ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, June 28, 1996 TAG: 9606280052
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DALLAS
SOURCE: Associated Press
A Dallas police officer subpoenaed to testify in the drug trial of Michael Irvin was arrested Thursday after trying to hire a hitman to kill the Dallas Cowboys receiver, police chief Ben Click said.
Johnnie Hernandez, 28, was arrested on a charge of solicitation of capital murder a day after he paid ``several thousand dollars'' as a downpayment to an undercover agent posing as a hitman, Click said.
``They did come to an agreement on a price. The officer did make a partial payment - a large sum of money,'' the chief said of the deal made in a shopping center parking lot between Hernandez and an agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration. ``The officer had wanted the hit to occur very soon.''
Hernandez has been subpoenaed as a witness in Irvin's ongoing drug-possession trial, he said. The chief cited a gag order in that case as the reason he couldn't provide specifics about the plot.
``I cannot talk about motive at this point,'' Click said.
Hernandez, a five-year police veteran, was being held at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center and has resigned from the force, Click said. If convicted, he faces up to 99 years in prison.
The officer's arrest ended an investigation that started a few days ago after police received information about the scheme.
``A public integrity investigation was started earlier this week after we received information that Hernandez had expressed a desire to hire somebody to kill Mr. Michael Irvin.'' Click said.
``It makes me feel terrible,'' he said. ``It's one of those things you'd never think you'd see. At the same time, it pleases me this information came to us and we were able to make an arrest.''
The latest developments came on the third day of jury selection in Irvin's trial.
Irvin faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence if he is convicted of the second-degree felony cocaine possession charge. He also is charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Irvin, 30, was indicted along with topless dancers Jasmine Jennipher Nabwangu, 22, and Angela Renee Beck, 21, who were in an Irving motel room March 4 when police were summoned by the night manager.
KXAS-TV of Dallas, quoting unidentified sources, reported Hernandez lives in the Dallas suburb of Cedar Hill with a woman named Rochelle Smith.
Smith testified extensively before grand jury that indicted Irvin and reportedly talked about alleged drug involvement with Irvin and with her husband, who was not named.
The station also reported Hernandez once lived with Angela Beck and that two people, Dennis Pedini and Anthony Montoya, met with Smith and Irvin one night to discuss her grand jury testimony.
After that, Hernandez reportedly became angry and decided he would put out a hit.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 linesby CNB