cannabisnews.com: Three S.Security Workers Accused of Selling Drugs!





Three S.Security Workers Accused of Selling Drugs!
Posted by FoM on March 05, 1999 at 06:00:50 PT

Federal officers arrested three Social Security Administration employees at work Thursday and charged them with selling drugs in the Richard A. Bolling Federal Building downtown. 
At afternoon hearings, U.S. magistrates unsealed indictments returned earlier this week that accused the Kansas City women of selling drugs while at work. Marsha M. Hawkins, 35, was charged with six counts of distributing crack cocaine. Donna G. Holloway, 29, faces three counts of distributing methamphetamine. Denise R. Watson, 40, was charged with two counts of distributing marijuana and one count of selling crack cocaine. Hawkins and Watson are employed as claims clerks, while Holloway is a benefits authorization trainee, said Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. Barnes said he soon would send Social Security officials copies of the indictments so the agency, which has a "zero tolerance" policy toward illegal drugs in the workplace, could consider whether it should fire them. The women worked in the same unit at Social Security. But Justice Department spokesman Chris Whitley said, "There are no allegations they were operating as a drug ring." The charges related to drug sales made between July 2, 1998, and Aug. 24, 1998, to undercover officers of Social Security's officer of inspector general and the Federal Protective Service, the law enforcement arm of the General Services Administration. Michael Grochowski, regional commissioner for Social Security, said the charges would cast a "tragic and unfair" shadow over the work of honest federal employees. Magistrate Judge Sarah Hays released Holloway and Watson on signature bonds. Magistrate Judge Robert Larson ordered Hawkins held overnight pending a medical evaluation. If convicted, Hawkins could face 120 years in prison and $6 million in fines. Holloway would face 60 years in prison and $3 million in fines. Watson would face 30 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines. http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/local.pat,local/30dacc60.304,.htmlAll content © 1999 The Kansas City Star 
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