A former San Diego police officer was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on five counts of mistreating women while on duty.
Christopher Hays, an officer for four years before resigning after his arrest in February, was ordered by Superior Court Judge Charles Rogers to stand trial on two counts of felony false imprisonment and three counts of misdemeanor battery.
Rogers' decision came after a preliminary hearing in which three women testified that Hays touched them inappropriately. Hays' attorney argued that the women's drug use and criminal records made their testimony unreliable, but Rogers disagreed.
A police investigator testified that Hays broke into tears when told of the allegations against him and asked if the case would "go away" if he resigned.
Also on Wednesday, officials disclosed that Officer Gilbert Lorenzo was arrested Tuesday in La Mesa on suspicion of domestic violence. Lorenzo, 31, a seven-year veteran of the San Diego department, was booked into county jail after his wife called police to say he had assaulted her.
Lorenzo has been suspended without pay, officials said.
At a news conference, Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman repeated her vow not to tolerate the mistreatment of women by the department's officers.
Hays, 30, received a medal in 2012 for dashing into a burning building to save a woman who was trapped on the second floor. He also served with the Marines in Iraq as a lance corporal.
Lorenzo has not yet been charged or arraigned.
The Hays' case marks the second time in recent years that a San Diego officer has been charged with assaulting women while on duty.
In 2011, Officer Anthony Arevalos was convicted of demanding sexual favors from women after making traffic stops. He was fired after charges were brought. He was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison.
The City Council has approved a total of $2.3 million in payments to women assaulted by Arevalos. One case has gone to trial.
In the wake of Hays' arrest, the City Council requested that the Department of Justice perform an audit of the police department's hiring, supervision and internal affairs practices.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer said the audit is needed to restore trust in the police department that may have eroded because of the Hays case and other instances of misconduct by officers.
Among other things, officials want suggestions on how to better detect problem officers. The audit will take six months and be funded by the Department of Justice.
Showing posts with label false imprisonment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label false imprisonment. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Saturday, April 05, 2014
Officer Johnny Bridges Charged with Domestic Violence
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy has charged Detroit Police Officer Johnny Ray Bridges, 47, with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, unlawful imprisonment, domestic violence and reckless discharge of a firearm.
The charges stem from an event that allegedly occurred on Saturday between Bridges and his girlfriend on March 3.
The woman appears to have escaped the situation by jumping out of a window and running to a nearby restaurant while wearing barely any clothing. An employee at the restaurant tells Isom the woman was only wearing a shirt and her face was "a little bit beat up." Employees gave her some clothes to cover up and called for help.
Prosecutors say Bridges was off-duty when the alleged incident occurred, and both had been drinking. An argument began and, at some point during the argument, Bridges fired a handgun into the air and punched and kicked the victim's face and body.
Bridges was arraigned on Wednesday and a judge set his bond at $5,000. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim and to not possess or purchase firearms.
He is scheduled to be back in court March 13.
The charges stem from an event that allegedly occurred on Saturday between Bridges and his girlfriend on March 3.
The woman appears to have escaped the situation by jumping out of a window and running to a nearby restaurant while wearing barely any clothing. An employee at the restaurant tells Isom the woman was only wearing a shirt and her face was "a little bit beat up." Employees gave her some clothes to cover up and called for help.
Prosecutors say Bridges was off-duty when the alleged incident occurred, and both had been drinking. An argument began and, at some point during the argument, Bridges fired a handgun into the air and punched and kicked the victim's face and body.
Bridges was arraigned on Wednesday and a judge set his bond at $5,000. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim and to not possess or purchase firearms.
He is scheduled to be back in court March 13.
Chief Mikel White and Officer Gregory Armstead Arrested on Several Felony Charges
A Louisiana police chief and an officer are now on the other side of the law.
Louisiana State Police arrested Lecompte police chief Mikel White and officer Gregory Armstead on several felony charges Friday.
According to state police, a man says the pair came to his home in March -- and threatened to hurt him if he didn't pay back a personal loan.
He says White threatened to arrest him for theft, and on his orders, Armstead took him into custody.
The man was later released without being charged.
According to state police, the whole thing was caught on camera.
Both the chief and the officer are charged with malfeasance in office and false imprisonment.
Additionally, the chief is charged with extortion.
Both are held on a $500,000 bond each.
Louisiana State Police arrested Lecompte police chief Mikel White and officer Gregory Armstead on several felony charges Friday.
According to state police, a man says the pair came to his home in March -- and threatened to hurt him if he didn't pay back a personal loan.
He says White threatened to arrest him for theft, and on his orders, Armstead took him into custody.
The man was later released without being charged.
According to state police, the whole thing was caught on camera.
Both the chief and the officer are charged with malfeasance in office and false imprisonment.
Additionally, the chief is charged with extortion.
Both are held on a $500,000 bond each.
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Former Officer Rex Newport Pleads Guilty to Multiple Felonies
Former Colville Police Officer Rex Newport spent 15 years putting countless criminals in prison. On Tuesday, Newport found out he would be heading off to prison for 29 months himself.
Newport pleaded guilty in February to multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including unlawful imprisonment with sexual motivation. The court identified Newport's behavior as reckless and the arrogance he displayed was truly disturbing.
"Your honor, I messed up," Newport said, addressing a packed Stevens County courtroom Tuesday morning. "I'm absolutely ashamed of myself."
Last year a woman came forward saying she was drunk when Newport came into her home, handcuffed and sexually assaulted her while he was on duty. Four other women later said Newport made sexual advances towards them as well. In February Newport accepted a plea deal.
Newport's lawyer argued he's a good man, who made terrible mistakes, but the court argued that Newport, "identified and isolated not just these women and others and used the authority of your office to coerce them into sexual activity for no reason but to satisfy your desires," adding that his actions brought shame to himself and black eyes to other Colville police officers. "With the multiple victims, multiple incidents, I would say the only appropriate decision would be the maximum sentence."
Washington Assistant Attorney General John Hillman said he was pleased with Newport's sentence.
"He's also now a convicted felon, a sex offender who will have to register when he is released from prison, he will no longer be able to carry a firearm or work as a police officer in his state," Hillman said.
After years of putting people in handcuffs, Newport was the one to be handcuffed and taken away to prison. Like all Department of Corrections inmates, Newport will be transported to the prison in Shelton, where he'll be assessed and DOC will determine which prison to send him to. They'll take several things into consideration including the length of sentence, nature of crime and his background.
After Newport gets out of prison, he will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
Newport pleaded guilty in February to multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including unlawful imprisonment with sexual motivation. The court identified Newport's behavior as reckless and the arrogance he displayed was truly disturbing.
"Your honor, I messed up," Newport said, addressing a packed Stevens County courtroom Tuesday morning. "I'm absolutely ashamed of myself."
Last year a woman came forward saying she was drunk when Newport came into her home, handcuffed and sexually assaulted her while he was on duty. Four other women later said Newport made sexual advances towards them as well. In February Newport accepted a plea deal.
Newport's lawyer argued he's a good man, who made terrible mistakes, but the court argued that Newport, "identified and isolated not just these women and others and used the authority of your office to coerce them into sexual activity for no reason but to satisfy your desires," adding that his actions brought shame to himself and black eyes to other Colville police officers. "With the multiple victims, multiple incidents, I would say the only appropriate decision would be the maximum sentence."
Washington Assistant Attorney General John Hillman said he was pleased with Newport's sentence.
"He's also now a convicted felon, a sex offender who will have to register when he is released from prison, he will no longer be able to carry a firearm or work as a police officer in his state," Hillman said.
After years of putting people in handcuffs, Newport was the one to be handcuffed and taken away to prison. Like all Department of Corrections inmates, Newport will be transported to the prison in Shelton, where he'll be assessed and DOC will determine which prison to send him to. They'll take several things into consideration including the length of sentence, nature of crime and his background.
After Newport gets out of prison, he will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Jeremiah Chesney Files Lawsuit Against City
A Jackson man has filed a federal lawsuit against the city and several of its police officers alleging he was assaulted, battered and arrested without cause as he openly and legally carried a pistol at the Jackson Secretary of State Office.
The officers violated Jeremiah Chesney’s constitutional rights under the First, Second and 14th amendments, according to the lawsuit, filed March 13 in U.S. District Court in Detroit. They showed “intentional, outrageous and reckless disregard” for his rights, falsely imprisoned him and seized his pistol without justification or provocation, the lawsuit states.
It asks for a $300,000 judgment against the city and the officers and $600,000 for “punitive or exemplary damages,” costs, interest, attorney’s fees and any other relief.
“He’s gone through a ton of distress and harm,” Chesney’s attorney, Steven Dulan, said Thursday when reached at his office in East Lansing.
“And he wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Jackson police Deputy Chief John Holda, the department’s public information officer, said he could not comment on the Chesney case because of the lawsuit. He deferred to the city attorney’s office. Interim City Attorney Bethany Smith said it is not the office’s policy to comment on pending litigation.
Chesney was openly carrying a pistol "on his person in plain view" about 5 p.m. May 15 at the Secretary of State Office in Jackson Crossing mall. He was doing so for both personal protection and to increase awareness that this is lawful in Michigan. The state office is not a “gun-free zone,” and Chesney has a valid concealed pistol license, which requires firearm training and a lack of criminal history, according to the lawsuit.
Officers forcibly removed him from the office, cuffed his hands and put him in the back of a squad car with a police dog.
Officer Timothy Black confiscated his weapon, which still is being held by the police department, according to the lawsuit.
Black; Sgt. Paul Gross; Officers William Mills, Peter Postma and Cary Kingston; and Matthew Heins, Jackson’s director of police and fire services, are named in the suit.
Chesney spent two days in the Jackson County jail before he was arraigned May 17 on charges of resisting or obstructing officers and carrying a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The charges were dismissed in September, court records show. The “interests of justice” were the cited reason, the lawsuit states.
Chesney did nothing wrong, Dulan said. “He was literally just in possession of his gun at this time.”
The involved officers overreacted, he said. “They pulled his hair, treated him quite roughly.”
Dulan said cameras from the Secretary of State Office and a police vehicle or police vehicles captured the incident on video and the video showed Chesney did not resist.
An effort Friday to reach Chesney was not successful.
As a result of the officers’ actions, Chesney suffered physical and emotional injury, loss of freedom and loss of other constitutionally protected rights, the lawsuit states. He was humiliated, mortified and embarrassed.
The lawsuit further alleges the police department has not properly trained its officers in Michigan firearms law. City police have repeated violated the constitutional rights of people like Chesney, the suit states.
It seems there is a lack of training in cities all around Michigan, said Dulan, who sits on the board of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, does legal instruction for concealed pistol licensees and teaches firearms issues at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. “Street officers either don’t know the law or don’t care what the law is,” he said.
Dulan also is representing a Grand Rapids man in a similar, pending case filed in December in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. Johann Deffert was walking March 3, 2013, on a public sidewalk, openly carrying a holstered pistol, when an officer approached. He drew his service pistol and aimed it at Deffert, according to the lawsuit. He ordered Deffert to the ground, handcuffed him behind his back and removed the gun from the holster. The Grand Rapids Press obtained a video of the confrontation.
“The stop, pat-down search and brief detention of plaintiff were supported by reasonable suspicion and/or other legal cause,” assistant city attorneys wrote in a response to the lawsuit.
The officers violated Jeremiah Chesney’s constitutional rights under the First, Second and 14th amendments, according to the lawsuit, filed March 13 in U.S. District Court in Detroit. They showed “intentional, outrageous and reckless disregard” for his rights, falsely imprisoned him and seized his pistol without justification or provocation, the lawsuit states.
It asks for a $300,000 judgment against the city and the officers and $600,000 for “punitive or exemplary damages,” costs, interest, attorney’s fees and any other relief.
“He’s gone through a ton of distress and harm,” Chesney’s attorney, Steven Dulan, said Thursday when reached at his office in East Lansing.
“And he wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Jackson police Deputy Chief John Holda, the department’s public information officer, said he could not comment on the Chesney case because of the lawsuit. He deferred to the city attorney’s office. Interim City Attorney Bethany Smith said it is not the office’s policy to comment on pending litigation.
Chesney was openly carrying a pistol "on his person in plain view" about 5 p.m. May 15 at the Secretary of State Office in Jackson Crossing mall. He was doing so for both personal protection and to increase awareness that this is lawful in Michigan. The state office is not a “gun-free zone,” and Chesney has a valid concealed pistol license, which requires firearm training and a lack of criminal history, according to the lawsuit.
Officers forcibly removed him from the office, cuffed his hands and put him in the back of a squad car with a police dog.
Officer Timothy Black confiscated his weapon, which still is being held by the police department, according to the lawsuit.
Black; Sgt. Paul Gross; Officers William Mills, Peter Postma and Cary Kingston; and Matthew Heins, Jackson’s director of police and fire services, are named in the suit.
Chesney spent two days in the Jackson County jail before he was arraigned May 17 on charges of resisting or obstructing officers and carrying a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The charges were dismissed in September, court records show. The “interests of justice” were the cited reason, the lawsuit states.
Chesney did nothing wrong, Dulan said. “He was literally just in possession of his gun at this time.”
The involved officers overreacted, he said. “They pulled his hair, treated him quite roughly.”
Dulan said cameras from the Secretary of State Office and a police vehicle or police vehicles captured the incident on video and the video showed Chesney did not resist.
An effort Friday to reach Chesney was not successful.
As a result of the officers’ actions, Chesney suffered physical and emotional injury, loss of freedom and loss of other constitutionally protected rights, the lawsuit states. He was humiliated, mortified and embarrassed.
The lawsuit further alleges the police department has not properly trained its officers in Michigan firearms law. City police have repeated violated the constitutional rights of people like Chesney, the suit states.
It seems there is a lack of training in cities all around Michigan, said Dulan, who sits on the board of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, does legal instruction for concealed pistol licensees and teaches firearms issues at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. “Street officers either don’t know the law or don’t care what the law is,” he said.
Dulan also is representing a Grand Rapids man in a similar, pending case filed in December in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. Johann Deffert was walking March 3, 2013, on a public sidewalk, openly carrying a holstered pistol, when an officer approached. He drew his service pistol and aimed it at Deffert, according to the lawsuit. He ordered Deffert to the ground, handcuffed him behind his back and removed the gun from the holster. The Grand Rapids Press obtained a video of the confrontation.
“The stop, pat-down search and brief detention of plaintiff were supported by reasonable suspicion and/or other legal cause,” assistant city attorneys wrote in a response to the lawsuit.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Officer Michelle Turner Charged with Sexual Battery
A veteran North Port police officer was arrested Thursday night on charges of sexual battery and false imprisonment, while a fellow officer took his own life before a warrant for his arrest was served.
Police crews were at the North Port home of the late officer Ricky Urbina well into the night, investigating his death.
The veteran police officer was about to be arrested on the same charges as his fellow officer, Michelle Turner.
The investigation into their misconduct, started in early March.
"I had a feeling he was involved. Only because his police car hadn't been here for the past couple weeks. Crazy anything like this goes on in such a small town," a neighbor on Urbina's street told 10 News.
"He was a nice guy."
In the heavily redacted affidavit, the victim, (who, in accordance to our 10 News Crime Guidelines, will not be named), claims she was handcuffed by Officer Turner and taken into a bedroom at a birthday party.
That's where the alleged sexual assault involving both officers took place. The details are so graphic, 10 News has chosen not to reveal them.
Urbina was on duty at the time of the party, and Turner was not.
In a press conference today, the Sarasota Sheriff's Office explained there was an agreement in place: If either officer would be arrested, they'd be notified ahead of time. Turner complied and was taken into custody.
Urbina had one request. To be arrested at a location separate from his home, but as detectives were en route to the location, there was a shooting at his home. Urbina was found dead.
The North Port Police Chief is scheduled to hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. 10 News will have more information as it becomes available.
Police crews were at the North Port home of the late officer Ricky Urbina well into the night, investigating his death.
The veteran police officer was about to be arrested on the same charges as his fellow officer, Michelle Turner.
The investigation into their misconduct, started in early March.
"I had a feeling he was involved. Only because his police car hadn't been here for the past couple weeks. Crazy anything like this goes on in such a small town," a neighbor on Urbina's street told 10 News.
"He was a nice guy."
In the heavily redacted affidavit, the victim, (who, in accordance to our 10 News Crime Guidelines, will not be named), claims she was handcuffed by Officer Turner and taken into a bedroom at a birthday party.
That's where the alleged sexual assault involving both officers took place. The details are so graphic, 10 News has chosen not to reveal them.
Urbina was on duty at the time of the party, and Turner was not.
In a press conference today, the Sarasota Sheriff's Office explained there was an agreement in place: If either officer would be arrested, they'd be notified ahead of time. Turner complied and was taken into custody.
Urbina had one request. To be arrested at a location separate from his home, but as detectives were en route to the location, there was a shooting at his home. Urbina was found dead.
The North Port Police Chief is scheduled to hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. 10 News will have more information as it becomes available.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Officer Kevin Corcoran Charged with Unlawful Restraint of War Veteran
The charges against Officer Kevin Corcoran stem from an Easter morning incident in which Corcoran was caught on camera roughing up a man before taking the man on a 16-minute ride, according to Philadelphia Police.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office alleges Corcoran, a 9.5-year veteran of the force, began yelling at a group of people near 13th and Lombard Streets in the early morning hours of March 31, 2013.
Someone in the group, which included Roderick King, had questioned Corcoran after he allegedly made an illegal turn with his patrol car, according to prosecutors.
King’s own lawyer Kevin Mincey identified his client saying that they filed a lawsuit against the city, police department and Corcoran.
Corcoran, in full uniform, allegedly exited his vehicle and began to yell at King’s group prompting witnesses to videotape the encounter.
Witnesses said that Corcoran slapped the phone out of one person’s hands and then began to berate King saying “Don’t f##?!g touch me,” according to prosecutors. An incensed Corcoran continued to approach King -- who claimed he never touched the officer -- who continued to make an effort not to touch the officer.
"My first thought was that I was getting ready to get beat up," King said through a release from his attorney. "It’s dark, I don’t know where I am, I feared for my safety."
According to prosecutors, Corcoran grabbed King by his chest, threw him against the police SUV, cuffed him and put him in the back of the vehicle.
Authorities allege that Corcoran then drove King somewhere off North Broad Street -- the opposite direction of the 17th District officer’s station -- telling King that he was under arrest for public intoxication.
King told Corcoran that this was the first time he had been arrested and that he was an Iraqi War veteran having served in the U.S. Air Force.
After learning about King’s service, Corcoran drove to 13th and Rodman Streets where he uncuffed the victim and let him go without charges.
In total, King remained in cuffs for about 16 minutes.
Corcoran surrendered Wednesday on the misdemeanor charges and was arraigned. He was released after posting bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 21.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said he suspended Corcoran for 30 days with the intent to dismiss.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Officer Christopher Hays Arrested for Sexual Battery
San Diego police Officer
Christopher Hays was arrested Sunday afternoon on suspicion of false
imprisonment and misdemeanor sexual battery with four women, police
officials said.
The District Attorney’s Office is also investigating claims by two more women.
Most
of the cases involve claims that Hays inappropriately touched women —
all in their 20s or 30s — during pat-down searches of their bodies.
However, at a news conference Sunday afternoon, San Diego Police Chief
Bill Lansdowne said that at least one of the two new cases involves more
serious claims involving sexual contact that could involve felony
charges.
Hays, 30, surrendered at 1
p.m. Sunday at the sheriff’s substation in Rancho Bernardo and was
booked into the downtown jail at 1:30 p.m. He was booked on two counts
of false imprisonment and three counts of misdemeanor sexual battery. He
was later released on $130,000 bond.
“This officer, if the allegations prove to be true, will go to prison,” Lansdowne said.
If
the district attorney charges Hays with the counts that he was arrested
on, police said he could face up to 7½ years in prison.
Lansdowne
said that four cases were uncovered through an internal investigation
after a woman came forward in December to report that she had been
inappropriately frisked by an officer. Police detectives checked every
case Hays had been involved in since he was hired four years ago, and
three more women were found with similar claims involving incidents with
Hays that occurred between Nov. 12, 2012, and Dec. 23, 2013. After
those four cases were turned over to the District Attorney’s Office, a
fifth woman was found through the police investigation.
Following
publicity about the Hays investigation, a sixth woman came forward
through her attorney on Friday, saying she was contacted by Hays in
October 2012 for an unspecified reason and pressured to perform a sex
act with him.
Hays has been placed on unpaid administrative leave. No arraignment date has been announced.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Detective Thomas Sadler Convicted of Assaulting Prostitute
A veteran sheriff's detective was convicted Monday of picking up a prostitute and assaulting her in a Mission Valley parking lot, but he was acquitted of sexually assaulting the woman.
Thomas John Sadler, 49, was convicted of felony assault and battery by a peace officer, along with misdemeanor assault and false imprisonment. He could receive a sentence ranging from probation on the low end to three years in prison on April 14.
The defendant -- on unpaid administrative leave from the sheriff's department -- was acquitted of felony charges of sexual battery by restraint, sexual battery and false imprisonment.
Two charges of accessing a computer to defraud were dismissed by the judge before the case went to the jury.
Sadler stared straight ahead as a courtroom clerk read the verdicts. The 20-year veteran was immediately ordered into custody by Judge Michael Smyth.
Jurors, who did not want to be interviewed, deliberated about two full days before reaching their decision.
"I'm pleased, largely, with the verdict, because originally Mr. Sadler had been charged with five felony counts. He was convicted of only one," said defense attorney Mary Ellen Attridge, the senior supervising attorney for the Office of the Alternate Public Defender.
"I would have preferred, of course, that he be completely exonerated of all, but I think being found not guilty of four out of five is pretty good," she said.
Attridge said Sadler's sentencing range is better now than with a plea bargain offered by prosecutors. She said Sadler will not have to register for life as a sex offender.
"He was found not guilty of anything sexually oriented in any way, and so I think that overall it is an acceptable verdict, although I would have preferred he'd been found not guilty of everything," Attridge told reporters outside court.
Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Dort said in his closing argument that Sadler had a plan to sexually assault the prostitute during a search for drugs but ran into a problem when he didn't find any.
Sadler assaulted the prostitute just as he had sexually assaulted four other women during searches dating back to 2001, the prosecutor told jurors.
But Attridge said the prostitute got into Sadler's unmarked car on El Cajon Boulevard on her own about 11 a.m. on Feb. 6, 2008.
"When she smiled and he smiled back, she thought of money," Attridge said.
Sadler, "like a fool," drove to a Mission Valley parking lot but changed his mind about having sex with the prostitute, Attridge said.
"He thought, 'What in God's name am I doing?'" his attorney said.
Sadler testified that he thought of his wife of 22 years and didn't want to go through with his original plan.
But Dort told the jury that Sadler had a history of pulling over women, searching them for drugs with no one around and touching them inappropriately.
The prosecutor told the jury the defendant was "a rogue cop" who thought he was above the law. Sadler planned to search the prostitute and sexually assault her "because he had gotten away with it before," Dort said.
Attridge said the prosecution was relying on "unreliable" drug addicts, felons and prostitutes to convict a veteran deputy sheriff for something that "did not occur."
The attorney said Sadler admitted to making very poor choices but did not sexually assault the prostitute, who was on probation at the time.
Attridge said the prostitute became irritated when Sadler showed his badge and ordered her out of the car in the Mission Valley parking lot.
Sadler took the woman's cell phone away when she tried to take a picture of his license plate, Attridge said.
"This was a business deal gone bad by a foolish middle-age man and a very sad young woman with a very dicey job," Attridge told the jury.
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Thomas John Sadler, 49, was convicted of felony assault and battery by a peace officer, along with misdemeanor assault and false imprisonment. He could receive a sentence ranging from probation on the low end to three years in prison on April 14.
The defendant -- on unpaid administrative leave from the sheriff's department -- was acquitted of felony charges of sexual battery by restraint, sexual battery and false imprisonment.
Two charges of accessing a computer to defraud were dismissed by the judge before the case went to the jury.
Sadler stared straight ahead as a courtroom clerk read the verdicts. The 20-year veteran was immediately ordered into custody by Judge Michael Smyth.
Jurors, who did not want to be interviewed, deliberated about two full days before reaching their decision.
"I'm pleased, largely, with the verdict, because originally Mr. Sadler had been charged with five felony counts. He was convicted of only one," said defense attorney Mary Ellen Attridge, the senior supervising attorney for the Office of the Alternate Public Defender.
"I would have preferred, of course, that he be completely exonerated of all, but I think being found not guilty of four out of five is pretty good," she said.
Attridge said Sadler's sentencing range is better now than with a plea bargain offered by prosecutors. She said Sadler will not have to register for life as a sex offender.
"He was found not guilty of anything sexually oriented in any way, and so I think that overall it is an acceptable verdict, although I would have preferred he'd been found not guilty of everything," Attridge told reporters outside court.
Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Dort said in his closing argument that Sadler had a plan to sexually assault the prostitute during a search for drugs but ran into a problem when he didn't find any.
Sadler assaulted the prostitute just as he had sexually assaulted four other women during searches dating back to 2001, the prosecutor told jurors.
But Attridge said the prostitute got into Sadler's unmarked car on El Cajon Boulevard on her own about 11 a.m. on Feb. 6, 2008.
"When she smiled and he smiled back, she thought of money," Attridge said.
Sadler, "like a fool," drove to a Mission Valley parking lot but changed his mind about having sex with the prostitute, Attridge said.
"He thought, 'What in God's name am I doing?'" his attorney said.
Sadler testified that he thought of his wife of 22 years and didn't want to go through with his original plan.
But Dort told the jury that Sadler had a history of pulling over women, searching them for drugs with no one around and touching them inappropriately.
The prosecutor told the jury the defendant was "a rogue cop" who thought he was above the law. Sadler planned to search the prostitute and sexually assault her "because he had gotten away with it before," Dort said.
Attridge said the prosecution was relying on "unreliable" drug addicts, felons and prostitutes to convict a veteran deputy sheriff for something that "did not occur."
The attorney said Sadler admitted to making very poor choices but did not sexually assault the prostitute, who was on probation at the time.
Attridge said the prostitute became irritated when Sadler showed his badge and ordered her out of the car in the Mission Valley parking lot.
Sadler took the woman's cell phone away when she tried to take a picture of his license plate, Attridge said.
"This was a business deal gone bad by a foolish middle-age man and a very sad young woman with a very dicey job," Attridge told the jury.
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Officer Ricardo Orosco Charged with Assaulting Girlfriend
Another sex scandal has rocked the Phoenix Police Department.
Officer Ricardo Orosco, 26, has been charged with unlawful imprisonment, assault and criminal damage after allegedly getting into an altercation with his girlfriend early Tuesday.
"It's an embarrassment, it's a very bleak situation for us," Phoenix Police detective James Holmes said of arresting a fellow officer.
Police say they received a call around 2:45 a.m. from a femaile who said her "boyfriend" had assaulted her and was currently following her with his own car.
The victim told police she and Orosco had been out for the evening and, after returning to his home, said he told her he wanted to have sex.
She told police that after she refused, Orosco forcibly removed part of her clothing and ordered her to disrobe.
"The officer became physical with the victim. He grabbed her, he tore her sweater, threw her down on the bed," Holmes said. "During all of this he tore part of her bra and he did put his hands around her throat and he hit her."
Police said the victim was able to free herself and leave the home, but only after Orosco - trying to get in the car - broke the handles off the driver's side front and rear doors.
It was then, after realizing Orosco was following her, that she called police.
Police said the victim had visible facial injuries but did not require immediate medical attention. Orosco was booked into the Maricopa County Jail.
Officer Ricardo Orosco, 26, has been charged with unlawful imprisonment, assault and criminal damage after allegedly getting into an altercation with his girlfriend early Tuesday.
"It's an embarrassment, it's a very bleak situation for us," Phoenix Police detective James Holmes said of arresting a fellow officer.
Police say they received a call around 2:45 a.m. from a femaile who said her "boyfriend" had assaulted her and was currently following her with his own car.
The victim told police she and Orosco had been out for the evening and, after returning to his home, said he told her he wanted to have sex.
She told police that after she refused, Orosco forcibly removed part of her clothing and ordered her to disrobe.
"The officer became physical with the victim. He grabbed her, he tore her sweater, threw her down on the bed," Holmes said. "During all of this he tore part of her bra and he did put his hands around her throat and he hit her."
Police said the victim was able to free herself and leave the home, but only after Orosco - trying to get in the car - broke the handles off the driver's side front and rear doors.
It was then, after realizing Orosco was following her, that she called police.
Police said the victim had visible facial injuries but did not require immediate medical attention. Orosco was booked into the Maricopa County Jail.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Former Officer Jonathan Bleiweiss Giving Bail
A judge has decided that a suspended Broward County deputy accused of intimidating eight undocumented male immigrants into performing sex acts with him will be allowed to go to Oregon until his trial.
The judge ruled Friday that 29-year-old Jonathan Bleiweiss, who has been jailed since his August arrest, can stay with his father in Oregon. Bleiweiss' bail was set at $250,000.
Bleiweiss has been charged with 73 counts ranging from sexual battery to false imprisonment. Authorities say Bleiweiss of used his position as a deputy to intimidate the immigrants into performing sex acts during traffic stops.
Bleiweiss' attorney says the state's case is based entirely on hearsay.
The judge ruled Friday that 29-year-old Jonathan Bleiweiss, who has been jailed since his August arrest, can stay with his father in Oregon. Bleiweiss' bail was set at $250,000.
Bleiweiss has been charged with 73 counts ranging from sexual battery to false imprisonment. Authorities say Bleiweiss of used his position as a deputy to intimidate the immigrants into performing sex acts during traffic stops.
Bleiweiss' attorney says the state's case is based entirely on hearsay.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Officer Jeffrey Leavey Arrested for Violating Court Order
A Spokane County Jail deputy accused of attacking his wife last month was arrested again today after police say he violated a court order.
Jeffrey S. Leavey, 40, was booked into jail just after noon. He was arrested at his lawyer’s office after his wife told police he’d been sending her text messages, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Leavey reportedly sent the woman more than a dozen text messages Wednesday, despite a court order prohibiting him from contacting her.
Leavey was first arrested Dec. 19 at his home in Colbert and placed on paid administrative leave with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, where he’s worked for two years.
Leavey reportedly told investigators he’d held his wife down on their bed, told her she couldn’t leave, threw a box at her and hit her in the arms “five to 25 times,” according to court documents. His wife had red marks on her arms and chest, deputies said. He was released from jail on his own recognizance Dec. 21.
Leavey is charged with unlawful imprisonment, two counts of fourth-degree assault and third-degree malicious mischief.
He’s in jail without bail for violating a court order, according to jail records.
Jeffrey S. Leavey, 40, was booked into jail just after noon. He was arrested at his lawyer’s office after his wife told police he’d been sending her text messages, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Leavey reportedly sent the woman more than a dozen text messages Wednesday, despite a court order prohibiting him from contacting her.
Leavey was first arrested Dec. 19 at his home in Colbert and placed on paid administrative leave with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, where he’s worked for two years.
Leavey reportedly told investigators he’d held his wife down on their bed, told her she couldn’t leave, threw a box at her and hit her in the arms “five to 25 times,” according to court documents. His wife had red marks on her arms and chest, deputies said. He was released from jail on his own recognizance Dec. 21.
Leavey is charged with unlawful imprisonment, two counts of fourth-degree assault and third-degree malicious mischief.
He’s in jail without bail for violating a court order, according to jail records.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Corrections Officer Thaddeus Boston Arrested for Choking Fiancee
A Charlotte County corrections officer was arrested in North Port today on domestic violence charges.
Thaddeus Boston, 32, faces domestic battery and false imprisonment charges after allegedly choking and hitting his 26-year-old fiancee in the 4000 block of Manila Avenue Tuesday.
The couple was reportedly quarrelling when Boston attacked her. She ran to a neighbor's house and called 911 shortly after 9:30 a.m.
Boston was booked and released from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
Thaddeus Boston, 32, faces domestic battery and false imprisonment charges after allegedly choking and hitting his 26-year-old fiancee in the 4000 block of Manila Avenue Tuesday.
The couple was reportedly quarrelling when Boston attacked her. She ran to a neighbor's house and called 911 shortly after 9:30 a.m.
Boston was booked and released from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
Monday, January 11, 2010
More Problems for Former Officer Jerry Saldivar
There's been another twist in the story of the former Madera sheriff's deputy who had been accused of sexually molesting his own wife.
Months ago, former deputy Jerry Saldivar's wife accused him of sexually assaulting her.
But the Fresno County District Attorney's office eventually dropped the charges against Saldivar, after his wife allegedly smashed her way into the house where he was staying and assaulted him.
She was then charged with assault and residential burglary, allegations that could have put her behind bars for 18 months.
Now, she has agreed to plead no contest to lesser charges.
And instead of jail, she faces probation, and she'll have to attend anger management classes.
Jerry Saldivar no longer works for the Madera sheriff's department.
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Previous Post
Months ago, former deputy Jerry Saldivar's wife accused him of sexually assaulting her.
But the Fresno County District Attorney's office eventually dropped the charges against Saldivar, after his wife allegedly smashed her way into the house where he was staying and assaulted him.
She was then charged with assault and residential burglary, allegations that could have put her behind bars for 18 months.
Now, she has agreed to plead no contest to lesser charges.
And instead of jail, she faces probation, and she'll have to attend anger management classes.
Jerry Saldivar no longer works for the Madera sheriff's department.
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Previous Post
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Officer Brandon Loverde Accused of Ripping Woman's Shirt & Feeling Her Breasts
An Orlando police officer bonded out of jail Thursday after turning himself in on charges of battery and false imprisonment stemming from an incident at a local night club.
In a sworn statement the 21-year-old victim said officer Brandon Loverde ripped her shirt and felt her breasts outside Club Firestone in downtown Orlando. OPD ...
"Anytime you have an officer that's been arrested for a felony, that's a big deal to OPD," said Sergeant Barb Jones.
Loverde was working off duty security at the time but was in uniform. He's been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the case.
In a sworn statement the 21-year-old victim said officer Brandon Loverde ripped her shirt and felt her breasts outside Club Firestone in downtown Orlando. OPD ...
"Anytime you have an officer that's been arrested for a felony, that's a big deal to OPD," said Sergeant Barb Jones.
Loverde was working off duty security at the time but was in uniform. He's been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the case.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Officer Brandon Lavertie Accused of Battery
Another Orlando police officer is in trouble with the law. Orlando officer Brandon Lavertie was working off-duty when a woman accused him of battery and false imprisonment outside a downtown concert club.
Crowd control is a challenge at Orlando's downtown clubs and many hire off-duty officers, but sometimes they get themselves into trouble. That's what happened outside Firestone Live on Orange Avenue on the night of December 14.
Orlando police confirm one of its officers, who was working there off duty that night, has been suspended and is under investigation. The police department won’t say who he is or anything else about what happened.
But sources tell Eyewitness News there's a felony warrant out for the officer's arrest, because he's been accused of inappropriately touching a woman after she had left the club. The owner of Firestone Live says someone in her group had spilled a drink and all of them were asked to leave.
Neither the Firestone Live security camera, nor the city-owned camera at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Concord Street, captured the incident, but there is reportedly video of the officer with the alleged victim.
Eyewitness News has learned the incident happened off club property, possibly at a nearby parking area. Firestone Live's owner says the off-duty Orlando officer had left his post and went off with the woman.
Orlando police will wait until after the criminal investigation is done before it does its own investigation into whether the officer violated department policy.
Orlando police say the officer was suspended three days after the alleged incident, but won't say whether that was with or without pay.
Crowd control is a challenge at Orlando's downtown clubs and many hire off-duty officers, but sometimes they get themselves into trouble. That's what happened outside Firestone Live on Orange Avenue on the night of December 14.
Orlando police confirm one of its officers, who was working there off duty that night, has been suspended and is under investigation. The police department won’t say who he is or anything else about what happened.
But sources tell Eyewitness News there's a felony warrant out for the officer's arrest, because he's been accused of inappropriately touching a woman after she had left the club. The owner of Firestone Live says someone in her group had spilled a drink and all of them were asked to leave.
Neither the Firestone Live security camera, nor the city-owned camera at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Concord Street, captured the incident, but there is reportedly video of the officer with the alleged victim.
Eyewitness News has learned the incident happened off club property, possibly at a nearby parking area. Firestone Live's owner says the off-duty Orlando officer had left his post and went off with the woman.
Orlando police will wait until after the criminal investigation is done before it does its own investigation into whether the officer violated department policy.
Orlando police say the officer was suspended three days after the alleged incident, but won't say whether that was with or without pay.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Former Officer David Reveille Beaten by Another Inmate at Jail
A fired Gainesville police officer will have to wait until at least the end of the week before he is sentenced in a felony sex case after being injured following a dispute over the television show "Law and Order."
David John Reveille, 47, appeared in court Monday afternoon with a bandage over his nose. He was scheduled to be sentenced as part of a plea deal after being charged with using his official position to obtain sexual favors. Specifically, Reveille was charged in February with eight counts of sexual battery, two counts of battery and one count each of false imprisonment and official misconduct.
According to the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, Reveille was beaten by another inmate, Willis Jamard Robinson, 19, after a dispute over a television show.
Reveille told investigators he had been watching the hour-long program "Law and Order" the night before the incident, the Sheriff's Office reported. According to Reveille, Robinson changed the channel with only a few minutes left in the show and refused to turn the channel back to the program for Reveille.
The next day, shortly before 11 a.m. on Dec. 29, according to the Sheriff's Office, Reveille had been let out of his cell while a nurse was distributing medications. Reveille was being held in protective custody because he was a former law enforcement officer. Inmate witnesses told investigators that Reveille was at the water fountain getting a drink when Robinson ran out of his cell and punched the former officer once in the face with a closed fist. Witnesses said Reveille fell to the floor motionless.
Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Steve Maynard said Reveille was taken to Shands at the University of Florida for treatment. Maynard said federal privacy laws prohibit releasing medical details, but he was able to characterize the injuries to Reveille as serious but not life-threatening. Reveille later told investigators he did not remember anything after being punched until he woke up in the hospital.
Following a nearly 15-minute long conference with attorneys in the case Monday, Judge Ysleta McDonald delayed sentencing until at least Friday. During the judge's conference with the attorneys, Reveille sat at a table with his head slightly tilted down and most of the time holding what appeared to be a white tissue or bandage over his mouth.
Robinson, who had been housed at the jail since late November on an attempted murder charge, was charged with battery in connection with the incident involving Reveille.
David John Reveille, 47, appeared in court Monday afternoon with a bandage over his nose. He was scheduled to be sentenced as part of a plea deal after being charged with using his official position to obtain sexual favors. Specifically, Reveille was charged in February with eight counts of sexual battery, two counts of battery and one count each of false imprisonment and official misconduct.
According to the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, Reveille was beaten by another inmate, Willis Jamard Robinson, 19, after a dispute over a television show.
Reveille told investigators he had been watching the hour-long program "Law and Order" the night before the incident, the Sheriff's Office reported. According to Reveille, Robinson changed the channel with only a few minutes left in the show and refused to turn the channel back to the program for Reveille.
The next day, shortly before 11 a.m. on Dec. 29, according to the Sheriff's Office, Reveille had been let out of his cell while a nurse was distributing medications. Reveille was being held in protective custody because he was a former law enforcement officer. Inmate witnesses told investigators that Reveille was at the water fountain getting a drink when Robinson ran out of his cell and punched the former officer once in the face with a closed fist. Witnesses said Reveille fell to the floor motionless.
Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Steve Maynard said Reveille was taken to Shands at the University of Florida for treatment. Maynard said federal privacy laws prohibit releasing medical details, but he was able to characterize the injuries to Reveille as serious but not life-threatening. Reveille later told investigators he did not remember anything after being punched until he woke up in the hospital.
Following a nearly 15-minute long conference with attorneys in the case Monday, Judge Ysleta McDonald delayed sentencing until at least Friday. During the judge's conference with the attorneys, Reveille sat at a table with his head slightly tilted down and most of the time holding what appeared to be a white tissue or bandage over his mouth.
Robinson, who had been housed at the jail since late November on an attempted murder charge, was charged with battery in connection with the incident involving Reveille.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Former Officer Greg Cannedy Convicted of False Imprisonment
A former San Leandro police officer has been convicted of false imprisonment for groping two women while he was on duty, his attorney said Wednesday.
Former Officer Greg Cannedy, 45, who retired from the department in 2007, entered no-contest pleas to two counts of false imprisonment - one a felony, the other a misdemeanor - said his attorney, Michael Rains.
Judge Kevin Murphy of Alameda County Superior Court sentenced Cannedy two months ago to 18 months of formal probation and six months of home detention while under electronic monitoring, Rains said.
"To this day, I believe the allegations against Greg were completely without merit," Rains said.
The misdemeanor conviction stemmed from an incident in September 2006, when Cannedy leaned over Jennifer Acuna in her kitchen and began kissing her before grabbing her hand and putting it on his crotch.
Acuna received $92,500 earlier this year under a civil settlement with the city.
Cannedy was convicted of felony false imprisonment for groping Starlah Burke during a traffic stop in 2005 after she repeatedly rebuffed his romantic overtures over a period of months.
Cannedy asked personal questions of Burke, told her that "he and his wife were not in love," continually showed up at her home and called her between May and December 2005 to discuss having sex, Burke said in her suit against the city. She received a $95,000 settlement.
Former Officer Greg Cannedy, 45, who retired from the department in 2007, entered no-contest pleas to two counts of false imprisonment - one a felony, the other a misdemeanor - said his attorney, Michael Rains.
Judge Kevin Murphy of Alameda County Superior Court sentenced Cannedy two months ago to 18 months of formal probation and six months of home detention while under electronic monitoring, Rains said.
"To this day, I believe the allegations against Greg were completely without merit," Rains said.
The misdemeanor conviction stemmed from an incident in September 2006, when Cannedy leaned over Jennifer Acuna in her kitchen and began kissing her before grabbing her hand and putting it on his crotch.
Acuna received $92,500 earlier this year under a civil settlement with the city.
Cannedy was convicted of felony false imprisonment for groping Starlah Burke during a traffic stop in 2005 after she repeatedly rebuffed his romantic overtures over a period of months.
Cannedy asked personal questions of Burke, told her that "he and his wife were not in love," continually showed up at her home and called her between May and December 2005 to discuss having sex, Burke said in her suit against the city. She received a $95,000 settlement.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Officer Nigel Hodges Waives Rights to Hearing for Assaulting Bartender
A Robinson Township police officer accused of assaulting a female bartender at closing time waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday morning before North Fayette Township District Judge Anthony Saveikis.
Nigel Hodges, 51, a North Fayette resident, will be tried in Allegheny County Court on charges of indecent assault, indecent exposure, harassment and false imprisonment, according to court documents.
A charge of official suppression was dropped.
The incident occurred after 11 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Tavern With the Lights. According to court records, Hodges visited the bar, left, and then returned when the bartender was alone.
Hodges is accused of grabbing the 20-year-old bartender, whose name is not being released, and kissing her until she broke away. He then performed a sex act in front of her for several minutes, and asked her suggestive questions, according to a police report. He refused her repeated requests to stop. He also grabbed her hand and began sucking her fingers, according to court records.
The woman reported the incident two days later, saying she was initially afraid because Hodges is a police officer.
Nigel Hodges, 51, a North Fayette resident, will be tried in Allegheny County Court on charges of indecent assault, indecent exposure, harassment and false imprisonment, according to court documents.
A charge of official suppression was dropped.
The incident occurred after 11 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Tavern With the Lights. According to court records, Hodges visited the bar, left, and then returned when the bartender was alone.
Hodges is accused of grabbing the 20-year-old bartender, whose name is not being released, and kissing her until she broke away. He then performed a sex act in front of her for several minutes, and asked her suggestive questions, according to a police report. He refused her repeated requests to stop. He also grabbed her hand and began sucking her fingers, according to court records.
The woman reported the incident two days later, saying she was initially afraid because Hodges is a police officer.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Deputy Jonathan Bleiweiss May Face More Charges
The attorney representing a Broward sheriff's deputy charged with sexually assaulting an undocumented immigrant on multiple occasions said Tuesday that ``there was no reason to believe any of the accusations.''
``Everyone should sit back and take a deep breath,'' said Eric Schwartzreich, an attorney who represents the Police Benevolent Association. ``We're hopeful that when all the ink dries, everyone will see that there's more than meets the eye.''
Jonathan Bleiweiss, 29, who joined the Broward Sheriff's Office in 2002, was arrested Monday morning on 14 charges, including sexual battery, false armed imprisonment and stalking. Detectives said Bleiweiss stopped a 30-year-old man waiting for a ride to work. After discovering he was an undocumented migrant, Bleiweiss groped him during a pat-down, detectives said.
According to the arrest warrant, the victim told BSO that he was forced to allow the deputy to perform oral sex on him on four occasions. Detectives said the incidents took place during traffic stops or inside Bleiweiss' marked police car.
Schwartzreich and Bleiweiss appeared in Broward Circuit Court on Tuesday, during which the judge ordered that Bleiweiss be placed in protective custody. Schwartzreich said the deputy was ``dismayed and upset'' by the allegations.
Bleiweiss, who lives in Fort Lauderdale and is openly gay, is being held without bail.
Prosecutors and detectives said Tuesday that their work was only beginning. Charges are being prepared in at least seven other cases in which Bleiweiss allegedly fondled or performed sexual acts on undocumented migrants.
STAYED ON JOB
BSO was alerted in April that at least two men claimed to have been victimized by a deputy, but Bleiweiss was allowed to continue on his job until last month. During that period, detectives said, there was at least one additional incident, which raised concerns that BSO did not work swiftly enough.
``I gotta believe that if the police department had allowed someone to work when they had information that he touched a woman, the roar of objection would be deafening,'' said Howard Finkelstein, Broward's chief public defender, whose office is not involved in the case.
A BSO spokeswoman would not respond to Finkelstein's remarks, but Sheriff Al Lamberti said Monday the office needed to ensure the allegations were not a response to a vendetta against the deputy.
Bleiweiss was known as being an enforcer, and his supervisors often commended his high number of arrests and investigative skills.
EMPLOYEE OF YEAR
Bleiweiss, who graduated from Great Neck High School in Long Island and majored in history at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, also received the Oakland Park BSO District's employee of the year award for 2008.
Court documents released Tuesday also detail at least three encounters in which witnesses said Bleiweiss denied their requests that he stop molesting them, sunsentinel.com reported Tuesday night. The victims identified Bleiweiss in a police line-up, the records show.
Meanwhile, prosecutors must determine what to do with three traffic cases for which the accused deputy is listed as a witness.
``Everyone should sit back and take a deep breath,'' said Eric Schwartzreich, an attorney who represents the Police Benevolent Association. ``We're hopeful that when all the ink dries, everyone will see that there's more than meets the eye.''
Jonathan Bleiweiss, 29, who joined the Broward Sheriff's Office in 2002, was arrested Monday morning on 14 charges, including sexual battery, false armed imprisonment and stalking. Detectives said Bleiweiss stopped a 30-year-old man waiting for a ride to work. After discovering he was an undocumented migrant, Bleiweiss groped him during a pat-down, detectives said.
According to the arrest warrant, the victim told BSO that he was forced to allow the deputy to perform oral sex on him on four occasions. Detectives said the incidents took place during traffic stops or inside Bleiweiss' marked police car.
Schwartzreich and Bleiweiss appeared in Broward Circuit Court on Tuesday, during which the judge ordered that Bleiweiss be placed in protective custody. Schwartzreich said the deputy was ``dismayed and upset'' by the allegations.
Bleiweiss, who lives in Fort Lauderdale and is openly gay, is being held without bail.
Prosecutors and detectives said Tuesday that their work was only beginning. Charges are being prepared in at least seven other cases in which Bleiweiss allegedly fondled or performed sexual acts on undocumented migrants.
STAYED ON JOB
BSO was alerted in April that at least two men claimed to have been victimized by a deputy, but Bleiweiss was allowed to continue on his job until last month. During that period, detectives said, there was at least one additional incident, which raised concerns that BSO did not work swiftly enough.
``I gotta believe that if the police department had allowed someone to work when they had information that he touched a woman, the roar of objection would be deafening,'' said Howard Finkelstein, Broward's chief public defender, whose office is not involved in the case.
A BSO spokeswoman would not respond to Finkelstein's remarks, but Sheriff Al Lamberti said Monday the office needed to ensure the allegations were not a response to a vendetta against the deputy.
Bleiweiss was known as being an enforcer, and his supervisors often commended his high number of arrests and investigative skills.
EMPLOYEE OF YEAR
Bleiweiss, who graduated from Great Neck High School in Long Island and majored in history at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, also received the Oakland Park BSO District's employee of the year award for 2008.
Court documents released Tuesday also detail at least three encounters in which witnesses said Bleiweiss denied their requests that he stop molesting them, sunsentinel.com reported Tuesday night. The victims identified Bleiweiss in a police line-up, the records show.
Meanwhile, prosecutors must determine what to do with three traffic cases for which the accused deputy is listed as a witness.
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