Show Feat stalks informant WASHINGTON — Michael Zepin is a federal prisoner with probably less than seven months left to serve on a conviction for bank fraud and car theft But he’s afraid he won’t live to make it He fears he has been marked for death because of testimony he gave that helped New York authorities convict a gang of murderers What makes Zepin bitter as well as scared is that the prosecutors promised to do what they could to protect him from retaliation by friends of the convicted murderers or from fellow prisoners enforcing the underworld code of death to informers Apparently the prosecutors did try to help Zepin but they could federal not prevail on a tough judge Zepin wrote me for help in the hope that publicity will reverse what he views as a doublecross Here is his story which has been confirmed by my associate Sam Fogg: In 1980 Zepin was temporarily lodged in the county jail at Waukesha Wis pending trial on federal charges One of his cellmates confided that he had participated in the murder of four persons in Utica NY To obtain Zepin’s testimony Oneida County prosecutor Richard Enders promised him in writing: “I will not put you on the stand to testify unless some positive agreement is made beforehand that you will not be returned to the I will do all in my federal prison system power to have you placed in the witness protection program or such other disposition as will keep you out of federal incarceration and an environment w'here any fellow prisoner would have a chance to retaliate because of your law-and-ord- er testimony” As it turned out Zepin testified in good faith but the authorities reneged Oneida County Assistant District Attorney Edward A Wolff Jr wrote later that Zepin’s testimony “played a valuable part in the conviction” and added: “It is my feeling that because of cooperation by Mr Zepin he has been placed in a great deal of in the jeopardy with regard to his presence ” of any prison general population What Zepin hoped to get in return for his testimony was either probation or the protection of serving time under a new identity What he got from US District Judge Robert W Warren of Milwaukee was four years at the federal prison in Englewood Colo The unsympathetic Warren the last federal judge appointed by Richard Nixon was Wisconsin attorney campus progeneral during the tests and gained a reputation as a strict man Zepin’s forebodings came true at Englewood Twice he was assaulted by other inmates until he found refuge in “the hole” — confined away from the other prisoners Finally by appealing directly to another federal judge Zepin won a transfer to the federal facility at Texarkana Texas Prison officials there insisted that Zepin is “enjoying all the privileges of the general prison population” They contend he has no troubles But Zepin doesn’t share their complacency In his latest letter he wrote that three other inmates had tipped him off that prisoners transferred to Texarkana from Englewood were spreading word that “I was a and should be dealt with the way snitches are in the system” Besides his feeling of betrayal by the authorities Zepin can’t see why he couldn’t be daughter paroled He is 36 has a a stable home and a firm job offer awaiting him upon his release — if he lives that long And his crime was not a capital offense Meanwhile the prisoner who cooperated with the prosecutors lives in fear of his life As he put it with stark poignancy: “Plain and simply I am very very scared” WATCH ON WASTE : The Pentagon recently asked Congress for $44 million to train and acequip reservists for “combat support tivities” What might raise eyebrows is that the reservists in question are West Germans not Americans anti-Vietna- m law-and-ord- er rat-snitc- Standard-Examin- US holding hedge against OPEC shutoff Jack Anderson fj t HAMILTON DRUG IN ROY d WASHINGTON (AP) — Uncle Sam is of the way through paying off his oil one-thir- insurance policy Officials were gathering on the banks of the Mississippi River this afternoon to switch on the pumps that will send the of oil into the Stragetic Petroleum Reserve The ceremony marks six long often frustrating years for the government’s biggest energy program Before it is all over in 1990 it is expected the program will spend more than $30 billion to stash away 750 million barrels of oil as insurance against another foreign oil embargo That’s a far cry from the $6 billion to $7 billion the program was originally estimated to cost for a smaller reserve Huge cost overruns have been only one of the problems Construction delays and world oil shortages have thrown the government far behind its original timetable And last week a House subcommittee heard allegations that oil switching and other fraud may have cost the government millions of dollars But even with the problems Energy Department officials say the program’s accomplishments have been remarkable given the staggering size of the undertaking Congress shocked by the disruptions caused Arab oil embargo approved by the 1973-7creation of the reserve in December 1975 An abandoned salt mine and five groups of salt caverns carved out by the chemical industry along the Texas and Louisiana coasts were purchased for storage and the first oil began arriving in July 1977 The original caverns had a capacity of 250 million barrels With that storage now filled the government is creating its own caverns by injecting fresh water into the salt domes dissolving the salt extracting the brine and filling the resulting cavern with crude oil The typical new cavern is 2500 feet tall and 246 feet wide By comparison the World Trade Center towers in New York are 1350 feet tall and not quite as wide To create those caverns at just one site Bryan Mound three miles southwest of Freeport Texas the government is injecting 42 million gallons of fresh water daily from the Brazos River into the salt domes and pumping out 42 million gallons of brine into the Gulf of WE'RE LEAVING THE ROY AREA 9 AM TO MON-SA- ©©MM 7 PM T CLOSED SON 4 Mexico Each of the new caverns will hold 10 million 42 gallons need to con- barrels of oil each barrel containing That means the government will struct 50 of the caverns to reach the total storage goal of 750 million barrels The 250 million barrels now in the reserve represent a y supply if the United States lost all 57 million barrels of oil imported daily from all foreign supplies In the more likely case that the United States faced a cutoff of all supplies only from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries the current reserve would cover the loss for 76 days 44-da- h Hais?d Paii?ted Porcelain? frost? t!?e Orient Expressly forlfcu PSi YEARS AGO I April 5 1962 fC't Emory J Herndon owner of the Country as Club Drug Store in Ogden was re-elect- ed treasurer of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy at the annual meeting held in Las Vegas Harold Springer was the new president of the Les Perry PTA Other officers were Mrs Wheeler and Nathan vice Olson president secretary Jan Turner son of Mr and Mrs Paul Turner of Morgan was new vice president of the Utah State Future Farmers of America Association Kenjiro Kay Mukai 76 owner and operator of Kay’s Noodle Parlor for many years died at the home of a daughter Mrs Thomas (Himeyo) Kariya in Ogden after an extended illness A Sid Weese was the new exalted ruler of the Ogden Elks Lodge He took over the reins from Joseph C Foley in installation ceremonies at the lodge home on Grant Ave 50 YEARS AGO April 5 1 932 Magnus Nelson of Huntsville an agricultural student at Weber County High School was awarded a special prize by KC Ikeler manager of the Ogden Union stockyards for having raised the third best short ton litter in Utah in 1931 Magnus raised a litter of nine pigs which weighed 1950 pounds at the end of five months The Morgan School Junior Prom was a huge success with about two hundred and fifty present Members serving on the prom committee included Otis Burton Beth Francis Vera Taggart Harlan Clark Hazel Chapin and Eulala W-S- ® - the nearest State Savings to secure your Satsuma or Travel toBlue 22 carat from the Orient gold-trimme- d A humble deposit of $500 or more in porcelain any Savings account will earn or of 18 other treasures at one free hand a you painted mug considerable savings And you can add more Oriental Treasures with each additional $100 deposit (See chart for details) Other fine gifts are also available Stop in for details Your deposit will earn more than 13 on Money Market Certificates of $100 or more and Money Market Certificates And more than 13 on IRA accounts that allow you e to save up to $2000 per year All accounts insured up to $100000 by the FSL1C an agency of the Federal Government Journey to State Savings for High Interest and Oriental Treasures And ask about joining the 99’ers those smart people who earn interest on their State Savings Checking Account with just a $99 minimum balance and get a fee Visa card 30-mon- th tax-fre- no-annu- Ratos as of March 30 1982 Substantial interest penalty for early withdrawal al 14 other gifts also available Heiner The Ogden Police Benefit Association held its annual meeting in the city courtroom and elected officers to serve for one year Elected were CH Taylor president John C Hutchens vice president and LM Hilton secretary Cast members of the opera “Captain Cross-bones- ” presented by Ogden High School included Ivan Burnett Eleanor McFarland Helen Sessions Ruth McGinnis and Kate Heiner Monday April 5 1982 5A uJiL Remember when 20 er Available only while supplies last ESLIC Mm tt Solid as Utah for 99 years Main Office 125 So Main Salt Lake City Offices in: Logan Ogden Clearfield Centerville Trolley Holladay Murray Orem and Payson |