Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Ex-Detective Thomas Sadler Preparing for Trial


A former Sheriff's deputy is preparing for his trial on charges of sexually assaulting a prostitute.

Ex-detective Thomas Sadler was expected by many to enter a plea Monday, but instead he told 10News he would take his chances with a jury.

Sadler, a 23-year veteran of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, has been on administrative leave without pay following his arrest last July.

He was charged with five felonies stemming from an incident in February 2008 in which he was accused of forcing a prostitute into his unmarked department vehicle and then forcefully fondling her.

Sadler said he is ready to go to trial and tell his side of the story.

"I feel that I'm innocent in this case. I believe a lot of this is because I do work in law enforcement and they were overzealous in their prosecution. I want my day in court, I want to get my side out there. I believe a jury will hear the case openly and honestly and make a decision based on what they believe is the truth," said Sadler.

The jury will hear Sadler's side of the story when the case goes to trial on July 23.

If convicted, he could serve 8 years in prison.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/deputy-accused-of-sexual-assault.html

http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/arraignment-for-officer-accused-of.html

http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/detective-fondles-prostitute-while-on.html

Officer Mark Benton Ashcraft Arrested for Sexual Abuse to Child


A 36-year-old police officer was arraigned in Umatilla County today on felony sex-abuse charges involving a child.

The district attorney's office said Mark Benton Ashcraft of Athena was being held in Umatilla County Jail on $50,000 bail. He's charged with sex abuse in the second degree, sodomy in the third degree, and online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree.

The arrest came as a surprise to officials in Athena, which has a population of 1,270.

"We know as much as you do," said Dyann Swanson, Athena city recorder.

She said Ashcraft will be put on paid administrative leave and that the city will seek legal advice on what to do.

"It's an unfortunate thing," she said. "But he's only been arrested. He's not been convicted."

Ashcraft is one of two officers in the city. He was hired in December 2007 after working nine years in Pilot Rock.

Swanson said, "He's been a perfect police officer. We have not had any problem with him at all."

Ashcraft, who was arrested Monday afternoon, is due next in court at the end of the month.
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http://eastoregonian.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=94294&SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48

Officer Blaine McNeese Arrested for Plotting to Fellow Officer

It's a crime that shocked the Department of Public Safety. One of their own officers plotted to kill a fellow officer.

Luckily, the officer found out about the plot before the plan was carried out. Now a criminal organization has been busted.

A hole was dug in the desert near I-10 and Highway 87. The suspects were planning on shooting the officer and burying him there. The officer was interviewing one of the members of the group when he learned about the plot against his life.

Police say Lazar Lazar, Carlos Saquilan and Khalid Henry were behind the plot. Phoenix police then got involved.

Police say Blaine McNeese was the "bad cop." He worked for DPS and at the same time, for the Younan criminal syndicate. Police say McNeese became involved after accepting a bribe.

McNeese is in jail and four other members of the group have also been arrested or are in police custody.

Lazar Lazar is the only one still missing. If you see him, call the police.
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http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/06/23/20090623syndicate0623-ON.html

Officer Gerald Bossolono Arrested for Stealing $70,000

A 10-year Cicero police veteran was charged with theft today after allegedly stealing more than $70,000 from the department's benevolent association, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said.

Gerald Bossolono, 46, was arrested as he showed up for work today by investigators with the Cook County State's Attorney's office, Alvarez said in a press release. He served as treasurer of the Cicero police benevolent association.

Bossolono who has worked with the Cicero police department since 1999 was charged with felony theft after an investigation by the State's Attorney's financial crimes unit.

Officials allege that Bossolono used his position as treasurer of the group to siphon more than $70,000 from the group's accounts. The association is a fraternal organization made up of Cicero police officers that raises money through memberships and social functions, Alvarez said.

If convicted of the Class 2 felony, Bossolono faces up to seven years in prison. He is scheduled to go have a bond hearing Thursday in the Maybrook court house in Maywood, Alvarez said.

Bossolono was taken into custody by State's Attorney investigators and charged after reporting for work this morning at the west suburban police station, said Elio Montenegro, a spokesperson for the town.

Montenegro said the former Joliet police officer who was hired by the town in 1999 was being investigated by the Cicero Internal Affairs Department since June 2008 after police received a phone tip that he was stealing money from the fund.

Montenegro said the town placed Bossolono on restricted duty one month later and then turned over the investigation to the State's Attorney's Financial Crimes Unit.

Bossolono is scheduled to appear in bond court Thursday morning in Maywood. The Class 2 felony is punishable by three to seven year in prison or probation, according to the state's attorney office.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-ciceroofficer-emb,0,1052225.story

Officer Anthony Abbate Sentenced to Just 2 years Probation for Beating Woman

An off-duty Chicago police officer convicted of pummeling a female bartender half his size was sentenced Tuesday to two years probation and anger management classes for the videotaped attack that appeared worldwide on the Internet and cable news channels.

Cook County Circuit Judge John Fleming also gave Anthony Abbate a home curfew of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and ordered him to perform 130 hours of community service.

"No one in recent memory ... has done more to tarnish the reputation of the Chicago Police Department than Anthony Abbate," Cook County Assistant State's Attorney LuAnn Snow said Tuesday.

Prosecutors had asked for prison for Abbate — he could have been sentenced to up to five years behind bars — but the judge said he didn't see aggravating factors to justify a prison term.

"If I believed sentencing Anthony Abbate to prison would stop people from getting drunk and hitting people, I'd give him the maximum sentence," Fleming said.

Earlier this month, the judge rejected Abbate's claim he acted in self-defense and convicted him of aggravated battery. A tavern security video shows a drunken, 250-pound Abbate punching and kicking the 125-pound Karolina Obrycka as she tended bar in February 2007. The altercation happened after she refused to serve him more drinks.

The video captured a lot of attention as another example of misconduct by Chicago police. Then-Superintendent Phil Cline suddenly announced his retirement shortly after the video surfaced and former FBI official Jody Weis was appointed to the spot with an order to clean up the department's image.

Abbate acknowledged during the trial that he was drunk during the incident. But he said Obrycka pushed him first as she tried to remove him from behind the bar.

"He's not a bad man, he did something bad," said defense attorney Peter Hickey.

Abbate has been relieved of his duties and pay, Chicago Police Department spokesman Officer Robert Perez said.

The department is looking into "separation proceedings," Perez said. Weis has said he wants Abbate fired.

Officer Carl Sain Charged with Attacking Chief Yancey

North Chicago's "Officer of the Year" has been charged with seriously injuring a police chief he allegedly found in his estranged wife's home, police said.

Carl Sain, 45, was charged with felony aggravated battery for allegedly attacking Police Chief Artis Yancey, who was hospitalized with several broken bones in his face, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Tuesday.

Sain allegedly beat Yancey Wednesday night after breaking a window in his estranged wife's home in Waukegan and finding Yancey alone in an upstairs bedroom, Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller said, noting Sain's wife called 911.

Sain, named North Chicago Police Officer of the Year in April, and his wife are divorcing. Yancey is a friend of Sain's wife, Waller said.

Sain, who was not available for comment, was released Sunday on $75,000 bail and put on administrative leave, the Sun-Times reported.

Yancey, who was expected to recover, was taking time off from his job and was not available for comment, a Waukegan police spokesman said.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-waukegan-chief-23-jun23,0,2009938.story

Border Patrol Officer Luis Hermosillo Charged with Sexually Assaulting Woman


A Border Patrol officer accused of sexually assaulting a Mexican woman traveling on a tourist visa to Cathedral City with her two children followed her from a Salton Sea-area checkpoint, then pulled her over and demanded she drive to a secluded area, court records show.

Luis Edward Hermosillo, 41, faces three sexual assault charges stemming from the alleged assault June 13.

Hermosillo, who works out of the Border Patrol Office in Indio, appeared in court Monday for his arraignment, which was delayed until July 7.

His attorney, Robert W. Krause, asked Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jorge Hernandez for the delay because he needed more time to review the case.

``It's a very important case and we just want to make sure everyone is prepared,'' Krause said outside of court.

Hernandez granted the delay and kept the defendant's bail at $1 million.

Hermosillo is accused of following the 24-year-old victim from a checkpoint in the Salton Sea area before pulling her over on the Highway 86 Expressway near Mecca, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant.

Hermosillo asked the woman to pull off the highway onto a secluded area on Avenue 72 so he could inspect a briefcase inside her vehicle that he claimed he forgot to examine at the checkpoint.

The woman, who was driving with her two 5-year-old and 2-year-old children, recognized the officer from the Salton Sea checkpoint and complied with his request.

Once off the highway, Hermosillo, who had a dog with him in a white F-150 pickup truck, pulled up next to her vehicle and asked her to drive to the end of the road, according to sheriff's Investigator Bradley Farwell, who prepared the declaration.

The victim complied and got out of her vehicle to open her trunk, the investigator wrote. The officer asked her if he could search her person, but she declined.

``The Border Patrol Officer had the victim turn around and place her hands on the edge of the trunk of her vehicle,'' Farwell wrote. ``(Hermosillo) then used his hands to squeeze the victim's breasts and feel around her upper torso.''
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More of the story: http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090623/NEWS0801/90623006/0/opinion03/Border-Patrol-officer-faces-3-charges-of-sexual-assault

Retired Opelousas Officer Accused of Rape

An investigation into an accusation of rape leveled against a retired Opelousas Police Department officer has been handed over to the Louisiana State Police, said Capt. Martin McClendon of the Opelousas Police Department.

The complaint was filed Friday afternoon with the Opelousas Police Department.

"The victim said she was raped by this individual," McClendon said. "I do not know the specifics of this particular case, but I do know that an interview was conducted with the victim and the person accused of it. What Chief (Perry) Gallow did Friday evening was, he asked the St.Landry Parish Sheriff's Office to assist in this investigation."

Capt. Buford Knight of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office said that while his department assisted, the case still belonged to OPD.

"The St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office cannot provide information on an Opelousas Police Department case," Knight said.

Gallow subsequently asked the Louisiana State Police to take over the investigation.

"They're going to come in and conduct this investigation because obviously, it's a very sensitive issue we're dealing with - because it's a retired police officer, to make sure the investigation is independently done without any bias," McClendon said.

The name of the accused former officer has not been released.

"Right now, it's only an accusation," McClendon said. "We don't want to release the name of the person being accused unless the investigation has enough evidence to support an arrest."

The names of persons accused of crimes are not routinely released unless police know an arrest is immanent, McClendon said.

At this point, McClendon said, some evidence has been gathered, but he is not certain as to the nature of the evidence or whether DNA was found.

Officer Kevin Barrington Arrested on Sexual Abuse Charges

A 22-year veteran of the Springfield police department has been arrested and charged for alleged sex crimes.

Kevin Barrington was arrested Sunday night at his Springfield home on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sexual relations with family.

Springfield Police Chief Ralph Caldwell on Monday refused to reveal additional information about the allegations against the 51-year-old Barrington, the ages or relationships of the victims and how long the alleged abuse took place.

Bond has been set at $250,000 for Barrington, who is scheduled to appear Tuesday in Sangamon County Circuit Court.
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http://illinoishomepage.net/content/fulltext/?cid=92381


Barrington was put on paid leave, pending the outcome of the criminal case, and an internal Springfield Police Department investigation.

Former Trooper John Sawyer Sentenced to Three Years Probation

Former S.C. Highway Patrol Trooper John B. Sawyer, 34, was sentenced today for repeatedly kicking an arrested driver following a lengthy chase, said U.S. Attorney W. Walter Wilkins.

Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Sawyer to a probation term of three years, the first of which he will serve in a halfway house.

On May 28, 2006, Sawyer and other law enforcement officers were involved in a 30-mile high speed chase of a dump truck driven by Sergio Caridi on Interstate 95, Wilkins said.

After the truck ran out of gas in Sumter County, Caridi exited the truck and surrendered, lying on the ground.

Sawyer rushed over to Caridi at that point, kicking him in the head numerous times, and injuring him, Wilkins said. Dash cam video of the incident captured the assault on tape.

Sawyer pled guilty in the case last January, admitting that his actions willfully deprived Caridi of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, Wilkins said.