Federal Judge Arrested in FBI Sting Involving Guns, Drugs, Stripper
ATLANTA (CBS/AP) A well-known federal judge was released on a $50,000 bond Monday after he was busted by an undercover agent for allegedly using cocaine, marijuana and other illegal drugs with an Atlanta stripper.
Senior U.S. District Judge Jack T. Camp faces drug and firearms charges for his arrest Friday in which he unwittingly handed over $160 to an undercover law enforcement agent for cocaine and Roxycodone, a narcotic plain reliever that he supposedly intended to use with the exotic dancer. Authorities also seized two guns from the front seat of the judge's vehicle during his arrest, authorities said in a court document released Monday.
Camp, 67, hired four defense attorneys over the weekend to represent him and said little during his brief hearing Monday though his attorney, William Morrison, claimed he was in "good spirits." According to Morrison, the judge intends to plead not guilty.
Camp's arrest set up an unusual domino effect in the federal courthouse. The district's federal judges all disqualified themselves, so Magistrate Judge Charles S. Coody of Alabama was brought in to hear the case. Federal prosecutors from Washington also flew in to handle the government's arguments.
According to court records Camp met the undercover agent, who recently began cooperating with the FBI, at the Goldrush Showbar in Atlanta in early 2010. Soon after, he reportedly began paying her for sex and bought cocaine from her "at $40 to $50 a pop," state the records.
In June 2010, Camp followed the informant to a drug dealer in the Atlanta area to buy Roxycodone. He was also recorded in a wiretapped telephone call on Sept. 28 talking with her about meeting over the weekend to split more pills and cocaine with her, according to the charges.
When the informant told the judge she was worried about his safety prior to the bust Friday, the judge apparently replied, "I not only have my little pistol, I've got my big pistol so, uh, we'll take care of any problems that come up," according to the affidavit.
Camp faces four drug-related charges and one count of possessing firearms while illegally using drugs.
He has presided over several high-profile drug cases, including the May 2009 sentencing on prescription-related charges of the doctor for a professional wrestler who killed himself, his wife and their 7-year-old son.
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