Cops Provided Security, Other Services For Drug Dealers

Bob Roberts Reporting

COMMENTS

CHICAGO (WBBM) - Federal prosecutors have charged 17 people, including 15 police officers and sheriff's police personnel -- who allegedly provided armed security for large-scale drug deals.

All 17 are charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute large quantities of cocaine and heroin.

"The sad tale told today by eight criminal complaints is that, in an investigation that began a year ago, an undercover FBI agent was able to deal with not one, not two, but 15 different law enforcement officers who sold out their badge and agreed, for money, to help drug dealers do their business," said U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

He said the officers would allegedly act as lookouts, move duffel bags they thought to be loaded with drugs, guard movements of cash and even provided security for a high-stakes poker game.

Two of the sheriff's police personnel -- Ahyetoro Taylor and Tavis Ramsey -- allegedly sold cocaine.

Taylor and fellow Cook County Correctional Officer Jermaine Bell have been on duty with the Illinois Army National Guard in Afghanistan. FBI Special Agent-in-charge Robert Grant said they are being relieved to duty and returned to Chicago to face charges.

Another of those charged, Harvey Police Officer Archie Stallworth, was arrested Nov. 19 but the charged remained under seal until Tuesday.

Fitzgerald said the "low point" was a May 13 flight into DuPage County Airport, in which Taylor and Correctional officer Raphael Manuel boarded an aircraft with the undercover FBI agent and began counting packages of what was purported to be at least 80 kilograms of cocaine, hidden inside of four duffel bags. The undercover FBI agent then allegedly paid Taylor and Manuel $4,000 apiece.

The undercover agent posed as an employee of a Harvey business and was the focal point of the operation.

“When drug dealers deal drugs, they ought to be afraid of the police, not turn to them as help," Fitzgerald said. "When an undercover FBI agent poses as a drug dealer, it ought to be difficult for him to find a police officer who will lend his badge and corrupt his badge to help out."

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said the sheriff's department has worked with federal investigators since January and withheld any action against the officers, pursuant to a request by the FBI. Dart said the FBI investigation had been underway for five months when sheriff's police uncovered their evidence.

Others charged include

-- Dwayne Williams, 42, of Country Club Hills;
-- Antoine D. Dudley, 28, of Harvey, Harvey police officer;
-- James Engram, Jr., 41, of Calumet City, Harvey police officer;
-- Kyle T. Wilson, 31, of Chicago, Chicago police officer;
-- Timothy Funches, 26, of Bellwood, sheriff's officer;
-- Diallo Mingo, 34, of Calumet City, sheriff's officer;
-- Antwon Funches, 34, of Chicago, sheriff’s officer:
-- Antonio B. McCaskill, 30, of Harvey:
-- Richard O. Hall Jr., 35, of Chicago, sheriff's officer;
-- Robert L. Kelly, 32, of Glenwood, sheriff’s officer:
-- Daniel L. Lee, 31, of Chicago, sheriff's officer: and
-- Julius L. Scott Jr. , 34, of Richton Park, sheriff’s officer.

12/02/2008 11:05AM

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