Friday, June 06, 2008

Officer Anthony Maio Arrested for Sexual assault

NEW HAVEN, Conn

A 13-year veteran of the New Haven police department was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual assault and unlawful restraint.

Officer Anthony Maio was charged following an internal affairs investigation that was launched on April 19 into his conduct, police said.

Police chief Stephanie Redding refused to detail the complaint, saying she had an obligation to protect the alleged victim and the integrity of the investigation.

"We take these incidents very seriously as this type of behavior from an officer is unacceptable," she said. "Our residents count on us to be role models, to serve them and to provide them with effective community policing. We have a strong internal affairs team that works hard to make sure that we meet or exceed the expectations of our residents."

Maio turned himself in to New Haven Police and was booked on two counts of sexual assault in the fourth degree and two counts of unlawful restraint in the second degree.

City officials could not say if Maio had an attorney.

Maio, who joined the department in 1995, has been put on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.

Officer Not Charged in fatal Taser case

CLAY, N.Y

An Onondaga County grand jury won't charge a Syracuse-area police officer who used a Taser on a man who later died.

Christopher Jackson went into cardiac arrest in March after Clay Police Officer Kevin Drumm stunned him with a Taser.

Authorities were called to Jackson's apartment for a domestic complaint involving his mother. While Drumm was interviewing a witness, the 37-year-old Jackson tried to grab him.

After warning that he was going to use a Taser, Drumm shot Jackson with the stun device. Within 90 seconds of handcuffing Jackson, officers noticed he was unresponsive and called for paramedics. Jackson was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Denver Police Officer Arrested on Sex Assault Charge

Police have arrested a former officer accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile female on the 16th Street Mall.

On May 27, family members of the juvenile told police that she had been sexually assaulted at the GNC store at the Denver Pavilions. Police later identified a second juvenile victim and a possible suspect.

On Monday, police issued an arrest warrant for that suspect, former Denver Police officer Joseph Bini. The fugitive unit of the Denver Police Department arrested Bini after the warrant was issued.

Denver Police say the case was presented to the Denver District Attorney's Office, who accepted the case for child enticement and unlawful sexual contact.

It was previously reported Officer Bini was responsible for giving the Denver Police Department SWAT team the wrong address for a search warrant. The SWAT team raided the wrong house.

SWAT team members shot and killed Ishmael Mena, who threatened officers with a gun. Mena's family eventually settled with the city for $400,000. It was later found out Mena was wanted for murder in Mexico.

Officer Bini pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of misconduct and returned to the force after a three-month suspension.

Former Tulsa Officer is Sentenced to Federal Prison


Tulsa, Oklahoma

A former Tulsa Police officer is going to federal prison. Buddy Visser was sentenced on Friday in federal court in Tulsa to 18-months in prison for each of two counts of selling stolen police department guns on the Internet.

The 47-year-old Visser was a firearms instructor for the Tulsa Police Department.

"This case and other recent federal public corruption prosecutions in the Northern District reflect the continuing commitment of my office, the federal investigative agencies and the Tulsa Police Department to root out, expose and bring to justice corrupt public servants, including those working within law enforcement. Our citizens and communities expect and deserve to be served by only the most honest public officials and we will continue to hold them to the highest standards of conduct," said U.S. Attorney David O'Melia.

In addition to prison time, Visser has been ordered to pay $15, 988 in restitution. Also, once he completes his prison sentence, he will serve three years on supervised release.