JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - Two former Jackson Police Department
patrol officers pleaded guilty to accepting bribes to protect a drug shipment
coming into Hawkins Field in Jackson, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Former
Officers Monyette Quintel Jefferson, 27, and Terence Dale Jenkins, 25, pleaded
guilty Wednesday in federal court to getting paid bribes to protect 100 kilograms of cocaine that was
going to be coming in on an airplane to Jackson, federal officials stated.
Jefferson
agreed to protect the shipment, according to federal authorities.
On June 25,
2010, an undercover FBI agent posing as a drug trafficker met with Jefferson
and Anthony Ricardo Payne Jr. at a mall in Jackson, federal officials stated.
The FBI
agent, Jefferson and Payne discussed protecting the shipment of cocaine that
was coming into Jackson that day.
Later that
day, Jefferson arrived at the airport in his patrol vehicle and met with the
undercover FBI agent, federal officials stated.
At 3:55
p.m., a different FBI agent working in
an undercover capacity, arrived and simulated the purchase of about 20
kilograms cocaine from the first undercover FBI in the presence of Jenkins.
After the
drugs were exchanged, the first undercover FBI agent paid Jenkins $5,000 for
his help in protecting the drug transaction, federal officials stated.
Jenkins
provided further protection by following the second FBI agent from the airport
to Interstate 20 in Jackson, according to federal authorities.
On June 25,
2010, Payne who was in his patrol car met with the first undercover FBI agent
at the airport to protect another 100 kilograms of cocaine.
Five minutes
later, the second undercover FBI agent
arrived and simulated the purchase of 20 kilograms of cocaine, according to federal officials.
After the
exchange, the first undercover agent simulated the payment for the drugs, and
Payne was paid $5,000 for helping protect the drug transaction, federal
officials stated.
Jenkins was paid another $6,000 for his help
and followed the third undercover with his patrol car to protect the agent who
Jenkins believed was a drug dealer, federal agents stated.
Jefferson
and Jenkins will be sentenced in January and are each facing a 10 year
sentence, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Payne is
pending trial.