Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: No prosecution in bug probe Date: Fri, 30 Oct 92 15:33:28 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \SS (WS) \HD No prosecution in bug probe \SH Device targeted top Wilder aide \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT RICHMOND RICHMOND (AP) - A federal prosecutor said yesterday that no one will be prosecuted for planting an electronic listening device in the office of Gov. L. Douglas Wilder's chief of staff. Richard Cullen, the U.S. attorney for eastern Virginia, said investigators were unable to determine who bought the device or who planted it. Asked at a news conference whether he had an opinion about who might have done it, he said he would not speculate. He said Mr. Wilder and members of the governor's staff cooperated in the two-month investigation. Robert Satkowski, special agent in charge of the FBI in Richmond, said the listening devide had no battery, was turned off, and the antenna was broken. The device can be purchased in electronics shops for $300 to $600, he said. No receiver was found in a Capitol sweep conducted by investigators, Mr. Satkowski said. It is a federal crime, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, to intercept oral communications without the consent of at least one party. J.T. Shropshire, Mr. Wilder's chief of staff, found the matchbox-sized, battery-powered listening device under his desk Aug. 20 during a meeting with a state legislator. Mr. Shropshire said he did not install the device and has no idea who did. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM