DEPUTIES FACE DRUG CHARGES

Three veteran vice and narcotics officers of the Davidson County Sheriff's
Office and an additional Davidson County resident were arrested this
morning in Greensboro on federal charges of distributing controlled
substances, Sheriff Gerald Hege said this morning in a press conference.

A law enforcement officer from a neighboring county and two other citizens
were also arrested in the federal investigation that spanned eight months.

The sheriff was visibly shaken as he talked about the incident, saying the
arrests are a blow to the department's morale.

Arrested from Davidson County are these deputies: Sgt. Douglas Edward
Westmoreland, 49, of Bowers Road in Thomasville, who was hired in December
1994; Lt. David Scott Woodall, 34, whose last known address was Allred Road
in Lexington and who was hired in January 1991; and Sgt. William Monroe
Rankin, 32, of Kanoy Road in Thomasville, who was hired in January 1997.

Davidson County Commissioner Billy Joe Kepley's son, Wyatt Nathan Kepley,
26, of Sink Farm Road, was also arrested. Others charged were Christopher
James Shetley, 35, of the Archdale Police Department, and Aurelio Acosta
Soza, address unknown.

"You hate to be alive today," Hege said. "I've always been a firm believer
that you have to trust your folks."

The high profile sheriff complimented the FBI on its investigation and said
he did not believe the investigation or charges were politically motivated
against him.

Because his officers carry guns, Hege said precaution had to be taken in
arresting the three. They were asked to come to Guilford County this
morning at about 5:30 for a meeting. They were arrested at the meeting, he
said.

Others began being arrested Tuesday by teams of federal and state law
enforcement officers, according to a press release from the U.S. Department
of Justice in Greensboro.

"The indictments allege that in and about 2000 and continuing to the
present in Davidson County, North Carolina and elsewhere, Woodall, Shetley,
Westmoreland, Rankin, Kepley and Acosta Soza, and others known and unknown,
unlawfully conspired to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine
hydrochloride, in excess of 100 kilograms of marijuana and unspecified
quantities of anabolic steroids and 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, (or
Ecstasy) . " a press release read.

The indictment was returned by the federal grand jury in Greensboro on Dec.
7, 2001, and remained sealed until the arrests were made.

The accused face $4 million fines, imprisonment for no less than 10 years
and no more than life, or both, and supervised probation of five years.

Information on their trial dates and bond is not available, because the
paperwork was still being processed this morning. The three will be tried
in federal court.

"Regardless of their motives and, of course, this is all alleged, if found
guilty they should get the maximum sentence," Hege said.

He was not sure if the arrests of the officers would jeopardize any cases
they were working on. Hege mentioned that Westmoreland, Woodall and Rankin
worked with Thomasville Police Department officers earlier this year on
drug charges against a Thomasville officer. He did not know if the two
cases would be connected, however.