Feds Indict Sheriff, Employees In Racketeering

ROANOKE, Va. -- Henry County Sheriff Frank Cassell and 12 of his employees have been indicted on federal charges in an alleged drug-related racketeering conspiracy.

A U.S. Postal Service employee, a probation officer and five citizens were also charged in the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday.

U.S. Attorney John Brownlee rolled off the list of charges during a press conference Thursday.


The 48-count indictment alleges drugs and guns seized by the Henry County Sheriff's Department were turned around and sold back to the community.

"You have law enforcement risking their lives to take these guns off the streets," Brownlee said. "Then a very few other members of law enforcement putting them right back there, not to mention cocaine, crack, and others."

Brownlee said it was corruption by a sheriff and others who were turned to by the community during the Jennifer Short murder investigation.

In 2002, a Virginia couple was killed in their home and their 9-year-old daughter abducted.

The body of the girl, Jennifer Short, was found several weeks later beneath a bridge in Rockingham County. No one has been charged in the slayings.

Charges in the indictment -- handed down on Tuesday -- include racketeering, narcotics distribution, obstruction of justice and perjury.

Federal agents arrested most of the defendants early Thursday morning.

The indictment alleges that beginning in 1998, drugs seized by the sheriff's office were sold to citizens for distribution. The drugs include cocaine, marijuana, steroids and the sedative Ketamine.

Cassell was charged with impeding the investigation by federal agents, who began their probe in March of last year.

He has been sheriff of Henry County since 1992, and his department has 122 employees, including 96 sworn law enforcement officers.

News of the arrest left the community shaken.

"It hurts a whole lot, I'm saddened by the situation," said resident Jack Cristall.

I ALL WAYS KNEW THAT THERE WAS WAY TOO MANY DIRTY COPS IN VA, AND LETS NOT FORGET THOSE THAT WORKS IN THE COURTS AS WELL... I STILL HAVE TO WONDER HOW MANY OF THESE DIRTY COPS ARE STILL AROUND AND HOW MANY ARE IN CHESAPEAKE....