FORMER SHERIFF'S DEPUTY GETS PRISON TERM

WINSTON-SALEM -- A former narcotics officer with the Davidson County
Sheriff's Office received a 27-year prison sentence in U.S. District Court
this morning for drug distribution and other criminal charges.

One other law enforcement officer and a civilian involved in the
distribution operation were also sentenced. Two other law enforcement
officers and another civilian were to be sentenced later.

U.S. District Judge William Osteen sentenced Scott Woodall, 35, former head
of the drug and vice investigations unit for the sheriff's office and the
alleged "ringleader" of the distribution operation, to 27 years in prison.
He will serve two 240-month sentences concurrently followed by an 84-month
sentence.

Chris Shetley, 41, a former Archdale police sergeant who previously worked
for the Thomasville Police Department, received a 34-month sentence.

Marco Aurelio Acosta-Soza, 26, a Lexington resident described in court
papers as an undercover informant for Woodall, received a 79-month
sentence. When he completes it, he must report to the Immigration and
Naturalization Service for possible deportation. He also received five
years of supervised release after his active sentence, and must reside
outside the United States. He has to get permission from the U.S. Attorney
General to ever return to the United States.

Still to be sentenced were Doug Westmoreland, 50, a former lieutenant with
the drug and vice unit, Sgt. Billy Rankin, 33, and Wyatt Kepley, 26, a
major steroids dealer and the son of Davidson County Commissioner Billy Joe
Kepley.

After a probe by the FBI and the State Bureau of Investigation, a federal
grand jury indicted the six men last December for conspiring to distribute
cocaine, marijuana, steroids and Ecstasy.

Superseding indictments and court affidavits accused the law enforcement
officers of abusing their authority in a host of ways, including writing
fake search warrants, planting evidence and fabricating charges, keeping
drugs and money seized during arrests, attempting to extort more money from
the people arrested and intimidating suspects and potential witnesses.

Since then, state and federal courts have dismissed charges or sentences
against more than 30 defendants investigated by the narcotics officers. One
defendant whose charges were dropped has filed a federal civil lawsuit
against Sheriff Gerald Hege, two deputies and the county.

All six defendants pleaded guilty in March to some of the charges against them.

The charges were based in large part on information provided by another law
enforcement officer, former Thomasville police Sgt. Rusty McHenry, 33,
after he was arrested in Greensboro last November on charges of possession
with intent to distribute cocaine, Ecstasy and marijuana.

U.S. District Judge N. Carlton Tilley Jr., praising McHenry's cooperation,
sentenced him last month to just 25 months in prison.

Three other people, including two Lexington-area residents, have pleaded
guilty to drug charges in connection with the same investigation.

Elizabeth Ann Harward, 25, a girlfriend of Wyatt Kepley; Jonathan Apt, 29,
another friend of Kepley; and Chad Douglas Wilson, 22, of Franklinville in
Randolph County, all await sentencing next month.