THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, July 30, 1996                TAG: 9607300293
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                          LENGTH:   45 lines

ESCAPED PRISONER WAS SUSPECTED DRUG BOSS BUT FEDERAL OFFICIALS DIDN'T TELL THE COUNTY, LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAY.

Federal investigators knew that a prisoner being held by the Hanover County sheriff's office was the suspected head of an East Coast drug ring but didn't tell Hanover officials, the local officials say.

The prisoner, Ronald Zebrowski, escaped from Hanover deputies last month with the help of accomplices while on a visit to a dentist. He has not been recaptured.

Zebrowski used the alias Daniel R. Weston when he was stopped April 17 on Interstate 95 in the county north of Richmond. Police found 7.7 pounds of cocaine and $342,500 in cash in his car.

Three weeks later, on May 7, government attorneys obtained a sealed indictment identifying Zebrowski as the head of a drug ring that includes two brothers, a sister, their father and 11 other people. The indictment listed one of Zebrowski's 10 known aliases as Daniel R. Weston.

The federal indictment alleged that Zebrowski and a brother, Stephen Zebrowski Jr., controlled ``a national drug organization that distributed large quantities of crack and powder cocaine throughout the eastern United States.''

However, the indictment remained sealed, and Hanover jail officials weren't told who Weston really was.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Monday that a copy of the indictment was delivered to the newspaper, although the document is still under seal.

Capt. Howard Wray, the officer in charge of the Hanover jail at the time of the June 6 escape, said his office learned afterward who Weston was and that he had been indicted on federal drug kingpin charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Novak, believed to be the lead prosecutor in the federal case, said he could not comment.

Zebrowski had help in making his escape. As he was being led in shackles and handcuffs, an armed man overtook two deputies from behind, forced them to the ground, hustled Zebrowski to a car where another man was waiting, and the car sped off. It was found in a parking lot 10 blocks away, where the trio had been seen getting into another car driven by a fourth man.

KEYWORDS: ESCAPED PRISONER by CNB