Two former police officers arrested in an FBI corruption sting pleaded guilty Wednesday to drug conspiracy charges. Kevin Companion, 41, Stephen Harrison, 46, and two other officers in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Hollywood were charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute heroin. The other two have pleaded not guilty. Court papers say Companion was the leader and recruited the other three to do illegal work for men they thought were part of a New York mob family. In reality, the "mobsters" were undercover FBI agents.
Among their alleged "protection" activities was escorting a load of heroin from Miami Beach and delivering $1 million in supposedly stolen diamonds to Atlantic City, N.J., documents say.
Hollywood Police Chief James Scarberry said last week that he expected all four to plead guilty.
Telephone messages left for Edward Stamm, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the case; attorneys for the men; and Hollywood police were not returned Wednesday evening.
Companion and Harrison face 10 years to life in prison. They remain free on bond until their sentencing July 20.