LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, along with David T. Resch, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Colonel Stan Witt, Director of the Arkansas State Police (ASP), announced today that former Arkansas State Police Lieutenant Sedrick L. Reed, age 44, entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance in the August 7, 2013 indictment in United States v. Sedrick L. Reed. The charge stemmed from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s ArkTrust Public Corruption Task Force with the full cooperation of the Arkansas State Police. The investigation was also referred to as Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation “Diverted Justice.”

“Today, Sedrick L. Reed, a former Arkansas State Police lieutenant, admitted his guilt to a cocaine distribution conspiracy. An investigation of this nature is challenging to conduct. I commend the FBI and the Arkansas State Police for their diligence and cooperation to fully investigate this case even though it was another law enforcement official,” stated Thyer. “Citizens of the Eastern District of Arkansas deserve to know that their law enforcement members are trustworthy law abiding citizens and when they are not, they will be held accountable for their illegal actions.

Reed pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The United States dismissed the remaining four counts against the defendant upon acceptance of the guilty plea. Reed faces a potential sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment; not less than five years and up to life supervised release; up to a $10 million fine, and a $100 special assessment. Reed also agreed to the forfeiture of bank accounts, real property, firearms, vehicles, and more than $30,000 in cash constituting proceeds of his illegal conduct.

At his plea hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Billy Roy Wilson in open court, Reed admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute between five and fifteen kilograms of cocaine between 2006 and 2013. Reed admitted that he abused a position of public trust in a manner that significantly facilitated the conspiracy. Reed also admitted to possessing a firearm during the conspiracy. Reed admitted to diverting drugs from a traffic stop and taking drugs from the ASP evidence locker. Reed further admitted that during the course of the conspiracy, Reed profited in excess of $200,000 from the resale of these stolen drugs.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s ArkTrust Public Corruption Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters and Chris Givens.

The remaining defendant in the indictment, Lamont Johnson, is set for trial before Judge Wilson on October 7, 2014.

An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.