Dec 4, 2008 3:07 pm US/Central
Feds: Photo Shows Harvey Cop Carrying 'Drugs'
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
Hidden federal agents snapped photos of a south suburban cop as he toted three duffel bags he believed were stuffed with cocaine, a judge heard Thursday morning.
A photo -- which U.S. attorneys prosecuting the biggest police corruption bust in recent Illinois history say shows Harvey police Detective Archie Stallworth carrying the drugs -- was released to the media after a short hearing at the Dirksen Federal Building.
Stallworth was one of 15 cops allegedly recruited by undercover federal agents to provide security for a dozen major drug deals in parking lots in Oak Lawn, Tinley Park, Homewood and Matteson, as well as at DuPage Airport.
Stallworth's attorney, Ben Starks, said the detective had been carrying out his own investigation into the drug deals when he was arrested, telling Judge Sidney Schenkier that Stallworth did not "possess" the drugs, he only "carried them."
A secretly recorded conversation between Stallworth and an undercover agent during the photographed drug deal Aug. 11, 2007, in which Stallworth said he didn't "even want to see" the drugs showed he was innocent, Starks said.
But Schenkier found probable cause to continue prosecution.
He told Stallworth, "There are times when somebody says they don't want to see what it is, when they already know what it is."
Speaking outside court, FBI Chicago chief Robert Grant said corrupt officials caught in the act "commonly" claim they are conducting their own investigation when caught.
"If we believed that was true, we would not have charged this case," Grant said.
Stallworth hid his face behind a homburg hat as he left the courthouse at lunchtime.
The other accused officers appeared in court Tuesday and are to return Friday.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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