Officer Douglas Campbell's Charged with Sexual Assault has been Fired

A police officer arrested in October on allegations of sexual assault by a public servant, official oppression and theft has been fired.

Douglas V. Campbell’s indefinite suspension from the Fort Worth Police Department took effect Dec. 23, according to Civil Service documents obtained Monday by the Star-Telegram.

Campbell, 33, is accused of sexually assaulting a prostitute, threatening another that he would take her to jail if she did not engage in sexual activity, and stealing $2 from an abandoned vehicle.

He was indicted on the sexual assault and official oppression cases Dec. 18 and remains free on bail awaiting trial in all three cases, according to Tarrant County court records.
“Officer Campbell, of course, denies those accusations in the indictments and looks forward to his day in court,” said Jim Lane, his defense attorney.

Campbell has appealed his termination. His attorney in the appeal, Craig Driskell of the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas, declined to comment Monday.

The department’s special investigation unit began investigating Campbell after receiving information in August from other officers that Campbell was possibly having sex with prostitutes.

Investigators began conducting surveillance of Campbell, then interviewing women with whom he had contact.

One prostitute told officers that Campbell had removed his penis from his pants and had told her to engage in sexual contact with him or he would take her to jail. She said the conversation stopped, however, when another officer drove up, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Another prostitute told investigators that Campbell had touched her and pulled her G-string between her legs, causing her pain, the affidavit states.

According to the disciplinary letter signed by Police Chief Jeff Halstead, Campbell admitted paying for sexual acts at least five times since being commissioned as a Fort Worth officer in 2007.

The theft charge stems from allegations that Campbell removed $2 from an abandoned vehicle that he had been dispatched to, then give it to a female friend whom he had arranged to meet there. The incident was recorded, according to the disciplinary letter.

Campbell also did not accurately report the chain of custody of narcotics found inside the van, the disciplinary letter states.

Halstead said an internal investigation sustained eight allegations of misconduct against Campbell.

“His actions are a disgrace to our department, our city, and the policing profession,” Halstead said in an emailed statement. “I will continue to hold all employees accountable for any violations of policy that jeopardize the level of public trust within our community.”

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/01/06/5464201/fort-worth-officer-charged-with.html#storylink=cpy

Three NY State Troopers Suspended for Prostitution

An internal investigation into alleged misconduct has led to the suspension of three State Troopers.

A State Police press release says Titus Taggart, 41, allegedly organized parties that may have involved the promotion of prostitution. The alleged incidents happened when Taggart was off duty. Taggart is assigned to Troop T in Buffalo, which patrols the Thruway.

A NYS Police spokesman in Albany confirms for 13WHAM News that Taggart's father, Arthur, was a 34-year veteran of the State Police who retired in 1997 as a Colonel who served directly under two past superintendents.

Two troopers who are assigned to the Troop T Henrietta barracks have also been suspended without pay.

Jeremy Smith, 34, and Michael Petritz, 33, are accused of misconduct.  A State Police press release says they were not involved in organizing the parties.

The suspensions are the result of an internal investigation and the NY State Police spokesman added that a parallel criminal investigation is also underway.  He would not comment on the status of any other investigations by outside agencies.  The spokesman was unaware how many Troopers could be caught up in the ongoing investigations.

Numerous media reports have cited sources that claim the women involved were brought into Western New York from Canada.

Criminal charges have not been filed.

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.
--------------------------

All Previous Post 

Former Officer David Reveille Sentenced to 2 Years for Forcing Prostitute to Have Sex While on Duty

Former Gainesville police officer David Reveille was sentenced Friday to two years in prison on charges related to sexual activity with prostitutes while he was on duty.

The sentence by Circuit Judge Ysleta McDonald follows the terms of an agreement in which Reveille pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault with intent to commit the felony of sexual battery, one count of false imprisonment, one count of official misconduct and two counts of battery.

Reveille was arrested last year on charges that included multiple counts of sexual battery.

Credit for 324 days Reveille has served in the Alachua County jail will reduce his time in prison.

"No one is above the law," Police Chief Tony Jones said of the sentencing when contacted by The Sun. "He went through the system and got his just desserts for his action."

Also, Reveille will serve 13 years' probation and will be prohibited from going into areas known for prostitution and from having pornographic material. He also must undergo a mental health/sexual deviance risk assessment.

Reveille, who has lost considerable weight since he was fired from GPD in late 2008, said nothing at the sentencing.

His wife, Sandi, said afterward, "It will be all right in the end."

GPD fired Reveille after an internal investigation concluded that he "used his official position as a law enforcement officer to obtain sexual favors."

One case involved a woman who police said Reveille handcuffed, took to a marked patrol car and threatened with arrest if she didn't perform a sex act.

Reveille was charged with eight counts of sexual battery, one count of false imprisonment, one count of official misconduct and two counts of battery.

Spencer Mann, spokesman for the State Attorney's Office, said the plea agreement meets the goals of having Reveille serve prison time and the loss of his career. Mann added it also saves the victims from having to testify.

"It accomplishes multiple things for us," Mann said. "He is going to get some prison time and long-term probation with sex offender sanctions. He loses his law enforcement certification."

Reveille's attorney, Gloria Fletcher, said afterward she believes the sentence was a good resolution to a difficult case.

"Law enforcement is no different than news reporters, lawyers, doctors - we all make mistakes and we all make choices that we'd like to redo. I'm not suggesting that he made a mistake. I am suggesting that he would choose not to be in this situation," Fletcher said.

Reveille recently suffered facial injuries in a scuffle with another inmate at the Alachua County jail. Fletcher expressed concern to McDonald over whether his treatment for those injuries had progressed enough to make it safe to turn him over to the state Department of Corrections.

A doctor on the case was summoned to court and after talking with her, McDonald said she felt comfortable proceeding with the sentencing.

Reveille's case was one of several involving city police officers in the past few years that created image problems for the agency and were termed an embarrassment by former Chief Norman Botsford.

Ex-Cpl. Bill Billings pleaded no contest to felony charges of scheme to defraud and official misconduct in June. He later admitted in court that he paid women for sex while on duty.

Meanwhile, two GPD officers admitted to the off-duty harassment of prostitutes in certain neighborhoods, including throwing eggs at them.
--------------------
Other Information

Former Officer Robert Forman Convicted of Forcing Woman to Perform Sex Act

A former Riverside police officer was convicted today of forcing a woman to perform a sex act on him so she could avoid being arrested.

A seven-man, five-woman jury, however, acquitted 39-year-old Robert A. Forman of sexually assaulting another woman and deadlocked on whether he had assaulted a third. The panel announced its findings after two and a half days of deliberations.

Forman, who was also convicted of a misdemeanor petty theft charge, faces up to eight years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 11 by Riverside County Superior Court Judge John Molloy.

The defendant asked Molloy to permit him to remain out of custody, on $50,000 bail, until the sentencing hearing, but the judge was not inclined.

“The last thing on the planet that I want to do is take Mr. Forman into custody,” Molloy told the defendant’s attorney, Mark Johnson. “But these are very serious charges. Mr. Forman was in a position of trust.

“If it was anyone besides a police officer, I wouldn’t be taking him into custody today. I wouldn’t.”

Forman broke down in tears and asked again if he could remain free until sentencing.

“Sir, the jury has spoken,” Molloy replied.

Forman was handcuffed and allowed a few minutes to speak privately with his family before being led away.

“Our office wants people to know that we will speak for anyone, no matter who they are,” said Deputy District Attorney Elan Zekster outside the courtroom, following the verdicts.

Johnson said he was “disappointed” by the jury’s findings, but did not believe his client would face the maximum sentence.

“There are a lot of factors in mitigation,” the attorney said, adding that because Forman has no prior criminal history, he could be eligible for probation.

The ex-cop was charged with two counts of forced oral copulation and one count each of felony sexual battery and petty theft for three alleged assaults between February and April 2008.

The 11-year law enforcement veteran, who was fired from the police force shortly after his arrest in October 2008, testified in his own defense, denying all the allegations against him.

He testified last week that he had consensual sex with a woman while he was in uniform but not on duty. However, the woman, identified as Kathryn, testified she performed oral sex on Forman because she felt that was the only way to avoid arrest.

Kathryn said the April 18, 2008, encounter occurred a few hours after Forman and other officers searched her residence in response to a domestic disturbance complaint. According to trial testimony, the officers discovered drug paraphernalia, including bags of methamphetamine and used syringes, as well as evidence of check fraud.

Kathryn testified that she feared being booked for violating her probation, but Forman assured her she would not be taken into custody “as long as you cooperate.” She alleged that the defendant returned to her apartment after his shift and demanded sex.

The jury found him guilty of the offense.

A sometime-prostitute and drug user identified as Tessa testified that in February 2008 Forman gave her a ride to a bus station near Chicago and University avenues and, at the end of the encounter, told her he liked her, then thrust his hand down her pants and kissed her. The woman said she quickly got out of the car.

Forman testified that Tessa had wanted to report a rape but repeatedly drifted “off track” during their 30-minute conversation, failing to provide details about her alleged assailant. He said he gave her a ride to the bus station as a courtesy.

The jury hung 8-4 in favor of guilt, prompting Molloy to declare a mistrial. Zekster would not say whether the D.A.’s office intended to retry Forman on the sexual battery count. He was found guilty of petty theft for taking the victim’s money.

Nadia, a prostitute and admitted cocaine addict, testified that in March 2008, Forman drove her to a secluded location and ordered her to “give me some head.” She said she complied, believing she had no alternative.

According to Forman, his interaction with Nadia was limited to gathering information on drug suppliers, which the jury believed.
-------------------------------------
Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/10/officer-robert-forman-arrested-for.html

http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/12/former-officer-robert-forman-accused-of.html

Deputy Eric Mayo Charged with Patronizing a Prostitute

A Monroe County reserve deputy who also worked for the Indiana University Police Department is now suspended after Bloomington Police say he patronized a prostitute.

A court document states that 30-year-old Eric Mayo must appear in court January 6 for the charge of patronizing a prostitute. The case was filed in court last week even though the document states Mayo was served the summons last month.

Bloomington Police would only say that they were investigating a report of a 19-year-old woman who claimed that a man, who said he was a photographer, offered her five dollars and a pack of cigarettes in exchange for sexual favors.

Police worked with the woman to set up a meeting with the photographer at a Big Lots store parking lot in Bloomington. Bloomington Police said that's when Eric Mayo showed up. Police said Mayo again asked for "the same deal" -- money and cigarettes for a sexual favor. That's when police served Mayo the summons to appear in court for the preliminary charge of patronizing a prostitute.

Mayo lives less than a block away from the Big Lots. He did not answer his door Tuesday but he did tell Lieutenant Craig Munroe at the IU Police Department about his court summons.

Mayo has worked for IU Police as a dispatcher and police officer for five years.

Lt. Munroe said, "(Mayo) called me up Friday and advised me of the charges had been filed against him. And so I was notified by Mr. Mayo."

Mayo is suspended with pay. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department also suspended Mayo. Both agencies said his employment status depends on the outcome of the case.

Former Officer Robert Forman Accused of Using Badge to Get Sex

A former Riverside police officer accused of using his badge to force drug addicts and prostitutes to perform sexual favors testified Tuesday that he had oral sex with a woman while on duty and after investigating her.

Robert Forman said the incident was mutual and denied being sexually involved with two other accusers.

Forman is charged with three felonies, including sexual battery and oral copulation under the color of authority. If convicted, he could face up to 19 years in prison.

Forman described himself as a good cop while testifying in his own defense, but said he had violated certain Riverside Police Department policies, becoming complacent and lazy. At times, he failed to record interviews and to inform the station of his whereabouts. He paid one of his accusers $10 for information about drug activity in Riverside, pulling the money from his personal bank account.

He said he had oral sex with a woman shortly after investigating her for a crime, and he gave his personal cell phone number to people while on duty, including one of his accusers.

Forman cried on the witness stand, saying the situation had been a learning experience and had cost him his career, damaged the reputation of the department and hurt his family.

"I know how it looks," Forman said. "This is my time to tell what happened, so I'm here today telling you exactly what happened."

The officer of 11 years said he was not proud of his conduct but that he did not use his badge for sexual favors.

He explained that one prostitute was in his patrol car because he was giving her a ride. He denied helping the same woman steal $100 from one of her clients when she got into Forman's patrol car after failing to perform a sex act on the client.

Forman testified that when investigating a possible check fraud case in April 2008, he returned to the home where the operation was allegedly taking place without telling a fellow officer he was training.

"She asked if I'd come back and help her get these people out of here," Forman said. He cleared the home and looked in the bedroom closet to see if anyone was inside.

"She told me that it was a fantasy of hers, that she always wanted to be with a police officer in a sexual nature," Forman said.

Forman said the woman then led him to the bed and sat him down and began to have oral sex with him.

"She walked me outside and said that next time I came back, she wants to have sex with me," Forman testified.

The woman told investigators that Forman demanded sex from her or she would be arrested.

Forman is expected to continue testifying today.

Officer Leon Pullen Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Prostitute

An Uplands Park police officer sought out a woman in an online classified ad and then, in full uniform, sexually assaulted her in the police station, the FBI said in court documents released Monday.

FBI Agents arrested Leon F. Pullen, 31, at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday night on a charge of willful deprivation of civil rights under the color of law. He appeared in court Monday, where a federal prosecutor said he wanted him held in jail until trial.

In an affidavit filed in court, FBI Special Agent Greg LaCombe wrote that the woman had placed an online ad that featured her picture and advertised her services as a prostitute.

The affidavit goes on to say:

Pullen called the woman, said his name was “Jimmy,” and agreed to pay $400 for a sexual act. He also had her and another woman meet him in Uplands Park on July 15.

After the women arrived, Pullen drove by in his marked police car several times before pulling behind the women’s car.

He got out, and when the alleged victim asked why he was stopping her, Pullen pulled out the ad.

He then rubbed himself against her and told her that she had two choices: to give him all her money, or get naked, LaCombe wrote. Pullen apparently ignored the woman’s request for a lawyer.

Another officer was present, LaCombe wrote, but that officer is not named in the complaint.

Pullen then ordered her and the other woman back in the car and told them to follow him to the police station, where he took the victim to an office in the rear of the station, forced her to undress and then forcibly performed oral sex on her.

Pullen also said that he would have forcibly had intercourse with her if he had a condom, LaCombe wrote.

The woman, afraid that Pullen would call in the other officer to have sex with her, and tried to end the attack by offering to meet Pullen later. Pullen gave her his contact information, LaCombe wrote, and then she left, later calling the FBI.

The fate of the other woman was not mentioned in the affidavit.

Pullen appeared in court Monday morning, in a black and white Jennings jail outfit of scrub shirt and pants.

Before his initial hearing, he told a reporter that he was “dumbfounded” by his arrest.

During the hearing, Pullen told U.S. Magistrate Judge Frederick Buckles that he lives with his wife in Foley and that he could not afford a lawyer. Buckles said he would appoint one.

Pullen will be in court Tuesday for a hearing that could determine whether he stays in jail until his trial. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Drake said that prosecutors would be presenting the case to a grand jury this week, asking for an indictment.

Uplands Park is located in St. Louis County, south of Interstate 70 and north of the city of St. Louis, at 6390 Natural Bridge Road.

A reporter’s call to the village was referred to the police department, then the village attorney. That lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The FBI is asking anyone with information about the alleged attack, or other attacks, to call the FBI at 314-231-4324.
----------------------------
More information: http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1462902.html

Deputy Darious Harper Accused of Soliciting Prostitute

A sheriff's deputy accused of attempting to solicit a prostitute bonded out of jail on Thursday.

Marion County Sheriff's Deputy Darious Harper was on leave during active duty with the National Guard.

But Orange County investigators arrested him after they said he offered to pay for sex with a known prostitute on Orange Blossom Trail.

The Marion County Sheriff's Office has launched an internal

_____________________
http://www.wesh.com/news/20223032/detail.html

Officer Gregory Mickel Fired After Arrest for Sexually Assaulting Prostitute

Police Chief William McManus effectively fired an officer Tuesday who was accused this month of sexually assaulting a prostitute while on duty.

Gregory Mickel, 31, was indefinitely suspended, which is tantamount to termination.

McManus' decision came about two weeks after he indefinitely suspended another officer who allegedly dropped his pants, exposing himself to two female students at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The officer, Patrick Muriel, 29, was arrested in February on a charge of indecent exposure.

Before Tuesday's decision, Mickel had been on administrative leave with pay following his arrest July 3 on charges of sexual assault and official oppression.

Mickel admitted to police that he had sex with a prostitute but claimed it was consensual. Yet police spokesman Joe Rios said such a scenario would not absolve an officer of wrongdoing.

“When you're on duty, there's no consent,” Rios said. “When you're in the official capacity of the office, you need to refrain from any of those activities.”

A woman called police last month and said an officer had sexually assaulted her in a secluded area on the East Side.

Officers, including Mickel, responded to the call, and the woman, 46, “made it clear at the time that it had been (Mickel) that sexually assaulted her,” according to an arrest affidavit.

Yet Mickel took responsibility for the call and did not mention the allegation of sexual assault, instead closing the call with an N-code, which relieved him of the responsibility of writing a report. He said he closed the call because the woman was “a psychiatric patient,” according to the document.

The woman that night refused to cooperate with a police investigation, the affidavit stated.

Two days later, she told police the following story:

On June 26, around 9 p.m., a man picked her up in a gray pickup. Soon after, an officer pulled over the truck, ordered her to sit in the back of his patrol car and told the man to leave.

Displaying her criminal history on his mobile laptop, the officer threatened to arrest the woman on her third count of prostitution and take her to jail on a felony charge if she did not have sex with him.

The woman asked the officer to put on a condom but he refused.

During the assault, the officer locked his duty belt in a vehicle compartment and lowered his uniform pants to his knees. Afterward, he drove her to a nearby location and told her to get out.

Computer records and a Global Positioning System later proved Mickel drove to the exact place the woman claimed the sexual assault occurred, the affidavit stated.

The other officer suspended this month, Muriel, who was arrested in February, was handed an indefinite suspension July 10, according to city records and a police spokeswoman.

The UTSA Police Department arrested Muriel after their own criminal investigation, during which the two victims picked him out of a lineup, according to reports.
--------------------------------
Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/07/officer-gregory-mickel-charged-with.html

Ex-Detective Thomas Sadler Preparing for Trial

A former Sheriff's deputy is preparing for his trial on charges of sexually assaulting a prostitute.

Ex-detective Thomas Sadler was expected by many to enter a plea Monday, but instead he told 10News he would take his chances with a jury.

Sadler, a 23-year veteran of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, has been on administrative leave without pay following his arrest last July.

He was charged with five felonies stemming from an incident in February 2008 in which he was accused of forcing a prostitute into his unmarked department vehicle and then forcefully fondling her.

Sadler said he is ready to go to trial and tell his side of the story.

"I feel that I'm innocent in this case. I believe a lot of this is because I do work in law enforcement and they were overzealous in their prosecution. I want my day in court, I want to get my side out there. I believe a jury will hear the case openly and honestly and make a decision based on what they believe is the truth," said Sadler.

The jury will hear Sadler's side of the story when the case goes to trial on July 23.

If convicted, he could serve 8 years in prison.
____________________________
Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/deputy-accused-of-sexual-assault.html

http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/arraignment-for-officer-accused-of.html

http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/detective-fondles-prostitute-while-on.html

Lt Gerald Copeland Arrested for Abducting Prostitute and Raping Her

Gerald Copeland, a retired Lieutenant with the Fulton County Police Department was back in trouble with the law Thursday. Police said Copeland's crimes involve a prostitute.

In a widening investigation, another prostitute is claiming Copeland abducted her, robbed her and raped her.

Union City police have charged Copeland in connection with the discovery of a half-clothed Atlanta prostitute found wandering in a subdivision off Highway 92.

A passerby found the victim wandering down a deserted road. The woman was described as half beaten, robbed and raped.

The 48-year old former cop was arrested in Fayette County last month, charged in similar crimes with two other alleged prostitutes.

Police said other victims had also been taken to vacant subdivisions, where Copeland is accused of raping, assaulting and robbing them.

Investigators searched Copeland's home in North Fulton County. Copeland remained in the Fayette County Jail without bond Thursday.

Police said the Fayette County crimes happened in April, the Union City assault happened in March.

Police said they suspect there are many more victims out there who are too afraid to come forward.
____________________

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/05/14/ex_fulton_cop_charged.html

Former Officer Gerald Copeland Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Prostitutes

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office is investigating three cases where prostitutes were picked up in Atlanta and brought to Fayette County. In all three cases, victims were sexually assaulted and beaten then abandoned in north Fayette County.

On April 20, 2009 during the early morning hours, Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies responded to north Fayette County when a motorist observed a partially clothed female, with no shoes, walking in an undeveloped subdivision.

The victim provided Sheriff Deputies with a description of the suspect and the vehicle that the suspect was driving. Evidence left at the scene led investigators to the suspect in this case.

Gerald Copeland, 48, a former 20 year veteran of the Fulton County Police Department and current resident of Fayette County was arrested for aggravated sexual battery, battery and false imprisonment. While other charges are pending, Copeland will appear before a Magistrate Judge for a first appearance hearing at 2:00 p.m. today.

_____________________

http://www.ajc.com/traffic/content/metro/fayette/stories/2009/04/21/prostitutes_beaten_fayette.html

Arraignment Held for Former Deputy Marc Diaz Accused of Rape

On Friday, the former Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy accused of raping a woman in La Quinta on Saturday pled not guilty to the charges. 35-year old Marc Diaz of Indio was arraigned on charges of kidnapping to commit rape, and two counts of rape under the threat of the authority of a public official. If convicted, he could face life in prison, without the possibility of parole.

The arraignment took place at the same Indio courthouse where the nine-year veteran of the sheriff's department once worked. Diaz is accused of walking into a business in the 78-000 block of Highway 111, and displaying a law enforcement badge. He then allegedly ordered a woman into his pickup truck, and drove her to a secluded place near Washington Street and Country Club Drive, where he raped her.

We've also learned more about Diaz's 2004 arrest on suspicion of hiring a prostitute. According to Indio police, the solicitation took place on June 25, 2004, near Bliss and Oasis streets. But today, the Riverside District Attorney's office said it did not file charges because of insufficient evidence.

On the rape charges, Diaz is being held on $1 million dollars bail and has requested a public defender. A felony settlement conference is set for February 19th. Meantime, the Coachella Valley Unified School District continues to have no comment on reports that Diaz worked for that district.

More Information on Former Deputy Marc Diaz Accused of Rape

Former Riverside County Sheriff's deputy accused of raping a woman in La Quinta on Saturday left the department in 2004 after being arrested on suspicion of hiring a prostitute. Sources say that 35-year old Marc Diaz worked in the Coachella Valley Unified School District - the district had no comment.

According to Indio police, the solicitation took place on June 25, 2004, near Bliss and Oasis streets. At the time, Diaz was a nine-year veteran of the sheriff's department and was working in the Indio courthouse. Diaz is now accused of walking into a business in the 78000 block of Highway 111 and displaying a law enforcement badge. He then ordered a woman into his pickup truck and drove her to a secluded place near Washington and Country Club and raped her. He is being held on one-million dollars bail, and is expected to be arraigned today.

Former Officer Bill Billings Arrested for 3 Felonies

A former Gainesville police officer turned himself in early Wednesday on three felony charges, adding to the three misdemeanors he was charged with last month. All the charges are tied to his work as a police officer.

Bill Billings, 51, turned himself in at the Alachua County jail on 4:30 a.m. on charges of grand theft, scheme to defraud and official misconduct. Bond in his case was set at $15,000. He had previously been charged with three misdemeanor prostitution counts.

The felony charges allege that Billings falsely reported he was working overtime, accepted $5,409 in unearned overtime and falsified records to show he was working overtime while he was not.

Billings' problems became public in November when the police department announced the results of an internal investigation involving Billings. The report was turned over to the State Attorney's Office.

The internal report determined that 14 women reported they had had sex with Billings for money while he was on duty, in uniform and driving marked police vehicles.

The investigation also turned up evidence used to charge Billings with the felonies for which he turned himself in on Wednesday morning.

Billings, who had been a corporal with the agency and handled recruitment for GPD's Personnel Unit, resigned from the Police Department three months before the results of the internal investigation were released.

__________________
More Information:
http://www.alligator.org/articles/2009/02/05/news/local/090205_prostitution.txt

Officer Chris Buccelli Accused of Having Sex with Prostitutes While on the Job

MELBOURNE, Fla.

New details were released this weekend about the Melbourne police officer accused of having sex with prostitutes while on the job.

That officer was fired on Friday.

Police said it had been going on right on the streets of Melbourne with Officer Chris Buccelli in full uniform.

Streetwalkers were seen this weekend in the area known as the Triangle. Locals said prostitution in the area is rampant.

Prostitutes said one officer was letting them ply their trade in exchange for sex in his patrol vehicle.

One man's businesses, he said, is surrounded by prostitutes. He said he's shocked at the accusations that Buccelli had sex with prostitutes on the job.

In an internal investigation, one prostitute told investigators, "Officer Buccelli had intercourse with her" and that "he was in full uniform."

One undercover officer, who arrested a prostitute, reported, "After making the deal for sex, (the prostitute) made the statement that she 'does a Melbourne cop once a week.'"

She identified the officer as Buccelli, police said. One woman on the street said she knows two prostitutes who were told they would have to give him sex or get arrested.

The police chief suspended Buccelli last month after the accusations were made. Now, after a new report that Buccelli stopped and threatened a man in a pickup truck, Buccelli has been fired.

The report suggests Buccelli was jealous because the driver was seeing one of the prostitutes who were servicing Buccelli.

Residents said they're tired of the rampant prostitution, but said Buccelli is the exception to the rule.

Buccelli denied all the accusations against him, and said the prostitutes were lying.

The police chief said, given his denials, there's not enough evidence to charge him with a crime, but he did violate department policy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Officer James Ingalls Accused of Having Sex with Prostitute in Front of School

INDIANAPOLIS

Charges were filed Tuesday against an Indianapolis police officer accused of paying a prostitute for sex at an elementary school while on duty.

James Ingalls (pictured) was charged with one count of felony official misconduct and one count of misdemeanor patronizing a prostitute.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Kristen Harbaugh was approached by Ingalls several times last summer about performing sex for money while Ingalls was in full uniform and driving a department-issued vehicle.

Police said Ingalls took the woman to Garden City Elementary School on Rockville Road near South Lynhurst Drive, where the transactions took place.

As a part-time employee of the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, Ingalls had the alarm codes and keys to enter the building.

"The woman said, 'He told me he was a man and he had needs,'" said Helen Marchal with the Marion County Prosecutor's Office. "We were able to verify that he was in the building at the time that individual stated they had been there."

Harbaugh said Ingalls would also warn her to stay off the streets when officers conducted prostitution sweeps in that neighborhood.

Police said Harbaugh correctly described tattoos and piercings on Ingalls' chest and detailed alleged encounters in the school nurse's office

In August, Ingalls was suspended from the department without pay and recommended for termination following an internal investigation.

Ingalls had been on the force since 1998. He was turned himself in on Wednesday and was held on $10,000 bond.

Several Inglewood Officers Involved in Sex-Related Scandals

Inglewood police officers have repeatedly been embroiled in sex-related scandals over the last five years, according to court documents, law enforcement records and interviews.

In May 2004, Officer Ron Navarreta, a 13-year veteran, was fired after FBI agents discovered that a suspect in a child pornography investigation had e-mailed explicit images to Navarreta's AOL account, according to court records. Investigators found that Navarreta's AOL account included a screen name called "PlyGRoUndObsver." An agent alleged that the screen name's user prowled the Internet seeking a relationship with a mother and daughter and listed "teaching vey yng fem students about love" as a hobby, according to internal affairs records that Navarreta's attorney included in a civil court case filed to get his job back.

Navarreta denied receiving the images e-mailed to him by the child-porn suspect. FBI agents were unable to examine the computers he used because they had been sold or reported stolen.

An arbitrator found there was not enough evidence to prove Navarreta knowingly received child porn but concluded that he lied to the FBI and Inglewood investigators and should be fired. A judge upheld his termination.

Later that year, an anonymous letter sent to the department's Internal Affairs Bureau prompted a sexual harassment investigation of traffic Officer James Manzi.

Manzi, according to an internal affairs report included in court records, played for on-duty colleagues a videotape and an audio recording of himself having sex. Manzi was suspended for 20 days but retired on disability before the discipline was imposed. He declined to comment.

In January 2006, another officer was accused of taking a cellphone photograph of an inmate during a strip search. The officer was suspended and then fired for unrelated misconduct.

Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said supervisors now monitor strip searches. "That's one of the circumstances where we have to be exceedingly careful because it has the potential to be interpreted as something very demeaning," she said.

In December 2006, a woman visiting from Florida claimed that an on-duty Inglewood officer raped her and forced her to perform sexual acts while he kept his hand on his holstered gun.

According to a district attorney's report, the woman was standing on a street corner wearing a miniskirt and fishnet stockings when Officers Donvey Lindsey and Brandon Beak pulled up, suspecting she was a prostitute.

The officers followed the woman back to her motel and confirmed she was a registered guest, according to the report. Lindsey then followed her to her room, telling Beak that he would check her identification, Beak told authorities.

The woman, in a statement to the FBI, claimed she complied with Lindsey's orders to perform sexual acts because he threatened to arrest her.

Prosecutors declined to file charges, saying it would be difficult to prove the case because the woman had been arrested for prostitution in her home state. The woman has filed a federal civil rights suit against the city. The suit is pending.

Seabrooks said Lindsey has been fired. He did not return a call seeking comment.

Just two months after the rape claim, the city was shaken by allegations that other officers visited prostitutes at massage parlors. Among them was six-year veteran Officer Richard Correa. According to civil court records, a prostitute who worked at a massage parlor on La Brea Avenue told investigators that she had performed a sex act on Correa while he was on duty and in uniform. She implicated other officers who she said frequented the massage parlor for sex and promised to alert her to police raids.

Correa told internal affairs investigators that he had sex with an employee at a different massage parlor on Manchester Boulevard while in uniform, court records show. He denied paying her and said it happened only once.

"That was a bad decision on my part, and it's stupid," he told investigators. He was fired in March 2007.

A department spokesman said seven officers were fired for allegedly visiting the massage parlors or covering for officers who did.

Seabrooks said she and her predecessors have moved swiftly to rid the department of officers who commit serious misconduct. She said the 195-officer force should not be judged based on the conduct of a relative handful of officers.

"It is unfortunate that these things seemed to have plagued us," she said. "In any barrel, you're bound to find some bad apples that touch each other, and you're going to find the vast majority that are just fine."

more information: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-inglewood28-2008dec28,0,5305146.story

Former Officer Bridges McRae Pleads Not Guilty

A former Memphis police officer pleaded not guilty Nov. 19 to civil rights charges in the jailhouse beating of a transgender prostitution suspect that was captured on video.

An indictment unsealed Nov. 19 accuses Bridges McRae, 28, of using unreasonable force by repeatedly striking Duanna Johnson with his fist and handcuffs in the intake area of the Shelby County Jail in February. Johnson, a biological male who lived as a woman, was being booked on a prostitution charge when the incident happened. A video of the beating was broadcast on Memphis television stations, leading to McRae’s firing.

McRae pleaded not guilty at a brief hearing on Wednesday before a federal magistrate and was released without bond. No trial date was set. He is charged with violating Johnson’s civil rights while in a position of authority, an offense that carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Johnson was found murdered earlier this month.