CRIME REPORT

COLCOR REDUX

Many people in local media were either not living in this area or are not old enough to remember the Federal Government undercover investigation into COLCOR (Columbus County Corruption) or the huge drug arrests made during the same time by another Federal and State Government investigation called Operation Gateway. SBI Director Haywood Starling said at a press conference in Raleigh back in 1983 that the operation involved seizures of 68 tons of marijuana and methaqualone worth an estimated 37 million dollars.

COLCOR's success was largely due to the deep undercover work by FBI Special Agent Robert Drdak who's testimony to the Grand Jury led to the arrest of a long list of prominent Brunswick and Columbus County citizens. Brunswick County Sheriff Herman Strong (numerous charges of conspiring to smuggle drugs, providing protection to drug smugglers, accepting bribes and 2 incidents of drug smuggling marijuana and methaqualone tablets), Shallotte Police Chief Hoyal "Red" Varnum (conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 1,100 to 1,400 pounds of marijuana) and his brother Steve Varnum (a past Chairman of the Brunswick County Commissioners), Lake Waccamaw Police Chief L. Harold Lowery, (racketeering in connection with taking $1,650 in bribes for protection money), a former Columbus County Commissioner Edward Walton Williamson (who gave the undercover agent money to deal with Star News reporter Judith Tillman and send her back to Alabama), District Court Judge J. Wilton Hunt (racketeering and interstate gambling), State Rep. G. Ronald Taylor, (burning three warehouses belonging to another state senator who was Taylor's competition in the farm-implement business) Senator RC Soles (influence peddling, vote tampering, buying votes for District Attorney candidate Rex Gore, conspiracy to affect commerce by extortion), Lt. Governor Jimmy Green (charged with taking a $2,000 bribe and conspiring to take $10,000 in bribes a month) and an assorted cast of characters right out of some southern gothic horror film.

Over 400 video and audio recordings of transactions and conversations between undercover FBI agents and defendants helped convince the Grand Jury of a need to hand down indictments on some of the regions most politically powerful people and their allies.

Approximately two weeks prior to the arrests the Brunswick Beacon and the Whiteville Newspaper the News Reporter speculated about the Grand Jury and upcoming indictments. Other news outlets followed suit. According to Senior DEA Agent Mike Grimes "I've been an agent for the past 11 years and I've never seen anything like this," he said "The press beat me to the scene-there were helicopters, there were TV Cars, there were newspaper reporters - there were press people everywhere," Grimes said."You might have thought the President was coming to town."

With news of multiple subpoenas being issued to the current Brunswick County Sheriff Ron Hewett, his family, some deputies, DA Rex Gore and a few select individuals and businesses with dealings on his campaign, many are talking, actually whispering about upcoming BRUNCOR (Brunswick County Corruption) indictments.

Whatever it is that is brewing up in the Federal Courthouse in Raleigh can't possibly equal the exciting Hollywood-like events from 1982-83. B-25 bombers landing in fields, dead bodies searched for in hog pits, fake kidnappings, Cuban smugglers, U-Haul trucks with 10,000 pounds of pot getting stuck in a ditch, fake drugs busts, and legislation enacted to make it illegal for the Federal Government to use money to influence a vote. Apparently Columbus County owes it's liquor by the drink to an undercover agent spreading around money.

The current speculation is that Sheriff Hewett may have used taxpayer money to fund a piece of his campaign. For instance deputies handing out yard signs while on duty and using the office of Sheriff as an advertising vehicle in various media outlets, something at least two recent sheriffs have done in New Hanover County. Remember those tongue and cheek anti-drug billboards Sheriff Hewett had all around Brunswick County right at election time? That is the sort of thing being discussed at the Grand Jury Hearings in Raleigh, petty stuff like that is driving this investigation.

Or is it?

A few trivial side notes:

A lawsuit was filed by someone who was not arrested for any crime connected to COLCOR yet he was implicated in an article published in the Wilmington Star News. The newspaper was successfully defended by 2004 and 2008 Presidential candidate John Edwards.

RC Soles was successfully defended by famed Duke lacrosse attorney Joe Cheshire who viciously attacked undercover FBI Agent Drdak's truthfulness. Retired Agent Robert Drdak is currently one of the country's top Polygraph specialists and was hired by Cheshire to persuade Durham DA and Wilmington native Mike Nifong of his client's innocence.

I was an adviser to Lt. Governor Jimmy Green when Green was arrested. Green was also found not guilty.

"Whitey" Durham is One Tree Hill's Raven's basketball coach and also a father figure. Durham is played by actor Barry Corbin. James Walter "Whitey" Durham of Wilmington was sentenced to 21 years in Federal prison for drug smuggling. Durham is also believed to have shot and killed three Cubans that landed an airplane filled with drugs in Columbus County.

Reade Seligmann Testifies

DENIAL-AGATIONS

Rumors quickly circulated that Sheriff Ron Hewett of Brunswick County was arrested after the conclusion of a secret Federal Grand Jury Hearing in Wilmington Thursday. We had heard that as many as 50 deputies were subpoenaed and financial records were seized as part of an investigation into the violation of election laws and by taking money from the taxpayers of Brunswick County by having Deputies work on his reelection while on the clock.

When I called the FBI, the US Attorney, the SBI, DA Rex Gore's office and the Sheriff's office, no one owned up to anything. Best I could tell by the responses I received was that no one knew anything about anything, pushing me from one agency to another and imagine this, all were surprised I called. When I bluntly asked to one person answering the phone up the chain, "has Ron Hewett been arrested?" I was told, "Unfortunately no." not meaning to have said that of course, it was honestly just a slip of the tongue and gave us both a good laugh, but still. Another official said to me in an earlier conversation, "We didn't arrest him, I mean I know, I know why they (a different agency) arrested him ... why they might have ... well I'd call them, I can't say anything more."

At around 5 PM Thursday the Sheriff issued a brief statement claiming that he himself is just as clueless as everyone else is, why anyone would want to investigate him and insisted to the Star News that he was not arrested.

When asked earlier in the day about rumors of federal action involving him, Hewett said he was not going to be arrested. "I will assure you that I am definitely not under arrest," he said.

The question that still needs answering simply is this: Who is running this investigation?

In the meantime, one has to accept, that DA Gore is to be believed when he said, "I am satisfied that we are not looking at a police corruption situation, and there is no reason to believe the citizens of Brunswick County are in jeopardy because the deputies would not be able to do their jobs."

No matter what is actually happening, there is a good deal of energy and effort on the part of some unspecified governmental agency that believes a crime took place and that Sheriff Ron Hewett is responsible. That agency is preparing a campaign against Sheriff Hewett and if in fact the Sheriff has no idea why he has been asked to appear in Raleigh, he better find out pronto and hire himself a damn good lawyer.

SUPERSTARS

In my life I have met all kinds of people. If I were to begin a list of the who's who you wouldn't believe me. Several of the people I've met, drank beer with, shared a meal are super stars, seriously. For my 18th birthday John Lennon and Yoko gave me presents, no lie.

I bring this up for a reason. Marc and I began this radio show a little more than 3 years ago. Since then I have met true superstars, champions, people whose life is unique and inspiring. Most of these people are women, Monica Caison, tireless advocate for missing persons, Heather Baker, the tenacious aunt of murdered 7 year old Kayla Allen, Karen Riojas and Terzel Brown, the mother and grandmother of the stranger abducted and murdered Michelle Bullard, Donny and Linda Beck, hardheaded parents of wrongfully convicted Johnny Beck, Hilarie Scarbro, the guardian of the estate of dead inmate Gary Rummer, Carla Roberts, Yahweh Center's founding director and the life breath to those abused and neglected children that find their way into her arms, and Sharlene Pence, the loving mother of murdered 17 year old Danny Pence.

I have just recently gotten to know Sharlene by sitting behind her for the 3 weeks her son's murderer was on trial. Danny was, as she told Marc back in 1995, "if you looked up the words perfect son in the dictionary you'd find a picture of Danny, he was so perfectly perfect"

Since 1995, the year a stranger repeatedly beat Danny to death, Sharlene has been living surrounded by constant reminders of her great and tragic loss. 2 court trials, 12 years of waiting for justice to prevail. Yet her spirit is bright and her heart is cheerful and full of expectations and hope. Sharlene couldn't wait to open up her pocketbook to show me a picture of her soon to be new daughter-in-law, Danny's brother will take on a bride this fall and Sharlene is beaming with pride.

So when I say I have met, spent time with, gotten to know some of the world's famous, those with their faces on Newsweek from time to time, and I tell you that the greatest people I have ever met are those such as Sharlene Pence, I am dead serious.

The past 3 years doing this radio show has been a hardship and a definite sacrifice, yet it is the most rewarding time of my life. I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to witness the lives of these remarkable women. Thank each of you for being the people the rest of us think we could never become. Thank you for giving me hope and a reason to fight the fight we do.

God bless each of you, always!