TEARFUL COP IS SENTENCED IN DRUG CASE

WINSTON-SALEM - Russell McHenry fought back tears as he stood before Judge
Carlton Tilley in U.S. Middle District Court Friday afternoon.

"I want to apologize to the citizens...and to my fam-ily...and to the law
enforcement community," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm so
sorry."

The former Tho-masville police officer was sentenced to a little more than
two years in the state medical treatment facility in Butner for possession
and intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine and Ecstasy.

McHenry must also complete 150 hours of community service that he can serve
during 3 years of supervised release McHenry could have been sentenced to
as many as 71 months in prison, but because he cooperated with FBI and SBI
officials, 60 percent of his sentence was dropped.

"We're extremely pleased with his sentence," said attorney Joe Bruner.
"Extremely pleased."

McHenry was arrested last Nov. 5, and immediately after his arrest, he
resigned from the Thomasville Police Department. About a month later, state
and federal agents arrested three former Davidson County vice narcotics
officers: David Woodall, Douglas Westmoreland and William Rankin.

Lexington area residents Wyatt Kepley and Marco Aurelio Acosta-Soza were
also arrested, as was former Archdale police sergeant Christopher Shetley.

Information that led to the arrest of the six men came from an unnamed
informant, listed as "CW-1" in federal affidavits. "CW-1" was identified as
"a former Triad officer recently arrested for conspiring to traffic in
Ecstasy, trafficking Ecstasy, possession with intent to sell and distribute
marijuana and conspiracy to deliver marijuana."

It was later discovered that "CW-1" was arrested on the same date and at
the same time as McHenry - and McHenry was later identified as the informant.

As a result of a recent divorce and monthly child support payments, McHenry
began to have severe financial problems in 2000, and subsequently started
looking for alternative means with which to supplement his income.

In April 2001, McHenry established a business relationship with an old
friend and began reselling steroids to other police officers and
powerlifters for profit.

Kepley, son of Davidson County Commissioner Billy Joe Kepley, was McHenry's
initial supplier. Shetley told McHenry of Kepley's arrest in San Diego,
Calif. At that point, Rankin became McHenry's supplier, but McHenry told
investigators he felt certain the steroids were actually coming from
Woodall, suspicions he later confirmed upon meeting the former Davidson
County vice/narcotics officer.

McHenry purchased steroids regularly from Woodall, placing large orders
every two to three days for amounts ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 worth.
By the end of April 2001, McHenry told investigators he made approximately
$50,000.

By mid-July 2001, McHenry said he had four people selling drugs for him -
one of whom was his own cousin. In Aug. 2001, McHenry expanded his
operations to include cocaine trafficking, and by Oct. 2001, he was selling
Ecstasy pills as well.

Several of McHenry's transactions with Woodall happened in the parking lot
at East Davidson High School, and on Nov. 2, McHenry met Woodall in the
Kmart parking lot on Randolph Street.

After his Nov. 5 arrest, McHenry participated in at least four "controlled
buys" and made several phone calls to Woodall, Rankin, Westmoreland and
Shetley, most of which were recorded, giving officials valuable evidence
against the men.

The men were indicted Dec. 7 on conspiracy to distribute cocaine,
marijuana, steroids and Ecstasy. Additional charges were added by a federal
grand jury in a superseding indictment filed Jan. 25.

As McHenry's girlfriend, family and supporters wept in the back of the
courtroom, Tilley spoke about the impact McHenry's actions had on law
enforcement.

"You have done a lot of horrible things," Tilley told McHenry. "The only
way society works as well as it does is because people have respect for the
law and those who enforce the law, and it doesn't take a lot for people to
mistrust the system.

"You were a danger to the very people you swore to protect."