in Butner. He must also serve 150 hours of community
service, and will be under supervision for three years after his release.

In May, three area civilians were added to the list of those arrested in
connection with the drug conspiracy: Elizabeth Harward, Jonathan Apt, and
Chad Wilson. They are scheduled to be sentenced in August.

During change-of-plea hearings held for the six men in March, Osteen told
attorneys the biggest problem for him was sentencing former law enforcement
officers.

"We're dealing with people who volunteered to protect the law and the
public," Osteen said. "But by the same token, we're dealing with people who
chose to break the law.

"How much credit do you give to a person who has, in the past, enforced the
law?"

Osteen said the citizens of Davidson County should begin to move on.

"There are law enforcement officers out there doing good and protecting
your lives," Osteen said. "They deserve your support and encouragement.

"This is a small group compared to those who are on the streets and do
their job every day," Osteen continued. "Law enforcement will overcome this
bombardment."