Former Officer Timothy Patterson Sentenced for Child Rape

Former Minerva police officer Timothy A. Patterson was sentenced to nine years in prison Thursday after accepting a plea deal for a crime involving one youth and three children.

The 58-year-old, residing at 105 W. Line St. in Minerva, entered a plea of guilty to amend charges against him consisting of two counts of first-degree felony rape, seven counts of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition and one count of third-degree bribery.

According to Stark County Assistant Prosecutor Katie Chawla, who handled the case, the two rape charges were amended to a different section of the rape statute that eliminated the possibility of Patterson serving a life sentence. That was done in order to permit resolution of the case.

Chawla reported three of the youth are currently 11 years old, and she said one child, who was the basis of the majority of the charges, was 6 when the court determined the rapes began, in 2007. The rapes continued until they were reported to police in 2012.

Patterson was also charged with seven counts of gross sexual imposition and with bribery.

Chawla indicated allegations based on one of the charges he plead to involved Patterson offering something of benefit to the mother of one of the victims if she didn't go to the police.

"Some of the charges Patterson pleaded to involved a game of dirty truth or dare," Chawla also reported.

Chawla indicated the court action was a negotiated plea agreement because the families didn't want their children to have to testify in court. In addition to incarceration, Common Pleas Court Judge Kristin Farmer also sentenced Patterson to be registered as a Tier III sex offender. Tier III offenders are subject to strict address verification, and the community and the victim(s) receive notification whenever such an offender relocates to a new address.

Patterson started working for the Minerva Police Department in 1987 and continued as a full-time and part-time employee there for many years, even being praised for his work at one time as an Officer of the Month. Patterson left the police force to take another job that was not involved in law enforcement.

A secret grand jury indictment was issued against Patterson on Feb. 24 and a warrant for his arrest was issued by Judge Kristin Farmer of Common Pleas Court on the same day. He was taken into custody on March 13 by an unidentified U.S. marshal and Stark County Deputy John VonSpiegel. The arrest was conducted by the Northern Ohio Fugitive Task Force, and VonSpiegel was working as a part of the unit at the time.

Lt Terry Austin Accused of Bribing Fellow Officers to Pull Over His Ex-Wife

A Greenfield police officer is accused of trying to bribe other officers to pull over his ex-wife.

Lieutenant Terry Austin faces charges of bribery and official misconduct.

Police say he offered two McCordsville police officers a $200 steak dinner to pull over his ex-wife because her driver’s license is suspended.

Austin is now on administrative leave.

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.

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

Lt Howard Watson Arrested for Coercing Two Woman into Performing Sexual Acts on Him

A Dallas County constable lieutenant was arrested Wednesday and charged with multiple felonies as part of an investigation by the district attorney's office into activities at some constable offices, authorities said.

Lt. Howard Watson, 66, of Dallas is a senior officer in Constable Jaime Cortes' Precinct 5 office in Oak Cliff. His arrest is the first to come from a months-long investigation of constables by the DA's public integrity division.

Watson was booked into Dallas County Jail late Wednesday afternoon, sheriff's officials said. He is being charged with sexual assault, bribery, official oppression, the unauthorized use of two motor vehicles and tampering with government records.

Watson is accused of, among other things, coercing two women into performing sexual acts with him in exchange for not arresting them on outstanding warrants. Watson also used an incorrect address for a certificate that allowed him to help register voters, court records show.

Peter Schulte, an attorney for Cortes, said the constable "understands the seriousness of the allegations" and has placed Watson on leave until further notice.

Schulte said Cortes is opening an internal investigation on the matter.

Watson's wife, Janette, 64, also was arrested late Wednesday. She is charged with providing a false seller's name and previous owner's name on a vehicle title certificate. She also is charged with tampering with a government record by altering a vehicle title.

The Watsons were unavailable for comment.

Watson was one of several Precinct 5 officers who aroused suspicions in the county tax office about two years ago by driving personal vehicles with 30-day registration tags.

In August, The Dallas Morning News reported that the deputies had been renewing the temporary permits every month, paying $25 each time, leading some officials to wonder whether they had title to the vehicles.

The transactions raised questions about where the constables were getting the vehicles, some of which were in salvage yards after being damaged in crashes. The constables, however, wouldn't say where they got the vehicles.

At the time of the News report, County Judge Jim Foster said he wanted to make sure the vehicles did not come from Dowdy Ferry Auto Services, the towing company whose contracts with Cortes and Precinct 1 Constable Derick Evans have been questioned by county officials.

Some constable officers using the paper tags only recently applied for titles to their vehicles, with Watson seeking a bonded title. A bonded title can protect your against future claims to a vehicle. It is generally sought after the state denies a title application because of a lack of proper ownership evidence.

It's unclear from the indictment whether the situation described by The News is tied to Watson's and his wife's arrests.

The News' investigation found that Watson received a bonded title in July for a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria he was driving with temporary tags, records show. He also was driving a 2001 Cadillac Catera with paper tags. That car, originally registered in Florida, was sold at auction in Texas in April 2007. Records don't indicate when and how Watson obtained the car.

Title records show that Watson's wife became the owner of the Cadillac in August.

Foster said some information compiled by a special investigator helped make the arrests possible. In September, county commissioners hired former FBI agent Danny Defenbaugh to conduct a civil investigation into operations at the Precinct 5 and Precinct 1 constable offices.

As part of that investigation, which is continuing, Defenbaugh turned over evidence of crimes to the DA's public integrity division.

The district attorney's office declined to comment on the arrests.

Foster said he hopes Wednesday's arrests are just the beginning.

"I just wish that this would have happened sooner," he said. "It's very serious. And I'm looking forward to all these issues being resolved."

Cortes hired Watson in July 2007 when county commissioners appointed Cortes to replace former Constable Mike Dupree, who resigned while facing criminal charges.

Previously, Watson worked briefly at two small Ellis County police departments – three months at the Maypearl Police Department and five months at the Life School ISD police department, state records show.

Watson lost his ability to park his Dallas County constable vehicle at his home about a year and a half ago after wrecking it while off-duty.

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield said he hopes more arrests will follow.

In recent months, numerous current and former deputy constables from Precincts 1 and 5 have reported wrongdoing to some of the commissioners and to the district attorney.

Mayfield said several more deputies are scheduled to appear before the grand jury investigating constable affairs.

"It's somewhat encouraging," Mayfield said about Wednesday's arrests. "It's a good sign. We'll wait to see what follows."

Probation Officer James Stanton Accused of Taking Cash & Sex in Exchange for Favorable Report

A state probation officer accused of taking sex and cash from a woman in exchange for favorable probation reports had sex with her in isolated areas of the Nesbett Courthouse for more than a year before being reported, according to documents filed in court today.

James Stanton, 53, was arrested Tuesday on charges of accepting a bribe and official misconduct after undercover police officers sent the alleged victim in to a meeting with him in his office at the Nesbett on Tuesday wearing a wire, the court documents say.

Stanton works in the state Department of Health and Social Service's Alcohol Safety Action Program, a treatment program often court-ordered for probationers. He is accused of certifying that the woman's court-ordered drug and alcohol urinalysis results came back clean, though the woman admits she was using, police said. Failure to deliver a clean drug or alcohol result in the periodic tests can result in jail time.

The woman is on felony probation in therapeutic court -- a volunteer program for those who want to get clean -- but is identified in court documents only as Jane Doe.

Police say she initially began giving Stanton money -- "hundreds of dollars" -- in December 2008 to ignore positive drug test results or not report probation violations.

By last January, the woman didn't have enough to pay and began performing oral sex on him, according to an affidavit filed in court by Assistant District Attorney Dan Shorey. She later had sex with Stanton in the therapeutic court offices in the Nesbett and in a boiler room in an underground tunnel that connects that building to the next-door Boney Courthouse, he wrote.

In the conversation recorded Tuesday at the courthouse, the woman, who is wearing an arm brace, told Stanton she hurt her arm driving drunk on a snowmachine in her home village, a violation of her probation. Stanton laughed at the news, according to Shorey's affidavit.

At the time, the woman delivered $200 in marked bills as a payoff to Stanton, who accepted the money as they talked about her not being off drugs and alcohol, the affidavit says. The two also discussed their past sexual encounters and whether Stanton had been taking his Viagra, according to the documents. When the woman asked if he needed it, Stanton replied, "not with you," according to Shorey's affidavit.

They then walked down to a conference room, where Stanton allegedly unbuttoned the woman's shirt and touched her breast, the affidavit says. When the woman said she no longer wanted to have sex, and only pay him the cash, Stanton replied, "I don't need any more money," Shorey wrote. The woman left and police arrested Stanton.

Stanton, who is jailed with bail set at $10,000, made an initial appearance in Anchorage jail court this afternoon. Stanton said nothing, but his attorney, Michael Moberly, seeking to reduce a third-party custodian bail requirement, characterized the crime as a "victimless" public administration violation.

District Court Judge Gregory Motyka set a bail hearing for Thursday morning to decide whether Stanton could be released with an electronic monitoring device.

Moberly declined to comment after the hearing.

According to court records, Stanton has no criminal history in Alaska.

Police say they suspect there may be other victims. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call 786-8900.

Former Officer Maurice Morris Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison

A former Riviera Beach police officer who attempted to rape a woman after writing her a traffic ticket was sentenced to more than seven years in prison, according to the State Attorney's Office Friday.

Maurice Morris was convicted of attempted sexual battery by a law enforcement officer, bribery by a public servant and official misconduct.

Morris made a traffic stop October 2008 on a woman in Riviera Beach and wrote her up two traffic citations before following her home to West Palm Beach, the State Attorney's Office said.

The GPS on his police car showed that he was at her home for almost an hour and a half. The victim said that Morris tried to rape her on her couch.

Morris never turned in the victim's tickets and a jury last month convicted Morris.

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Former Officer Donald Bailey Pleads Not Guilty to Accepting Cash From Inmate

A former Baton Rouge police corporal accused of soliciting and accepting cash from a Parish Prison inmate told a state District Court judge Friday that he is innocent.

Donald Bailey, 49, pleaded not guilty in state District Judge Chip Moore’s court to one count each of bribery, corrupt influencing and malfeasance in office.

Bailey, a 14-year veteran of the police force who coordinated the Targeted Violent Offender Program, declined comment after the hearing.

Bailey’s attorney, Mike Walsh, said he would be in a better position to comment after he meets with Assistant Attorney General David Caldwell to review evidence in the case.

The state Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting Bailey because District Attorney Hillar Moore III is a key witness in the case, Caldwell has said.

Bailey approached Moore last year for help getting a Parish Prison inmate released, Caldwell has said. Moore immediately contacted the appropriate authorities.

State Police have said detectives arranged for the inmate to make a recorded telephone call to Bailey from Parish Prison. The inmate told Bailey he needed help getting out of jail.

Caldwell has said Bailey agreed on Sept. 15 to aid the inmate. Bailey allegedly told the inmate he would have the charges dismissed and the parole hold lifted in exchange for $12,000.

Bailey then contacted the District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Probation and Parole to request the dismissal of the charges and the lifting of the parole hold, State Police have said.

Both agencies, working with detectives, allowed the charges to be dropped and the parole hold lifted, State Police have said.

State Police detectives arranged for the inmate to meet with Bailey. During a meeting on Sept. 28, Bailey accepted $1,400 for his assistance, State Police have said.

State Police arrested Bailey that day at Police Department headquarters. The police officer resigned from the force Oct. 7 in lieu of termination.

Former Officer Maurice Morris Convicted of Attempted Sexual Battery

A former Riviera Beach K-9 officer was convicted today of attempted sexual battery, bribery and official misconduct and now faces an absolute maximum of 35 years in prison when sentenced in January.

Jurors convicted Maurice Morris following a trial last week featuring dueling stories: A prosecutor alleging he had sex with a female driver following a traffic stop, then disposed of two traffic tickets he had written her.

The defense argued that in an attempt to help her, Morris simply visited the woman's home to check her claim that she had a letter proving she didn't know her license was suspended. And that now she is inventing a story that he raped her.

Charged with sexual battery, punishable by up to 30 years in prison, jurors appeared to compromise with a lesser charge, finding him guilty of attempted sexual battery.

Morris' defense attorney, Nicole Sauvola, who could not immediately be reached following the verdict, has said she firmly believes in her client.

"He is not just not guilty. He is innocent. No good deed goes unpunished."

Assistant State Attorney Daliah Weiss argued at trial that Morris' brazen arrogance led him to have sex with the woman, an unsophisticated, vulnerable lady already in trouble with the law.

The woman was driving with a suspended license and on felony probation when she was stopped by Morris that morning in October 2008.

"She was ripe for the picking," said Weiss.

Weiss emphasized the missing traffic tickets — shown in the police dashboard video as last being handed to Morris — and his DNA being found in the woman's underwear.

It was not semen found there, though, but rather skin cells or another source that a DNA expert concluded Morris could not be excluded as a contributor to.

"Missing tickets. Rape. There you have it," Weiss argued before jurors. "And his DNA in her underwear."

According to Morris's story, and he did testify at trial, after he let the woman drive off after the traffic stop that morning, he happened to run into her again, her frantically waving him down as he drove home.

The GPS system in the patrol car he was driving showed he was at her home one hour and 23 minutes.

Too long to just read a letter, argued Weiss before jurors.

Too long for how the victim testified the sex act happened, said defense attorney Sauvola outside court. "She made it sound like two seconds," Sauvola said.

Weiss argued it is unbelievable that Morris would just happen to run into the woman once again, and let her drive off a second time with a suspended license, never calling for any kind of back-up or assistance.

Sauvola, Morris' attorney, emphasized irregularities in the DNA evidence in the case. For one thing, the woman turned in a different pair of underwear to police — a silver G-string, not the black undies, the wide band of which was visible in the video, she wore during the traffic stop.

On the first forensic testing of the silver G-string, no DNA was detected. But six months later in re-testing, some was then found, Sauvola said.

The woman was unable to identify Morris in either a photo lineup or in court — evidence, argued Weiss, that she had no motive to just make up a story of rape to get back at him. "And what was she angry about? Not getting a ticket?" Weiss said.

Under Florida law, it is considered a sexual battery without consent when a law enforcement or corrections officers "in a position of control or authority" or convincing the victim of their control, have sexual relations with someone.

Morris took an early retirement from the Riviera Police Department following his arrest. His alleged victim was recently jailed on unrelated attempted murder charge.

Judge Gary Donahoe Charged with Bribery

The Maricopa County judge who sent a detention officer to jail recently could end up in jail himself thanks to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday.

Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe has been charged with a number of crimes, including bribery and obstructing a criminal investigation.

County Attorney Andrew Thomas insisted the charges against Donohoe are about justice and putting an end to corruption; they have nothing to do with any issues his office has had with the judge.

"We cannot allow the precedent to be set that if you are a powerful politician and have powerful friends in court you can avoid prosecution or investigation for crimes," Thomas said.

Thomas and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio held a joint news conference Wednesday to explain the charges against the judge.

They allege that Donahoe participated in a scheme to hinder an investigation into possible criminal conduct by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and to block an investigation into the judge himself.

The charges center on Donahoe's role in the new court tower under construction in downtown Phoenix and whether the judge received any benefits from the project.

The judge is also accused of failing to disclose an attorney-client relationship with two lawyers involved in the court tower's construction.

"I've worked corruption around the world and never seen this type of situation," Arpaio said. "It gets worse and worse as time goes on."

The sheriff and the county attorney said the charges against the judge have nothing to do with Donahoe holding a sheriff's detention officer in contempt and putting him in jail for looking through a defense attorney's papers.

They also insisted that the Sheriff's Office's dispute with Donahoe over transportation of prisoners is unrelated.

"The issues with transportation and the deputy incarcerated had nothing to do with it, other than the fact that it is simply interesting that the pattern of outrageous conduct by the judge involves these other matters," Thomas said.

CBS 5 News contacted Donahoe's office to get reaction to the criminal complaint, but the judge had no comment.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Jan. 11.

Officer Arrested After Allegedly Offering Bribe to Another Officer

A POLICE officer was arrested during a sting operation yesterday after he allegedly offered a bribe to another officer, in an attempt to persuade the officer to forgo criminal charges against four of six people. The suspects were arrested during a raid between Sunday night and Monday morning in La Horquetta on gun charges.

The police constable, who is attached to a station in the Northern Division, reportedly approached the other officer on Monday night and offered to pay him $11,000 to not lay the charge of possession of arms and ammunition against the suspects, a senior officer told the Express.

The officer after being approached contacted Senior Superintendent Joseph Edwards, the head of the division, and told him of what had occurred, police investigators said.

A sting operation was set up, and a meeting was organized between the two officers outside the Arima Magistrate’s Court.

As the two met for the exchange of money outside the court yesterday, officers of the Northern Division Task Force (NDTF) arrested the officer, police said.

He was taken to the Arima Police Station where up to late yesterday evening, he was assisting officers with their investigations.

On Sunday night, the divisional task force officers raided a house in Manuel Congo Village, La Horquetta, and found a shotgun, a pistol and 625 rounds of assorted ammunition. The six people-three men and three women who were reportedly in the house at the time, including a 42-year-old businessman and his 23-year-old girlfriend, were arrested. The officers later went to the home of the businessman, who operates a poultry shop at Second Street, San Juan, where they reportedly found two revolvers, $542,000, and US$19,000.

All six remained in police custody last night.

Charges are expected to be laid soon, police said.

Former Officer Maurice Morris Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Former Riviera Beach K 9 cop Maurice Morris is accused of sexual misconduct and bribery.

The former officer was arrested last year by West Palm Beach Police.

Morris, according to investigators, was working off duty at a rally for then presidential candidate Barack Obama at Palm Beach Community College.

Investigators say that Morris had given a woman a number of tickets.

The former officer then offered to take away the tickets in exchange for sex.

Morris has denied the allegations made against him.

Jury selection is now underway in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

Two Deputies Accused of Extorting Hush Money

A Broward County judge granted bail this afternoon to one of two deputies accused of extorting hush money from a Fort Lauderdale marijuana grower.

Fausto "TJ" Tejero, 34, was arrested Oct. 9 on charges of extortion, attempted bribery, armed burglary and unlawful compensation.

Armed burglary is a no-bail offense, but prosecutor Tim Donnelly advised the judge today that the state would not be filing that charge, said Tejero's defense attorney, Mike Dutko.

Judge John Hurley granted Tejero $75,000 bail and ordered that he wear an electronic ankle monitor, Dutko said.

Also charged in the cash-for-silence scheme is Deputy Manuel Silva, 40. He has been held without bail since his Oct. 2 arrest.

According to a search warrant, the deputies promised to protect the pot grower in exchange for $15,000.

Silva proposed the arrangement after seeing five marijuana plants at Orlando Gutierrez's home in Fort Lauderdale, the warrant states. Tejero is accused of acting as Silva's accomplice.

Gutierrez reported the deputies to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, which provided the cash and set up a sting operation to record the transaction.

"I've spoken at length with my client and in the end I think he'll be vindicated of all these charges, but we're not there yet," Dutko said. "Although the bond is high, it is justifiable and appropriate under the circumstances."

Tejero's family is working with a bondsman to try to post the bail, Dutko said.

Deputy Fausto Tejero Charged with Extorting Money

A Florida sheriff's deputy accused of extorting money from marijuana growers had an accomplice on the force, the Broward County sheriff says.

Deputy Fausto "T.J." Tejero has joined Deputy Manuel Silva in being charged with demanding money from the residents of an alleged drug-growing house near Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to ignore the operation, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Tuesday.

Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti said last week when Silva was arrested and charged with extortion, attempted bribery, burglary and unlawful compensation that investigators weren't done.

"I repeat that we will leave no stone unturned when there's evidence that a BSO employee has committed a crime," Lamberti said in a release. "Unethical or unlawful conduct will not be tolerated on my watch."

The newspaper said Tejero is the fifth deputy to be arrested this year. He was twice honored as the Sheriff's Department employee of the month, in May 2006 and February 2007. The Sun-Sentinel also said Tejero was also a minor league baseball player from 1990 to 2000.
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http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2009/10/bso_deputy_extortion_tejero.php

Probation Officer Armando Mora Arrested for Cocaine Trafficking

A federal probation officer is expected to a face a judge after being arrested in a cocaine trafficking and bribery case.

U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Armando Mora on Wednesday.

Authorities said the 36-year-old Edinburg man worked as a federal probation officer in Rio Grande City.

Federal prosecutors told Action 4 News that Mora is accused of taking thousands of dollars in bribes to conduct background checks on truck drivers for a local drug trafficking organization.

Investigators believe that Mora told drug traffickers not to hire two drivers because they were undercover agents.

A third truck driver was not hired because he was an FBI informant who was on probation and supervised by Mora.

Investigators believe Mora worked for the drug trafficking organization between February and June 2009 allowing them to move 738 pounds of cocaine.

The 36-year-old man remains in custody where he is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Peter Ormsby on Thursday morning.

If convicted, Mora could 10 years up to life in prison and millions of dollars in fines for the drug trafficking charge.

The bribery charge is punishable up to 15 years in prison and thousands in fines.

Officer Blaine McNeese Arrested for Plotting to Fellow Officer

It's a crime that shocked the Department of Public Safety. One of their own officers plotted to kill a fellow officer.

Luckily, the officer found out about the plot before the plan was carried out. Now a criminal organization has been busted.

A hole was dug in the desert near I-10 and Highway 87. The suspects were planning on shooting the officer and burying him there. The officer was interviewing one of the members of the group when he learned about the plot against his life.

Police say Lazar Lazar, Carlos Saquilan and Khalid Henry were behind the plot. Phoenix police then got involved.

Police say Blaine McNeese was the "bad cop." He worked for DPS and at the same time, for the Younan criminal syndicate. Police say McNeese became involved after accepting a bribe.

McNeese is in jail and four other members of the group have also been arrested or are in police custody.

Lazar Lazar is the only one still missing. If you see him, call the police.
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http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/06/23/20090623syndicate0623-ON.html

Officer Gary Pignato Found Guilty of Coercing Woman into Having Sex

Jurors came back at 5 p.m. Monday and found suspended Greece Police Officer Gary Pignato guilty of all charges. He was accused of using his police powers to coerce a woman into having sex, and was charged with coercion, accepting a bribe, and official misconduct.

While deliberating, the jury came back twice to have testimony read back. Boiled down, it was a case of who they believed - Officer Gary Pignato or the woman who says he exerted his influence for sex.

The woman testified that she had been drinking that night and agreed to the encounter in an effort to avoid a probation violation which could have sent her to jail. But in his closing arguments Monday morning, Pignato's attorney Scott Green, painted a much different picture of what happened the night of August 24 2008.

He told jurors Officer Pignato didn't know at the time that the woman was even on probation. He then proceeded to try to break down her credibility, portraying her as a woman motivated by greed and said, "she has repeatedly lied, misspoke and shaded the truth."

Green conceded Pignato's decision to have a sexual encounter with her was maybe not smart, but in the end said, "what we have here is a consensual act between two adults."

The DA's office clearly disagreed. William Gargan said, “What occurred between those two adults was not an instance of consenting adults deciding to make a decision to engage in sexual relations later."

In his summation, Gargan called the woman a vulnerable wreck - abusing drugs and alcohol, caring for a sick mother, while being thrown out by her boyfriend and he says Pignato knew it.

Replaying a taped phone conversation between the alleged victim and Pignato, Gargan noted a portion of the conversation where Pignato seemed surprised she even knew his name.

Pignato: (How did you) find out who I was anyways? You never asked me who I was.
Woman: Yes I did. I asked you what your name was.

Gargan continued, “So it gives you a hint of what transpired the night in August. This was an incident of several hours together, but names were not shared, and again, there was one that was sober and a police officer and one that was not."

The jury deliberated for more than four hours, returning twice requesting more information. Once to have some legal definitions read back and the other to have testimony read back.

The judge did warn them not to consider the fact that Pignato did not testify at this trial.

Despite the conviction, Officer Pignato's legal problems are not be behind him. He's charged with similar conduct involving a second woman who claims she was also coerced.

When sentenced, Pignato faces two and a third to seven years in prison.

For more Rochester, N.Y. news go to our website http://www.whec.com/.
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Other information: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--policeofficerconv0609jun09,0,1755889.story

Former Officer Alex Ramirez Pleads Guilty to Charges

A former Dearborn police officer accused of fixing tickets and accepting bribes pleaded guilty Wednesday in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Alex Ramirez, 42, of Dearborn faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for embezzlement by a public official, misconduct in office, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice, larceny in a building and bribery charges, Wayne County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Maria Miller said Wednesday.

One of his codefendants, Hassan Hojaije, agreed to testify against him in exchange for 2 years of probation. According to the 21-year-old Dearborn man, Ramirez would look up the names of people who'd received parking tickets and have him contact the drivers, offering to get rid of them for $400. This happened close to two dozen times, Hojaije testified.

Ramirez, a cop for two decades, will be sentenced at 9 a.m. July 28 before Wayne County Circuit Judge Margie Braxton.

Investigators said two other men also participated in the scheme: Isoam Nimer, 28, of Dearborn, who pleaded guilty to attempted obstruction of justice, and Hasan Chamara, 21, of Dearborn, who is charged with the same offense and may have fled the country.
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http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=10473980&nav=menu25_2

Cpl Joshua Giddings Committs Suicide After Arrest

Delaware State Police Cpl. Joshua A. Giddings, 32, apparently committed suicide at his Smyrna home Tuesday, May 26. Giddings was arrested May 11 after an investigation revealed he engaged in sexual relations with a woman he had arrested in exchange for not taking her to court.

Delaware State Police reported that emergency personnel were dispatched at about 6 p.m., to a home in the unit block of Wheeler Circle in Smyrna after receiving a report of an unresponsive man.

The man was found in the shed at the residence. He was unresponsive. Emergency personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.

He was identified as Joshua A. Giddings.

Foul play is not suspected, police said. The incident is a suspected suicide, but the investigation is continuing by the Smyrna Police Department.

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Previous Story: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/cpl-joshua-giddings-arrested-for-sexual.html

Officer Accused of Coercing Women into Sex Wants Closed Court Hearing

An attorney for a suspended Greece police officer accused of coercing two women into sex wants a closed-court hearing on attempts by prosecutors to introduce at trial other alleged “bad acts” committed by the officer.

Attorney Scott Green, who represents suspended officer Gary Pignato, filed a request Tuesday asking that a filing from the District Attorney’s Office be sealed. The filing from the DA’s Office, known as a Molineux filing, is a record that typically outlines other “bad acts” or crimes prosecutors allege were committed by a defendant.

Green also asked that County Court Judge Alex Renzi close a pre-trial hearing where the judge would determine whether the allegations could be allowed at trial.

In his motion, Green contends that there is a good chance the information could not be permitted at trial. He also argues that, if publicly released, the allegations in the Molineux filing would taint the local jury pool.

Pignato’s case “has received almost daily publicity and scrutiny from a number of media outlets,” Green wrote.

Pignato is accused in two separate incidents of coercing women into sex. In his filing, Green does not specify what other allegations are made by the DA’s Office in the Molineux filing but notes that he “believes that all but one of the alleged incidents … have not been made public.”

Attorney Christopher Thomas, who represents the Democrat and Chronicle, said the records should be public, as should the hearing.

"The press serves as the public's eyes and ears in the court, since most people cannot come to court to see what is happening there," Thomas said. "That's why openness is so important. This strong presumption of access includes the pre-trial phase, as in this case."

Thomas said he doubted the publicity would impinge on the likelihood of finding an impartial jury.

"The experience in Monroe County is that fair and impartial juries have been seated in cases which are far more notorious," Thomas said.
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http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S938333.shtml?cat=572