Police Bare Two-Month Drug Probe; 15 Arrested

Two Ann Arbor police recruits were kidnapped at gunpoint during a two-month narcotic investigation during which 15 persons were arrested and charged, Prosecuting Attorney William F. Delhey revealed today. The cloak-and-dagger police probe of the use and sale of narcotics of all types centered in the campus areas of the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, the prosecutor said. He said the Washtenaw County Vice Squad conducted the investigations and made i;he arrests with the two undercover city police recruits playing a major role in the operation. ' Delhey made the announcement of the arrests today with Acting Ann Arbor Police Chief Harold E. Olson. They said it was not possible to release information on the investigation before this time because of the "sensitivity" of the probe. The prosecutor said the county Vice Squad swung into action after numerous reports were received by local police agencies concerning extensive traffic in marijuana, heroin and other drugs legally designated "dangerous" in and near the U-M and Eastern Michigan campuses. Delhey said his office cannot at this time reveal methods of investigation used because all 15 narcotic cases are now in various stages of court procedure. However, he did say that two Ann Arbor Police Department recruits who were working undercover were forced at gunpoint to accompany four men who had appeared at an apartment where the recruits were visiting. The four men have been identified as King G. Smedley, 26, of 337 E. Jefferson, Keith R. Martin, 25, of Saline, Anthony J. Novak, 24, also of 337 E. Jefferson, and James Nodine, 28, of Whitmore Lake. Smedley, Martin, Novak and Nodine accosted the two rookie patrolmen in an apartment in Ann Arbor, accused them of being police informers and forced them to accompany them from the building. The two officers later were released unharmed but details of the release, where they were picked up and where they were taken has not been revealed by Delhey or Capt. Olson. Authorities admitted however that the lives of the recruits were "in danger" during the abduction. Smedley, Martin, Novak and Nodine have all been arrested and charged with kidnapping in connection with the recruits' abduction with Smedley, Martin and Novak also charged with two additional counts of armed robbery each. Their bond is $40,000 each, police said. Of the 15 persons arrested in the massive drive two - Katherine S. Gascoigne, 19, and Margaret Sonnenberg, 18, both of 912 S. Forest Ave.- are charged with possession and sale of heroin. The arrests are the first involving heroin in Washtenaw County for many years. S e v e n persons are charged with possession of marijuana. They are Wayne J. Adamo, 21, of 629 S. Forest; Richard H. McClurg Jr., 21, of 520 S. Forest who is also charged with sale of marijuana; Gary Wilson, 19, of 637 N. Fourth Ave., Kenneth Killich, 19, of 5521 Vreeland Rd., Superior Township; David J. Pearl, 19, of 1300 LeForge Rd., Superior Township; Jennie E. Wolodzga, 18, of 219 N. Huron St, Ypsilanti and Lee E. Mickles, 23, of Detroit. ' in addition, Carol J. Boehm, 20, of 503 N. Adams St., Ypsilanti, is charged with possession of a dangerous drug and Frederick R. Crossland, 20, of Dearborn, faces a charge of conspiracy to violate the narcotics laws. Authorities said some of those arrested are students at either the U-M or EMU. They said marijuana, heroin and various drugs as well as narcotic "paraphernalia" were confiscated in the arrests. They declined to state the amount of the drugs. Prosecutor Delhey said the county Vice Squad is continuing the investigation and more arrests are expected soon. He rioted that in addition to the 15 persons arrested and charged, four juveniles- persons under the age of 17- were picked up for narcotic law violations. He said the teenagers have been turned over to Juvenile Court authorities for processing.