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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MONDAY - November 14, 2005

GREENVILLE- United States Attorney Frank D. Whitney announced that a federal grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against REGINALD LAVERNE ROBERTS, Police Chief of Bethel, N. C. on Wednesday, November 9, 2005. ROBERTS has been charged in a five-count indictment with one count of illegal distribution of a controlled substance; one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance; one count of the use of a firearm during the commission of a crime in relation to drug trafficking; and two counts in violation of federal law for the distribution of a firearm to an individual whom ROBERTS had reasonable cause to believe was a convicted felon. ROBERTS is currently suspended without pay from his position as Police Chief for the Town of Bethel.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department and the Pitt County Sheriff’s Department. AUSA John H. Bennett is prosecuting the case for the United States.

An Indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A trial date has not yet been set.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.