Federal judge tosses 13 more drug cases

[Janelle2002 3,865]

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday dismissed criminal indictments against 13 more defendants in major drug cases as authorities continued to investigate the growing scandal of an FBI agent accused of tampering with narcotics, firearms and other evidence seized in the cases.

The action by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton came one day after prosecutors dropped charges against 10 other defendants — some already serving lengthy prison sentences — in related cases.

"This is pretty huge," said Carmen Hernandez, an attorney for one of the defendants. "There are people who have pled guilty being released from prison. The magnitude of the tampering or wrongdoing must be pretty large."

The agent being investigated is Matthew Lowry, 33, according to his attorney, Robert Bonsib.

"Agent Lowry is committed to assisting in the investigation of this matter and is making himself fully available to the authorities to answer any and all questions they have," Bonsib said.

FBI officials have not released the name of the agent or details of the alleged wrongdoing. The Washington Post first identified Lowry as the accused agent.

According to court papers, the FBI notified the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington on Oct. 1 about possible misconduct by an agent in the execution of a search warrant on Nov. 20, 2013, at a residence and in a vehicle belonging to one of the co-defendants in Deale, Maryland.

In one case, 10 defendants were charged with conspiring to distribute more than 2 pounds of heroin and more than 10 pounds of cocaine last year. In a separate case, eight defendants were indicted for allegedly conspiring to distribute more than 2 pounds of heroin in 2012.

In all, the government plans to dismiss at least 28 cases.

"We're doing a case-by-case review of matters involving the agent," said Bill Miller, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington.

Miller said the Justice Department's inspector general's office is conducting the investigation..

Walton dismissed the 13 cases Friday without prejudice, meaning the government could try to refile charges in the future. The defendants had pleaded guilty or were awaiting trial on various charges related to the drug cases, including one who had already begun serving a five-year prison sentence.

"Understand that you all dodged a bullet," Walton told the defendants as they sat — some smiling — in the jury box. "I hope we don't see you all in here again. Good luck to you."

http://news.yahoo.com/federal-judge-tosses-13-more-drug-cases-202619994--politics.html

[TBoneTX 43,175]

possible misconduct by an agent in the execution of a search warrant

If it's actual and not merely possible misconduct, the agent and all like him should be locked up with key thrown away.

Edited November 8, 2014 by TBoneTX

[Janelle2002 3,865]

If it's actual and not merely possible misconduct, the agent and all like him should be locked up with key thrown away.

Yes. I am also mad that some bad people are getting to go free in the process as well.

If you can't trust a good ole FBI agent then who can you trust?

[rlogan 2,036]

Our police department was called upon to produce ten thousand dollars cash that had been seized without due process. The money was missing. Lawyers began demanding production of the cocaine, guns and such that their clients had been charged with possessing. None could be produced. Case after case was dismissed.

Only two people had access to the evidence locker. The police chief and the secretary he was having an affair with. Mayor Hayes, a very popular black preacher interceded in a state investigation, using his political capital to claim he would investigate it thoroughly on his own. Mayor Hayes could find no wrongdoing.

Mayor Hayes, his wife, and I think his son too are in jail now for embezzling federal funds that were given to him for the purpose of his south side low-income community center. He embezzled some of it for nice additions to his church too. The original police chief retired with full benefits, and nothing has ever been investigated since. He's gotten off scott free, thanks to Mayor Hayes. It's astonishing what they got away with for so long, but he had all the right credentials - a black preacher in a low income black area of town who was also mayor. While mayor the police chief was stealing cash, drugs, and guns from the police evidence locker and getting away with it because almost all the cases were plea-bargained. The Mayor himself was skimming hundreds of thousands off a multimillion dollar grant program for low income people. I knew Jim because I was in office at the same time. I liked him. It's crazy what they were doing, but we probably don't even know half of it.

[Darnell 8,478]

well, it's a new calendar back at the court, i wonder how many more cases were tossed ?

[luckytxn 2,263]

He won't be. He will be moved to a new office. The Feds love initiative in emprisoning as many citizens as possible.

If it's actual and not merely possible misconduct, the agent and all like him should be locked up with key thrown away.