Former Officer Robby Smith Arrested for Larceny of Farm Equipment

A former Minco police officer was arrested Wednesday after investigators found stolen farm equipment on the man’s property, the Canadian County sheriff’s office reported.

Robby A. Smith, 33, of Minco, was arrested on complaints of larceny of implements of husbandry and conspiracy to commit a felony.

The investigation began after the Canadian County sheriff’s office received complaints of thefts in southwest rural Canadian County. Investigators were led to a property where they thought stolen items were concealed or taken at the 16800 block of Reno Road West, Canadian County Undersheriff Chris West said.

Investigators found stolen farm equipment and a stolen pickup.

“My investigators quickly learned that some of the items found tied in with and was a part of a larger theft ring where multiple tractors and pieces of machinery and equipment had been taken, involving tens of thousands of dollars,” Canadian County Sheriff Randall Edwards said in a statement.

Canadian County investigators worked with National Insurance Crime Bureau agents and state Agriculture Department investigators using information that led to Smith’s home in Grady County, West said.

Investigators recovered multiple tractors and pieces of equipment, West said.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We fully expect there to be multiple arrests and additional stolen property recovered as a result of Robby’s confession and involvement,” Edwards said.

Smith was taken to the Canadian County jail. His bond was set at $6,000.

Two Broward County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Charged with Conspiracy in Connection with Rothstein Investigation

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and Scott Israel, Sheriff, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), announce the filing of charges against David Benjamin, 48, of Boca Raton, and Jeff Alan Poole, 47, of Weston, for conspiring to commit crimes in connection with the operation of the former Fort Lauderdale law firm of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler P.A. (RRA).

In a criminal information filed earlier today, Benjamin was charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and to violate civil rights, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In a separate criminal information also filed today, Poole was charged with conspiracy to violate civil rights, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 241. The charges allege that, during the relevant time period, both defendants were employed by the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Benjamin was a lieutenant and served as executive officer to then Sheriff Al Lamberti. Poole was a detective assigned to the Strategic Investigations Division.

The charging documents allege that both defendants agreed to utilize their respective positions within BSO unlawfully to further the interests of RRA, its chairman and CEO Scott W. Rothstein, and other persons associated with Rothstein. Specifically, the charging documents allege that Benjamin received approximately $185,000 in money and other things of value from Rothstein and RRA in return for providing his assistance when needed, including arranging with Poole to arrest the ex-wife of an attorney who was engaged in a child custody dispute with her, arranging to use force and threats of force against the boyfriend of an escort who was threatening to expose the illicit relationship that existed between the escort and one of the partners at RRA, and assisting Rothstein in loading cash and jewelry onto a private airplane that was used by Rothstein to flee to Morocco on October 27, 2009, as the Ponzi scheme being conducted through RRA was beginning to unravel.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “David Benjamin and Jeff Poole used their official positions as law enforcement officers to commit civil rights abuses to further the interests of Scott Rothstein and others associated with Rothstein. When law enforcement officers betray the trust of the people, it strikes at the very core of our democracy. The informations filed today charging Benjamin and Poole should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law. When law enforcement officers violate the public’s trust, they will be held accountable. Benjamin and Poole are the 19th and 20th accomplices, respectively, to be held accountable in Rothstein’s $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme.”

“When David Benjamin and Jeff Alan Poole began to use their official positions to further the illegal schemes of Rothstein and his cronies, they crossed a very bright line,” said William J. Maddalena, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Their criminal misconduct undermined the public’s trust in law enforcement. As such, the FBI will continue to work with our partners to remove those law enforcement officers who violate the law. The FBI, in particular, would like to thank BSO for their close partnership investigating this matter.”

IRS-CI SAC José A. Gonzalez stated, “Law enforcement officers and individuals in positions of our citizens’ trust are held to an even higher standard than the general public. It’s a sad day when a lieutenant and a detective of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office who are sworn to uphold the law, allegedly misuse their positions by engaging in criminal acts. IRS-CI, together with its law enforcement partners, will continue to ensure that no one operates above the law and are held accountable for their actions.”

BSO Sheriff Scott Israel stated, “Every time a law enforcement officer is implicated in a crime, it’s a blow to our profession. This indictment tarnishes the image of honest, hard-working law enforcement officers everywhere. My immediate action after taking office was to suspend Deputy Poole and Lieutenant Benjamin based on an ongoing federal investigation. I applaud the diligence and professionalism displayed by our federal partners, and we will continue working closely with them to ensure justice is served.”

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI, and BSO. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence D. LaVecchio, Paul F. Schwartz, and Jeffrey N. Kaplan.

Detective Derik Carson Kumagia Arrested on Federal Charges

A Fresno police detective was arrested Tuesday on federal charges that accuse him of taking a $20,000 bribe from a suspected drug dealer.

Vice intelligence squad detective Derik Carson Kumagai, 40, and alleged co-conspirator Saykham Somphoune, 40, of Clovis, were booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of conspiracy, bribery and extortion, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Cullers said at a news conference in U.S. District Court in Fresno.

A criminal complaint says Somphoune, who is not a law enforcement officer, also took or agreed to accept a bribe from the suspected drug dealer.

They will be arraigned today in federal court.

"It's a sad day for the Fresno Police Department," said a solemn Police Chief Jerry Dyer, who joined Cullers and other federal law enforcement officials at the news conference.

Dyer said Kumagai has been with the Fresno Police Department since June 2000. For the past 14 months, he has been assigned to the vice intelligence unit, the chief said. The unit investigates things like prostitution and outlaw biker gangs and assists narcotics officers with major drug investigations.

Dyer said there was nothing in Kumagai's background to alert his supervisors to any potential wrongdoing. Kumagai is now on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal police investigation. Dyer said the officer has given up his badge and service weapon for the time being.

"I'm disappointed," Dyer said. "It's cases like this that erode the trust that our citizens have in the police department."

Cullers declined to discuss the relationship between Kumagai and Somphoune, but he and the criminal complaint outlined the allegations against the pair:

According to Cullers, federal agents had been investigating a marijuana operation for about two years when they learned Kumagai and Somphoune had met with a suspected drug trafficker several times last fall.

In late October, Somphoune first told the suspected drug dealer that "Kumagai and others were asking for $60,000 in return for closing the purported investigation," the complaint says. Then on Oct. 22, Somphoune and Kumagai met with the suspected drug dealer, the complaint says, and told him the federal investigation "could be dropped in return for a bribe payment."

On Nov. 6, 2013, the suspected drug dealer paid Kumagai $20,000 cash, the complaint says.

After the bribe was paid, the suspected drug dealer completed documents to become a confidential police informant.

Cullers said the suspected drug trafficker had a motive to become an informant: "He could fly under the radar" and not be suspected in investigations.

Dyer said Kumagai didn't have the authority to sign up an informant. According to department policy, Dyer said, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office must sign off on anyone who wants to become an informant for police.

The case was the result of an investigation by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant Rabenn and Kevin Rooney are prosecuting the case.

If convicted of conspiracy, the two defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Cullers said. A conviction on the bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Fort Hood Sgt. Gregory McQueen Faces Several Charges

 A Fort Hood sergeant who was a coordinator of the post's sexual assault and harassment prevention program faces multiple charges after he was accused of setting up a prostitution ring involving cash-strapped female soldiers.

Sgt. 1st Class Gregory McQueen was charged Friday with 21 counts related to pandering, conspiracy, maltreatment of a subordinate, abusive sexual contact, and adultery and conduct of a nature to bring discredit to the armed forces, according to a Fort Hood statement.

An Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a civilian grand jury proceeding, is scheduled for March 20 and 21 at Fort Hood.

It was not clear if McQueen had an attorney Friday, Fort Hood spokesman Christopher Haug said. A home number for McQueen could not be found.

Last May, the Army said a sergeant first class was being investigated on allegations of sexual assault and possibly arranging for at least one woman to have sex for money. The Army said he was one of the coordinators of the program at Fort Hood, about 125 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

Army officials declined to release his name at the time, but two officials speaking anonymously to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case identified that soldier as McQueen, who was assigned as a coordinator of a battalion-level sexual assault prevention program at the Central Texas Army post.

U.S. officials had said he was being investigated in connection with activities involving three women, including sexually assaulting one woman. At the time, a Defense Department official in Washington said it was not clear if one of the women was forced into prostitution or participated willingly. McQueen remains suspended from his duties but is free pending trial, Haug said.

Another Fort Hood soldier was court-martialed in the case. Master Sgt. Brad Grimes was convicted in December of conspiring to patronize a prostitute and solicitation to commit adultery, reprimanded and demoted.

The Fort Hood case and others like it have increased pressure on the Pentagon and Capitol Hill to confront sexual misconduct in the armed forces.

The charges against McQueen came one day after the Senate rejected a bill that would have stripped military commanders of the authority to decide whether to prosecute serious crimes.

The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. and chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittee. In a Feb. 10 letter, she called on Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to turn over case information from four major U.S. bases, including Fort Hood.

The records would shed more light on how military commanders make decisions about courts-martial and punishments in sexual assault cases.

Six Officers in California Arrested in Scheme to Impound Vehicles

More than a third of the police officers in this Northern California town of 13,000 have been arrested, variously accused of bribery, embezzlement and threats charges.

Four are accused of developing a scheme to impound vehicles belonging to poor families, said Dean Flippo, Monterey County district attorney. After 30 days, those cars were turned over to King City police officers when the owners were unable to pay the impound fees.

The probe revealed that the scheme focused on poor Hispanic residents — including many who don't speak English. Census numbers show nearly 2 in 5 residents here are Hispanic.

"These people said, 'They are taking our property, they're taking our cars, they're taking our money and we can do nothing about that,' " Flippo said Tuesday. More than 200 vehicles were impounded, and 87% had been taken in by the same towing company.

Arrested were the following officials:

• Former police Chief Nick Baldiviez, charged with embezzlement by a public officer.

• Current acting Chief Bruce Miller, charged with accepting a bribe.

• Sgt. Bobby Carrillo, charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, accepting a bribe and bribing an executive officer.

• Sgt. Mark Baker, charged with criminal threats against a resident.

• Officer Mario Mottu, charged with embezzlement by a public officer.

• And Officer Jaime Andrade, charged with possession of an assault weapon and illegal storage of a firearm at his stepson's residence unrelated to the car scheme.

Also arrested was Brian Albert Miller, owner of a towing company and the acting police chief's brother. He was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and bribing an executive officer.

All of those arrested were out of jail within hours. Bail amounts ranged from $10,000 to $60,000.

"There has been a significant breakdown in the internal leadership of the King City Police Department," Flippo said. "It also appears to me that some officers have dishonored their badge."

Carrillo was accused of receiving a free vehicle for every 10 to 15 vehicles he had impounded. Ultimately, Carrillo allegedly got five vehicles to keep or sell and gave one to Bruce Miller, then a police captain.

In 2011, prosecutors believe Baldiviez gave Mottu a free 2001 Ford Crown Victoria patrol car belonging to either King City or the King City Police Explorers, a nonprofit group that is part of the Boy Scouts of America. Baldiviez remains on the city's payroll in spite of his September retirement, Flippo said.

"I'm not sure we know all the cars that were taken," the district attorney said. He couldn't put a value on the vehicles handed out in the scheme.

None of Tuesday's arrests, part of a six-month investigation of complaints going back 3½ years, are related to accusations posted on the Internet that King City police officers skimmed money from recovered bank robbery funds, Flippo said. He wouldn't specify whether any of the officers arrested were implicated in that accusation.

"As we began to talk to individuals over the years, we were beginning to hear this constant theme that had been there for years prior, and that was a lack of trust and faith in the King City Police Department," he said.

King City criminal cases in which any one of the six accused was the arresting officer are under scrutiny, the prosecutor said.

So far three cases that cannot proceed without the arresting officer's testimony have been dismissed, said Terry Spitz, chief assistant district attorney. Other cases also may be dismissed.

"My reputation is soiled," Bruce Miller said. "There's no coming back from this even if I'm found innocent. People are always going to look poorly upon me."

He said he knew his department was being investigated but had no idea he was a suspect. He denied that he had accepted any bribes.

Almost all of the police force's upper management has been arrested, Monterey County Sheriff Scott Miller said. His office is offering help in the interim as King City officials figure out how to continue policing the town about 135 miles southeast of San Francisco and 200 miles northwest of Los Angeles along U.S. 101.

"We have no plans to just go into the city and take over services, but our offer to the city is we're available from this point on to provide whatever level of law enforcement services the city requires," he said.

The King City Police Department has come under fire in recent years. In 2010, Baldiviez was placed on administrative leave after officers claimed he arrived intoxicated at crime scenes. The next year, Baldiviez came under scrutiny for allegedly placing overweight officers on a weight-loss program, claiming they were unfit to work.

Baldiviez officially retired in September after a four-month vacation. Bruce Miller has filled the chief's position on an interim basis since May 2013.

At the time, Bruce Miller said he would be interested in applying for the chief's position when it became officially available.

Baldiviez is also listed as one of several defendants in a November lawsuit clai

Former Sheriff's Deputy Stephen Tanabe Sentenced to Prison

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer sentenced former Contra Costa County sheriff's deputy Stephen Tanabe to 15 months in prison for aiding in the drunken driving arrests of three men who were set up by a private investigator. He was sentenced in federal court in San Francisco today to a year and three months in prison.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer told Stephen Tanabe, "Your decision to embark on this process was so outside the scope of what would be viewed as professional responsibility that it should have been an alarm.

"This was a case where what this officer did that was wrong was basically negotiating and receiving money or property to do his job, which he did. But he did so with the knowledge that the circumstances of the offenses were initiated by others," Breyer said.

Tanabe, 50, of Alamo, was convicted by a jury in Breyer's court last year of conspiracy, wire fraud and extortion related to a scheme by disgraced former investigator Christopher Butler to arrange the driving-under-the-influence arrests of three men in Danville in 2010 and 2011.

The men were husbands of Butler's female clients in divorce cases and the arrests became known as "dirty DUIs."  According to testimony the trial, attractive women employed by Butler enticed the men to become intoxicated at Danville bars.

After being alerted by Butler, Tanabe arrested two of the targets as they drove away from the bars on Jan. 9 and 14, 2011. In the first arrest on Nov. 2, 2010, Tanabe was off duty and watched with Butler inside a bar as the man became intoxicated and then alerted a fellow officer to arrest the man after he began driving, according to trial testimony.

In two extortion convictions, the jury found Tanabe guilty of receiving an expensive Glock gun from Butler in exchange for making the second and third arrests.

But the jury acquitted him of a third extortion charge that alleged he received cocaine from Butler for the first arrest.

Tanabe was also convicted of three counts of wire fraud for text messages exchanged with Butler in the three incidents, and conspiracy to deprive the public of his honest services.

Tanabe, who did not testify at his trial, told Breyer today that at the time of the arrests, he believed he was carrying out his duty to protect the public and didn't think that he was doing anything illegal.

"I justified it in my mind that it was a legitimate arrest of drivers who were intoxicated. In my mind, I was arresting people who were breaking the law in the town in which I worked," Tanabe said.

He said he thought of the receipt of the gun as a "casual" arrangement and not a payment.

Now, Tanabe said, he realizes "I did something wrong and made a mistake. I accepted a Glock gun from Christopher Butler and I made arrests.

"All I ever wanted to do was be a cop and I destroyed that," he said.

Tanabe said he knew Butler's employees were observing the targeted men, but said he wasn't aware of the broader scheme to entice the men to drink too much.

Prosecutor Philip Kearney argued that text messages presented as evidence at the trial showed that there was "active participation and knowledge" of the scheme by Tanabe.

Tanabe's defense lawyers had asked for a lower sentence of six months in a halfway house plus six months of home confinement, while prosecutors had asked for three and one-half years in prison.

Breyer ordered Tanabe to surrender to begin serving his sentence on April 15. Tanabe will also be on supervised release for three years after he is released and must perform 240 hours of community service during that time.

"Law enforcement officers have enormous power. The police officer in day-to-day law enforcement must have the confidence of people that law enforcement will be even-handed," Breyer said.

Outside of court, defense attorney Alan Miller said no decision has been made on whether Tanabe will appeal.

Tanabe, Butler and others face three civil lawsuits filed by three men who were arrested. The cases are pending in Breyer's court and were stayed by the judge last year until Tanabe's case was completed. An attorney for two of the plaintiffs, Brian Gearinger, said he expects Breyer will now hold a status conference on the cases within the next few weeks.

Butler's drunken driving stings were part of a larger Contra Costa County corruption scandal in which he and former state narcotics squad chief Norman Wielsch sold drugs Wielsch stole from evidence lockers, arranged phony arrests and extorted money from prostitutes. Butler also placed hidden eavesdropping devices in the cars of clients' husbands.

Butler pleaded guilty in 2012 to seven charges and received a reduced sentence of eight years in prison in exchange for agreeing to aid prosecutors. He testified at Tanabe's trial and maintained he paid the officer for the arrests with both cocaine and the Glock gun.

Wielsch separately pleaded guilty to five charges and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Tanabe was charged only in connection with the three Danville arrests.

Ex NYPD officer Arrested for Conspiring to Cook and Eat Women

Two more people are under arrest in connection with the so-called "Cannibal Cop", Gilberto Valle, the ex-NYPD officer convicted of conspiring to cook and eat women.


60-year old Christopher Asch was arrested at his Greenwich Village home, and was charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He was initially removed from his job as a librarian at Stuyvesant High School for improperly touching male students.

Asch was charged criminally, but the case was subsequently dismissed and sealed.

A second person, Richard Meltz, was arrested Sunday in Rockaway, New Jersey. He is chief of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service, based in Bedford, Massachusetts, and a former Sussex County, New Jersey law enforcement officer.

Valle was convicted last month of conspiring to kidnap women, then cook, kill and eat them. He faces life in prison when he is sentenced June 19 - his first wedding anniversary.

Authorities say Asch is quoted in the criminal complaint discussing kidnapping, killing and eating women and children, at one point calling it an "exciting proposition."

Former Officer Michael Lohman Pleas Guilty to Shooting

A former lieutenant of the New Orleans Police Department, who is charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, has entered a guilty plea. He is alleged of having helped cover up fellow officers’ fatal shootings of two unarmed people during the chaotic period following Hurricane Katrina.

Michael Lohman, 42, was not initially present at the scene of the shootings, which took place on the Danziger Bridge and which injured four people in addition to the two who were killed. However, Lohman later went to the scene and concluded that the shooting was unjustified, but nevertheless file false police reports. Additionally, as the officer in charge of investigating the shooting, he allegedly looked the other way when another investigator planted a gun at the scene of the crime, asking only if the weapon in question was “clean” — police parlance for a gun that cannot be traced back to a prior crime.

According to survivors of the September 4, 2005 incident, the police fired at people who were crossing the bridge in search of food, during the aftermath of the infamous hurricane which threw the city into turmoil. None of those people were armed.

Killed by police gunfire were a 40-year-old mentally disable man, Ronald Madison, and a teenager, 19-year-old James Brissette.

A recently unsealed indictment says that Lohman and two sergeants, who remain unidentified, wrote two different accounts of the bridge shootings, both false reports. One of claims made was that a victim had come forward to say that her nephew was among those firing guns at police. Federal officials contend that Lohman, unhappy with a false report written by a fellow investigator, then crafted his own false report. He also allegedly told the investigator to collude with the shooters, to make sure that they were “OK with” the bogus report and with giving statements that would back it up.

Seven officers had been charged with murder or attempted murder in the shooting, but a state judge dismissed those charges in 2008, making Lohman the first person to face justice. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 26.

In the days following Hurricane Katrina and the flooding that resulted, there were numerous reports of violence against police and rescue personnel, many of which were later proven untrue. The shootings on the bridge were one of the most highly publicized events, and this notoriety may account for the subsequent cover-up, which U.S. Attorney Jim Letten has called “a pretty elaborate ongoing conspiracy.”

Former Sgt. Walter McWilson Pleads Guilty to Receiving Stolen Property

A once-lauded Oceanside police sergeant will do jail time after pleading guilty Wednesday to three counts of receiving stolen property.

Before striking a plea bargain with prosecutors, Walter McWilson, 37, a 10-year Oceanside police veteran, had been facing 14 felony charges, including grand theft and conspiracy for allegedly asking his office manager girlfriend to use her construction company's credit cards to buy gift cards, electronics and home improvement materials.

Prosecutor Anna Winn, who handled the case, said police officers are "heroes" and "protectors," so McWilson's fall was painful to many.

"Anytime a police officer commits a crime, it betrays all police officers and it betrays the public trust," Winn said.

McWilson is scheduled to be sentenced June 15 to 365 days in county jail, Winn said. But if he repays Oceanside-based Royal Pacific Construction $22,000 by that date, he will get a sentence of between 180 and 270 days.

Under state guidelines, McWilson will probably be required to serve half of any sentence he receives.

McWilson has three children and lives in Murrieta with a son and his elderly mother.

His now ex-girlfriend Aimee Rich, 34, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and is expected to be sentenced April 22 to between 120 and 365 days in jail, Winn said.

Before he was placed on leave in August, McWilson gained the praise of department leaders as the supervisor of the Neighborhood Policing Team and for his work on the Crisis Negotiations Team and the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team.

With an earnest but friendly demeanor and what department leaders said was a sincere concern for the community, one Oceanside police captain called McWilson a "rising star."

Detectives from his own department discovered McWilson's crimes by accident as they investigated Rich, police said.

She refused to tell investigators whether her embezzlement had benefited any friends, but a receipt for a mattress seized from her Murrieta apartment had McWilson's name on it, police said.

Oceanside police Chief Frank McCoy on Wednesday said McWilson's arrest and guilty plea showed the department's commitment to justice.

"A clear message was sent that regardless of if someone is a police officer or whatever their profession is, our department will conduct a thorough and fair investigation," McCoy said.

Oceanside's probe showed that Rich had used company checks and lines of credit to embezzle about $160,000 between 2004 and 2008, court records show.

Winn said McWilson admitted that Rich used her company's credit to buy him about $22,000 worth of goods, including four TVs, one of which he sold to a neighbor, an Apple notebook computer, a high-end mattress, Thomasville mahogany flooring and $4,000 in Home Depot gift cards.

As a convicted felon, McWilson will never be able to work in law enforcement again, Winn said.

But it is not McWilson's first time on the wrong side of the law. In 1993 he was convicted of evading a police officer, Winn said, but had the charge expunged after establishing a record of good behavior.

Officer Lawrence Furlow Arrested For Shaking Down Drug Dealers

The state Attorney General’s Office has decided to retry its case against a Newark police officer accused of shaking down drug dealers for money, drugs and guns, after his first trial ended last month with a hung jury.

The officer, Lawrence Furlow, 49, was arrested in 2004 and charged with conspiracy, official misconduct and theft, according to the original indictment.

A new trial isn’t expected to begin until May because Furlow’s attorney, Thomas Ashley, is handling a death penalty case in Philadelphia, authorities said.

Attorneys on both sides will meet Friday morning with Superior Court Judge Peter Ryan in Newark to set a new trial date, said Peter Aseltine, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office.

Ashley, who represented Furlow in the previous trial that ended Dec. 16 with a hung jury, said he intends to stay on as counsel. He said his client was "heartened" when the jury revealed it had voted, 8-4, in favor of acquittal, before deadlocking.

Furlow’s arrest — along with fellow officer Darius Smith — was part of a larger investigation by the state Division of Criminal Justice and Newark police into allegations so-called rogue officers robbed drug dealers and prostitutes, resold drugs and sold guns, planted drugs on victims and filed false reports over a three-year period.

Smith, 38, whose charges mirror Furlow’s, will be tried separately. His trial will start March 23, according to court records.

Both men, who are out on bail, have been suspended from the police department since their arrests more than five years ago. Ashley said Furlow, who has been on the force since 1996, has found other employment, but is only making "a modicum of a living."

Smith’s attorney, Raymond Beam Jr., could not be reached for comment.

Deputy Attorneys General Annmarie Taggart and Mark Ondris will prosecute the case against Furlow. Office policy prohibits attorneys from discussing an ongoing case, Aseltine said.

Furlow and Smith were implicated by another police officer, Tyrone Dudley, who went into witness protection after pleading guilty to participating in the thefts.

The charges against Furlow cover December 2001 to 2003, when he patrolled the West Ward. Authorities say he took cash, drugs and weapons from drug dealers, criminal suspects and others by shaking them down. He also planted drugs on other victims to increase his arrests and cover up his illegal actions, according to the original indictment.

Ashley said his client denies any wrongdoing and "professes his innocence. I am very confident that at the end of the day, he will be absolutely innocent."

ICE Officer Richard Cramer Pleads Guilty to Helping Mexican Drug Traffickers

A retired high-ranking U.S. immigration officer pleaded guilty Thursday in a Miami federal court to conspiracy to obstruct justice for helping members of a Mexican drug-trafficking organization evade arrest.

Prosecutors said Richard Cramer, who at one time was in charge of the Nogales office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, supplied smugglers with confidential law-enforcement background checks.

Cramer, 56, of Sahuarita, had originally faced three counts of cocaine smuggling, which were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea.

Felony obstruction carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence, but under the plea deal prosecutors will recommend Cramer, who is in custody in Florida, serve two years when he is sentenced on Feb. 18.

In court Thursday, prosecutors outlined their case against Cramer: In 2006, he was stationed as an attaché in Guadalajara, Mexico.

A Mexican money launderer hiding in Miami needed assurance that he was not being sought by authorities before returning to Mexico.

Drug traffickers reached out to Cramer, who arranged for law-enforcement background checks. Those showed the money launderer was not wanted.

Federal agents later moved in on the traffickers and found they had paper copies of the background checks. Those led agents back to Cramer, who was arrested in September.

The case began with an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in Florida.

In the original criminal complaint, DEA agents accused Cramer of working with drug traffickers and investing up to $25,000 of his own money in a shipment of 300 kilograms of cocaine from Panama to Spain that was seized by agents.

Cramer's friends and relatives have remained stalwart in their defense of him, insisting he would never have intentionally broken the law.

Deputy Albert Surratt III Charged with Manufacturing Meth

A Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested in the Pageland area and taken into custody Thursday on drug related charges.

Chesterfield County Sheriff Sam Parker said Deputy Albert Eugene Surratt, III (Brent), 28, of 1469 Hillian Edward Road, Cheraw, was charged and taken into custody for alleged conspiracy to manufacturing meth and for possession of a firearm during a drug crime.

Surratt is a 1999 graduate from West-Oak High School in Westminster, S.C. He was also a former employee of the Cheraw Police Department before being hired with the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office on June 8.

“This is a shock to all of us and it is a sad situation because he always seemed to be a good guy,” said Cheraw Police Chief Jay Brooks.

Parker echoed some of the same comments.

“It is hard to believe that this happened with Brent. It is a terrible shock and very disappointing because Brent is a good person. However, we are going to try to help him get the help he needs in order to get his life back on track. It goes to show you that bad things happen to good people.”

Parker added that the case is an ongoing investigation and other arrests would result and surface as the investigation progresses.

“The Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, State and Federal Agencies as well as the DEA, are all involved in this investigation,” Parker said.

Three LAPD Officers Charged with Perjury & Conspiracy

Three Los Angeles police officers were charged today with perjury and conspiracy for allegedly lying under oath in a drug possession case that was dismissed last year when a videotape sharply contradicted their testimony.

The felony charges were brought by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

In February, the U.S. Justice Department opened its own investigation into the officers' actions.

At issue are the actions of officers at a Hollywood apartment complex where a security camera documented the 2007 arrest of Guillermo Alarcon Jr.

At Alarcon's trial last year, Officers Richard Amio and Evan Samuel testified that they were on patrol in Los Angeles when they chased Alarcon, 29, into his Hollywood apartment building. The officers told jurors that they saw him throw away a black object.

They testified that Samuel quickly picked up the object and found about $260 worth of powder and crack cocaine inside. But footage from a security camera at the apartment building, which is managed by Alarcon's mother, showed that officers searched for more than 20 minutes before an object allegedly containing cocaine was found.

They were aided by other officers, including Manuel Ortiz, who testified about the case at a preliminary hearing in January. The quality of the tape, a copy of which was obtained by The Times, is poor and it is difficult to clearly hear what is being said. But at one point, soon after the drugs were found, an officer seems to make a reference to the arrest report that needed to be filled out.

"Be creative in your writing," the officer appears to tell another after the discovery. Alarcon's attorney argued at trial that his client was innocent and that the officers had planted evidence and then lied about it.

After viewing the videotape, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Monica Bachner dismissed the charges at the request of prosecutors. The judge also declared Alarcon factually innocent.



http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lapd-perjury7-2009oct07,0,17370.story

Former Sheriff & Undersheriff Sentenced for Stealing Money from Motorists

The former sheriff and undersheriff of McIntosh County have each been sentenced to more than two years in prison for illegally seizing money from motorists.

U.S. Attorney Sheldon Sperling said Tuesday that 36-year-old Terry Jones and 38-year-old Mykol Brookshire were each sentenced to 27 months for conspiracy under color of law to interfere with interstate commerce.

Prosecutors say the two seized cash from motorists and either underreported the amount or failed to report the seizure. The two are accused of then splitting the money.

Sperling says the two were arrested after seizing money from an undercover agent in May and underreporting the amount taken while keeping the remainder.

Both men resigned after being charged.

Officer George Langan Arrested for Corruption

Washington County District Attorney Steven Toprani said that a Monongahela police officer arrested yesterday on drug and corruption charges represents a culture of corruption he has been wrestling with since he took office 20 months ago.

Monongahela patrolman George M. Langan thwarted the efforts of a Washington County drug task force by tipping off drug dealers and also operated as a drug dealer, Mr. Topriani said. He also threatened some people who authorities say purchased drugs from him.

He described the patrolman as "rogue" officer who was "an important figure in Monongahela's cocaine trade."

Mr. Langan's arrest brings to five the number of local police officers charged with corruption and related crimes under Mr. Toprani's brief regime.

"I view the allegations and arrest with a profound sense of sadness," said Mr. Toprani, who lives in neighboring Carroll. "My commitment to stamp out corruption remains firm."

Mr. Toprani's comments came during a news conference in front of the county courthouse yesterday, just hours after Officer Langan, 45, was arrested and lodged in the county jail on $500,000 bond.

Officer Langan, a 16-year veteran of the Monongahela police, was called into the police department about two hours into his shift yesterday morning and told to remove his gun and belt for a random drug test.

He was taken into custody and charged with 11 counts of violating the drug act, and 23 counts of public corruption, including official oppression, evidence tampering and criminal conspiracy.

His arrest stemmed from an indictment handed down Thursday from a new countywide grand jury empaneled earlier this year by Mr. Toprani.

The indictment capped a four-month investigation into corruption and drug dealing in the Mon Valley, and there could be more arrests, Mr. Toprani said.

He said Officer Langan was targeted by the grand jury after members of the drug task force became suspicious of possible police corruption in the Monongahela area.

The task force, made up of several dozen police officers from throughout the county, acts in secret to investigate and eliminate the local drug trade.

Detective Ronald J. Levi of the drug task force said doubts were raised recently when his team coordinated several undercover purchases of the narcotic painkiller oxycontin from a group of drug dealers in the Mon Valley.

Local police were notified shortly before a final buy and coordinating raid were planned, Detective Levi said, but it became obvious that the dealers had been tipped off and the plan went awry.

"We suspected something was up," he said.

The group didn't have far to look, as Mr. Langan -- called "G-Money" by friends -- had been under investigation for at least the last 10 years by the state attorney general's office, the state police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mr. Toprani said.

The details of those investigations are unclear for now, but Monongahela police Chief Brian Tempest said during his 20-odd years as a local patrolman, he suspected Mr. Langan of wrongdoing and forwarded his concerns to then-chief Dennis Mendicino.

"I feel this has been going on for 10 years," said Chief Tempest, who was appointed chief in January 2008, when new Mayor Robert Kepics was elected. Ex-chief Mendicino, who still works on the force of 18 officers, was demoted to sergeant.

Chief Tempest said there were rumors for years that members of the police force were corrupt, and said he's glad to finally be able to address them.

"It's a sad day for law enforcement," he said. "I feel sad. He was my friend."

Although details will remain sketchy until the grand jury indictment is unsealed during a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday, the criminal complaint filed yesterday alleges Mr. Langan was in possession of cocaine on or about June 15 and June 17, when an undercover operation was launched.

During the same time period, he is accused of delivering cocaine to Sgt. Mendicino's ex-wife, Lori Mendicino, and to Mike Tatar, Nick Simon and Wendy Biagini -- who he has since been accused of threatening.

In April, police said Mr. Langan tipped off Mr. Tatar, Millie Schiffer and Kurt Neff to pending arrests and search warrants.

Mr. Langan's actions rose to the level of racketeering, the complaint alleges, and put the lives of other law enforcement officials in "grave danger."

Mr. Toprani said the investigation wouldn't have been possible without the grand jury, "a very effective tool," which hears confidential testimony and has the power to compel cooperation.

He said it's possible that more charges will be forthcoming, and that Mr. Langan wasn't acting alone.

"This is certainly a difficult day for law enforcement, but it's a necessary one," he said.
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http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleyindependent/news/s_641579.html

Former Trooper Paul Galietti Pleads Guilty to Unauthorized Use of Database

A former state trooper whose cousin was a top salesman in James Galante's garbage empire was spared jail time Wednesday in U.S. District Court at his sentencing for illegally checking the license plate of a competing trash hauler on a law enforcement database.

Paul Galietti, 41, pleaded guilty in October before Judge Ellen Bree Burns to intentionally exceeding his authorized access to a government computer, a crime punishable by up to a year in prison.

But a plea agreement between federal prosecutors and his lawyer, Gary A. Mastronardi, called for a maximum jail sentence of six months, which Burns spared him altogether Wednesday by imposing a $1,000 fine during sentencing proceedings that lasted about 10 minutes.

When Galietti pleaded guilty, Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Miller said in court that federal agents overheard Galietti talking to his cousin, Richard Galietti, who at the time was sales manager for Galante-controlled Automated Waste Disposal, on a call in September 2004.

During the call, Miller said, Richard Galietti asked his cousin to run a check on a Connecticut license plate. Minutes later federal agents heard Paul Galietti giving Richard Galietti the name of the person the car was registered to.

The person was affiliated with a small trash hauling company in Danbury that was not participating in the so-called "property rights system" that artificially kept prices for trash collection in the area high, Miller said.

After he gave his cousin the information, agents overheard Paul Galietti warning of the risks of other people finding out about the check, Miller said.

"Never tell anybody I did that for you, because you'll get me fired," Miller quoted Galietti as saying. "It's a serious thing now, OK?"

According to Miller, when Richard Galietti then told his cousin that his brother, a sheriff in Florida, had gotten in trouble for the same reason, Paul Galietti said: "Yeah, no really, the federal government pinches you now. That's a real f---ing serious thing."

Later, Miller said, state police checked the law enforcement database Galietti accessed and found that a query of the plate had occurred during the wiretapped conversation, from the troop Galietti was assigned to.

Galietti resigned from the state police after being indicted as part of the Galante probe. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed never to seek any employment in law enforcement.

All 33 people arrested as a result of the federal investigation into trash hauling in the area have pleaded guilty.

Galante himself is serving an 87-month prison sentence on racketeering, wire fraud and tax evasion charges. He also forfeited ownership of 25 trash hauling companies, a Southbury residence, six race cars and nearly $450,000 in cash seized during the investigation.

Paul Galietti's day in court he pleaded guilty to exceeding his authorized access to a government computer in October 2008. n Plea agreement called for a jail sentence up to six months and a fine of up to $5,000. n U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns sentenced Galietti on Wednesday to a $1,000 fine.
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http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-ap-ct-trashprobeaug12,0,3596851.story

Up Date on Trooper Bobby Howard Jr Arrested for Theft

A Lafayette police officer is facing charges, accused of stealing farm equipment and selling it in Mexico.

We've learned he wasn't acting alone. In fact, the man who may have been his partner in crime is another former Lafayette city employee.

Wednesday, officials told us that Brad Sonnier, who is also allegedly involved in his theft ring, is a former Lafayette fireman. Sonnier was arrested for felony theft and conspiracy to commit felony theft.

We also found out that the Lafayette Police officer arrested Tuesday, Bobby Howard Junior, was a former state trooper who worked for state police years ago and resigned to go work for the city.

During a press conference Wednesday, authorities said tractors, bulldozers and bobcats worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were stolen from Acadiana. But the theft ring is believed to be a statewide operation.

Officials say this is by far one of the biggest investigations they've ever had to deal with involving farm equipment.

Authorities say Sonnier's arrest led to Howard's. While officials have not released their exact involvement in the thefts investigators tell us there was a lot of communication between the two during the 9 months investigation.

Meanwhile, more arrests are expected in this case. If you have any information on the thefts, state police are asking you to cal 337-262-3341. All calls will remain anonymous.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/07/officer-boby-howard-jr-arrested-for.html

Officer Boby Howard Jr Arrested for Theft

A 14-year veteran of the Lafayette Police Department has been placed in the Acadia Parish Jail charged with Principal to Felony Theft and conspiracy to Commit felony theft following a nine-month investigation.

According to Acadia Parish Wayne Melancon his office began receiving report of farm equipment thefts including tractors, bulldozers, and bobcats throughout the parish in November of 2008.

Melancon said that a break in the investigation came when his office received a report that a John Deere tractor with front loader was stolen from a shop on South Riceland road near Rayne. A local bank contacted law enforcement officials when someone attempted to make a loan to purchase the tractor that was stolen on South Riceland Road. Investigators learned that when the serial numbers were ran through John Deere in came back as stolen.

Investigators from Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office, Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office, Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office, St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office, St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Livestock & Brand Commission and Federal Bureau of Investigations joined forces to investigate the 28 thefts that occurred in five neighboring parishes.

Following an extensive investigation Bobby Howard, Jr., age 39, of Scott was arrested by Investigators with the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office Tuesday afternoon in Lafayette and charged with principal to felony theft and conspiracy to commit felony theft.

Howard was transported to the Acadia Parish Jail where his bond was set at $250-thousand-dollars.

Also, arrested was Brad Sonnier, age 29, of Scott. He is also being charged with felony theft and conspiracy to commit felony theft. He is presently being held in the Lafayette Parish Jail.

Former Officer Mike Shamahs Sentenced to 19 Years

A federal judge sentenced a former Chicago police officer to more than 19 years in prison Thursday for raiding a storage locker and stealing what he believed was $30,000 in drug cash.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman said he believes there are two Mahmoud "Mike" Shamahs -- one the loving husband of a schoolteacher and father of a 4-year-old boy and the other a South Side tactical officer who thought he could brazenly steal on the job.

Some of the victims were drug dealers who had a few hundred dollars taken from them at a time, the judge noted.

"But the most direct victims are the people you love the most," Gettleman told Shamah before sentencing him to 19 years and 4 months in prison. "I'm sorry you didn't think about that before you did your first robbery."

A federal jury convicted Shamah in December of racketeering and conspiracy in a series of robberies while working in the Morgan Park District with partner Richard Doroniuk. They were snared in an FBI sting in 2006.

Doroniuk testified against his partner at the trial, saying officers routinely carried a little crack cocaine to plant on suspects when searches came up empty and stole cash from drug dealers during raids and traffic stops. He also said they routinely paid informants, falsified reports, lied in court and even kicked back cash to an undisclosed judge for pushing through a bogus warrant.

Gettleman said he thought federal guidelines that called for a minimum sentence of about 24 years in prison were too harsh, especially because Doroniuk was sentenced to less than 11 years earlier this week.

Shamah, dressed in a gray pinstriped suit, pulled a prepared statement from a jacket pocket and pleaded for mercy. He said he took responsibility for his actions, but he also blamed a system that stresses arrests over good policework for eroding how he thought of his duties.

"I lost respect for my job, your honor," Shamah said. "I lost the police officer I wanted to be."

Assistant U.S. Atty. Meghan Morrissey called for a stiffer sentence because Shamah used a weapon and body armor during the robberies.

Prosecutors said Shamah pocketed half of the $30,000 in the FBI sting and about $1,700 more from traffic stops and arrests.

Morrissey said Shamah contributed to the general distrust of the police.
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http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/07/former-cop-gets-to-19-years-in-prison.html

Former Officer Malik Snell Convicted of Stealing from Drug Kingpin

A jury convicted a former Philadelphia police officer of stealing from a drug kingpin and participating in a robbery.

Malik Snell drove the get-a-way car following a home invasion in Pottstown last March, which led to a high speed chase, prosecutors said.

The 36-year-old was convicted Monday on all counts. The former Marine was an officer for 11 years.
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Photo & More Information: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20090608_Ex-Philadelphia_police_officer_convicted_on_4_counts.html