18 In 2 Counties Are Indicted

16 SUSPECTS IN CUSTODY IN COCAINE CASE

FBI agents and local police forces made arrests this week under an
indictment charging 18 people from Surry and Isle of Wight counties with
conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

By last night, 16 of the accused were in custody and 14 of them had made
their initial appearance in U.S. District Court here before Magistrate
Judge Dennis W. Dohnal. Two more were still at large.

At least three of the defendants surrendered to police after the arrests
began Monday, authorities said. The alleged activities go back several
years and the investigation was aided by still-unnamed cooperating
witnesses who authorities say bought illegal drugs from many of the defendants.

Those witnesses include some who are themselves drug defendants and are now
cooperating in hope of reducing their sentences, and one who is a retired
police officer working under cover.

"This is a long-term investigation that has resulted in the indictment of
18 people," Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura C. Marshall told Dohnal.

Arguing that some of the defendants should not be eligible for release on
bond awaiting trial, Marshall said the cooperating witnesses "will be
vulnerable if some or all of these defendants are released on bond."

The indictment, which was sealed until yesterday afternoon while arrests
were made, alleges the defendants participated in a conspiracy that
imported large quantities of crack into the two counties. One defendant is
charged also with running a crack house.

The government is seeking also the forfeiture of $444,000 in drug proceeds
and of 10 vehicles allegedly used in the drug trafficking.

The 14 defendants who appeared before Dohnal yesterday afternoon filled the
jury box, plus two chairs where alternate jurors normally sit. Their
lawyers, friends and family nearly filled the rest of the seats in the
largest courtroom in the U.S. Courthouse downtown.

FBI Special Agent Scott A. Rago said authorities made warranted searches at
five of the defendants' residences. He said crack, marijuana, large amounts
of cash, some firearms and various kinds of drug paraphernalia were seized
in the searches.

In an affidavit also filed in court, Rago said he became involved in the
investigation a year ago.

But the Pagan River Drug Task Force had been investigating many of the
people indicted for at least two years before that. The task force is made
up of the Smithfield Police Department, the Surry County Sheriff's Office,
the Isle of Wight Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police.

The affidavit describes some of the "controlled buys" made from some of the
defendants, in which cooperating witnesses or undercover officers set up
and transacted drug purchases from the suspects as if they were drug users.
The most recent was Jan. 22.