
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, January 28, 1994                   TAG: 9401280199
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-11   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: ROANOKE                                LENGTH: Short

GILES DRUG SUSPECT'S BOND SET AT $100,000

A U.S. District Court judge set a $100,000 bond for a Giles County drug suspect who prosecutors say was a fugitive for more than two years before his arrest last month in Oregon.

Judge James Turk set bail for Patrick Wilson Johnson, despite objections from Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Peters who said the Narrows man might run again.

"There is a strong risk that he will flee," she said.

Johnson, 48, has pleaded not guilty to a four-count federal indictment of possession of marijuana and cocaine.

Police seized more than $104,000 in cash, one of the largest amounts ever taken by state police in a drug case, following Johnson's arrest in Montgomery County in May 1991.

State and local charges against Johnson were dropped so he could be prosecuted by federal authorities, but the Giles County man left town before being indicted.

Federal agents tracked down and recaptured the fugitive, who was living under a false name, in Oregon, Peters said.

by CNB