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Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Former cop admits to drug ring role

By Milton J. Valencia Worcester TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
WORCESTER— A former city police officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to assist a drug ring that sold GHB, an illegal muscle enhancer also used as a rave drug. He also pleaded guilty to a second charge of conspiring to possess cocaine and Ecstacy.

Brian W. Benedict, 34, faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years in jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26. His change of plea to guilty was not based on any plea agreement, however, and sentencing guidelines will be based on his past and his cooperation with the government since he was indicted last year.

Mr. Benedict is one of four people who were charged with running a far-reaching ring that sold GHB, also known as Liquid G, Liquid Ecstacy, or Georgia Home Boy. It was created as a muscle enhancer, but was banned by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

It’s been used on the streets as a rave drug, and is also known as the date rape drug.

Assistant District Attorney George Vien said in court that the government’s case would have shown that Mr. Benedict and another Worcester police officer, Heriberto Arroyo, conspired with the owner of a nutrition supplement store to distribute GHB.

The store owner, Thomas J. Vigliatura, 36, owner of the former T Vig’s Sports Supplements Unlimited, was called the leader of the ring, and is charged with four counts of distributing the drug. Prosecutors have said he sold GHB from his car, his home, and from the supplements store.

Mr. Benedict and Officer Arroyo allegedly received the drugs from him, Mr. Vien said, and distributed it throughout the area. Officer Arroyo allegedly delivered the drugs to New York City.

A fourth man charged in the ring, Matthew McLaughlin, 36, allegedly supplied the drugs from Maine. The three co-defendants have pleaded not guilty in the case.

Mr. Benedict resigned as a city police officer a month after he was indicted. He said in court yesterday that he has been undergoing counseling for cocaine abuse. He has a new job, his wife is pregnant, and he has been cooperating with authorities.

At one point last year, he assisted the government in the case, wearing a wire during a conversation with Mr. Vigliatura. Prosecutors have used testimony from those conversations to keep Mr. Vigliatura detained while awaiting trial. Mr. Vigliatura told Mr. Benedict he would have the prosecutor in the case killed, according to court testimony.

John C. Fisher, of 285 Main St., Mr. Benedict’s lawyer, said yesterday his client made mistakes but has been working to clear his image, caring for his family and starting a new job. He said he has complied with all probation requirements, undergoing random drug testing and counseling.

“He’s made mistakes, he knows that, but he’s done everything under the sun to make the mistakes good,” Mr. Fisher said.

Typically, the government detains a defendant after he pleads guilty until a sentencing hearing. However, U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV agreed to release Mr. Benedict until his sentencing hearing, after hearing statements from Mr. Vien that Mr. Benedict has been a cooperating defendant. Mr. Vien had no objection to Mr. Benedict’s release.

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Posted by: Deuce

NG.. good riddance...

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Posted by: Mitpo62

Yeah too bad. You hate to see someone lose their LE career to something like this. But, at least the guy owned up to it instead of playing the blame game.

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Posted by: Patriot

On a force the size of WPD, you're bound to have a few losers slip through the Civil Service system. This guy clearly had no business putting a badge on, ever.

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