Officer Rajat Sharda Arrested for Rape

A city police officer has been placed on paid administrative leave after being charged with rape and witness intimidation.

Police said the incident occurred at Bancroft Tower in August 2013 while Officer Rajat Sharda was "working as a police officer."

According to court records, Officer Sharda allegedly asked a woman what she would be willing to do to avoid arrest and "made her do something against her will in exchange for not being arrested."

The woman told department investigators the officer exposed himself to her and raped her digitally, according to court records. Reports also accuse the officer of taking the woman's bed comforter, which she had her in possession at the time, and threatening her to keep quiet.

The woman told police that Officer Sharda said she "better not talk about this and if she did, he would find her, her children and her family."

Worcester police received the complaint sometime after the alleged incident, which allegedly occurred at Bancroft Tower, on Bancroft Tower Road.

Officer Sharda, 32, of Worcester, was arrested Monday night in Hudson and arraigned Tuesday in Central District Court. He is charged with aggravated rape, extortion by a police officer, open and gross lewdness, armed robbery and witness intimidation. Police list the officer as living in Hudson, but court records list a Worcester address.

Officer Sharda was placed on restricted duty while the case was being investigated by the department's sexual assault unit. Worcester police did not specify when the complaint was filed.

"Worcester police launched an extensive investigation into the allegations made against Mr. Sharda," police said in a news release. "Based on the findings in the investigation, Worcester police obtained an arrest warrant for Mr. Sharda."

Not-guilty pleas were entered during Tuesday's arraignment. Officer Sharda posted $7,500 bail. He is due to return to court on March 25.

The officer, who is the only Indian officer on the department, was also ordered to turn in his passport.

Bruce Hopper, the officer's lawyer, said his client denies the allegations.

"For this officer, there is more to this than just defending himself in court against false allegations," Mr. Hopper said. "Now he must defend his honor as well."

Mr. Hopper said his client was recalled to the Worcester Department in December 2011 after being part of the 2009 graduating class, which was later laid off by the city.

Officer Ethan Sorgbin Arrested for Providing Alcohol to Minors

A Homer City police officer is facing charges after an underage drinking party.

The party was held on Jan. 23 on at 429 Fisher Street in Indiana Borough, near the IUP campus.

"They arrested 34 young people for underage drinking, one for public drunkenness and one for furnishing," Indiana Borough Police Chief William Sutton said.

Officer Ethan Sorbin was not arrested at first but police charged him with two counts of furnishing alcohol to minors and intimidating a witness.

"Basically it means that somehow a person has interfered with the investigation or contacted or some way encouraged a witness what to say, what not to say or what to do during a criminal investigation," Sutton explained.

Witnesses told police that Sorbin ordered everyone at the party to be quiet and not to answer the door, claiming that police could not enter without a search warrant.

A female was found unconscious from drinking inside and was rushed to the hospital.

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.

Retired Officer David Jones Arrested for Impersonating Officer

A retired police officer ends up arrested by the force he used to be on.

Jeffersontown police say David Jones, a retired police officer, was hired by a local company to work a bad check case as a private citizen.

Jeffersontown's police chief says it was a U.S. treasury check and it was stolen.

Police say Jones went to the man's home that the check was made out to and demanded money.

The man said he was going to call police. Police say Jones said he was the police and showed a badge and a weapon.

Jefferstown police say Jones retired as a police officer back in 1994.

He is charged with multiple charges including intimidation and impersonating a peace officer.
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Deputy Alberta Gilbert Accused of Trying to Intimidate Victim

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.

Orange County Deputy Alberta Gilbert is the subject of an Internal Investigation. She is accused of trying to intimidate a victim in a case against her ex-husband.

Deputy Gilbert’s still lives with her ex-husband, James Gilbert. He is a former State Trooper who was fired last year, after Eyewitness News first exposed the serious allegations against him.

James Gilbert is accused of sending more than 600 text messages to a high school student. Many of them were sexually explicit. He was eventually arrested for soliciting a minor.

Now a month before James Gilbert’s trial, an internal investigation is underway at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, involving Deputy Alberta Gilbert.

The mother of the girl who received all of those inappropriate text messages claimed Deputy Gilbert walked into the Turkey Lake Service Plaza, where the woman works, and tried to intimidate her.

The mother said Deputy Gilbert, while in uniform, called her names and hovered over her while rubbing her sheriff’s office handgun.

We tried to get Gilbert’s side of the story, but no one answered at her house. Now, the Sheriff’s Office is trying to determine if she violated policy.

Gilbert is a DUI and motorcycle Deputy. She’s been with the Sheriff’s Office since 1993. She is still on the job, while the Sheriff’s Office completes its investigation.

Her ex-husband’s trial is scheduled to begin on April 27th.

Officer Duhamel Torres Indicted for Rape, Kidnapping, Assault

CLEVELAND

A Cleveland police officer was indicted Wednesday on charges connected to the rape of a woman while on duty last December.

Duhamel Torres was indicted on several charges, including rape, kidnapping, intimidation of a crime victim, tampering with records and assault.

Prosecutors said Torres stopped a 41-year-old woman near West 43rd Street and Lorain Avenue. He asked her if she had a warrant out for her arrest and ordered her into his patrol car, saying he would give her a ride home, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Torres drove the woman to an area on Scranton Avenue, threatened her with arrest, slapped her in the face and raped her.

When he dropped her off near her home, he threatened her again, prosecutors said.

Authorities said DNA from the rape kit matched Torres'.

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Former Officer Johnny Seay Arrested for Beating Woman and Keeping her Prisoner

EAST FALMOUTH

A former local police officer was arrested Monday after he allegedly beat a woman and kept her prisoner inside his house, the police said.

At 11:24 a.m. Monday, a woman told Falmouth police she had been assaulted and locked away inside a Gonsalves Lane house for five hours. Johnny Seay, 65, was arrested at his home Monday and arraigned yesterday in Falmouth District Court.

Police said the woman showed signs of physical abuse but was not taken to the hospital. She also told police Seay threatened to kill her if she reported him.

It is not known how she escaped the house, police said.

Seay left the police department in 1978 on disability, according to the Times archives.

Seay faces multiple charges, including assault and battery, kidnapping, intimidating a witness and threatening to commit a crime (murder), according court records.

He was released without having to post bail and the court ordered him to stay away from the alleged victim. He faces a pretrial hearing Dec. 11.

Officer Robert Burch Arrested for Aggravated Assault

MEMPHIS, Tenn.

A Memphis police officer is facing an aggravated assault charge after his estranged wife said he pointed a gun at her and threatened her.

Thirty-nine-year-old Robert Burch was arrested Tuesday and made a court appearance the following day.

According to police, Mattie Burch told officers Robert Burch pointed a revolver at her last month and threatened to shoot her.

Police spokeswoman Monique Martin says Burch has been relieved of duty pending an internal investigation. He has been with the police department since June 2006.

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Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com

Officer Ross Magnuson Charged with Road Rage Assault

A 12-year Superior police officer has been charged with second-degree assault for allegedly pulling a gun and pointing it at a motorist in the parking lot of a Two Harbors service station in an apparent road rage incident on Sunday.

Ross W. Magnuson, 45, of Knife River, Minn., was also charged Friday with making terroristic threats, recklessly handling a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct. The first two crimes the officer is charged with are felonies. The other two are misdemeanors.

According to the criminal complaint:

Motorist Philip Hoberg told Two Harbors Police Officer Nathan Gens that he and his girlfriend and her son were driving to Gooseberry Falls Sunday afternoon on Highway 61 when they passed a vehicle with a man driving. Hoberg said that the driver “flipped him off’’ as they passed.

Hoberg said they drove to a Holiday station in Two Harbors and were waiting for their turn at the gas pumps. He said that the vehicle they had passed pulled in next to his. The driver got out and stuck his head in Hoberg’s open moon roof and began yelling at him.

Hoberg said he told the driver to step back and that he was going to close the window. The other driver came around the front of the car. Hoberg said he got out of his car and approached the driver, who then pulled a gun and pointed it at him.

Hoberg said he was scared and he attempted to calm the other driver down and apologized for making him mad. He provided a license plate number that eventually led police to Magnuson.

In a follow-up interview, Hoberg told the Two Harbors police officer that Magnuson had been intimidating and alarming and used a hostile tone. He said his body language, his red complexion and the words he used were inappropriate and unacceptable with or without a child present.

Hoberg said that Magnuson, who was off duty and not wearing a police uniform, drew the weapon from a holster on his right hip and pointed it at his chest. He said Magnuson gritted his teeth and moved in his direction with his gun drawn, saying something like, “Do you want to go?"

He said he asked Magnuson to put the gun away and calm down. He said he placed a “friendly warning hand on Magnuson’s chest and assured him that whatever set him off was unintentional, hoping that he would just leave.”

Hoberg said Magnuson holstered his firearm, which appeared to be silver with black trim or dual tone with black and silver, but continued to argue.

Hoberg was able to pick Magnuson’s photo from a phone lineup of six men.

Police executed a search warrant at Magnuson’s home on Friday. Magnuson opened his gun safe and provided a silver and black Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol.

Magnuson told officers that he had been driving on Highway 61 that day when he was approached by a car driving erratically.

He admitted stopping at the Two Harbors Holiday station where the car was parked. He said he approached the car and spoke with the driver about his driving conduct. He said the other driver got out of his car and approached him. Magnuson said he felt threatened and “broke leather" on his firearm.

Superior Police Chief Floyd Peters said it was fair to say that he was shocked by the allegations when notified of the charges Friday afternoon. “He’s been a very well respected officer in our department and in the community,’’ Peters said.

The chief then read from a prepared statement. “It is the position of the Superior Police Department that it would be in-appropriate to comment on or in any way interfere with this investigation at this time," he said. “The Superior Police Department will conduct its own internal investigation into this matter only after the criminal investigation is complete. Officer Magnuson will be placed on administrative leave pending these investigations.’’

Magnuson appeared in court Friday afternoon in handcuffs. He told the court that he’s married and has two children, 9 and 12 years old.

Because of a scheduling conflict, Magnuson was arraigned in St. Louis County District Court in Duluth instead of in Lake County District Court in Two Harbors where the crime is alleged to have occurred.

Retired Judge John T. Oswald, who occasionally fills in for other judges in the 6th Judicial District, set bail at $4,000 and referred the defendant to a probation officer to be considered for supervised release. Neither the Lake County Jail nor Two Harbors police would say if Magnuson was being held in the Lake County Jail after the arraignment.

UPDATE: Officer Anthony Smith

Indianapolis

An IMPD officer suspended over a sexual assault allegation says the act was consensual. Meanwhile, the alleged victim's attorney is speaking out.

Prosecutors say police officer Anthony Shaun Smith forced himself on a 19-year-old woman driver. He was charged Thursday on several counts.

The victim's attorney spoke to Eyewitness News.

"The conduct of the allegations is very disturbing considering it's a 19-year-old victim, female, in the middle of the night," said Patrick Baker, attorney.

On Friday, August 15th shortly after midnight, prosecutors say Officer Smith first approached the victim at this North Emerson Speedway gas station. Then he reportedly stopped her at this nearby Shell Gas station and ran her license plate. Smith allegedly threatened arrest for a warrant or get in his cruiser, which led to demands for sex.

The victim reported the encounter. Officer Smith, who first denied it, now insists it was consensual.

Prosecutors charged the 37-year-old with rape, criminal deviate conduct, two counts of sexual misconduct, three counts of official misconduct and two counts of intimidation.

Police Chief Michael Spears joined the prosecutor, saying there may be other victims.

"Any actions he's had in the past because we would like to hear about it because we want to continue our investigation," said Spears.

"The investigation led by Chief Spears is very appropriate and very swift and much needed," said Baker.

Investigators confiscated Smith's department-issued handgun, ammunition, bullet proof vest, three police badges, work ID other police equipment.

"We hope that this stops any future action by this particular police officer or any other police officers that have this tremendous power that they have with a badge, a police car and a gun," said Baker.

The jailed policeman declined interviews about the charges and now awaits his first day in court.

Three Officers From Same Department in Trouble

INDIANAPOLIS

More metro officers and a Marion County deputy are in trouble, some facing criminal charges. The metro police chief wants them all fired.

According to court documents, one of them lied during a hit and run investigation. Another threatened two teen girls if they didn't expose themselves. Another is accused of patronizing a prostitute while on duty.

Ten year veteran officer James Ingalls was assigned to the southwest district's late shift. An internal investigation found he may have broken the law instead of enforcing it.

"The accusation is that he did not do his job properly and he has been involved with a person who has been identified as a prostitute and that has criminal implications," said Sgt Paul Thompson of the Indianapolis Metro Police Department.

Detectives will present the findings to the prosecutor.

IMPD officer Christopher Poindexter is charged with false reporting. His fiancé, Kelli Ball, a former civilian IMPD employee, faces charges in a hit and run.

"Mr. Poindexter made the decision to let Miss Ball operate his IMPD issued vehicle which is prohibited," said Sgt. Thompson.

While driving the marked patrol car, Ball hit another vehicle and didn't stop. Court documents state Poindexter was in the passenger seat at the time, but lied to investigators about the damage to the car.

Ingalls and Poindexter are suspended without pay.

Marion County Sheriff's Deputy Joey Smith Junior resigned Monday when officers arrested him for various felony charges including intimidation and contributing to the delinquency of a 13 and 14 year old girl.

According to court documents, the two teenage girls were walking along the sidewalk and Smith in an unmarked car pulled up next to them. He was wearing a uniform and he flashed a badge. He told them a story about how he was investigating two girls flashing in the neighborhood.

The court documents state Smith asked the two girls to pull up their shirts to see if he could identify them as the two suspects.

"I think this shows the community that the chief of police is taking a very aggressive stand on discipline. He's going to do what's necessary to get rid of the people that are causing the problems," said Sgt. Thompson.

Former Deputy Joey Smith Junior is out on bond. His trial is set for October 27. Christopher Poindexter is expected back in court on September 26. Kelli Ball has a pre-trial conference on the fourth of September. So far, no charges have been filed against James Ingalls.

Multiple Complaints Received Against Lieutenant Arnson

AZ

Buckeye Police Lieutenant Derek Arnson, favored by some Town Council members as the next police chief is on paid leave after the town received "multiple complaints" against him, documents show.

Lt. Arnson was notified June 5 of a formal investigation into complaints of intimidation and inappropriate comments.

The notice of investigation indicates the probe is exploring "multiple complaints of ongoing intimidation of employees coupled with threats of job loss; intimidation regarding hiring practices; inappropriate comments regarding an employee's sexual orientation, and inappropriate comments regarding employee employment status."

The document is a preliminary form to notify employees of an investigation. Details of the allegations were unavailable.

Arnson's attorney, Edmundo Robaina, said he was unable to comment because Arnson is prohibited from discussing the investigation.

Former mayoral candidate Michael Todd said Buckeye Vice Mayor Elaine May and Councilman David Hardesty advocated for Arnson to be picked as chief during talks around the time of the town's March 11 council primary.

May ran as an unopposed incumbent. Hardesty was not up for re-election.

"Arnson had two council members lobbying for him, telling me, 'We want this guy,' " Todd said, referring to May and Hardesty.

Arnson's promotion to commander "was a push by two council members to make Arnson chief," Todd added.

Arnson rose to the rank of sergeant during his 16-year tenure with the Arizona Department of Public Safety. He served last year as operational supervisor for DPS' Gang and Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission, the state gang task force, which received a 2007 Director's Unit Citation.

Arnson joined Buckeye as a lieutenant in December under then-Police Chief Dan Saban and briefly served as an acting commander under Assistant Town Manager Scott Rounds. Rounds later reassigned Arnson to lieutenant when he named Mark Mann interim chief.

Arnson has confirmed he applied for chief after Saban decided to retire to run for Maricopa County sheriff. A list of four finalists released last week did not include him or any other internal candidates.

"You don't go that low and pull people up and then bump them back down," Todd said. "It's part of a good ol' boy deal. I can't believe we would have council members so blind to say, 'This is the guy we need,' without ever seeing what's out there. I was a little troubled by that."

Because he was the subject of an active inquiry, May said she would decline to talk about claims that she favored Arnson. Buckeye Human Resources Director Nancy Love expects Arnson's investigation to be completed this week.

Todd lost his mayoral bid to Jackie Meck by 49 votes in the May 20 general election and remains closely involved in town politics.