Cop leak suspected in drug quiz tip-off

Federal prosecutors blame a Chicago police "leak" for tippingoff a large-scale West Side drug ring about an undercoverinvestigation.

The leak theory emerged Thursday as a veteran Chicago policeofficer, a Cook County sheriff's deputy and five others pleaded notguilty to drug charges.

It came on the heels of a prosecutor's statement last week thattwo unnamed former high-ranking police officers were "helpers andprotectors" for the ring.

"There was a leak in this case, apparently out of the ChicagoPolice Department," Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Scorza saidThursday.

Discussing a suspected tip-off to the alleged drug dealers lastFriday, Scorza did not mention Chicago police as the source.

Scorza said Nedrick Ricardo "Rick" Miller, a 35-year policeveteran accused of leading the drug ring, learned of the federalinvestigation early in March.

By then, Miller's phone had been tapped and an undercover agentnicknamed "Little Wolf" had penetrated the operation as a cocainebuyer.

Through the wiretap, Scorza said, federal agents learned thatMiller contacted another defendant, Sgt. Joseph Neeley, 62, a CookCounty sheriff's deputy assigned to Cook County jail.

Scorza said that Neeley, at Miller's direction, began asking agovernment informant "pointed questions" about Little Wolf.

"They were obviously suspicious, and they were suspicious of theright guy," said Scorza. On March 9, agents say they intercepted aphone conversation in which Miller said he thought his phone callsand mail were being monitored.

Rather than endanger Little Wolf further, Scorza said, theundercover agent was pulled out of the drug-dealing circle. WhenMiller was arrested last week, he reportedly told Scorza, "You neverwould have got me if I didn't deal with Little Wolf."

Others who pleaded not guilty Thursday included three allegedsuppliers of cocaine and heroin to the ring: James Badger, 40, of4550 S. Cottage Grove; Attorney Roscoe Foreman, of 5482 S. HydePark, and Mariano "Mario" Lettieri, of 5817 W. Madison.

Not guilty pleas also were entered by Marcia Fay Ivy, 35, of5501 W. Washngton, and Annette Daggs, 48, of 5123 W. Washington.