A former Powell police officer accused of having unwanted sexual contact with a woman while on duty in 2011 has pleaded not guilty to the felony charge against him.
The attorney for Kirk B. Chapman entered the denial of the allegations on his client’s behalf at a Wednesday appearance in Park County District Court in Cody. As is the norm at such arraignment hearings, Chapman spoke only to give brief answers to routine questions from District Court Judge Steven Cranfill.
The third-degree sexual assault charge alleges Chapman used his then-position as a police officer to get a Powell woman to submit to sexual contact in September 2011. The charge was filed against Chapman in July 2012 following a Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and Park County Attorney’s Office review of the woman’s allegations.
Chapman had dropped the intoxicated woman off at her home after she asked police for a ride from a bar.
What happened later is what makes up the criminal allegations — and what is in dispute.
The woman says Chapman returned about an hour later. She told DCI investigators that Chapman kissed her, touched her body and genitals and rubbed himself up against her while in uniform. The woman said she told Chapman he should return to work before and during the contact, according to charging documents.
As for the allegation that Chapman used his position as a police officer to force the woman to submit, Circuit Court Judge Bruce Waters noted during a preliminary hearing last year that there are no allegations Chapman threatened the woman. However, the woman told DCI investigators she believed Chapman showed her a knife in his boot to intimidate her and believed he “used his position” to “violate” her, court records say.
For his part, Chapman flatly denied the allegations. He told DCI investigators he never returned to the woman’s residence after dropping her off. During the preliminary hearing, Chapman’s court-appointed attorney, Bill Simpson of Cody, argued the woman’s timeline of events doesn’t match up with police logs and questioned her credibility by noting past mental health issues. Simpson suggested the woman had been angry with Chapman over a misdemeanor, alcohol-related arrest from a year earlier.
Deputy Park County Attorney Sam Krone, however, highlighted a part of the woman’s account in which she recalled Chapman tripped the mic key on his radio while rubbing against her. She recounted to DCI investigators that Chapman had told dispatch he’d bumped his knee. The investigators found an audio recording of radio traffic from that early morning that appears to match the woman’s recollection of events, wrote DCI agent Andrew Hanson in the charging affidavit.
Wednesday’s arraignment had been delayed several times.
In late November, Simpson asked for the hearing to be pushed back. Simpson said he and prosecutors were “currently negotiating a plea agreement” that would take a few weeks to finish.
On Jan. 9, Simpson asked Judge Cranfill to schedule his client for a change of plea hearing — a hearing where a defendant typically switches their plea from not guilty to guilty or no contest as part of plea bargain. It was an unusual request because 1) Chapman hadn’t entered a plea to change, and 2) according to Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric, there was no deal in place. In a March filing, deputy county attorney Krone asked for the change of plea hearing to be scrapped, saying that “the parties have not entered into plea negotiations.”
Simpson didn’t respond to a request for comment about why he originally asked for the hearing.
Now that Chapman has pleaded not guilty, the case will be set for a trial.
Chapman began serving with the department in January 2007 and resigned in November 2011. The Powell Police Department placed Chapman on administrative leave after the allegations were reported in September, and he resigned without returning to duty, Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt has said.
Showing posts with label Wyoming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wyoming. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, February 01, 2010
Former Officer Joseph Campbell Charged with Theft of DARE Money
A former borough police officer accused of stealing funds directed to teach children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol surrendered on theft charges on Monday.
Joseph Campbell, 47, of Wyoming, was charged with five felony counts of theft. He turned himself in with his attorney, Peter Loftus, at the office of District Judge Joseph Carmody in West Pittston.
Luzerne County detectives charged Campbell, a former West Pittston police officer, with stealing more than $20,000 from 2002 to 2008, according to the criminal complaint.
Campbell was a DARE officer with the Wyoming Area School District.
West Pittston Borough Council terminated Campbell in November.
Campbell was released on $25,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled on Feb. 10 before Carmody.
Joseph Campbell, 47, of Wyoming, was charged with five felony counts of theft. He turned himself in with his attorney, Peter Loftus, at the office of District Judge Joseph Carmody in West Pittston.
Luzerne County detectives charged Campbell, a former West Pittston police officer, with stealing more than $20,000 from 2002 to 2008, according to the criminal complaint.
Campbell was a DARE officer with the Wyoming Area School District.
West Pittston Borough Council terminated Campbell in November.
Campbell was released on $25,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled on Feb. 10 before Carmody.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Officer Michael Kavenius & Sgt. Paul Brown Firing Upheld for Tasering 76-year-old Man
The Glenrock Town Council voted Monday night to uphold last year's terminations of Officer Michael Kavenius and Sgt. Paul Brown.
According to a state review of the incident, Bud Grose was shocked five times with Kavenius' Taser during Glenrock's annual Deer Creek Days Parade in August.
Grose was driving an antique tractor in the parade and disobeyed Kavenius' traffic command, police said. Brown pulled a police vehicle in front of Grose's tractor, and the tractor collided with it.
Neither former officer was present at the council meeting. A lawyer representing the two has said they violated no police policies or procedures and deserved to be reinstated.
"Sgt. Brown and Officer Kavenius are decent, hardworking men who have generously volunteered to the community and worked in the law enforcement establishment for years," Casper lawyer John H. Robinson said last year.
Grose didn't attend the meeting either but said in a telephone interview afterward he was grateful to the Glenrock community and the council. Glenrock has a population of about 2,300 and is about 25 miles east of Casper.
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"It just kind of shows what people can accomplish when they hang together," Grose said. He said he's been consulting with a lawyer but hasn't decided whether he will sue over the incident.
The incident drew an angry mob, with many people shouting that police mishandled the situation, according to investigators' reports. It has since focused attention on the performance of Glenrock's seven-member police department.
"About everybody thinks it was uncalled for, it could have been handled strictly different," Grose said.
His son, Mike Grose, attended Monday's meeting and thanked the council for making what he called a hard but just decision.
Councilor Bruce Vinolla was among the three who voted to uphold the officers' firings. "As the process went forward, everything just kind of pointed toward the decision," he said after the meeting. "It just kind of made itself."
Vinolla said he believes many in the community were concerned that the situation would be swept under the rug. But he noted that the town called in outside law enforcement agencies to investigate, and said such things take time.
Glenrock Mayor Steve Cielinski and a fourth councilor didn't take part in the vote; the mayor was involved in the investigation, and the councilor had connections to people involved.
Glenrock Police Chief Tom Sweet said after the council vote that he had recommended the firings be upheld. He said the officers were put on administrative leave in August and terminated in September.
"It's been highly emotional for the community - for everyone involved," Sweet said. He said he expects to have two new officers working by this summer.
"I just hope that the community will have confidence in and support the police department as a whole, and the individual officers as they're trying to do their jobs," Sweet said. "I think this incident kind of brought to light even bad things happen in small communities, and your officers have to be professional whether they're in Glenrock, Wyoming, or New York City."
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Former Officer Adam Lee Meacham in Court for Sexually Abusing Teen in Ride-Along Program
A circuit court judge in Rawlins has opted to take under advisement a case against a former Rawlins police captain and Carbon County commissioner charged with sexual assault, soliciting a child to participate in illicit acts, furnishing alcohol to minors and other crimes.
Carbon County Circuit Court Judge Jane Eakin at a preliminary hearing on Friday did not make a ruling to send the felony counts faced by 45-year-old Adam "Lee" Meacham to Carbon County District Court.
Meacham has yet to enter pleas, and it's unclear when Eakin will make a ruling.
Authorities say Meacham sexually abused a teen between the ages of 15 and 17 while the girl was participating in a police department ride-along program. He faces 15 criminal charges in the case.
A former Rawlins resident sued Meacham and the city in 2007, contending Meacham sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit was settled for $250,000.
Information from: Rawlins Daily Times
Carbon County Circuit Court Judge Jane Eakin at a preliminary hearing on Friday did not make a ruling to send the felony counts faced by 45-year-old Adam "Lee" Meacham to Carbon County District Court.
Meacham has yet to enter pleas, and it's unclear when Eakin will make a ruling.
Authorities say Meacham sexually abused a teen between the ages of 15 and 17 while the girl was participating in a police department ride-along program. He faces 15 criminal charges in the case.
A former Rawlins resident sued Meacham and the city in 2007, contending Meacham sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit was settled for $250,000.
Information from: Rawlins Daily Times
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Former Deputy Alan Brooks Accused of Secretly Tapeing Couple in Sex Act
Prosecutors charged a former Natrona County reserve deputy with seven felonies in connection with allegations that he secretly videotaped couples engaged in sexual activities inside their Evansville home.
Police say Alan Brooks, 65, wired a Curtis Street home in Evansville with elaborate recording devices and spent the past four years videotaping its residents. Court documents refer to Brooks as the property’s “manager and/or landlord.”
Authorities have confiscated hundreds of incriminating recordings, as well as “multiple hidden cameras” and “recording devices,” according to an affidavit from the case.
Brooks made his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court on Friday. Prosecutors charged him with one count of intercepting electronic communications and six counts of voyeurism.
The Casper resident faces the possibility of 17 years behind bars if convicted of all charges.
Judge Michael Patchen set bond at $10,000.
Brooks told Patchen he was employed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the time the crimes are alleged to have occurred, however, Brooks was also a reserve deputy for the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office. He had served in that capacity for 20-plus years.
Reached Friday afternoon, Sheriff Mark Benton said Brooks was removed from reserve deputy status on Dec. 18 — the day of his arrest. The sheriff declined to comment on the case further.
The investigation into Brooks began on Dec. 17, when a 19-year-old female resident of the house on Curtis Street told Evansville police she had discovered several holes drilled into the ceiling in the home’s bathroom and living room. The woman told police her 26-year-old boyfriend and her had then found “closed-circuit television cameras and recording equipment” in the attic, according to the affidavit.
Police say that while the couple was trying to enter a boarded-up garage at the residence, Brooks showed up and asked what they were doing.
After telling Brooks what they had found, the couple, along with a male friend, ultimately detained him and waited on authorities to arrive. While waiting, Brooks reportedly told the couple and their friend, “Just kill me,” according to the affidavit.
Investigators say that while executing a search warrant on the Curtis Street home early the next morning, they discovered several hundred VHS recordings. At least one of the tapes showed the house’s female occupant and her boyfriend engaged in sexual activity. Another showed the woman showering.
Authorities say a DVD confiscated showed the home’s two previous occupants engaged in sexual activity.
According to the affidavit, police also found a “logging/tally system very similar to an accountant’s book,” during the search of the home. The book seemed to be a who-what-when-where tally of sexual activities that had been secretly recorded, according to the affidavit.
Police also searched Brooks’ residence on West Micro Road in Casper on Dec. 18. That search, authorities say, revealed video recordings of a female bathing in the home’s bathtub. After being contacted by police, the woman in the video said she had “house-sat” for Brooks in late 2008.
In all, authorities say they found secret video recordings of six adults. None of the people in any of the recordings said they had given anyone permission to record them.
Investigators say they discovered printed e-mails that seemed to indicate Brooks is, or has been, a member of a Web site that “reveals that it promotes the downloading, uploading and viewing of still and video images of adults without their consent and/or knowledge,” the affidavit states.
According to the Natrona County Detention Center’s automated line, Brooks remained in jail Friday evening.
Police say Alan Brooks, 65, wired a Curtis Street home in Evansville with elaborate recording devices and spent the past four years videotaping its residents. Court documents refer to Brooks as the property’s “manager and/or landlord.”
Authorities have confiscated hundreds of incriminating recordings, as well as “multiple hidden cameras” and “recording devices,” according to an affidavit from the case.
Brooks made his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court on Friday. Prosecutors charged him with one count of intercepting electronic communications and six counts of voyeurism.
The Casper resident faces the possibility of 17 years behind bars if convicted of all charges.
Judge Michael Patchen set bond at $10,000.
Brooks told Patchen he was employed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the time the crimes are alleged to have occurred, however, Brooks was also a reserve deputy for the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office. He had served in that capacity for 20-plus years.
Reached Friday afternoon, Sheriff Mark Benton said Brooks was removed from reserve deputy status on Dec. 18 — the day of his arrest. The sheriff declined to comment on the case further.
The investigation into Brooks began on Dec. 17, when a 19-year-old female resident of the house on Curtis Street told Evansville police she had discovered several holes drilled into the ceiling in the home’s bathroom and living room. The woman told police her 26-year-old boyfriend and her had then found “closed-circuit television cameras and recording equipment” in the attic, according to the affidavit.
Police say that while the couple was trying to enter a boarded-up garage at the residence, Brooks showed up and asked what they were doing.
After telling Brooks what they had found, the couple, along with a male friend, ultimately detained him and waited on authorities to arrive. While waiting, Brooks reportedly told the couple and their friend, “Just kill me,” according to the affidavit.
Investigators say that while executing a search warrant on the Curtis Street home early the next morning, they discovered several hundred VHS recordings. At least one of the tapes showed the house’s female occupant and her boyfriend engaged in sexual activity. Another showed the woman showering.
Authorities say a DVD confiscated showed the home’s two previous occupants engaged in sexual activity.
According to the affidavit, police also found a “logging/tally system very similar to an accountant’s book,” during the search of the home. The book seemed to be a who-what-when-where tally of sexual activities that had been secretly recorded, according to the affidavit.
Police also searched Brooks’ residence on West Micro Road in Casper on Dec. 18. That search, authorities say, revealed video recordings of a female bathing in the home’s bathtub. After being contacted by police, the woman in the video said she had “house-sat” for Brooks in late 2008.
In all, authorities say they found secret video recordings of six adults. None of the people in any of the recordings said they had given anyone permission to record them.
Investigators say they discovered printed e-mails that seemed to indicate Brooks is, or has been, a member of a Web site that “reveals that it promotes the downloading, uploading and viewing of still and video images of adults without their consent and/or knowledge,” the affidavit states.
According to the Natrona County Detention Center’s automated line, Brooks remained in jail Friday evening.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Two Officer Fired After Tasering 76-year-old Man During Parade
A small-town police department in Wyoming has fired two officers who chased down and used a Taser on a 76-year-old tractor driver during a parade in August.
The Glenrock Police Department issued a release today saying the decision was made "after careful consideration of all facts revealed through the investigation."
The town hired an outside consultant to review whether Sgt. Paul Brown and Officer Michael Kavenius broke department policies when they pursued and shocked Bud Grose.
Investigators have said Grose disobeyed an officer’s traffic command while he was driving an antique tractor during the Deer Creek Days parade. Prosecutors decided against filing any charges in the incident.
The Glenrock Police Department issued a release today saying the decision was made "after careful consideration of all facts revealed through the investigation."
The town hired an outside consultant to review whether Sgt. Paul Brown and Officer Michael Kavenius broke department policies when they pursued and shocked Bud Grose.
Investigators have said Grose disobeyed an officer’s traffic command while he was driving an antique tractor during the Deer Creek Days parade. Prosecutors decided against filing any charges in the incident.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Two Troopers on Leave in Conjunction with Franklin Ryle Jr Investigation
Two state troopers put on leave in conjunction with the investigation of former trooper Franklin Ryle Jr. no longer work for the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
As of Tuesday, Adam Longo and Devan Henderson were no longer employed by the patrol, said the agency's top administrator, Col. Sam Powell.
Powell said he couldn't go into further detail because it was a personnel matter. However, he did say the patrol is swiftly working to fill the vacancies with two recruits who've already accepted positions with the patrol.
Longo and Henderson had been stationed in Casper.
"We are going to move as quickly as we can to fill those vacancies," Powell said.
Longo had been on leave since Feb. 5. Henderson was put on leave Feb. 19.
The men were unavailable for comment Tuesday. Neither has a listed phone number.
In May, the patrol disclosed that both men were on paid leave. At that time, Powell did not explain exactly what prompted the move other than to say it was done in conjunction with the Ryle investigation.
Ryle, a former Douglas-based trooper, pleaded guilty last month to federal civil rights charges. He admitted to arresting a Wal-Mart truck driver in January as part of scheme to kill the driver and stage a crash with his patrol vehicle in order to collect a financial settlement.
Neither Henderson nor Longo has been arrested or charged with any crime.
Henderson told investigators he smuggled steroids from Mexico into the United States in 2003 or 2004, according to an FBI affidavit detailing the Ryle investigation. He claimed he and Ryle used the steroids as part of a body building program.
Ryle was also accused of soliciting Henderson to participate in his scheme to stage a crash with the Wal-Mart truck.
Henderson told an FBI agent he did not report Ryle to anyone because he wasn't sure Ryle was serious and because he didn't want to be considered a rat if the statements proved false, according to the affidavit.
Longo is not mentioned in any of the court documents.
Ryle, who was not indicted on any charges related to the steroid allegations, is awaiting sentencing next month.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/search?q=Ryle
As of Tuesday, Adam Longo and Devan Henderson were no longer employed by the patrol, said the agency's top administrator, Col. Sam Powell.
Powell said he couldn't go into further detail because it was a personnel matter. However, he did say the patrol is swiftly working to fill the vacancies with two recruits who've already accepted positions with the patrol.
Longo and Henderson had been stationed in Casper.
"We are going to move as quickly as we can to fill those vacancies," Powell said.
Longo had been on leave since Feb. 5. Henderson was put on leave Feb. 19.
The men were unavailable for comment Tuesday. Neither has a listed phone number.
In May, the patrol disclosed that both men were on paid leave. At that time, Powell did not explain exactly what prompted the move other than to say it was done in conjunction with the Ryle investigation.
Ryle, a former Douglas-based trooper, pleaded guilty last month to federal civil rights charges. He admitted to arresting a Wal-Mart truck driver in January as part of scheme to kill the driver and stage a crash with his patrol vehicle in order to collect a financial settlement.
Neither Henderson nor Longo has been arrested or charged with any crime.
Henderson told investigators he smuggled steroids from Mexico into the United States in 2003 or 2004, according to an FBI affidavit detailing the Ryle investigation. He claimed he and Ryle used the steroids as part of a body building program.
Ryle was also accused of soliciting Henderson to participate in his scheme to stage a crash with the Wal-Mart truck.
Henderson told an FBI agent he did not report Ryle to anyone because he wasn't sure Ryle was serious and because he didn't want to be considered a rat if the statements proved false, according to the affidavit.
Longo is not mentioned in any of the court documents.
Ryle, who was not indicted on any charges related to the steroid allegations, is awaiting sentencing next month.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/search?q=Ryle
Friday, July 31, 2009
Trooper Jay Gruwell Charged with Sexually Abusing 5-year-old
A Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper has been charged with sexually abusing a child, according to documents released Wednesday by the Campbell County Attorney's Office.
The charges came after a 5-year-old girl alleged that Jay Gruwell made her touch his genitals, according to affidavit signed by a state agent.
The alleged abuse took place in May at a home in Gillette and the girl came forward shortly afterward, the document states. The affidavit indicates that Gruwell, who is stationed in Lusk, was off-duty at the time.
Gruwell, 54, did not respond to a message left Wednesday afternoon at a phone number listed for him in Lusk. He is charged with third-degree sexual abuse of a minor and faces up to 15 years behind bars if convicted.
In an interview with agents conducted four days after the allegations arose, he denied any wrongdoing. However, during a subsequent interview the same day, he said he remembered asking the girl if she wanted to touch him, authorities say.
Gruwell, who has been a trooper for 23 years, has been on administrative leave since May 20, said patrol administrator Col. Sam Powell.
Powell declined to comment on the allegations. He said Gruwell has an unblemished record with the patrol.
Gruwell is the second state trooper to face serious criminal allegations this year. Franklin Ryle Jr. pleaded guilty earlier this month to federal civil-rights charges in connection to an unlawful arrest he made as part of a scheme to kill a truck driver and stage a crash.
"I can certainly understand why people would be questioning certain things in the patrol of late," Powell said. "All I can do is reassure the people of Wyoming our selection process is solid. I would remind everyone, whether you are a police officer or not, that you are innocent until proven guilty."
Although the allegations against Gruwell date back two months, the Campbell County Attorney's Office could not acknowledge or discuss the case until Wednesday, after it was bound over to district court in Gillette. The office released Gruwell's charging document and a nine-page redacted affidavit signed by a special agent with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
According to that document, Gruwell was visiting a home in Gillette at the time the child made the allegations. One person, whose identity was blacked out in the affidavit, told investigators that Gruwell was in town to attend a graduation.
On the morning of the alleged incident, Gruwell went downstairs to check his e-mail. About an hour later, the child came upstairs and told someone that Gruwell had just made her look at his "privates."
The child made similar allegations to a forensic child interviewer, but in contrast to the earlier account, said Gruwell made her touch him.
In the affidavit, investigators indicate that someone else had reported a past incident where Gruwell exposed himself. Gruwell reportedly told the agents he couldn't recall anything like that happening.
The charges came after a 5-year-old girl alleged that Jay Gruwell made her touch his genitals, according to affidavit signed by a state agent.
The alleged abuse took place in May at a home in Gillette and the girl came forward shortly afterward, the document states. The affidavit indicates that Gruwell, who is stationed in Lusk, was off-duty at the time.
Gruwell, 54, did not respond to a message left Wednesday afternoon at a phone number listed for him in Lusk. He is charged with third-degree sexual abuse of a minor and faces up to 15 years behind bars if convicted.
In an interview with agents conducted four days after the allegations arose, he denied any wrongdoing. However, during a subsequent interview the same day, he said he remembered asking the girl if she wanted to touch him, authorities say.
Gruwell, who has been a trooper for 23 years, has been on administrative leave since May 20, said patrol administrator Col. Sam Powell.
Powell declined to comment on the allegations. He said Gruwell has an unblemished record with the patrol.
Gruwell is the second state trooper to face serious criminal allegations this year. Franklin Ryle Jr. pleaded guilty earlier this month to federal civil-rights charges in connection to an unlawful arrest he made as part of a scheme to kill a truck driver and stage a crash.
"I can certainly understand why people would be questioning certain things in the patrol of late," Powell said. "All I can do is reassure the people of Wyoming our selection process is solid. I would remind everyone, whether you are a police officer or not, that you are innocent until proven guilty."
Although the allegations against Gruwell date back two months, the Campbell County Attorney's Office could not acknowledge or discuss the case until Wednesday, after it was bound over to district court in Gillette. The office released Gruwell's charging document and a nine-page redacted affidavit signed by a special agent with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
According to that document, Gruwell was visiting a home in Gillette at the time the child made the allegations. One person, whose identity was blacked out in the affidavit, told investigators that Gruwell was in town to attend a graduation.
On the morning of the alleged incident, Gruwell went downstairs to check his e-mail. About an hour later, the child came upstairs and told someone that Gruwell had just made her look at his "privates."
The child made similar allegations to a forensic child interviewer, but in contrast to the earlier account, said Gruwell made her touch him.
In the affidavit, investigators indicate that someone else had reported a past incident where Gruwell exposed himself. Gruwell reportedly told the agents he couldn't recall anything like that happening.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Trooper Franklin 'Joe' Ryle Jr Pleads Guilty to Plotting to Kill Trucker
Claiming he wanted to clear his conscience, a former state trooper admitted Monday to arresting a truck driver as part of a scheme to kill him, stage a crash and collect settlement money.
Former Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper Franklin "Joe" Ryle Jr., 42, told a federal judge he didn't follow through with the plan because he couldn't bring himself to kill the trucker.
"There is no way I could harm that guy," Ryle said.
Ryle made the admissions as part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors that came six months after he stopped Wal-Mart trucker Richard Smidt while patrolling near Douglas. The trooper planned to murder Smidt and stage a crash with his patrol vehicle in order to collect a settlement from the corporate giant.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, which was laid out during a hearing in U.S. District Court, Ryle pleaded guilty to depriving the truck driver's civil rights and carrying a pistol during the Jan. 8 crime. The government will dismiss a third charge that alleged Ryle solicited a second trooper to participate in the plot.
Prosecutors will recommend Ryle serve a prison sentence of 19 to 22 years. Ryle's attorneys are free to argue for a lesser sentence.
U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer asked Ryle why he was pleading guilty, knowing that it will result in a long prison sentence.
"Because that's everything I did," the 12-year patrol veteran replied.
Speaking in a calm voice, Ryle for the first time publicly recounted the traffic stop that led to his arrest and indictment.
Ryle, who lived in Douglas and patrolled the surrounding area, told the court he was on duty when he stopped the Wal-Mart truck outside of town. He handcuffed Smidt and drove him to his house.
Once there, Ryle told his wife he had found a dead Wal-Mart truck driver and wanted to crash the truck into his patrol car.
"Was the basis of the whole scheme to get a lot of money?" Brimmer asked.
"Yes sir," Ryle answered.
"And you were going to have to kill the truck driver?" the judge replied.
"Yes sir," Ryle answered again.
Ryle said he never took his gun out during the encounter but did touch it at one point. He ultimately drove Smidt back to his truck and let him go.
A week after the traffic stop, Ryle's brother-in-law -- a Casper police officer -- told the highway patrol about the incident. Smidt reported the encounter to patrol officials around the same time.
The patrol put Ryle on leave in mid-January. He was arrested two months later following a state and federal investigation. A federal grand jury indicted him on three charges in May.
Ryle's wife told investigators she suspected he might have been planning to kill her as part of the scheme. He was never charged with plotting to kill her.
She filed for divorce in February.
After the hearing, one of Ryle's attorneys said the former trooper suffered from serious depression and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The disorder came as a result of Ryle's experiences in the U.S. Marines and with the highway patrol, as well as in his personal life, Assistant Federal Public Defender David Weiss said.
"Joe was kind of a mess," Weiss told reporters.
Police officers should be offered more help to deal with mental health issues that come from their work, the attorney added.
"These guys are under a lot of stress," Weiss said.
Jim Barrett, another federal defender who also represents Ryle, said his client has been depressed for a long time. However, evaluations performed after Ryle's arrest did not show he suffered from a serious enough psychiatric issue to render him incompetent for trial.
Justice Department attorney Edward Caspar, who is prosecuting the case, declined to comment after the hearing and referred questions to his agency's public affairs office.
Ryle will remain in federal custody until sentencing, which is a few months away. He is being held in Scottsbluff, Neb.
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http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2009/7/21/FormerWyomingtrooperpleadsguiltyinplottokilltrucker.aspx
Former Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper Franklin "Joe" Ryle Jr., 42, told a federal judge he didn't follow through with the plan because he couldn't bring himself to kill the trucker.
"There is no way I could harm that guy," Ryle said.
Ryle made the admissions as part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors that came six months after he stopped Wal-Mart trucker Richard Smidt while patrolling near Douglas. The trooper planned to murder Smidt and stage a crash with his patrol vehicle in order to collect a settlement from the corporate giant.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, which was laid out during a hearing in U.S. District Court, Ryle pleaded guilty to depriving the truck driver's civil rights and carrying a pistol during the Jan. 8 crime. The government will dismiss a third charge that alleged Ryle solicited a second trooper to participate in the plot.
Prosecutors will recommend Ryle serve a prison sentence of 19 to 22 years. Ryle's attorneys are free to argue for a lesser sentence.
U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer asked Ryle why he was pleading guilty, knowing that it will result in a long prison sentence.
"Because that's everything I did," the 12-year patrol veteran replied.
Speaking in a calm voice, Ryle for the first time publicly recounted the traffic stop that led to his arrest and indictment.
Ryle, who lived in Douglas and patrolled the surrounding area, told the court he was on duty when he stopped the Wal-Mart truck outside of town. He handcuffed Smidt and drove him to his house.
Once there, Ryle told his wife he had found a dead Wal-Mart truck driver and wanted to crash the truck into his patrol car.
"Was the basis of the whole scheme to get a lot of money?" Brimmer asked.
"Yes sir," Ryle answered.
"And you were going to have to kill the truck driver?" the judge replied.
"Yes sir," Ryle answered again.
Ryle said he never took his gun out during the encounter but did touch it at one point. He ultimately drove Smidt back to his truck and let him go.
A week after the traffic stop, Ryle's brother-in-law -- a Casper police officer -- told the highway patrol about the incident. Smidt reported the encounter to patrol officials around the same time.
The patrol put Ryle on leave in mid-January. He was arrested two months later following a state and federal investigation. A federal grand jury indicted him on three charges in May.
Ryle's wife told investigators she suspected he might have been planning to kill her as part of the scheme. He was never charged with plotting to kill her.
She filed for divorce in February.
After the hearing, one of Ryle's attorneys said the former trooper suffered from serious depression and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The disorder came as a result of Ryle's experiences in the U.S. Marines and with the highway patrol, as well as in his personal life, Assistant Federal Public Defender David Weiss said.
"Joe was kind of a mess," Weiss told reporters.
Police officers should be offered more help to deal with mental health issues that come from their work, the attorney added.
"These guys are under a lot of stress," Weiss said.
Jim Barrett, another federal defender who also represents Ryle, said his client has been depressed for a long time. However, evaluations performed after Ryle's arrest did not show he suffered from a serious enough psychiatric issue to render him incompetent for trial.
Justice Department attorney Edward Caspar, who is prosecuting the case, declined to comment after the hearing and referred questions to his agency's public affairs office.
Ryle will remain in federal custody until sentencing, which is a few months away. He is being held in Scottsbluff, Neb.
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http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2009/7/21/FormerWyomingtrooperpleadsguiltyinplottokilltrucker.aspx
Monday, April 20, 2009
Trooper Franklin Ryle Accused of Violating Civil Rights & Kidnapping
A lawyer representing a Wyoming state trooper accused of federal civil rights violations has asked a judge to send the trooper for mental health counseling.
The Justice Department last month charged Trooper Franklin Ryle with violating another man's civil rights in January by kidnapping him at gunpoint and unlawfully arresting him.
Ryle is a 12-year veteran of the patrol and remains in custody at a detention center in Nebraska.
Assistant Federal Public Defender Jim Barrett in Cheyenne represents Ryle.
Barrett has filed papers in court informing U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer of Cheyenne that Ryle is so depressed that it might affect his ability to consult with his lawyer. Barrett asked the judge to allow Ryle to get mental health counseling in Nebraska.
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More Information:
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10214087&nav=menu554_1_1
The Justice Department last month charged Trooper Franklin Ryle with violating another man's civil rights in January by kidnapping him at gunpoint and unlawfully arresting him.
Ryle is a 12-year veteran of the patrol and remains in custody at a detention center in Nebraska.
Assistant Federal Public Defender Jim Barrett in Cheyenne represents Ryle.
Barrett has filed papers in court informing U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer of Cheyenne that Ryle is so depressed that it might affect his ability to consult with his lawyer. Barrett asked the judge to allow Ryle to get mental health counseling in Nebraska.
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More Information:
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10214087&nav=menu554_1_1
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Trooper Franklin Joseph Ryle Waves Right to Hearing
CASPER, Wyo.
A Wyoming state trooper accused of federal civil rights violations will remain in custody.
Trooper Franklin Joseph Ryle on Tuesday waived his right to a preliminary hearing that would have forced the federal government to lay out its case against him in court. Ryle also waived his right to a detention hearing, meaning that he will remain in custody until he's arraigned later.
Ryle, 41, wore an orange jail jumpsuit and was led into the courtroom in handcuffs by officers during his appearance before U.S. Magistrate R. Michael Shickich.
Shickich told Ryle that he had a right to force the government to present evidence why the case against him should proceed. Ryle declined to do that.
Ryle also declined when Shickich asked him if he wanted a hearing on whether he should stay in custody.
"That being the case, the implication is that Mr. Ryle will remain in the custody of the United States," Shickich said.
Last week, U.S. Justice Department lawyer Edward G. Caspar filed papers in court asking that Ryle be jailed until a detention hearing could be held. Caspar indicated that Ryle faced the possibility of a life sentence in prison if convicted and indicated that there was a serious risk he would flee if allowed out of custody.
Ryle's decision to waive his preliminary and detention hearings means that details of the government's case against him remain secret to the public.
The Justice Department last week charged that Ryle, a 12-year veteran of the Highway Patrol, had violated a person's civil rights in January by kidnapping him at gunpoint and unlawfully arresting him. The complaint states that Ryle was acting "under color of law" during the incident.
In response to a request from the Justice Department, Shickich last week ordered some of the criminal complaint against Ryle and all of an FBI agent's affidavit supporting the complaint to be sealed.
Caspar declined comment on the government's case against Ryle after Tuesday's court hearing. He referred questions to a Justice Department public information officer in Washington. The public information officer said he could give no details of the government's case because the records remain sealed.
Records from the Justice Department Web site show that Caspar has been involved in several civil rights prosecutions around the country in recent years involving claims that police or correctional officers have brutalized people in custody.
Casper lawyer John Robinson represented Ryle in court. However, Robinson told Shickich that Ryle will apply for a public defender. Robinson said that once Ryle gets a public defender, Robinson will no longer be involved in the case.
Robinson declined comment after the court hearing.
State officials, including the governor's office and Wyoming Attorney General Bruce Salzburg, have declined comment on the case against Ryle.
Col. Sam Powell, administrator of the Highway Patrol, said last week that Ryle was on paid administrative leave.
Ryle was involved in an on-duty shooting in 2006 that prosecutors later determined was justified. Prosecutors
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http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2009/03/31/news/casper/2e0fcae2a4963e768725758b00009546.txt
A Wyoming state trooper accused of federal civil rights violations will remain in custody.
Trooper Franklin Joseph Ryle on Tuesday waived his right to a preliminary hearing that would have forced the federal government to lay out its case against him in court. Ryle also waived his right to a detention hearing, meaning that he will remain in custody until he's arraigned later.
Ryle, 41, wore an orange jail jumpsuit and was led into the courtroom in handcuffs by officers during his appearance before U.S. Magistrate R. Michael Shickich.
Shickich told Ryle that he had a right to force the government to present evidence why the case against him should proceed. Ryle declined to do that.
Ryle also declined when Shickich asked him if he wanted a hearing on whether he should stay in custody.
"That being the case, the implication is that Mr. Ryle will remain in the custody of the United States," Shickich said.
Last week, U.S. Justice Department lawyer Edward G. Caspar filed papers in court asking that Ryle be jailed until a detention hearing could be held. Caspar indicated that Ryle faced the possibility of a life sentence in prison if convicted and indicated that there was a serious risk he would flee if allowed out of custody.
Ryle's decision to waive his preliminary and detention hearings means that details of the government's case against him remain secret to the public.
The Justice Department last week charged that Ryle, a 12-year veteran of the Highway Patrol, had violated a person's civil rights in January by kidnapping him at gunpoint and unlawfully arresting him. The complaint states that Ryle was acting "under color of law" during the incident.
In response to a request from the Justice Department, Shickich last week ordered some of the criminal complaint against Ryle and all of an FBI agent's affidavit supporting the complaint to be sealed.
Caspar declined comment on the government's case against Ryle after Tuesday's court hearing. He referred questions to a Justice Department public information officer in Washington. The public information officer said he could give no details of the government's case because the records remain sealed.
Records from the Justice Department Web site show that Caspar has been involved in several civil rights prosecutions around the country in recent years involving claims that police or correctional officers have brutalized people in custody.
Casper lawyer John Robinson represented Ryle in court. However, Robinson told Shickich that Ryle will apply for a public defender. Robinson said that once Ryle gets a public defender, Robinson will no longer be involved in the case.
Robinson declined comment after the court hearing.
State officials, including the governor's office and Wyoming Attorney General Bruce Salzburg, have declined comment on the case against Ryle.
Col. Sam Powell, administrator of the Highway Patrol, said last week that Ryle was on paid administrative leave.
Ryle was involved in an on-duty shooting in 2006 that prosecutors later determined was justified. Prosecutors
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http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2009/03/31/news/casper/2e0fcae2a4963e768725758b00009546.txt
Friday, March 27, 2009
Trooper Joseph Ryle Arrested for Kidnapping
CHEYENNE
Federal authorities have arrested a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper on a criminal complaint alleging the unlawful arrest and kidnapping of a person in January.
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement saying that trooper Franklin Joseph Ryle was arrested late Thursday in Douglas.
Ryle was scheduled to appear in federal court Friday afternoon in Casper.
Col. Sam Powell, administrator of the Wyoming Highway Patrol, confirms the arrest but declined comment on the investigation.
Powell says Ryle has been on paid administrative leave during the investigation.
No other information was immediately available.
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http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-27-2009/0004996064&EDATE=
Federal authorities have arrested a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper on a criminal complaint alleging the unlawful arrest and kidnapping of a person in January.
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement saying that trooper Franklin Joseph Ryle was arrested late Thursday in Douglas.
Ryle was scheduled to appear in federal court Friday afternoon in Casper.
Col. Sam Powell, administrator of the Wyoming Highway Patrol, confirms the arrest but declined comment on the investigation.
Powell says Ryle has been on paid administrative leave during the investigation.
No other information was immediately available.
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http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-27-2009/0004996064&EDATE=
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