Thursday, September 26, 2013

Officer Julio Pagan Arrested for Sexual Battery

Another sex scandal at the Lakeland Police Department, and this time, the officer involved faces criminal charges.

Officer Julio Pagan, 31, was arrested today on two counts of sexual battery and one count of stalking.

"There are simply no words to describe my shock, my outrage, my disgust about this," said Chief Lisa Womack.

Chief Womack says the investigation dates back to a time right in the middle of the department's highly publicized sex scandal.

Investigators say Officer Pagan responded to a July 4th call near a trailer park and that's where he first met the alleged victim.

Six weeks later, during another call, the woman says Pagan coerced her to have sex with him in her bathroom while he was still armed, in uniform, and on duty.

Asked if this will only promote talk of persistent culture problems now under her command as well at Lakeland P.D., Chief Womack was clearly frustrated.

"This is not a departmental issue," she said pausing for moment, "You want to know how I feel about it? Fed up," she said.

The alleged victim says three weeks later, Pagan, again on-duty, was back, asking her for a "quickie" according to the police report.

Surveillance video shows Pagan's cruiser pulling up to a nearby Circle K store, where images, say detectives, show the woman buys alcohol before both return to her house.

Investigators say Pagan then came back a second time on that same date,August 29th, but that the woman made an excuse to fend off his advances and called police to complain about Pagan's visits.

However the dispatcher, identified as Christinia Jordan, now on administrative leave, never sent an officer.

"I have no valid explanation as to at this point why that that did not occur," said Chief Womack. An investigation into the matter was "about 90%" complete, she said.

The victim, who never had a police officer respond, got another uninvited visit from Pagan about three weeks later.

Relatives called to complain yet again, and this time Lakeland sent an investigator.

Austin Garcia, a neighbor, says a short time later, the trailer park area was visited by multiple officers.

"I did see a couple of squad cars go over there and stuff, like about 5 or 6 of them," he said, "They stayed there about an hour or two and left."

Chief Womack says she knows the public is already commenting about how this may yet again be an example of the "culture" within Lakeland P.D., but she took issue with that assertion.

This was not a departmental culture issue, she said -it's a crime.

Pagan, she said,will likely be formally fire dover the next couple of days.

He faces life in prison if convicted.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Deputy Darrell Mathis Arrested for Selling Marijuana Out of His Police Car

An undercover sting operation nabbed an Atlanta-area sheriff's deputy who was selling marijuana out of his patrol car and in uniform, federal authorities say.

Newton County Deputy Darrell Mathis told an informant that he could sell pot without fear because "he drives safely and flashes police credentials to get out of tickets if stopped," according to court papers. Mathis, a five-year veteran deputy, was freed on bond after his arrest last week, the FBI said.

"This defendant used his position as a police officer to openly violate the very laws that he was sworn to uphold," U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in a written statement.

"Selling marijuana out of his police car while wearing a badge and uniform is outrageous. This case is a reminder that no one is above the law."

Mathis has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and with carrying a firearm during a drug offense -- a charge that could bring a possible life sentence if convicted. He did not immediately return messages seeking comment Sunday.

Newton County is about 30 miles east of Atlanta. Sheriff Ezell Brown said Mathis has been placed on administrative leave, and his office is cooperating with the investigation.

"This is an embarrassment to the Newton County Sheriff's Office, as well as law enforcement in general," Brown said in a joint statement with Yates.

According to the charges against him, Mathis attracted the attention of the FBI in April after what officials called a "social visit" by a person who went on to become a confidential informant. The informant visited Mathis at his apartment and saw large bags of what was "believed to be marijuana" on the living room table.

The complaint states that Mathis told the informant that he wasn't concerned about getting caught, because of his safe driving and police credentials.

Apparently unnerved by the exchange, the informant went to the authorities and offered to help with an investigation. The FBI then set up a half dozen meetings among Mathis, the informant and eventually two undercover agents, court papers recount.

Mathis and the informant discussed a drug sale during their next meeting, the charges state. Mathis sold the informant an ounce of marijuana later that day, showing up for the deal in his cruiser, in uniform and carrying his service pistol.

After that, an undercover agent got involved -- and the amounts of marijuana increased.
In June, as the agent bought a pound of pot, Mathis boasted, "I do my little 10 to 15 a week" -- a phrase the agent "understood to mean selling 10 to 15 pounds a week," the arrest affidavit states.

Then in early August, according to the complaint, Mathis met with another undercover agent, a supposed cocaine dealer. The two agents and Mathis sat down at a restaurant to discuss buying and transporting marijuana and cocaine, according to the complaint.

While the three spoke, Mathis allegedly pulled out his badge and told the undercover agent, "Don't worry, I'm on your side." By the end of the meeting, the complaint alleges, Mathis had agreed to run marijuana and cocaine from Alabama to North Carolina at the behest of the undercover agent.

Federal agents found a pound of pot on Mathis when he was arrested last week, the FBI said.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Lt Marcus LeMacks Accused of Stealing from Sears

A Dawson Police officer who also worked part-time for Warwick, was booked into the Dougherty County jail Thursday night, accused of stealing from Sears in the Albany Mall, and it's not his first arrest.

42-year-old Lt. Marcus LeMacks resigned his Warwick post Friday afternoon, and remains suspended in Dawson.

LeMacks worked part-time at Sears. Store loss prevention officers investigated him for two months before Albany Police arrested him a little before 5:30 p.m.

They say surveillance video shows LeMacks taking items from the store and putting them in his vehicle. Investigators believe he stole about $1,200 worth of merchandise. They plan to search his home to try to recover items.

Dawson Police Charlie Whitehead says officer Marcus LeMacks has been suspended without pay until his legal case is adjudicated, and he has been notified of his suspension.

Chief Whitehead added that LeMacks' POST certification had just come off probation in June, after his misdemeanor conviction of supplying alcohol to minors.  In 2009 LeMacks was fired from the Leesburg Police Department after being charged with providing alcohol to people under age 21.

Chief Whitehead says LeMacks has been employed by the Dawson Police Department since 2009.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Officer Randall Kerrick Accused of Shooting Jonathan Ferrell

A North Carolina police officer accused of shooting and killing an unarmed man who had apparently been in an automobile wreck is scheduled to appear in court today to face a voluntary manslaughter charge.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officer Randall Kerrick is charged in the case.

Twenty-four-year-old Jonathan Ferrell, a former Florida A&M University football player, was killed early Saturday.

Charlotte-Meckleburg police say he had sought help at a nearby house. A woman answered the door and called 911 when she didn't recognize the man.

Officers responding to the breaking and entering call found Ferrell nearby. Ferrell ran toward the officers, who tried to stop him with a Taser. Police said he continued to run toward them when officer Randall Kerrick fired his gun, hitting Ferrell several times.

Ferrell died at the scene.

Thursday, September 05, 2013

Cpl. David Turner Arrested for Prostitution Near School

A Tulsa police officer was arrested for soliciting a prostitute within 1,000 feet of a school Thursday afternoon. Cpl. David Turner also faces a charge of possession of a firearm in commission of a felony.

A source close to the situation said Turner was taken into custody at the Executive Inn at 11th and Garnett just after 3 p.m. following an undercover operation performed by TPD and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. "The Tulsa Police Department received information regarding alleged criminal activity involving Turner and in return launched an investigation which included the Tulsa Police Departments Special Investigations Division and agents with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs," Chief of Police Chuck Jordan said in a release.

Turner was released on bond less than two hours after being booked in the Tulsa jail. He was placed on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.

Sunday, September 01, 2013

Correctional Officer Cory Colvin Arrested for Sexual Assault on Child

An East Texas correctional officer is behind bars and is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.

According to Upshur County records, 33-year-old Cory Colvin was arrested Monday, and is charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.

Texas Department of Corrections Public Information Officer Jason Clark said that Colvin is a correctional officer at the Telford Unit, which is located in New Boston, Texas.

Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said that Colvin confessed the assault to authorities in the Upshur County Sheriff's Office and was arrested on site.

He is being held in the Upshur County Jail on one hundred Thousand dollars bond.