Inquiry Focuses on Henley : Jurisprudence: Federal agents are trying to determine if Ram cornerback was involved with cocaine ring.

Ram cornerback Darryl Henley is under investigation by federal agents who are looking into a cocaine distribution network that allegedly used one of the team’s cheerleaders as a courier, The Times has learned.

Without specifying the nature of the investigation, team officials confirmed that a criminal investigation of Henley and an unidentified former Ram cheerleader has been under way for several months, and that Henley has requested time away from the team pending the outcome.

Henley “never has and never will be involved with the use, sale or distribution of narcotics,” said Gerald L. Chaleff, a Los Angeles lawyer hired by Henley to represent him in dealing with federal authorities. “I don’t know what the government has in mind.”

In a prepared statement released late Monday, the team said, “We have been aware for some time of an ongoing law enforcement investigation involving various individuals, as well as Darryl Henley and a former Rams cheerleader.

“We have been assured that the investigation does not involve any other NFL player, or other club or league personnel. The league’s security staff has been monitoring the matter and will continue to do so.”

An NFL spokesman confirmed that the league is aware of an ongoing criminal investigation involving Henley and has pledged to cooperate with authorities.

John Shaw, Ram executive vice president, attended a meeting Monday night with Henley and Marvin Demoff, his agent, as well as Chaleff and another attorney Henley has hired, Roger Cossack.

Chaleff said that Henley has asked for “personal leave so he can have a chance to deal with this,” Chaleff said. “He doesn’t want to disrupt the team.”

Henley, 26, is a fifth-year player out of UCLA and the team’s starting right cornerback. He has played in all five of his team’s games this season, although his playing time was limited in the second game because of a shoulder injury. He was an All-American in his senior year at UCLA, and returned punts the first three years with the Rams.

Sources close to the investigation of Henley say it centers on his suspected involvement in the distribution of 12 kilos of cocaine, which law enforcement officials estimate to have a street value of $2.4 million.

The cheerleader, who was reportedly dismissed by the team when it became aware of the investigation, supposedly carried the cocaine in a suitcase on two airline flights through Ontario International Airport at Henley’s request, the sources said.

The sources said that there have been several arrests in connection with the cocaine network in which Henley’s involvement is suspected.

Ralph Lochridge, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration, would neither confirm nor deny that the DEA was investigating Henley. But federal officials who asked that they not be identified said that the federal drug agency was heading up the investigation.

NFL security agents, who work for the league, have been seen talking with Henley several times this year at the team’s training camp at Cal State Fullerton and at the Rams’ practice facility in Anaheim.

Henley had a career-high 68 tackles and four interceptions last season. In one game against the New York Giants, he made eight tackles. In five games this year, he has made 12 unassisted tackles and assisted on two others.