OFFICERS IN DRUG CASE PLEAD GUILTY

3 Davidson Ex-Deputies, Others Accept U.S. Prosecutors' Deal

Greensboro

Three former Davidson County deputies, a former Archdale police officer and
two other men pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Greensboro
to drug-conspiracy charges as part of a plea agreement with federal
prosecuters.

The men, who had all pleaded not guilty when they were arrested in
December, changed their pleas after receiving concessions from the U.S.
Attorney's Office, including an agreement to dismiss some charges.

The former deputies - Lt. David Scott Woodall, 34, Lt. Douglas Edward
Westmoreland, 49, Sgt. William Rankin, 32 - and Archdale police Sgt.
Christopher James Shetley, 35, were arrested Dec. 12 after an investigation
by state and federal agents.

Wyatt Nathan Kepley, 26, and Marco Aurelio Acosta-Soza, 23, were also arrested.

All the men except Rankin entered the courtroom in handcuffs and shackles.

Rankin, who was released after posting bond in January, entered his plea in
a separate change-of-plea hearing yesterday.

The men answered most questions with a simple "yes, sir" or "no, sir" as
Judge William Osteen of U.S. District Court listed the charges against
them, the possible penalties and the terms of the plea agreement.

All the men, except Rankin, will return to court June 14 for sentencing.
Rankin's sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 26.

The men's relatives and attorneys said that they were satisfied with the
agreement.

"We did what we had to do with what we were facing," said Shetley's
brother, Eric Shetley. "We still stand by James."

Prosecutors accuse the men of working together to distribute cocaine,
marijuana, Ecstasy and steroids for almost two years. Court documents filed
by the U.S. Attorney's Office describe complex relationships between the men.

They met in local motel rooms and in the parking lots of grocery stores, a
Greensboro mall and a high school to exchange drugs and money, the
documents said.

The case against the men came together last fall when a co-conspirator and
former Thomasville police officer, Russell McHenry, 32, gave information to
agents after he was arrested in November on state drug-trafficking charges,
court documents released yesterday said.

McHenry pleaded guilty to federal charges of possession with intent to sell
and distribute cocaine, Ecstasy and marijuana, in late January. State
prosecutors dropped the trafficking charges after the plea.

Woodall, who was one of the top vice-narcotics officers in the sheriff's
office, was the group's ringleader, prosecutors said.

He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute at least 5 kilograms of
cocaine and at least 100 kilograms of marijuana, steroids and Ecstasy. He
also pleaded guilty to two counts of extortion of a man in Rowan County. He
used a fake search warrant to break into a mobile home in East Spencer and
then threatened the residents with a gun, court documents said.

Woodall faces 22 years to life in prison and up to $7.75 million in fines.

Westmoreland, who joined the sheriff's office in 1994 after he had helped
Sheriff Gerald Hege in Hege's election campaigns, pleaded guilty to
conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and one count of extortion.
Westmoreland and Woodall stole $2,500 from Michael Martin, a local
resident, during a drug bust, court documents said. They later told Martin
that, if he didn't ask for the money back, they wouldn't file any drug
charges against him, court documents said.

Westmoreland faces five to 80 years in prison and fines of up to $3.2 million.

Acosta-Soza, who authorities allege was one of Woodall's sources for the
drugs, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. He
faces 10 years to life in prison. Acosta-Soza is a Mexican citizen and
could be deported after he serves his sentence, Osteen said.

Kepley, the son of county Commissioner Billy Joe Kepley, pleaded guilty to
conspiracy to distribute steroids and possession of a gun by a felon.
Woodall, Westmoreland and Rankin bought and sold steroids to Kepley. They
also broke into his house several times and stole drugs and money, court
documents said.

Kepley faces at least 10 years in prison and as much as $500,000 in fines.

Shetley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and Ecstasy.
He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and fines up to $1,250,000.

Rankin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and violating
Kepley's civil rights by using a fake search warrant to seize drugs and
money from his home. He faces a maximum of six years in prison and fines of
$350,000.

Osteen said that it will be difficult for him to determine sentences for
the men.