Sunday, August 23, 2009

Deputy Paul Wagner Arrested for Sexual Misconduct

Marion County Sheriff's deputies arrested one of their own after an undercover operation. Now, a deputy who worked as a guard at the jail, is himself behind bars.

"You know there is 775 deputy sheriff's in this department full time police officers and when one gets out of line the other 774 don't care for it," Col. John Layton with the Marion Co. Sheriff's Department said,

When women complained about that one sheriff's deputy, Paul Wagner, fellow deputies began a month long investigation.

Wagner worked part-time security at a Speedway gas station on the city's east side. Investigators say female Speedway customers complained Wagner tried to solicit them for sex on several occassions. Detectives worked with one of the women who complained.

"He had known her from being in there before actually she was the complainant to the Sheriff's department, one of the main complainants and upon the two of them having conversation he offered goods for sexual favors," explained Col. Layton.

Those goods were a pack of cigarettes and a soft drink.

"Its very unfortunate because he was in the sheriff's uniform which that is the reason there is a charge of official misconduct besides the patronizing a prostitute," Col. Layton said.

Paul Wagner is now suspended without pay. Next week he faces a court appearance and an internal investigation.

Officer William Robert Queen Resigns After Arrest for Arson

The Bullhead City police officer who was arrested in July by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police has turned in his resignation, officials confirmed.

William Robert Queen, 36, turned in his resignation to Police Chief Rodney Head on Aug. 4.

Queen was placed on administrative leave by Head on July 20, prior to his arrest by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said Bullhead City Police Department spokeswoman Emily Montague.

Queen was arrested July 21 by Las Vegas Metropolitan police on suspicion of arson for insurance fraud, said spokeswoman Barbara Morgan.

“On July 17, firefighters responded to a vehicle fire in a vacant lot in the 13000 block of South Western,” Morgan said.

Crews responded to a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe on fire. Morgan said there was nothing missing on the vehicle.

“The auto theft unit conducted an investigation and determined the vehicle fire was for the purposes of insurance fraud,” Morgan said. Police allege Queen hired 26-year-old Gary Miller to burn the vehicle. Miller was arrested Aug. 10 on suspicion of arson for insurance fraud, Morgan said.

The case has been turned over to the state attorney general's office, she said.

Queen joined the Bullhead City Police Department on Jan. 10, 2000.

Trooper Anthony Scott Under Investigation

The State Highway Patrol has launched an internal investigation into a state trooper assigned to Chatham County.

Trooper Anthony E. Scott, 38, was placed on administrative leave Aug. 19, four days after the Patrol began an internal investigation, spokesman Capt. Everett Clendenin said.

Scott, a 15-year veteran of the force, is assigned to Siler City.

Clendenin did not release details of the investigation, citing state personnel law.

He did confirm that a trooper – whose identity hasn't been released – was on the property of a Pittsboro home at the approximate time of an Aug. 14 incident.

Then, real estate broker Eric Andrews, 40, was arrested after his estranged wife, Jennifer Andrews, told authorities he pointed a gun at her, choked her and threatened her life, according to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. Deputies recovered a Smith & Wesson revolver.

Andrews, of 7324 Silk Hope-Gum Springs Road, was being held in the Chatham County Jail Saturday under a $1 million bond.
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http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news&id=6978337