2 COPS PLEAD GUILTY, HELP CASE

They Admit Roles In Charges Against Third Officer Who's Been Indicted

Two Memphis police officers pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to
charges they extorted cash and planted drugs on motorists in bogus traffic
stops.

West Precinct officers Adam Gagnier, 29, and Jennifer Vickery, 35, have
agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors investigating similar
incidents involving at least one other officer currently under indictment.

Both admitted playing roles in charges pending against fellow officer James
Fetter.

Fetter, who's in federal custody, was indicted last week on charges of
violating the civil rights of his estranged wife and her employer.

Gagnier told authorities he planted drugs on Leah Fetter and Bert Adcock at
the urging of Fetter, his patrol partner.

Gagnier, who joined the department in January 2002, faces up to 40 years in
prison and $750,000 in fines. He resigned Sept. 16.

Vickery, who also became a police officer in January 2002, faces up to 20
years in prison. She was relieved of duty last month and is expected to resign.

"She has been cooperating fully and she's admitted everything in this
case," said Asst. U.S. Atty. Steve Parker.

He said the government will recommend a sentence reduction if Vickery and
Gagnier continue to cooperate.

In a criminal information, in which a defendant waives indictment by a
grand jury, Gagnier acknowledged that he and Fetter stopped Laquan Neal and
Latoya Greer on Feb. 25, 2004, at Danny Thomas and Jackson and took $2,800
in cash from them and said the money was being officially seized.

When Neal and Greer protested and asked for a receipt, the officers
threatened to arrest them. The motorists were released, no receipt was
given and the seized money wasn't reported to the Police Department.

The two officers then split the cash, prosecutors said.

Gagnier pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the civil rights of Neal,
Greer, Adcock and Leah Fetter.

Fetter remains under indictment in the cases.

Gagnier also pleaded guilty to using blank offense reports to create a
false burglary report at his residence on Spottswood in June or July and
filing false insurance claims that netted him $5,323.

Vickery, once a regular partner to Gagnier, pleaded guilty to stopping
motorist Terrence Edwards on July 3, 2004, at Jackson and Montgomery and
taking $6,000 from a locked console box in his vehicle.

She and Gagnier split the money and charged Edwards with drug possession
after planting cocaine in his car, court documents state.

Vickery also pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to mail fraud
stemming from a February incident in which Fetter wounded himself in the
biceps while on duty, but reported that a suspect shot him so he could get
medical benefits and injury pay.

Vickery said she received a pistol from Gagnier, but later became
suspicious and asked him if it had been used to stage Fetter's shooting.

When Gagnier acknowledged that it had, Vickery returned the pistol so the
evidence could be destroyed, authorities said.