DATE: Saturday, April 5, 1997               TAG: 9704050322

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Briefs 

                                            LENGTH:   85 lines

VIRGINIA [BRIEFS]

SOUTHWEST

Federal informants

plead not guilty

to cocaine smuggling

ROANOKE - Two Colombia natives pleaded not guilty Friday to smuggling tons of cocaine through Virginia, charges that persuaded them to become government informants in an undercover money laundering investigation.

Javier Cruz and Leonardo Rivera-Ruiz infiltrated the highest levels of the Cali cocaine cartel in Colombia and provided information that helped convict other drug traffickers, according to Drug Enforcement Administration officials.

Both face 20 years to life in prison if convicted of smuggling cocaine and operating a continuing criminal enterprise. But the minimum sentence can be reduced if a judge believes they provided substantial assistance during the undercover operation.

Cruz and Ruiz were arrested in April 1991, and Cruz originally pleaded guilty to some of the charges.

During the arraignment Friday, Cruz was allowed to remain free on his original $100,000 unsecured bond.

DEA agents said he is living in a secret location under the government's protection because his role as an informant puts his life in danger.

Ruiz was released on a $300,000 bond partially secured by his mother's house. He also is in protective custody.

U.S. Magistrate Glen Conrad ordered Cruz and Ruiz to have no contact with the 23 other defendants in the case, most of whom are living in Colombia, which does not have an extradition agreement with the United States.

NORTHERN Man faces jail time for car crash that paralyzed child

MANASSAS - A man charged with causing an accident that left a child paralyzed pleaded no contest to reckless driving Friday in a case both sides called a cautionary tale about highway aggression.

Fred Hamilton Jr. and the 3-year-old child's father jockeyed for position and exchanged rude hand gestures in morning traffic on Interstate 95 on Nov. 20, police said.

Brenna Finck was gravely injured when her father's truck flipped over. No one else was seriously hurt.

``A little girl was hurt very badly. It was never my intention to hurt her or anyone else,'' Hamilton said in a prepared statement.

Prince William County General District Judge Lon E. Farris sentenced Hamilton, of Locust Grove, to 12 months in jail but suspended 10 months of the sentence.

Hamilton, 20, will be allowed to continue his job as a laborer through a work-release program and will drive himself to work. When he is released, Hamilton must attend a court-sponsored class to control his anger.

Robert E. Finck, 37, was originally charged with reckless driving and failing to secure Brenna's safety seat. Prosecutors dropped the charges in February, saying there was not enough evidence Finck committed a crime.

Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney D. Scott Bailey said both men behaved irresponsibly.

``Mr. Finck's actions would not be something I would have done had I had my child in the car,'' Bailey said. ``His lack of control of his temper certainly contributed to the atmosphere of anger.''

Bailey said he agreed to a plea bargain because he was unlikely to win a longer jail term for Hamilton if the case went to trial.

Police detective's latest

case: finding his own car

FAIRFAX - Car ZUA-6390, where are you?

Someone apparently walked into a parking garage at police headquarters and drove off with an unmarked police cruiser. The burgundy Crown Victoria with Virginia license plates ZUA-6390 was taken sometime during the workday Thursday, said Lt. Michael Fish.

``It is assigned to a detective. He parked it when he came into work at about 8 a.m. When he went out at 5 p.m. he couldn't find it,'' Fish said.

The cruiser was locked and parked in an area used only by police, Fish said.

The 1993, four-door cruiser is equipped with emergency lights in the front grille and rear window.

To help find it, Fairfax County police have taken all similar unmarked cruisers out of service.

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