Transcript Released Of Long Counting Out "Drug Money"
posted July 2, 2008
The attorney for former Sheriff Billy Long is asking that the "safety valve" apply to his case so that he will receive a prison sentence under the 10-year minimum he is currently facing.
Attorney Jerry Summers said Long, who is awaiting sentencing on federal extortion charges at the Bradley County Jail, meets the safety valve criteria.
He said Long has no criminal record, there was no violence or threat used, he was not a leader in a criminal conspiracy, and the only weapon involved was his service revolver and it was kept in his truck.
The motion says the former sheriff has met with government agents and provided them with all the information he has concerning the offense.
Sentencing will be by Federal Judge Sandy Mattice.
Attorney Summers earlier asked that the scheduled Aug. 18 sentence be delayed.
Long, whose shocking arrest came on Feb. 2, was initially charged with providing a gun to a felon, with bribery and with money laundering.
Another charge was later added after authorities said the sheriff was out helping with what he believed was a sale of 10 kilograms of cocaine on Saturday morning when he was arrested.
After he was arrested, Sheriff Long told federal agents “he had made bad choices for which he was sorry," the new complaint says.
Prosecutor Gary Humble said Sheriff Long on the Saturday he was arrested went to the business of a man described as a cooperating witness (CW). That man was later identified as funeral director and minister Eugene Overstreet.
He said 10 kilograms of cocaine were loaded into the trunk of the CW's vehicle, and the sheriff was told it was being dropped off at another location.
Sheriff Long followed the CW to the "drop" and then gave him a ride back to the business.
Then he took a split of $48,000 from the alleged drug deal, prosecutor Humble said.
He said the CW told the sheriff that he had to dispose of a gun the sheriff had given him earlier. He said Sheriff Long told him he had "done the right thing" and said he would get him another gun.
The safety valve motion says that Saturday Long was not even aware an offense was going to occur when he went to meet Overstreet that day. It says Overstreet, under the ruse of having a broken arm, asked him to place a box in his trunk and then follow him to a dropoff car.
The motion included a 23-page transcript of a conversation between Long and Overstreet on the morning of the arrest.
Overstreet said a Mexican named Chico had left him a car overnight and he needed to go to Food Lion to "drop off the other 10." He said the money was in the trunk of the other car. Overstreet told the sheriff, "We come and split that, then I'm heading back to Atlanta."
Long replied, "Okay, brother."
The sheriff also said, "If you sell me pretty good drugs, they can see me."
Overstreet replied, "I sell pretty drugs," causing Long to laugh.
Long told him, "I'm for it."
Overstreet said, "Just pick that up and put it in the car for me." Long said, "Okay, I'll do it."
Overstreet said Long was to follow him to the Food Lion and a Mexican would pick up "the 10."
Overstreet told the sheriff he had been in a wreck and he kicked a gun he had with him into a gutter so the investigating officer would not find it.
Long said, "Give somebody some money to go get it for you. Give a hundred dollars or something. I don't know about getting you another - think of something to get you another one, I mean, you know, because I don't want it to be traced back to me or you either one, you know what I mean."
Overstreet handed the sheriff cash "for last week" and asked him to count it out. He said it was $48,000.
Long told him he would take $21,000.
They began talking about gambling and Long said, "Yeah. I go to Tunica. I ain't - I used to go to Biloxi all the time. I haven't been there a whole lot, you know, since the storm."
The sheriff also told Overstreet, "Well, I hope you get that gun back, you know. I'll get you another one down the road, but I have to be real careful in how I do it."
Overstreet said he had no choice but to kick the gun in the gutter. Long said, "Ain't no problem. You did the right thing."
Long told Overstreet that he could keep the whole $48,000 if he needed it. He said, "You can have it all. I'm as serious as a heart attack."
Overstreet told him that much bigger drug deals were coming up - half a million dollars.
Long said, "So this is gravy, this is icing. You know, if you need it, take it all."
Overstreet said, "And this is the beginning."
Long answered, "Okay."
They discussed how they spent the money. Long said, "I take, spend a little bit at a time. You know, we swap it around a little bit here and there and pay some bills. I pay the bills. I may get my son down in Atlanta, meet him halfway and give it to him and let him put it in his account. I trust him."
Long said he had "two sons - a good one and a bad one."
Overstreet said he was "the bad one in my family out of eight preachers."
Long told him, "You ain't bad, you're good."
The sheriff told Overstreet he had to be in Nashville for three days, but "if you need something, call me and if I had to come home in the middle of the night and help you do something..."
Long said after the upcoming drug deals "you are going to be tired of counting money. I know I am."
Overstreet said, "Well, you deserve it, sheriff."
Long replied, "You deserve it, too, preacher."
Overstreet said, "You told me something when we first met - somebody got to get it. It's that kind of world."
Long said, "That's right."
Overstreet said, "So it might as well be us."
Long replied, "That's right. That's right.
Overstreet said, "And I don't trust everybody."
Long answered, "Don't. You know like I always tell you, be careful. Don't trust anybody."
The sheriff said, "I was going to try at least to raise at least two hundred and fifty thousand - quarter of a million. I need a quarter of a million dollars at least. Half a million dollars would be better, wouldn't you think, a million dollars?"
Overstreet asked the sheriff about "going back to the Indians" and asked if they still owed him $50,000. Long said, "Yeah."
At this time, FBI agents told them, "Put your hands up, hands up."
Overstreet said, "Wait a minute."
FBI agent: Right here.
Overstreet: "Huh."
FBI agent: "Get them separated."
Overstreet: "What, what, what, what."
FBI agent: "Calm down, we'll talk to you in just a second."
Overstreet: "What, oh. What, what, Huh, uh, what."
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