Ex-police detective guilty in 'Ace Capone' case

A former Philadelphia police detective was convicted by a federal jury yesterday of two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of making a false statement to federal agents in connection with tipping off a drug kingpin about a pending police raid.

U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Savage set sentencing for Jan. 6.

The ex-cop, Rickie Durham, 44, potentially faces 12 1/2 to 15 1/2 years behind bars under advisory sentencing guidelines.

He was acquitted of single counts of advance notice of search, of obstruction and of making a false statement to federal agents.

Durham, who was suspended, then fired, after being indicted in June, showed no emotion when the jury forewoman read the verdict.

Jurors, who declined to be interviewed, deliberated for almost two days - longer than the trial itself - before returning their verdict.

Durham did not take the stand in his own defense at trial.

Prosecutors hailed the verdict.

"The jury found that Detective Rickie Durham tipped off" a lifelong friend, Jerome "Pooh" Richardson Jr., about an imminent search of drug boss Alton "Ace Capone" Coles and his associates, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Bresnick.

Bresnick said Durham "knew" that the phone call "would result in the leak of information" about the police raid because Richardson would then call his half-sister Asya, who was Coles' live-in girlfriend at the time.

Defense attorney Fortunato Perri Jr. said it was "unfortunate that the Police Department has lost a good cop and the citizens of Philadelphia have lost a valuable asset in the war on drugs."

Durham remains free on $50,000 secured bond and 24-hour house arrest.

Authorities said Durham, who had been assigned to an FBI task force, learned shortly before 3 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2005, that police were about to launch raids against Coles and his top lieutenants.

Durham was part of a team of more than 250 officers who were participating in the raids, which were to begin at 6 a.m.

A summary chart of telephone calls on Aug. 10, 2005, shown at the trial revealed Durham called Richardson on his FBI-issued cell phone at 2:52 a.m. to warn him that the feds were coming for Coles and Asya, and that she needed to get out of their Mullica Hill, N.J., house.

Richardson called Asya four minutes later, phone records showed. He received immunity from the feds and testified against Durham. He was not charged with any wrongdoing.

Beginning at 3:07 a.m., authorities, who had wiretapped Coles' cell phones, heard him make calls to associates warning them "drama" was coming and to get rid of guns and other evidence.

Federal agents twice questioned Durham, on June 27, 2008, and again last Jan. 16, about the Richardson phone call.

The jury cleared Durham of obstruction and of making a false statement during the first interview but found him guilty of both charges in connection with the second interview.

Authorities said Durham admitted at the second interview that he had made an "error in judgment" but did so only to get Asya's phone number to assist investigators.

Prosecutor Bresnick scoffed at that during his closing argument, saying Durham had not been part of the investigation - but had been enlisted only to help execute search warrants - and had never spoken with the case agent on the Coles investigation to see if he wanted or needed Asya's phone number.

Coles was convicted of running a $25-million cocaine-trafficking organization last year and subsequently sentenced to life behind bars in April.

Asya Richardson was convicted of money laundering and is awaiting a hearing on a post-trial motion to overturn her conviction.