The Vidorian
August 25, 1998
FBI Agent Details Wade's Use of Country Drug Funds
by Rick Young
Staff Writer
An FBI agent testifying in the trial of suspended Orange County Sheriff James Wade said Wade had told him in January the sheriff was using funds from the department's narcotic buy money to pay personal bills.
Special Agent Roger Humphrey who, with Agent Zechariah Shelton, helped make the case against Wade that resulted in a 10-count federal indictment, said Wade had come to him Jan. 15 after hearing rumors that Wade had been targeted in an FBI probe of narcotics activities in Orange County. Humphrey said Wad had discussed the matter with U. W. Attorney Bob Wortham and had spent about two hours with FBI agents talking voluntarily in an unrecorded interview.
Humphrey told the jury that Wade said he was financially strapped and that he had taken funds from the Drug by reserve in order to pay personal bills. Wade told the FBI, Humphrey said, that Wade told him his January bills amounted to more than $2,000. The federal indictments included charges of embezzlement from the fund.
Tommy Hennigan, Orange County Sheriff Department senior captain who is in charge of the fund, testified last week that Wade had taken more than $6,000 from the fund, returned more than $2,000 and justified the use of more than $600. Included on the ledger as a withdrawal was $400 that was approved but never actually taken out.
Humphrey said Wade had detailed January bills of $520 house note; $158 swimming pool note; $232 Ford Pickup note; $375 van note; $192 wife's car note; $425 Chevrolet Blazer note; $200 boat note; $40 computer note; and $150 for the second lien on his Dodge Ram. Not included was incidental bills, including groceries for a family of four.
Wade's County salary was $29,200 per year plus a $950 per month car allowance.
In addition, Wade said he had monthly bills for credit cards and Charge accounts Wade's wife, Neva, who owns Neva's Beauty shop, reportedly grossed $1,00-$1,500 per month.
Humphrey confirmed for the jury Wade's explanation that he had posed s a "crooked sheriff" in order to make drug busts in Orange County Wade's attorney, Gary Richardson of Tulsa, Okla., told the jury during opening arguments that that was Wade's plan. Humphrey said Wade had discussed that plan with Wortham.
Hardin County Sheriff H. R. "mike" Holzapfel testified earlier that he believed such a plan by a sheriff would constitute "political suicide" and that if he had ever d3ecided to go undercover on a case he would have wanted "God and everybody to know about it."
Star witness for the prosecution Donnie Flowers, 27, an unindicted co-conspirator in the case and who now lives under the FBI witness protection plan, finished his testimony Wednesday morning. Under cross-examination Flowers admitted to having fabricated his initial story to the FBI, which had included confirmation of Wade's story about going undercover as a crooked sheriff. Flowers told the jury he had later recanted that story after talking to the FBI. His later story was that he had been recruited by Wade to make and sell methamphetamines, or "speed," and split the profits with Wade.
A record book Flowers had kept during his confessed drug trafficking days listed cash payments made to someone termed "Boss," which Flowers said was his name for Wade. Richardson had Flowers read from the book the entries he had listed for "Mom," Richardson implied that the payments to "Boss" could have meant payments to "Mom," but Flowers testified the payments to his mother were either cash he had borrowed from her or payments for drug sales he had made that the buyers had dropped off at his mother's house, which Flowers, his wife and the couple's three children shared with his mother.
In grand jury testimony given earlier this year, Flowers said he had paid Wade more than $40,000 in drug money.
An observer at the trial phoned the Vidorian Wednesday afternoon and said Judge Howell Cobb had cleared the courtroom and was hearing "in-camera" statements concerning the jury having overheard a television reporter phoning a story into a Golden Triangle station during a break in testimony. When the jury returned to the courtroom after the break, the foreman passed a note to Cobb, who read it, then questioned each member of the press present about how they were filing their stories. After the in-camera session, Cobb allowed everyone and admonished members of the press to be more careful.
A family spokesman for Wade said a mistrial at this point could prove financially devastating for the Wades. Expenses for witnesses for the defense are Wade's responsibility and the spokesman said they were "Just about broke."
"We're still accepting donations to keep Neva and the boys going," Betty Drake of Orange said. Motel bills alone are averaging about $1,700 per week for the defense she said.
Testimony continued in the case Thursday morning.
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