Officer Brent Schade Arrested for Forcible Rape of Minor

    Chillicothe Police Officer Brent Allen Schade who had been on unpaid administrative leave since Jan. 24 was arrested today (Wednesday) for alleged forcible rape, forcible sodomy and two counts of supplying intoxicants to a minor.

    On Tuesday, the Livingston County Sheriff’s office began an investigation into an alleged rape, sodomy, unlawful restraint and supplying intoxicants to a minor. The incident was reported to have taken place over the night of March 3 and into the early morning or March 4 in the 300 block of Cherry Street in Chillicothe.

    Schade, 40, of Chillicothe, was arrested early today.

    A variety of evidence has been collected and/or is currently being sought, according to Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox.

    “A second person of interest was identified and we are seeking that individual at this time for questioning,” Cox said. “Several people have been interviewed and the investigation continues.”

    Schade has been on the police force since August 2007 and is currently on unpaid administrative leave, stemming from an incident last year.

    Schade was charged Jan. 24 with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence by Brady Kopek, special prosecuting attorney of Livingston County.

    According to the probable cause statement, Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. J. Pithan investigated a traffic accident on Aug. 18 on Route V near Chillicothe involving two individuals. During the course of the investigation, Pithan reportedly discovered both occupants of the crashed vehicle walked to a nearby residence and called Schade. The investigation suggests Schade drove to their location and provided transportation to both subjects before returning to the scene of the accident. Schade allegedly assisted with the recovery of personal items belonging to both subjects, including cell phones and a bottle of Captain Morgan. Schade allegedly did not report the accident to authorities and transported the two individuals to his residence in Chillicothe.

    Schade remains incarcerated in the Daviess Dekalb County Regional Jail pending filing of formal charges. Kopek is also the special prosecuting attorney on this most recent case.

Officer Jeremy Felder Charged with Official Misconduct

A 28-year-old township police officer has been suspended without pay from his $60,000 a year position after being charged with second-degree official misconduct.

Jeremy Felder of Old Bridge was arrested Tuesday on official misconduct charges in connection with an illegal search and then falsifying paperwork to cover it up, said Joseph Coronato, Ocean County Prosecutor.

Felder, who was hired from the Jackson Police Department in August 2011, was involved in the search of a motor vehicle in August 2013, which resulted in the seizure of controlled dangerous substances, Coronato said.

“Evidence developed during the investigation shows that Felder allegedly participated in an illegal search of the vehicle and subsequently falsified documents and his police report to conceal his wrongdoing,” said Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Della Fave said no specifics about the traffic stop where listed on the complaint. Calls to the Lakewood Police Department on the incident where referred back to the prosecutor’s office.

The charges against the vehicle’s occupants have been dismissed.

During his tenure as a police officer in Jackson, Felder was named in a lawsuit stemming from a Jan. 27, 2010, incident in the Wawa parking lot at South Hope Chapel Road and East Veterans Highway.

In his suit, Ball said he pulled into the gas station’s parking entrance, then attempted to move parking cones so he could drive to a nearby gas pump. Ball said Felder, who was on duty, told him to drive around to Wawa’s other entrance. Ball argued, saying doing so would cause his car to run out of gas, according to court documents.

At some point, the two started arguing, and Ball said Felder punched him.

In a police report included in court documents, Felder described Ball’s behavior as unusual and said Ball was slurring his speech and seemed excited and rambling. Ball also had a baseball bat in the front seat of his car, according to police. After refusing to move the vehicle, Ball allegedly yelled an expletive at the officer. Felder reported Ball made a rapid movement toward the front driver's compartment of the vehicle, leaning toward the baseball bat.

In April 2013, Jackson agreed to pay the man $95,000 to settle the case. No charges were ever filed against Felder.

Lakewood Police Chief Robert Lawson said the department’s internal affairs division is working with the prosecutor’s office on the case.

Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein said the governing body was notified of the situation a couple of days ago.

“We have a great police department and great officers,” Lichtenstein said. “Our professional standards division worked on this case. It shows that they can police their own. It’s disappointing, but you have to remember that he is innocent until proven guilty.”

Pastor Glenn Wilson, a community leader, said the incident cast a negative light on the police department.

“Off the bat, most people don’t trust the police and when things like this happen it just drives that idea,” Wilson said. “I really believe that most of our cops are good police officers. I don’t believe this should put a black eye on the whole department.”

Calls to Stuart Alterman, Felder’s attorney, were not returned.

Local Police Benevolent Association No. 71 President Gary Przewoznik said the union is there to support its members.

“As a local we stand behind and fully support all of our officers,” Przewoznik said. “Unlike civilians, police officers are held to a higher standard and for that reason, are typically presumed guilty until a trial allows the facts to be presented and innocence can be proven. Our union is here to ensure that until the facts are presented and a resolution/verdict is reached, our officers have the support necessary to get them though this difficult time.”

Felder’s bail was set at $15,000 with no 10 percent option by state Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels Jr. Della Fave said Felder immediately posted bail and so was never processed at the Ocean County Jail.

Della Fave did not have a photo of Felder. Detective Sgt. Greg Staffordsmith, spokesman for the Lakewood police, referred all questions to the prosecutor’s office and said he could not release a photo, per the state Attorney General’s Office guidelines.

Officer Eugene Taylor Charged with Killing Girlfriend's Puppy

A Baltimore City police officer is charged with animal cruelty and abuse of an animal after allegedly killing his girlfriend's puppy, say Montgomery County Police.

Officers arrested 27-year-old Alec Eugene Taylor for intentionally and cruelly killing a seven-month-old puppy that belonged to his girlfriend. Taylor is charged with aggravated animal cruelty and abuse or neglect of an animal.

Police tell us that police officers and animal services officers were called to a home on Castle Boulevard on Feb. 28. Taylor's girlfriend told officers that Taylor had beaten and killed their seven-month-old Jack Russell Terrier named Rocko.

Officers later discovered that on Feb. 26 at approximately 4:30 p.m., Taylor sent a text to his girlfriend stating that Rocko had pooped on the carpet and that he had killed the dog. Police say Taylor also texted a photograph of what appeared to be a lifeless dog.

Police say Taylor told his girlfriend during a follow-up call that he was tired of cleaning up the dog's mess and that he had beaten the dog with a mop. He also told her he had put the dog in a dumpster in the parking lot. She asked Taylor to take Rocko out of the dumpster so that she could bury the dog, according to police. That evening, she returned home from work, took Rocko from a shoe box on the apartment balcony, and buried the dog at a neighborhood park in Hyattsville.

Animal Services officers recovered the dog and performed a necropsy, say police. Results show that the immediate cause of death was acute hemorrhagic shock likely due to blood loss from liver damage caused by blunt force trauma, according to police.

Animal Services Division officers spoke with Taylor, who stated that he used a mop to force Rocko from behind the dryer and then used his hands to choke Rocko until he was dead, say police.

Officers obtained a warrant for Taylor's arrest on Tuesday. Taylor turned himself into officers on Wednesday. He was transported to the Central Processing Unit and charged with aggravated animal cruelty (a felony) and abuse or neglect of an animal.

The Baltimore Police Department released the following statement:

"The Baltimore Police Department is conducting an administrative investigation into the incident contained in the charges filed this morning by the Montgomery County Police Department against Officer Alec Taylor. Allegations of animal cruelty are taken seriously by the Baltimore Police Department. Over the course of the last year significant emphasis has been placed on developing and training investigators to handle animal abuse incidents in Baltimore. Alec Taylor is a five-year veteran of the Department and will be suspended without pay."

Officer Jason Green Arrested for Domestic Violence

A City of Columbia police officer has been arrested and charged with criminal domestic violence.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said deputies responded to an assault call at 2438 Willow Oak Drive around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

According to police, Jason Green, 32, and his wife were involved in a verbal altercation when Green grabbed her by throat and shoved her.

Sheriff Lott said officers discovered Green is a City of Columbia police officer while investigating.

Green was arrested and taken to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.


A judge granted Green a $5,242.50 personal recognizance bond Wednesday morning. He is not permitted to have contact with the victim directly or indirectly and he cannot go within 1000 feet of victim's home, work, school, or place of worship.

According to a Columbia Police Department spokesperson, Green has been suspended without pay.