Former Officer Robby Smith Arrested for Larceny of Farm Equipment

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

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

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

Investigators found stolen farm equipment and a stolen pickup.

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

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

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

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

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

Lt Marcus LeMacks Accused of Stealing from Sears

A Dawson Police officer who also worked part-time for Warwick, was booked into the Dougherty County jail Thursday night, accused of stealing from Sears in the Albany Mall, and it's not his first arrest.

42-year-old Lt. Marcus LeMacks resigned his Warwick post Friday afternoon, and remains suspended in Dawson.

LeMacks worked part-time at Sears. Store loss prevention officers investigated him for two months before Albany Police arrested him a little before 5:30 p.m.

They say surveillance video shows LeMacks taking items from the store and putting them in his vehicle. Investigators believe he stole about $1,200 worth of merchandise. They plan to search his home to try to recover items.

Dawson Police Charlie Whitehead says officer Marcus LeMacks has been suspended without pay until his legal case is adjudicated, and he has been notified of his suspension.

Chief Whitehead added that LeMacks' POST certification had just come off probation in June, after his misdemeanor conviction of supplying alcohol to minors.  In 2009 LeMacks was fired from the Leesburg Police Department after being charged with providing alcohol to people under age 21.

Chief Whitehead says LeMacks has been employed by the Dawson Police Department since 2009.

Officer Thomas Welsh Arrested for Stealing Baby Food

A Nassau County police officer was arrested Tuesday morning after he allegedly stole baby food from a West Hempstead store at an earlier date.

According to investigators, Thomas Welsh, 48, entered the Stop and Shop located at 520 Cherry Valley Lane in West Hempstead and secreted numerous pouches of baby food on his person using plastic bags and a bungee cord. The value of the merchandise was approximately $40.

The Nassau County Internal Affairs Unit arrested Welsh Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at police headquarters in Mineola.

Welsh was charged with petit larceny and possession of burglary tools. He was released on an appearance ticket and will appear at First District Court in Hempstead on May 17.

A police spokesman told The Associated Press that Welsh, a 25-year veteran of the force assigned to the Records Bureau, has been suspended without pay for 30 days.

Officer Michael Darrah Accused of Taking Cash from People He Pulled Over

The indictment of a former police officer on charges he stole cash from people he pulled over follows a city probe that led to his firing.

Michael J. Darrah, who was fired in September after an internal investigation, was indicted Thursday on four counts of extortion by a police officer, five counts of larceny from a person, three counts of larceny under $250 and two counts of larceny over $250, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Police Chief William Conlon said.

Darrah is accused of stealing cash from three people he pulled over on what were described as bogus charges and from an intoxicated man at the police station who was being taken to a detox center.

The indictments were handed up late Thursday following a three-month grand jury probe.

Darrah, who joined the force in 2004, was officially fired by the city for conduct unbecoming a police officer.

Conlon said the investigation continued even after Darrah was fired as authorities tracked down victims who initially were wary of the police.

A number of the victims spoke little or no English and feared their complaints would not be taken seriously, he said.

“It was hard to get their confidence. They were easy prey,” Conlon said. “You can understand why they were uneasy. We had to convince them they were not the people in trouble.”

The chief said the indictments should send a message to the community that misconduct by law enforcement would not be tolerated.

“People should feel confident when they make a complaint, it will be taken seriously and it will be investigated,” Conlon said. “People will pay the penalty … it is shameful conduct and it can’t and won’t be tolerated.”

Darrah was the third Brockton police officer to be fired since January 2009 in unrelated cases. Darrah had been suspended – then placed on administrative leave – last August after several people came forward to police alleging misconduct.

Brockton police launched an investigation last year when several motorists reported they were pulled over and searched.

Each person said they discovered money or their wallets were taken from their pockets after the officer left.

In each case, the officer told them he could either arrest them or write them a ticket for offenses the witnesses said were false.

In another case, an officer was alleged to have taken $1,700 from the pocket of an intoxicated man he was transporting to the High Point detox facility.

The district attorney’s office reported that happened after the officer ordered the man’s mother to leave the room while he searched her son’s pockets.

The police investigation included witness interviews, photo arrays, a review of internal police records, and what license plates had been run by officers, among other things.

Former Officer Brett Hobbs Guilty of Larceny

A Brunswick County jury convicted a former Leland police officer today.

The jury found Brett Hobbs guilty of felony larceny and felony possession of stolen goods. The case stems from an incident at a convenience store in Holden Beach.

Hobbs resigned from the Leland Police Department in 2005 after a conviction for selling drugs. A judge sentenced Hobbs today to five to six months in prison.

Officer Dwayne Johnson Accused of Defrauding the Government

Prosecutors say for roughly four months Officer Dwayne Johnson worked private security at the Hess Express gas station near Route 890 when he should have been on patrol, then tried to cover himself by lying on police department time sheets.

With his attorney by his side Wednesday, Johnson answered "yes" to several questions from Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago ensuring he understood his legal rights and the 15-count indictment that accuses him of defrauding the government, two counts of offering a false instrument for filing and grand larceny. He pleaded not guilty to those felonies and the 11 misdemeanors that Drago unsealed. He left court on his own recognizance without comment, leaving his attorney Gaspar Castillo to do the talking.

The Albany lawyer said his client, who earned an all-time city pay record of $168,000 in 2008, is being punished for being a "hard working man," that the city was well aware he was moonlighting and who never worked his private security and city job simultaneously.

"He has served the city and served it well and loves being a cop," said Castillo. "When everything comes out, it will become clear he has not done anything wrong."

But Gerald Dwyer, counsel to the district attorney, said the charging document only deals with the alleged double dipping from Oct. 25, 2008 to Feb. 7 at the Brandywine Avenue business and not accusations Johnson remained inside a Woodlawn apartment earlier this year when he should have been on patrol. Outside police headquarters, Mayor Brian U. Stratton said the department is still looking into what Johnson, 50, was doing there as part of its ongoing internal probe.

He said his administration will continue to aggressively go after cops who cross the line and that in Johnson's case they would be seeking to fire him and try to recoup any monies he was paid by the city while working his private job.

"The public should know we're not tolerating this," he said, adding he was still hopeful that any police commanders who may have turned a blind eye to Johnson's alleged misdeeds should be punished.

Later Wednesday, the police department released a statement saying Johnson had been suspended 30 days without pay and that it would be seeking to fire him through disciplinary hearings.

Besides the felonies, Johnson is also charged with five each of counts of official misconduct and receiving unlawful gratuities and scheme to defraud, all misdemeanors. On the top count felony alone, he could face a maximum four-year prison term

In February, he was suspended without pay for 30 days amid an internal probe into allegations that he spent several hours on a number of Tuesdays in an apartment in the Woodlawn section during his midnight-to-8 a.m. shift.

The revelation came less than a month after city payroll records for 2008 showed that Johnson, who has been on the force since 2001, had the highest earnings for one year in the department's history.

At the time, the department's Office of Professional Standards was looking into allegations he spent time at the apartment at the corner of Queen Philomena Boulevard and Sir Benjamin Way when he should have been working.

Police said the officer's cruiser, equipped with a GPS, was parked outside the location around 4 a.m. even though he was scheduled to work until 8 a.m. Months later, the department launched a second in-house investigation into fresh allegations that Johnson was working security at Hess when he should have been on patrol.

Chief Mark Chaires has said tax-related documents reviewed by investigators showed Johnson was "simultaneously being paid by two employers."

With overtime and about $35,000 in retroactive pay, he made $168,921 last year, nearly triple his base salary.

Johnson is one of several city police officers scheduled for disciplinary hearings next year.

Three Connecticut Officers Arrested

Three police officers in three Connecticut towns were arrested Wednesday and Thursday.

Police said officers from Naugatuck, Middletown and Hartford were all arrested and were not connected.

Hartford police Officer Rhashim Campbell was arrested on Thursday after an internal investigation into an assault in the city lockup.

Police said Campbell was arrested on Thursday.

Campbell was charged with assault and fabricating physical evidence.

Police said Campbell was released on a promise to appear.

In addition to the criminal charges, Campbell also faces administrative charges, according to police.

Campbell is suspended without pay from the Hartford Police Department.

Hartford Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts said, "We take the care of persons in our custody very seriously. The inappropriate acts of these officers are not representative of the dedicated and professional officers of the Hartford Police Department. The Hartford Police Department will continue to serve our community with the highest professional standards, always focusing on service, relationships and safety."

A New York man who said Hartford police assaulted him while he was in the city lockup stood before a judge on Thursday.

Michael Stewart appeared in court on his breach of peace arrest that occurred the morning after Halloween.

Peter Oldum, Stewart's attorney did all the talking.

The Long Island man was charged in connection with an arrest in the early morning the day after Halloween. Hartford police reports said Stewart had to be pepper sprayed twice.

It's what happened after Stewart's arrest, in the city lockup, that has generated the most attention.

Officers Kent Lee and Rhashim Campbell were suspended with pay after a confrontation between them and Stewart was caught on the city lockup's surveillance cameras.

In court on Thursday, Oldum asked the judge to make sure that the recording is preserved.

Judge Glen Woods granted the request.

Lee has since retired since the incident took place.

In Middletown, police Officer Angelo Passanisi surrendered to Capt. William McKenna at the Middletown Police Department.

Police said Passanisi was charged with insurance fraud, fabricating evidence and falsely reporting an incident.

Officials said the arrest followed a lengthy investigation conducted by McKenna.

In September, Passanisi filed a police report with the Middletown Police Department in which he reported that his parked car had been struck by another vehicle that then fled the scene.

In October, after receiving information that Passanisi crashed the vehicle himself and staged an accident scene to make it appear that the accident was a hit-and-run, he was placed on administrative leave.

After his arrest, Passanisi was processed and released on a $2,500 non-surety bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 23.

In Naugatuck, Officer David Reilly was arrested by Wallingford police and is facing felony charges involving larceny and computer crimes.

Police said they received a complaint from a resident in April.

Police would not elaborate on the actual crime but Wallingford police said Reilly was charged with larceny, computer crimes and coercion.

Officer John Fulmer Charged with Stealing Gas

A police officer in the Orangeburg County town of Springfield, 51-year-old John Fulmer, is charged with official misconduct and petit larceny.

Fulmer's charges were announced late Friday.

An arrest warrant against Fulmer says that between July 2009 and November of 2009, Fulmer went to the Kent's Korner #3 gas station in Springfield. The warrant goes on to state that he took gas intended for Town of Springfield vehicles and pumped it into his personal vehicle while in his official capacity with the city.

In all, the warrant says Fulmer signed $191 worth of fuel tickets that he converted for his own use.

According to State Law Enforcement Division agents, there are video recordings of his transactions at the gas station and employee timesheets that back up their allegations.

Former Sheriff Chris Abril Now Charged with Larceny & DWI

Former Polk County Sheriff Chris Abril is now charged with larceny. He is accused of stealing booze from Elmos Pub. Tuesday night Abril was charged with driving while impaired.

Abril resigned as sheriff last year, a day before pleading guilty to two counts of soliciting indecent liberties with minors.

He was on probation when officers arrested him Tuesday.

They say he was swerving over the center line on South Trade Street near Pierces tire in Tryon.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has not released the entire report to News Channel 7. According to what we do have from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies pulled over their former boss after they say they saw him go left of center. They say Abril had an open container and failed roadside breathalizers.

Under the rules of his probation he is subject to drug and alcohol tests.

Pam Johnson says her bartender told Abril not to drive when he left Elmos pub and Grill Tuesday night, “He said he had one and someone did come in to drive him home and when they were leaving as far as we know that was his driver.“

Abril was released on his on recognizance but his drivers license was revoked.
He is scheduled for a hearing in November.

By the way Thursday is Abril’s 48th birthday.
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http://tryondailybulletin.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3134&Itemid=251

Michael Alexander Arrested for Grand Larceny

It's a case involving more than $4,000 missing from the Leflore County Sheriff's Department's evidence room that led to the arrest of office manager Michael Alexander.

LeFlore County Sheriff Bruce Curnutt said Alexander has worked under three previous sheriff's and has no previous disciplinary write-ups.

According to an arrest, affidavit the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation said Curnutt contacted their agency Tuesday to assist with the investigation.

In the affidavit, LeFlore County's Undersheriff Donnie Edwards reported going into the evidence room to obtain a gun in early September. He said during that visit he noticed a piece of paper lying on the floor that should have been in a safe.

When Edwards opened the safe, he told investigators that he noticed that a large manila envelope containing over $4,000 was missing.

Edwards said he and Alexander went into the evidence room and opened the safe in late July and that he had planned to do an inventory at a later date.

In the affidavit, Edwards said he "... believed that he was the only one with access to the evidence room."

According to the affidavit, on Sept. 15 a district attorney investigator and Edwards reviewed surveillance video that showed Alexander entering the evidence room on Aug. 24.

Investigators said when they questioned Alexander, he admitted to stealing the money-filled envelope.

In the affidavit, investigators said Alexander told them he "...was facing some hard financial times and was declaring bankruptcy." Alexander reported that he had a gambling issue and that he used the money to pay some bills and buy groceries.

Alexander was fired from his job and is currently sitting in the Sequoyah County Detention Center to avoid a conflict of interest.
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http://www.swtimes.com/articles/2009/09/18/news/news091809_06.txt

Former Officer Christian Torres Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

A former New York City police officer pleaded guilty on Tuesday to robbing a Sovereign Bank branch in the East Village twice in 2007, with the help of his companion, who was a teller there.

The former officer, Christian A. Torres, 23, of Queens, was arrested in April 2008 after robbing another Sovereign Bank branch, near Reading, Pa. The revelation that Mr. Torres, who joined the Police Department in 2007, had a second career as a serial bank robber stunned his friends and colleagues. In May, Mr. Torres was sentenced in Philadelphia to 10 years in prison for the Pennsylvania robbery.

On Tuesday, Mr. Torres pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery, bank larceny and conspiracy to defraud a bank. He admitted robbing the Sovereign branch at 57 Avenue A, at East Fourth Street, on June 8 and Nov. 16, 2007.

In the first robbery, the authorities said, Mr. Torres entered the bank and handed his companion, Christina Dasrath, a teller at the branch who was on duty, a note ordering her to “empty both drawers” or else he would “start shooting.” She handed him $16,305 from her teller drawer.

Five months later, Mr. Torres returned to rob the same bank branch, the authorities said. As employees were opening the branch, he approached them and ordered them to open the door. When one of them refused, he threatened to kill that employee and pulled back the side of his jacket to reveal the black handle of a gun tucked into his waistband. Once inside the bank, Mr. Torres ordered the employees to look away from him, to leave their cellphones on a table and to open the vault. He also tied up the legs of another employee.

He took latex gloves out of a duffel bag, put on a ski mask and told an employee to put money in the bag. Then he ordered the employees into the vault, took their keys and told them to stay inside for 10 minutes, threatening that he might return. He took off with about $102,000.

Mr. Torres faces up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud conspiracy, 25 years in prison for bank robbery and 10 years in prison for bank larceny. Judge Laura Taylor Swain of Federal District Court in Manhattan will impose sentence on Nov. 6.

Ms. Dasrath pleaded guilty to bank fraud, bank larceny and false statements on Sept. 5. Judge Swain sentenced her to 30 months in prison on Jan. 9.

Paul S. Missan, a lawyer in Reading, Pa., who represented Mr. Torres in the robbery cases, said in a phone interview that Mr. Torres cooperated with the authorities and regretted his crimes.

Mr. Missan said:

The judge had him personally tell the facts of the case, and he expressed remorse. He explained that he did it because he needed money to get through the Police Academy. He knows that’s no excuse. He regrets it. From the very first day, he began cooperating with the authorities. He went so far as to meet with the national head of security at Sovereign Bank to help them improve security in the future. This is very rare. He feels a horrible sense of disgrace. He takes full responsibility.
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http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/former-officer-christian-torres.html

Kyle Willaford Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges

There is a guilty plea from a retired Bartlesville Police officer to a number of drug charges.

On Thursday, 10th Judicial District Judge John Kane accepted a guilty plea to 14 counts of felony larceny of a controlled dangerous substance from Kyle Willaford.

The 48-year-old Willaford was originally charged with 18 counts of the crime, but on Wednesday, the state dropped four of the counts. The charges were the result of the alleged theft of drugs, including Lortab and Hydrocodone, from the Bartlesville Police Department's evidence room.

The thefts began in 2000 while Willaford was employed by the Bartlesville Police Department. He later retired.

Sentencing is set for September 10th.

Retired Troopers Karol & Michael Siedel Arrested for Embezzlement

Two retired state troopers are facing first-degree larceny charges after allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from an electrical contracting company in which one of the men was a partner.

Karol Siedel, 63, and Michael T. Siedel, 39, both of 41 Kingswood Drive., turned themselves in to Southington police this morning and are to be arraigned this afternoon in Superior Court in Bristol. Both men face two counts of first-degree larceny and a single count of conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny.

The father and son were charged after an investigation that began in August 2007, when a business partner of Michael Siedel in J&M Electric LLC told police money had been improperly transferred to K&J Construction Group, a firm owned by Karol and Michael Siedel. The money was allegedly used to build a house in Wolcott and to purchase a home in Marco Island, Fla., police said.

Karol Siedel retired from the state police in February 1994 after nearly 21 years on the job. He then worked as a sheriff and then a judicial marshal at the New Britain courthouse. He left that position in March 2005.

Michael Siedel was a trooper about 10 years and served for a time on former Gov. John G. Rowland's 12-person security detail when he retired in about 2004. Siedel remained on the job long enough to vest his state benefits, then left to work as an electrician with his father, sources said.

Bail for Karol Siedel was set at $25,000, and bail for Michael Siedel was set at $50,000.

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http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/crime/news_wtnh_southington_father_son_embezzlement_troopers_200906251505

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

Dead Dogs Found on Officer Matthew Beck's Property

The bodies of at least two dogs with gunshot wounds to the head were found Wednesday by police on the property of town Dog Control Officer Matthew Beck.
Town Supervisor Marilyn Douglas said Friday Beck has been placed on an indefinite leave of absence without pay.

Sgt. James Doyle of the New York State Police said the bones have been turned over to Ward Stone, a state Department of Environmental Conservation wildlife pathologist, for identification. Doyle said Stone's investigation so far indicates the two dogs were shot in the head while looking up at the weapon.

Beck was arrested by state police in March and charged with a felony count of forgery, and a number of misdemeanors relating to alleged misconduct of a public official, a petit larceny. The charges and subsequent investigation stem from a complaint by April Stevens of Hoosick, who lost her two dogs in February.

A resident reported to Stevens that she had found the lost dogs and turned them over to Beck. When police told Beck to return Stevens' dogs, the animals he returned were not hers.

Police said the current charges stem from Beck allegedly falsifying reports.

Doyle said that depending on the outcome of Stone's investigation, Beck may face further charges. He said Beck's next court date is June 11.

He said the findings bolster police suspicions that Beck killed Stevens' dogs. Also found in the manure pile with the dog bones were a number of cow bones, but Doyle said he did not believe there was any illegal activity regarding cows.
Douglas said Friday that the town's attorney has advised the Town Board not to comment on the case, as it is a pending legal issue. Douglas said Safe Haven Boarding and Grooming of Greenwich has been hired by the town to perform the duties of dog control officer.

Prior to Beck's leave of absence, he was supervised by Douglas and Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland and filed monthly reports to the board.

After the incident, some residents began expressing their concern at monthly board meetings about Beck still being on the job and having to be supervised while the investigation was conducted.

Douglas and other board members said they could not comment on personnel matters outside of executive sessions, and at the time the evidence against Beck was not great enough to warrant further actions against him.

Officer Johnathon Rogers Arrested for Larceny

A Marion police officer has been fired because of criminal charges he faces, Marion Police Chief Willie L. Smith said.

Johnathon M. Rogers, 27, of Gresham was arrested May 11 by Marion County sheriff’s deputies on larceny, counterfeiting and forgery charges.

Rogers is accused of stealing a Social Security card and birth certificate from a woman’s purse, according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office incident report.

The report said Rogers admitted to claiming the victim’s daughter on his federal income tax. Rogers isn’t related to the victim and provided deputies with a copy of his 2008 tax returns.

Rogers was a police officer when he was arrested, but Smith said Rogers cannot serve on the force with those charges against him and was dismissed. Smith said he thought Rogers had been with the police department for about two years.
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http://www.carolinalive.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=303195

Officer Marvin Bryant Charged with Larceny

A Lake View police officer has been charged with petit larceny in Marion County, Marion County Sheriff’s Office incident reports show.

Marvin Dougles Bryant, 24, of Latta is on administrative leave, an official with the Lake View Police Department said. It’s not clear whether he’s on paid leave.

A Marion County sheriff’s detective said he had surveillance video of a man in a police uniform taking a backpack sprayer and tie-down strap from outside of his store in Mullins. Deputies spoke with a Lake View police lieutenant, who identified the suspect on the video, reports show.

Bryant was arrested Thursday and has been released from the Marion County Detention Center. Bond information wasn’t available.

Spring Lake Police Department Being Investigated

SPRING LAKE

The Spring Lake Police Department was stripped of its remaining police powers Monday, and two of its officers were arrested.

Sgt. Alfonzo Devone Whittington Jr. and Sgt. Darryl Eugene Coulter Sr. were arrested after being indicted by a special Cumberland County grand jury.

About midafternoon, Sheriff Moose Butler and District Attorney Ed Grannis met with Police Chief A.C. Brown and Town Manager Larry Faison to discuss the action being taken against the Police Department.

They delivered an order from Chief District Court Judge Beth Keever saying that all criminal work within the town, including misdemeanors, would be handled by the Sheriff’s Office.

Grannis also said he plans to dismiss all pending misdemeanor cases filed by Spring Lake officers and will evaluate pending felony cases.

The action, which Grannis later called unprecedented, has in effect stripped Spring Lake police of any remaining powers.

The Sheriff’s Office set up a mobile command unit at the Spring Lake Family Resource Center on Odell Road. Butler said roughly four deputies on rotating shifts will work out of that location.

Starting today, all 911calls in the town will be forwarded to the Sheriff’s Office. Residents who need non-emergency assistance should call 323-1500.

Butler could not say how long his officers would handle Spring Lake’s investigations.

“We’re stretched, but we’re going to be here till the issue’s resolved,” he said.

Butler and Grannis met with four members of the county Board of Commissioners behind closed doors following Monday’s arrests.

After the hour-long meeting, board Chairwoman Jeannette Council said the commissioners support Butler providing law enforcement for Spring Lake residents until at least June 3. Council said the county can afford the expense without a special appropriation.

After June 3, the commissioners urged Spring Lake officials to contract with the sheriff to continue the service until town leaders reconstitute the Police Department “as a fully functioning law enforcement agency.”

Late Monday, many Spring Lake officers said they did not know whether they should show up for work today or what the future holds for them.

Town leaders evaded those questions Monday.

“Give us a little time,” Mayor Ethel Clark said before leaving Town Hall. “We’re still formalizing a plan.”

Brown remained in his office after Grannis and Butler left and would not answer questions from reporters. He surfaced briefly to check his vehicle and said, “I got a hot one,” before going back inside.

Faison referred all questions to a news release he said he faxed. He then slipped out of Town Hall to avoid reporters waiting at the rear of the building. The Observer did not receive a fax.

2 officers charged

Whittington, who joined the department in October 2005, was charged with 11 crimes, including embezzlement by public officer, obtaining property by false pretenses, larceny and obstruction of justice. The charges stem from $2,900 that was allegedly taken from the department’s evidence room. Whittington, who also served as the department’s evidence custodian and internal affairs investigator, allegedly took the money between September and January, according to the indictment. He then directed officers to alter reports and lie about the handling of the money. His bail was set at $100,000.

Coulter, who has been with the department since July 1999, was charged with 20 crimes, including breaking and entering, second-degree kidnapping and obstruction of justice.

The charges stem from an April 27, 2008, incident at a home on the 400 block of Vass Road.

According to the indictments, Coulter broke into the home, which was occupied by Mark Anthony Jones Jr., Jimmy Jovan Taylor and Samuel Darnell Wallace. He assaulted the men and forcibly removed them from the home while threatening them with a handgun and a shotgun, kidnapped them and then held them against their will by handcuffing the men.

The indictments allege that Coulter, while supervising three officers also involved in the false arrests, had no legal justification for the actions.

Coulter also was indicted for his alleged actions during an investigation at the Sleep Inn Motel. According to the indictment, Coulter lied when he said he smelled marijuana in a room from which officers seized $2,900. That’s the same money that Whittington is accused of later taking from the evidence room. His bail was set at $250,000.

Both officers appeared before Senior Resident Superior Court Judge E. Lynn Johnson about 4:30 p.m. They were escorted into the courtroom by agents with the State Bureau of Investigation. Johnson read the charges against them and told them the maximum penalty they face for each.

According to Johnson, Whittington could face 24 years, two months in prison if convicted on all charges. Coulter could face 32 years, four months in prison.

Whittington said he planned to hire his own lawyer. Coulter asked for a court-appointed lawyer, which the judge said would have to come from outside the county’s public defender’s office.

String of problems
Monday’s arrests are the latest in a string of problems for the Police Department.

In a letter to the county’s two top judges Monday, Grannis said he first realized the department had troubles in December 2006. It was at that time, the District Attorney’s Office learned Spring Lake officers mishandled child abuse allegations and the subsequent death investigation of 3-year-old Anijah Burr.

He later asked that all homicides be investigated by the Sheriff’s Office and then expanded that request to include all felonies.

In mid-2007, Grannis said he asked the SBI to conduct a criminal inquiry into the department’s narcotics division.

An independent assessment of the department, done at the request of the town Board of Aldermen in late 2007, found a number of problems, including a lack of training for officers, a lack of written directives and the leadership of Brown.

Originally, Grannis said he was concerned that the department lacked trained manpower and expertise. Now, he said, he has a much deeper concern.

Grannis wrote that the department still was under investigation by state agents.

He said the SBI’s report made him “genuinely disheartened” and that many of the questions raised in the report came from officers within the department.

“Within our democratic society, we entrust law enforcement with significant authority and responsibility in carrying out our criminal laws,” he wrote. “... This report raises genuine questions concerning the entrusting of such significant responsibilities to the Spring Lake Police Department.”
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Other Information: http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=325750

Trooper David Volz Arrested for Stealing Mulch

State police say a trooper has been charged with stealing truckloads of mulch from a central New York business.

They say 28-year-old David Volz of Oriskany was arrested Thursday morning after investigators found that he used a borrowed dump truck to take mulch from Mohawk Valley Mulch Inc. in Rome without paying for it.

Trooper Jack Keller says the business owner noticed someone on his property late Wednesday night and called Rome police, who handed Volz over to state police.

He has been charged with petit larceny and ticketed for traffic violations involving the truck.

Keller says Volz joined the state police in May 2006 and now faces internal disciplinary charges. His phone number isn't listed and police didn't know if he has a lawyer.

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http://www.newswatch50.com/news/local/story/Trooper-arrested-for-petty-larceny/hOQmNLXZ10O_g5OAibBljA.cspx

Former Detective Kris Ledford Sentenced to 4 years in Prison

Muskogee

A former Muskogee police detective has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing and selling guns taken from a police evidence room.

Kris Ledford of Broken Arrow was charged last year after an investigation by federal and local authorities. He was accused of stealing and selling at least nine guns between June 2007 and May 2008.

Ledford was also charged with one count of 'Stolen Valor' for claiming to have won a Purple Heart and Bronze Star when he in fact had not. Ledford attempted to claim trauma from combat explained his criminal behavior.

"Police officers are given the public trust by the citizen of their community," U.S. Attorney Sheldon Sperling said in November after Ledford's guilty plea. "Kris Ledford betrayed that trust and brought dishonor to the Muskogee Police Department by committing crimes against the same citizens and police department that hired him and gave him this trust."

Ledford also faces related charges in Cherokee, Tulsa and Wagoner counties.

In Tulsa County, Ledford is charged with impersonating a police officer and larceny of merchandise from a retailer.

Ledford was a five-year veteran of the Muskogee Police Department.