65 DRUG CASES DISMISSED IN DAVIDSON COUNTY

LEXINGTON -- People facing drug charges in Davidson County had the slate
wiped clean this week after the arrest of three Davidson County sheriff's
deputies, according to District Attorney Garry Frank.

At least 24 defendants, facing 65 charges ranging from habitual felon to
trafficking in cocaine, had their cases dropped because of the arrest of
the deputies on drug trafficking charges, Frank said.

"As I indicated from the beginning, we were going to review on a
case-by-case basis, and that is what we did," he said.

The review began last Wednesday after the arrest of former Lt. David
Woodall, 34; former Lt. William Monroe Rankin, 32; and former Sgt. Douglas
Edward Westmoreland, 49, of the Davidson County Sheriff's Office.

Three other men, including former Archdale police Sgt. Christopher James
Shetley, 35; Wyatt Nathan Kepley, 26; and Marco Aurelio Acosta Soza, 23,
were also arrested. The six men were indicted for distributing 220 pounds
of marijuana, 11 pounds of cocaine, anabolic steroids and Ecstasy during
the past year.

All pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled
substances in federal court Wednesday.

Frank said the former deputies were key to the prosecution of the cases and
they will not be available to call as witnesses.

"This is a very unpleasant task," he said.

Frank said his office is reviewing cases in which the deputies were
involved that are in district court.

One of the dismissed cases includes a day care center where Davidson County
deputies found almost $30,000 worth of marijuana seeds and paraphernalia.

Belinda Begley, 38, and Deacon Begley, 32, who ran a day care center from
their residence, were charged with maintaining a dwelling for manufacturing
marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and
numerous marijuana seeds in May.

The Division of Child Development suspended the center's license two days
after their arrest and launched an investigation. Tamara Barnes, a child
abuse and neglect supervisor, said the division's investigation was not
completed because of the criminal charges.

"There is still a possibility that they may not get their license back,"
Barnes said.

She said that if the center does not get its license back, it is because
the Begleys either admitted wrongdoing or the division finds the
allegations against them to be true.

A review team will look over the suspension at the first of the year,
Barnes said. There is an appeal process if the Begleys disagree with the
decision.

Barnes said she cannot remember a similar situation happening before.

Davidson County Sheriff Gerald Hege, who inspected the day care centers in
the county after the Begleys' arrest, declined to comment on the dismissed
case, deferring to Frank.