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Bartow Officer Among Arrests In Polk Pot Ring Bust

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TBO.com

Published: August 13, 2008

Updated: 08/13/2008 05:32 pm

Keenan Colson

TAMPA - An investigation into a Polk County marijuana distribution ring has led to 19 arrests, including the arrest of a crooked Lake Wales police officer, Polk County deputies say.

Officer Keenan Colson, 50, of Bartow, was arrested today on multiple charges, including one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering. Lake Wales police participated in the investigation and have fired Colson, deputies said.

"To us in law enforcement, most importantly, what occurred was it led us to a corrupt police officer who was not only divulging information but was putting undercover detectives at risk," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Polk County detectives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Central Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas task force began an investigation in December of marijuana distribution in the county. During Operation Cast Cade, investigators focused on two people they thought were involved in drug sales and distribution:– Clayton Hoerler, 25, of Lake Alfred, and William "Big June" Cade, 27, of Haines City.

Cade is "the criminal boss of a tight-knit criminal group operating in east Polk County," a sheriff's office news release states.

"It was one big ring," Judd said. "Hoerler got his drugs from Cade, but independently, Hoerler was responsible for certain … grow houses. In fact, he taught Cade about grow houses.

"Cade liked to fashion himself after Scarface. He had some kind of poster up as Scarface, and he liked to think of himself as Scarface in Haines City. … Eventually he might have met with the same demise as Scarface, because they were a very violent group of folks."

Detectives associated three marijuana indoor grow operations with Hoerler and two with Cade. Detectives seized about $60,000, 20 pounds of marijuana and 168 marijuana plants. The investigation yielded 19 arrests and more than 80 criminal charges.

According to the news release:

On May 22, a judicial order allowed investigators to intercept cell phone calls from Hoerler.

The next week, Hoerler gave a vehicle tag number to Colson and asked Colson identify the owner. Colson said the vehicle was registered to a Polk County detective he knew, and Hoerler said he planned to notify his people not to deal with the detective.

On May 30, Hoerler gave Colson a name, seeking to learn whether that person had an outstanding warrant. Colson said the person did not, and Hoerler offered to buy Colson dinner in exchange for the information.

On June 7, detectives arrested Donald Thompson Jr., 30, of Winter Haven. They learned through the wire tape that Thompson was heading to Hoerler's home to buy marijuana and arrested Thompson after he picked it up. They found half a pound of marijuana in the vehicle. Thompson's charges include one count of possession of marijuana.

On June 8, Hoerler called Colson to tell him Thompson had been arrested.

"Officer Colson then extensively coached and advised Hoerler about how to deal with Thompson going forward, warned him about police controlled phone calls and controlled drug buys and how to avoid detection. Colson concluded the conversation by telling Hoerler that Thompson's arrest and the subsequent problems and risks were all a part of the illegal business in which he was involved."

On June 12, a judicial order allowed investigators to intercept cell phone calls from William "Big June" Cade.

Less than two weeks later, detectives intercepted a call between Cade and Felicia Zackery, 26, of Orlando. Zackery said she would be delivering marijuana to Cade. After Zackery and Malan Barratt, 24, of Orlando, left Cade's home, investigators stopped the vehicle as it was heading back to Orlando. Roughly $13,550 was seized.

Zackery and Barratt were not arrested until Monday. The charges included one count of sale of marijuana.

On Monday, detectives executed a search warrant at Cade's Haines City home. They seized 6 pounds of marijuana, 35 marijuana plants, a 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe and about $2,000. They also seized six firearms, including an AK-47 Cade referred to as "chopper."

Cade's charges include eight counts of sale of marijuana and four counts of conspiracy to sell marijuana.

"Cade told deputies that he has been involved in the illegal drug trade since he was 16 and that it was exclusively how he made his living and that drug dealing was all he knew how to do."

Colson and Hoerler were arrested today.

Hoerler's charges include conspiracy to commit racketeering, sale of marijuana and child abuse. Investigators say Hoerler took his 4-year-old daughter with him when he went to buy 2 pounds of marijuana in June.

Hoerler's uncle, 40-year-old Darin Hoerler of Orlando, and Hoerler's mother, 50-year-old Bernadette Hoerler of Lake Hamilton, also were arrested. Darin Hoerler's charges include one count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device, and Bernadette Hoerler's charges include money laundering.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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