Officer Keith German Charged with Misconduct

Patrolman Keith German, 45, of Tinton Falls, a 16-year veteran officer of the Asbury Park Police Department, was arrested and charged with Official Misconduct and Unauthorized Access of a Computer Database at part of "Operation Dead End," authorities said.

Keith German, was arrested as part of a sweep that included dozens of other arrests, said one source who requested anonymity. The source said the sweep was tied to gangs but did not elaborate on what German’s role was or if he was involved with gangs.

Mayor Myra Campbell did not confirm or deny if a police officer was arrested, but added that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty and all the facts need to come out.
“There is no place for corrupt cops in the city of Asbury Park,” Campbell said. “Its not good for the citizens, it’s not good for the community.”

The Asbury Park Press reported German, who is a 16-year veteran of the police force, was released on $50,000 bail with a 10 percent option and had to surrender his badge, gun, police identification and radio.

Officer Gabriel Villarreal Suspended for Using City Computer to Obtain Woman's Personal Information

A San Antonio police officer accused of using a city computer to glean a woman's personal information and then staging an emergency response to her house has been fired after an investigation revealed he boasted about other women on his patrol car terminal and pulled their personal data as well, according to Police Department records.

After 14 years on the force with no suspensions, Officer Gabriel Villarreal, 43, was indefinitely suspended last week, a punishment tantamount to being fired.

A second patrolman, 10-year veteran Officer Keith Floyd, 41, was found to have exchanged "crude, suggestive (and) disparaging" remarks about women with Villarreal via his patrol car terminal and was suspended Friday for 15 days without pay, police records state.

Assistant City Attorney Robert Reyna said another officer faces a possible 30-day suspension in connection with the same case.

The violations involve at least seven women and occurred through October, November and December 2009, according to the city's findings, which allege the following:

For "personal" reasons, Villarreal researched the criminal history of an apartment manager in his patrol district. In conversations via car terminals, Villarreal and another officer referred to the woman by "nicknames for her breasts."

Villarreal and another officer also held an "extended" electronic conversation about two other women in which "a comment is passed back and forth about whether (Villarreal) 'knocked' or 'knocked it out,' referring to sex."

A few days later, Villarreal ran the registration of a Mercedes-Benz owned by another woman and sent it to a fellow officer. The pair then discussed her "personal physical attributes, her breasts and her attractiveness."

From the registration information, Villarreal then pulled more of that woman's personal data, including calls for police service to her home address, her social security number and her municipal court files.

The same day, Villarreal ran the registration of a Lexus that belonged to another woman; he earlier had suggested to a fellow officer they "go knock" at her residence.

A few days later, Villarreal's car terminal conversations focused on a female San Antonio police officer, whom he suggested should be invited to a "clothing optional" shift party.

The following week, Villarreal brought his wife and daughter to The Art of Shaving, an upscale boutique at The Shops at La Cantera that sells $1,000 razors.

A female employee there sold him nearly $400 in shaving supplies, she told the San Antonio Express-News.

The next day, Villarreal used his patrol car terminal to determine her address, date of birth and cell phone number. Called to assist the public, Villarreal handled that call quickly, left the scene within four minutes and drove to the woman's house while holding the initial call open, according to the city's findings.

Rousing the woman from bed, Villarreal rang the doorbell and told her that someone had called 911 and hung up. He eventually left and drove to another location, where he conducted research on her prior residences and her father, the city alleges.

Over the next two days, Villarreal pulled her cell phone history and calls for police service to her home. Meanwhile, the woman reported the incident to the Police Department's internal affairs department.

The next day, Villarreal and another officer allegedly discussed via patrol car terminals where they should eat lunch, at one point making "inappropriate sexual references" about female officers, police records state.

Villarreal was indefinitely suspended without pay last Monday.

Officer Angel Montalvo Charged with Misuse of DataBase

In September 2009, while conducting an unrelated investigation, the Tucson Police Department uncovered information that Tucson Police Officer Angel Montalvo was involved in possible criminal misconduct.

The Tucson Police Department initiated a preliminary investigation into the matter and, due to the complexity of the investigation, referred the investigation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for follow-up. That investigation was completed and referred to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

On February 2, 2010 the Attorney General’s Office presented the matter to an Arizona Grand Jury in Tucson and received an indictment naming Mr. Montalvo on numerous felony counts. The charges involve misuse of police department computers and inappropriate dissemination of confidential information to members of the public.

Mr. Montalvo was arraigned today at 1:00 pm in Pima County Superior Court on that indictment. He was subsequently released pending further appearances on the felony charges. After his arraignment today, Mr. Montalvo was escorted back to the Tucson Police Department Headquarters Building where he was served with his Notice of Intent to Discharge.

Mr. Montalvo has been employed with the Tucson Police Department since October 19, 2006 and assigned to Operations Division South as a patrol officer.

The Tucson Police Department investigates all allegations of criminal or police misconduct in regards to all employees. The nature of these investigations is serious and thoroughly investigated by our Office of Internal Affairs. Mr. Montalvo is not representative of the 1,400 men and women with the Tucson Police Department who serve the public and put their lives on the line day in and day out.

Any questions regarding specific details of the investigation and subsequent indictment need to be directed to the Attorney General’s Office.

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RELEASE FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE 2/10/10

Terry Goddard Secures Indictment Against Police Officer For Computer Tampering Charges

(Phoenix, Ariz. – February 10, 2010) Attorney General Terry Goddard today announced that Tucson Police Officer Angel Montalvo, 30, has been indicted on nine counts of computer tampering, one count of trafficking in the identity of another person, one count of aggravated taking the identity of another person, and one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices. The charges include nine Class 6 felonies, one Class 3 felony and two Class 2 felonies.

According to court documents, Montalvo misused his access to police databases for non-law enforcement purposes. Montalvo accessed the ACJIS database which houses sensitive information relating to driver registrations, criminal backgrounds, home addresses and other personal information of Arizona citizens.

Documents state that Montalvo accessed these databases over 20 times between May 20, 2009 and December 19, 2009 for his personal use. Montalvo is accused of then disseminating this information to non-law enforcement persons.

Montalvo has been with the Tucson Police Department for three years. He is currently on administrative leave.

He is scheduled to be arraigned at 1 p.m. today in the Pima County Superior Court.

This case was a result of a joint investigation by the Tucson Police Department and FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Michael Jette in Pima County Superior Court.
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More Information

Detention Officer Anthony Lavis Charged with Having Sex with Inmates

A Kern County sheriff's detention officer has been charged with sexually assaulting female inmates in the Kern County jail just weeks after another deputy was charged with having unlawful sex with an inmate, charges filed in court Thursday say.

Sheriff Donny Youngblood has scheduled a news conference Thursday afternoon on the matter, but would not comment further.

Anthony Michael Lavis, 55, is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 18 on the charges which include four felonies and three misdemeanors. Bail in the case is $170,000.

The incidents first came to the attention of deputies Oct. 15 when one of the alleged victims said Lavis touch her while she was in the shower, court records said. An investigation was begun and audio and video surveillance was set up in the victim's cell.

Audio equipment captured conversation of a sexual nature between Lavis and the victim, and Lavis touched the victim and digitally penetrated her, according to a probable cause declaration investigators filed.

Detectives were soon able to find three other women who said Lavis touched them inappropriately, the declaration filed in Kern County Superior Court said.

The second alleged victim said Lavis kissed and touched her while she was an inmate, and the third alleged victim said that while she was in custody and assigned to a work crew Lavis walked up behind her and rubbed against her, the declaration said.

The fourth alleged victim said Lavis wouldn't allow her to return to her housing unit after she was taken off suicide watch until she disrobed for him, court records said.

A fifth woman was later found who said she had received phone calls and flowers from Lavis after she was released from jail, court record said. She said she never provided contact information to Lavis and was surprised to hear from him. Lavis was able to find her by using a Sheriff's Office criminal database, the records said.

The charges against Lavis are forcible sexual penetration, assault by an officer and three counts of intimate touching, court records say.

The charges come a month after the department arrested Detention Deputy Margarita Young, 48, on charges of having unlawful sex at Lerdo Jail with Death Row inmate Timothy Rodriguez, 41.

She has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in March.

Officer Jeff Brown Being Investigated Again

Oregon Police Officer Jeff Brown, who was suspended last year following an internal affairs investigation involving several women, was put on paid administrative leave late last month.

Mayor Mike Seferian said police are looking at whether Brown, the son of former Mayor Marge Brown, violated department rules, but would not disclose details because the matter is under investigation.

“Pending the outcome of the investigation, we just put him on administrative leave,” said Seferian.

It is the latest police department investigation of Brown.

He received disciplinary action last year as the result of an investigation that stretched back seven years. He was suspended for 20 days for his repeated and illegal use of the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS) to gain information about an ex-girlfriend over a two year period.

In addition to the 20-day suspension, Brown received a verbal reprimand for interfering in the private business or affairs of another woman, Vicky Ferris, a teacher at St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Elementary School. Ferris contacted police to complain that Brown had allegedly portrayed her as a convicted felon.

Brown was blocked from using the Northwest Ohio Regional Information System (NORIS) and LEADS for six months and was suspended from the Special Response Team (SRT) for six months.

Allegations that Brown had sex with a woman while he was on duty in 2002 were substantiated by the investigation, but were dismissed because of the absence of a report on the matter.

Nichole Rhoades had alleged she and Brown had sex in Fire Station No. 2 on Wheeling Street, at the Comfort Inn, in the playground area of New Harvest Church on Seaman Road, and in the parking lot of Coy School on Wheeling Street while Brown was on duty.

The report, issued last September 4, couldn’t have come at a worse time for Brown’s mother, who ran against Seferian for a third term last November. She said at the time that the investigation had been politically motivated. Seferian said he had nothing to do with the investigation, which was started by Stager several months before the election.

Seferian, a long time councilman, beat Brown 61.17 percent to 38.83 percent of the vote and in each of the city’s 19 precincts.

Former Officer Alan Parker Sentenced for Theft

A former Dayton police officer was sentenced Monday after he was accused of using his position to break the law.

Alan W. Parker was sentenced to five years probation after spending 30 days in jail. He will also have to perform 100 hours of community service.

Parker was accused of theft in office. He pleaded guilty to several charges, including receiving stolen property and misusing the department’s computer to run license plates illegally.

Parker has since resigned from the police department.

Officer Troy Young Arrested in Case of Missing Lotto Winner

Ten months ago, Abraham Shakespeare simply vanished, along with all of his money: $12 million he won in the Florida Lottery.

"We fear he's died a sinister death with sinister motives," said Polk Sheriff Grady Judd.

Now investigators have arrested a fellow law enforcement officer.

Troy Young, a 20-year veteran of the Lakeland Police Department, is accused of selling confidential information about Shakespeare to a woman who is now considered a person of interest in the case.

"He's a very well-liked guy. He's a personable guy, well-liked by fellow officers and well-liked by people in the community," said Lakeland Police spokesman Jack Gillen.

Detectives say Officer Young sold the information to 37 year old Dee Dee Moore. Investigators say they met through a mutual friend, and that she claimed she was writing a book about the millionaire.

They say she paid the officer $200 and a plane ticket to run tag numbers and searches through law enforcement databases.

"For very little amount of money and Troy's bad judgment, Dee Dee Moore ruined his career in her overall confidence scheme," said Polk Sheriff Grady Judd.

The sheriff calls Moore a con artist who befriended Shakespeare and Officer Young -- a law enforcement veteran whose record was spotless, until now.

"Troy Young may not have known her ultimate sinister motive. But he knows as a police officer, it is illegal to run tag numbers and provide that data our of the confidential systems to the public," Judd said.

Young is charged with unlawful compensation, a 2nd degree felony; and misuse of confidential information, a misdemeanor.

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Officer Mark Young Pleads Guilty to Misuse of Data System

A former Marion police officer pleaded guilty to one count related to the misuse of the law enforcement automated data system.

Mark A. Young, 56, pleaded Wednesday in Marion County Common Pleas Court, said Assistant County Prosecutor Dave Stamolis.

Young's trial on three counts of improper use of a telecommunications device, all fifth-degree felonies, was to begin today. He resigned in February, the same day he pleaded not guilty to the three charges. His trial had been continued multiple times since then because of unavailability of counsel and witnesses.

He faces up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine on the single charge. The other two counts were dismissed in a plea agreement.

Stamolis said the prosecutor's office likely will recommend community-control with some jail time. He requested a presentence investigation.

Sentencing has not been scheduled.

Prosecutor Brent Yager said his office did the plea agreement in large part because the incidents "all happened fairly close to one another in time." He said he doubted the "outcome would be any different" regarding the sentence had Young been convicted of all three charges.

Local attorney J.C. Ratliff was appointed to represent Young. He could not be reached for comment.

Yager said Young's being a police officer wasn't a factor in the prosecutor's handling of the case.

"I think what you try to do is treat it like other cases," Yager said. "He broke the law. Should he be punished worse because he's a police officer? Maybe not, because being a police officer is why he had access to LEADS (the database). You really can't violate that section if you're not a police officer, and it's not a crime of violence or anything. We try to treat people equally."

If sentenced to serve time, it wouldn't be Young's first stay behind bars.

He was convicted of misdemeanor violation of a protection order after a fight with his estranged wife in December 1999. Young was fired the same month for using his badge to try to obtain information at a hotel about the estranged wife, who he suspected was there.

An arbitrator later ruled Young should be reinstated as a police officer, though the city had found four violations of general rules of officer conduct.

The arbitrator ruled three of the complaints were minor violations, not warranting termination. They included conduct unbecoming of an officer, abuse of official position and concealment of material facts.

The city had filed a final grievance - that Young had committed a criminal violation. But the arbitrator ruled Young had not been found guilty in court before his termination.

Before his February resignation, Young had signed a last-chance agreement after a series of conduct violations. Young was a police officer for about 19 years. He was paid $25.84 an hour and $53,747 a year.

Corrections Officer Ryan Freeman Charged with Unauthorized Use of Database

A corrections officer in the Mahoning County Sheriff's department who is also a Braceville police officer is arrested for misusing a law enforcement computer.

Thirty-year-old Ryan Freeman of Warren is charged with unauthorized use of the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway and obstructing justice.

He allegedly used the system improperly to search records in a heroin distribution investigation.

During that investigation, TAG Law Enforcement officers arrested 39-year-old Frederick Johnson and 26-year-old Brandy Purbaugh of Warren.

TAG Agents along with Warren police recovered a bag containing heroin, four ounces of cocaine and a firearm.

Officer Jessica Phillips Charged with Harassment

A Saint Paul police officer is accused repeatedly texting, emailing and leaving voicemails for another woman about sleeping with that's woman's ex-husband.

Officer Jessica Phillips was charged with two gross misdemeanor counts of harassment and one gross misdemeanor count of unauthorized computer access.

According to the criminal complaint, Phillips left a voicemail message that said "We had sex probably 10 times this month and I have actual pictures... if you would like to see them."

Phillips allegedly contacted the woman over 100 times.

The Saint Paul City Attorney has asked the Minneapolis City Attorney's Office to review the case to avoid a conflict of interest.

Officer Phillips is on paid administrative leave.

Officer Calvin Ingram Indicted for Computer Tampering

A police officer who lost his job is now under indictment, accused of accessing computer police databases for personal use.

Calvin Ingram is facing 25 counts of computer tampering, and two other counts related to identity theft.

Prosecutors say Ingram took information from the computer databases and gave that information to people who weren't in law enforcement. The databases contain addresses, criminal records and other personal data.

Ingram served nearly 11 years as a Marana police officer before he was terminated in September. He is appealing his termination.

Sgt Bill Arganda Accused of Using Database to Meet Women

The Westminster Police Department has given a termination notice to a sergeant accused of using law enforcement databases to meet women, investigate romantic rivals and keep tabs on ex-girlfriends.

The department announced this morning only that it has sent the District Attorney's Office a case against an unnamed sergeant for personal use of the CLETS system, which connects to DMV and state and federal law enforcement databases. The department did not disclose any details about the investigation of Sgt. Bill Arganda, 39, or other allegations against him.

Arganda has also been accused of domestic violence against two women.

The first accusation, which did not lead to criminal charges, resulted in an unpaid suspension in 2007.

Arganda has been on administrative leave since late May of this year, when the Orange Police Department went to Arganda's house on a domestic violence call.

In a follow-up interview with Orange police detectives the next day, Arganda's girlfriend "disclosed that her boyfriend placed a gun to her head on a different occasion," according to a restraining order issued by the Orange Police Department.

The Orange Police Department has finished its investigation and sent the case to the District Attorney's office for review, said Sgt. Matt Miller.

Arganda, an 18-year veteran of the Westminster Police Department, was already under investigation by his own department when he was recently suspended.

The internal investigation, which started April 4 with a citizen complaint, found that Arganda used the CLETS system to look up thousands of names and license plates for his personal use.

Among the more than 4,000 names searched are a blond Fox news correspondent, a woman from a gym class, a mother from his daughter's kindergarten class, his ex-wife and ex-girlfriends as well as the new men in their lives.

None of the people that investigators contacted had given Arganda permission to conduct the searches, according to a search warrant.

In the period of April 2007 to May 2009, Arganda ran 1,020 searches on CLETS, according to a warrant. By comparison, of the eight other sergeants the department employed during the time, five conducted no searches, and the other three averaged around 100 searches each.

The district attorney has not yet filed charges.

Arganda is still employed and paid by the Westminster Police Department; the "intent to terminate" notice he received is the start of a disciplinary procedure required by law for his dismissal.

Contacted Thursday morning, Arganda declined to comment for this report.

Arganda joined the department in January 1991 and was promoted to sergeant in April 2004, but his career started to hit the rocks late in 2006. He often argued with his wife - Cyndie Sanders-Arganda, who is the risk manager for the city of Westminster - while at work, to the point that they were told to avoid contact during work hours.

In October 2006, his sister-in-law accused him of beating his wife. Sanders-Arganda denied the claims at the time, taking her husband's side.

Then in December, Arganda abandoned his post as watch commander to drive home in the middle of the night.

That incident led to the first black mark on his resume; Arganda was denied an annual pay raise and given an unpaid week off.

Around the same time, a dispatcher that had been fired - in part because of Arganda -accused him of propositioning her for sex in exchange for giving her job back.

In Arganda's account to police officials, he writes of the accusation: "An investigation was initiated and to the best of my knowledge everything originally inquired upon has proven NOT to be true. I don't know the final outcome as of yet, but was told no violations were found on my part."

On May 14, amid a contentious divorce, Sanders-Arganda went to city officials, including the police chief, and said her sister had been telling the truth about the abuse.

The Westminster Police Department issued a restraining order against him, which states: "Family and friends have reported that Cindy (sic) has been victim of emotional and physical abuse over the past several months. Today, Cindy admitted to being victim of abuse…"

The department suspended him the next day.

Sanders-Arganda's accusation was supported by a letter sent May 19 by her doctor regarding a visit on Dec. 20, 2006: "… she had contusions on her left thoracic region, left rib region, left lateral wrist and right deltoid regions as well as her left scalp. These appeared to be caused by someone grabbing her tightly and squeezing these areas…. it was disclosed that these contusions were the result of an altercation with her husband and there had been many of these attacks."

Sanders-Arganda went to the police the day after a confrontation with Arganda on Mother's Day, 2007, when she went to pick up their two children. She gives her account in a request for a court protective order: "At that time, our children were coming down the stairs and the Respondent (Arganda) started telling our children that I had 'traded' them for other kids. He further said that 'there are other children calling me mommy, that they should not call me mommy and that I chose to be with other kids instead of them this weekend…'

"I immediately started to cry and said that I won't leave without my kids. The Respondent then went outside to his car, as though he was leaving, but returned to our home and said, 'No, I am not leaving, you need to leave.' The Respondent then told our son… that 'the reason that mommy and daddy are getting a divorce is because mommy sends naked pictures of herself to other men.' 'Do you want to see them?' He then opened his phone to show the pictures to (him). I said, 'No, no, I will leave.'"

After an argument at their daughter's school the following morning ended with Arganda chasing her in his car and throwing a can of soda at her car, she went to work in tears and told her supervisor what had been happening, according to the request for court order.

She accused Arganda of hitting, slapping, pushing, hair-pulling, threatening to rape her, threatening to kill her, and of manipulative and pyschologically abusive behavior.

Arganda denied the accusations of abuse in a court filing, saying that she and her mother were telling the children lies about him.

Former Trooper Paul Galietti Pleads Guilty to Unauthorized Use of Database

A former state trooper whose cousin was a top salesman in James Galante's garbage empire was spared jail time Wednesday in U.S. District Court at his sentencing for illegally checking the license plate of a competing trash hauler on a law enforcement database.

Paul Galietti, 41, pleaded guilty in October before Judge Ellen Bree Burns to intentionally exceeding his authorized access to a government computer, a crime punishable by up to a year in prison.

But a plea agreement between federal prosecutors and his lawyer, Gary A. Mastronardi, called for a maximum jail sentence of six months, which Burns spared him altogether Wednesday by imposing a $1,000 fine during sentencing proceedings that lasted about 10 minutes.

When Galietti pleaded guilty, Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Miller said in court that federal agents overheard Galietti talking to his cousin, Richard Galietti, who at the time was sales manager for Galante-controlled Automated Waste Disposal, on a call in September 2004.

During the call, Miller said, Richard Galietti asked his cousin to run a check on a Connecticut license plate. Minutes later federal agents heard Paul Galietti giving Richard Galietti the name of the person the car was registered to.

The person was affiliated with a small trash hauling company in Danbury that was not participating in the so-called "property rights system" that artificially kept prices for trash collection in the area high, Miller said.

After he gave his cousin the information, agents overheard Paul Galietti warning of the risks of other people finding out about the check, Miller said.

"Never tell anybody I did that for you, because you'll get me fired," Miller quoted Galietti as saying. "It's a serious thing now, OK?"

According to Miller, when Richard Galietti then told his cousin that his brother, a sheriff in Florida, had gotten in trouble for the same reason, Paul Galietti said: "Yeah, no really, the federal government pinches you now. That's a real f---ing serious thing."

Later, Miller said, state police checked the law enforcement database Galietti accessed and found that a query of the plate had occurred during the wiretapped conversation, from the troop Galietti was assigned to.

Galietti resigned from the state police after being indicted as part of the Galante probe. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed never to seek any employment in law enforcement.

All 33 people arrested as a result of the federal investigation into trash hauling in the area have pleaded guilty.

Galante himself is serving an 87-month prison sentence on racketeering, wire fraud and tax evasion charges. He also forfeited ownership of 25 trash hauling companies, a Southbury residence, six race cars and nearly $450,000 in cash seized during the investigation.

Paul Galietti's day in court he pleaded guilty to exceeding his authorized access to a government computer in October 2008. n Plea agreement called for a jail sentence up to six months and a fine of up to $5,000. n U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns sentenced Galietti on Wednesday to a $1,000 fine.
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http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-ap-ct-trashprobeaug12,0,3596851.story

Two DeKalb County Officers Accused of Running Background Check on Barack Obama

Two DeKalb County police officers have been accused of running a criminal background check on Barack Obama. The DeKalb County Police Department was informed by the U.S. Secret Service that DeKalb County computers were used to run a query on Obama. It isn't known what motive the officers may have had, but the department says they have both been put on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Perhaps they were bored and thought it would be fun. Perhaps they thought that they might find, with a simple background check, things that thousands of reporters, conservative pundits and, yes, even members of the Democratic Party were unable to find. Whatever the case, it was a stupid move. (Great, the one time Obama could have actually called two cops "stupid" and been correct and he's busy drinking beer with another cop and an old college buddy.)

As a private investigator, I don't know how many hundreds of "backgrounds" I've researched on "Subjects" , as we call them, the hard way - going through court records, talking with friends, family and neighbors, tracking down any scrap of information I could find to piece together a picture of someone I was hired to investigate. Of course, there are online services where you pay a fee to get some information, but it's usually not anywhere near the same information you get through old fashioned "leg work".

That's not the case with law enforcement agencies. They use the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) to get a rundown on the person they're investigating. The thing is, they're only suppose to use that system when they are officially investigating someone. It might be as simple as a traffic stop by a uniformed police officer, but there has to be a legitimate reason to "run an NCIC". They are NOT suppose to use the system to just randomly check the backgrounds of individuals...and every cop knows that - every cop. They learn that in the academy about the time they learn to recite the "Miranda Rights".

Perhaps these guys were paid by someone who wanted them to dig up something on Obama. Or maybe they just wanted to see if they could unravel the riddle of where Obama was really born. It doesn't matter; what's done is done. The stupid thing was thinking they could do it and get away with it without anyone noticing. Yeah, there would have been no way for the Secret Service to trace a computer query on the President of The United States... right.

But here's a bigger question. Why is it illegal to check up on the president? Everytime I've ever covered or met with a U.S. President, or for that matter a foreign president, during my years a reporter, I've had to agree to a background check by the Secret Service - every single time. Now, I can understand that for reasons of national security, but if the guy is already sitting in the glass bowl, if he's paid by us and we put him there, what's wrong with anyone having the right to say, "Now, let's just see if you've ever shoplifted a candy bar or embezzled funds from an employer", no matter who he is or which side of the political aisle he comes from. I mean we already have the right to see his personal tax return each year. And I'm certain that the Russians have had ever detail they need about U.S. Presidents and their background information from the get-go. In fact, if you'll recall, we all saw more of Ronald Reagan than we bargained for when he had a colon exam. So, aside from that small matter of violating department policy, what was the real harm in a couple of cops checking up on the president?

Potential abuse - that's the problem. If people wearing sidearms and vested with the power to arrest aren't kept in check, some might take it upon themselves to abuse their power.

I'm a strong supporter of law enforcement. The men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line - that "Thin Blue Line" - everyday to stand between us and evil. So that's why this is important for the DeKalb County Police Department - and just plain dumb for the DeKalb County cops. And it's a real shame.
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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/30/ga-officers-accused-running-background-checks-obama/?test=latestnews

Officer Thurman Hathaway Arrested for Unauthorized Use of Database

Police and city officials in Cochran are scheduled to meet today to discuss the employment of a Cochran police officer charged with criminal trespass and violating the rules and regulations associated with the Georgia Crime Information Center database.

Thurman Hathaway, 38, of Cochran, was arrested Wednesday following a GBI investigation, said Todd Lowery, assistant special agent in charge of the GBI’s Eastman office. Authorities say Hathaway is accused of calling in the tag number of a male friend of a former female friend for personal reasons and checking the number against the GCIC database.

Lowery said the database contains vehicle registration information, information about wanted individuals and other information used by law enforcement during criminal investigations.

It’s illegal to access the database without a legitimate law enforcement purpose, he said.

The criminal trespass charge is based on Hathaway calling in the tag number from the woman’s residence, Lowery said.

Bleckley County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Daniel Cape said the case was forwarded to the GBI after someone reported Hathaway’s actions by calling dispatchers.

Cochran Police Chief Jon Thrower said Hathaway was placed on leave without pay following his arrest. He described Hathaway as having a “lifelong” career in corrections and law enforcement. Hathaway has been a Cochran police officer for about three and a half years, Thrower said.

“We were shocked when this happened,” Thrower said. He’s always done a good job as a police officer.”

Hathaway was released on $5,100 bond Wednesday, Cape said.

Officer Michael Ficken Charged with Misconduct

A Prior Lake police officer was charged today with misconduct by an officer and three misdemeanor crimes after he allegedly ran the license plate of a car that was parked at the home of his former girlfriend, then caused a disturbance after finding her and a man in her bedroom.

Michael A. Ficken, 34, of Prior Lake, was charged in Scott County District Court with one count each of misconduct by a public officer, which is a gross misdemeanor, as well as misdemeanor disorderly conduct, damage to property and fifth-degree assault.

Court papers say that on June 10, while he was on duty, Ficken went to the home owned by a woman in Prior Lake, where he once lived. He had been given until June 15 to move out his belongings. Ficken had a key and always had contacted the woman who owns the residence before going there, according to court papers. This time, however, he did not call before arriving.

When he saw a car he did not recognize in the driveway, he ran the plate, then entered the house to try to contact the woman. He allegedly broke down a bedroom door as the woman tried to hold it shut, then yelled at her and a man who also was in the room. Ficken was in uniform and was wearing his gun and Taser at the time. He did not draw the weapons, though he placed his hand on his gun, court papers say.

Because of a potential conflict of interest, the case is being prosecuted by the Dakota County attorney's office. Ficken was released from jail on his own recognizance today after appearing in Scott County District Court.
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http://kstp.com/news/stories/S976524.shtml?cat=1

Former Officer Jason Carey Hughes Arrested for Illegal Use of Database

A former law enforcement officer was arrested on Thursday for the illegal use of state computer databases.

Former Headland Police officer Jason Carey Hughes is accused of tapping into law enforcement tactical system software to obtain criminal records. Those records weren't used for official police business.

He was arrested by officers with the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center and taken to the Henry County Jail.

"The LETS system is an invaluable tool for law enforcement, and the information it contains is privileged, confidential and is protected by law," said Maury Mitchell, ACJIC Director. "We take the use of LETS for reasons other than legitimate law enforcement or criminal justice purposes seriously, and will aggressively investigate and seek prosecution whenever it is misused."

Charges:
One count of unauthorized use of a computer to obtain criminal records of individuals through the Law Enforcement Tactical System (LETS), which is the property of the ACJIC. This is a violation of Code of Alabama Section 13A-8-102(a), a class A misdemeanor, and is punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment and a fine of up to $6,000; and

One count of unauthorized disclosure of computerized criminal records obtained through the Law Enforcement Tactical System, which is the property of the ACJIC. This is a violation of Code of Alabama Section 13A-8-102(c), a class A misdemeanor, and is punishable by up to 12 monthsimprisonment and a fine of up to $6,000.
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Former Officer Jason Carey Hughes Arrested for Unauthorized Use of Database

The Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC) has announced the arrest 38 year old Jason Carey Hughes, a former officer of the Headland, Alabama Police Department, for allegedly misusing confidential law enforcement information.

Hughes, 38, was arrested Thursday morning by agents of ACJIC, the state agency responsible for gathering and providing critical information to Alabama law enforcement and criminal justice agencies.

Hughes was taken to the Henry County jail.

The Alabama Attorney General’s office presented evidence to a Henry County grand jury which resulted in the two-count indictment* against Hughes.

Specifically, the indictment charges Hughes with:

1. One count of unauthorized use of a computer to obtain criminal records of individuals through the Law Enforcement Tactical System (LETS), which is the property of the ACJIC. This is a violation of Code of Alabama Section 13A-8-102(a).

2. One count of unauthorized disclosure of computerized criminal records obtained through the Law Enforcement Tactical System. This is a violation of Code of Alabama Section 13A-8-102(c).

Both charges are Class A misdemeanors, each punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment and a fine of up to $6,000.

Sgt. Cher Sneider Accused of Trying to Date Suspect

The city's acting police chief is seeking the firing of a sergeant he accuses of lying and inappropriate conduct, including trying to date a suspect under investigation.

Sgt. Cher Sneider, while off duty, had an on-duty patrol officer on May 10, 2008, tap into a secure police database to get Sneider the phone number of a man who was under investigation by the department, according to administrative charges filed against her.

Sneider thought the man was "hot" and wanted to call him so she could go out with him, the charging document says.

The man, identified only as John Doe in the document, was a city resident with a known criminal history with the department. At the time, city police were investigating him and his residence on suspicion of illegal activity, including illegal drugs, the charging document states.

Sneider made four calls with her personal cell phone to the man's residence on May 10, 2008, one call the following day and two calls on May 17, 2008, the document says. She also stopped at his home May 11, but he wasn't there, the document states.

During the investigation into Sneider, she denied that she requested the man's number from the patrol officer, that she attempted to contact him and that she had a personal interest in him, the document says. Sneider has been on paid administrative leave since November.

Police Department rules require that officers engage in professional conduct, refrain from associating with people of questionable character, use city resources only for work and "speak the truth at all times."

Acting Chief Daniel Meister is asking the city's Police and Fire Commission to dismiss Sneider.

Meister says in the statement of charges that because of the pending case and Sneider's past discipline, she can "no longer testify credibly or function effectively as a law enforcement officer" in the city.

Sneider's attorney, Jennifer Dorow, said Monday that the charges are without merit and that Sneider will fight the allegations.

Sneider denies trying to have a relationship with John Doe, Dorow said. The attorney said Sneider did have contact with the man, but only in an official capacity related to a noise complaint.

"When all is said and done, you have an officer with a history of exceptional service. Seeking to fire her is ridiculous," Dorow said, noting that Sneider in the past had received a bravery medal from the department for helping to rescue a person at a fire scene.

Sneider, according to the charging document, has been disciplined four times in the past, including a one-day suspension in July 2005 for unprofessional conduct and untruthfulness. She twice received oral counseling and once received a written reprimand.

Sneider has been an officer with the department since January 2000 and was promoted to sergeant in November 2006.

The Sneider charges are the latest controversy involving the city Police Department.

Chief Gary Bach, who had been under fire, agreed to resign from the department effective Dec. 31, in exchange for a $170,000 payout. He had been on paid leave since July 23 when the city launched an investigation into him.

In a John Doe investigation started at Bach's request last fall, Sneider testified that a conspiracy existed within the Police Department to get Bach fired.

In February, Meister said Sneider's leave had nothing to do with her allegiance to Bach.

Former Officer James Formato, Officer Dino Vitalo & Others Arrested for Armed Robberies

A reputed mob boss, a police officer and five other men were charged Thursday in a sweeping racketeering indictment that alleges eight years of armed robberies, burglaries, jewel thefts and arson based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Michael "The Large Guy" Sarno, 51, of Westchester allegedly masterminded much of the group's illegal activity, including a February 2003 pipe-bomb explosion that wrecked the storefront offices of a company distributing video poker machines.

Prosecutors say the bombing was a message from organized crime to stop intruding on its $13-million-a-year video poker gambling business.

Sarno, 51, went to prison in the early 1990s as a member of an organized crime family based in the western suburbs headed by Ernest Rocco Infelice.

Federal agents searched Sarno's home last July and also raided the headquarters and various hangouts of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. An alliance has developed between the violence-prone club and the Chicago mob, prosecutors say.

Sarno's attorney, Terence P. Gillespie, did not return a message for comment. But he said in a previous interview with The Associated Press that Sarno was not a mob member and was "a legitimate businessman."

Two men arrested the day of the July 2008 searches and later indicted, Mark Polchan, 41, an acknowledged member of the Outlaws, and Samuel Volpendesto, 85, were also charged in the fresh indictment. They are accused of setting off the bomb that demolished C&S Coin Operated Amusements of Berwyn, a video poker device distributor.

At the time, a video poker distributing company controlled by members and associates of the Chicago mob had a grip on the market for the devices, experts say.

Video poker devices are legal in Illinois if they are not used for gambling, but bartenders often pay winners under the table in many places and experts say the mob frequently takes a healthy cut of what the machines take in.

Gov. Pat Quinn is deciding whether to sign a bill to make video poker gambling legal to finance public works — something good government forces deplore. They say the machines are addictive and some breadwinners have gambled away their paychecks.

Also charged in the indictment:

—James Formato, 42, a former Berwyn police officer accused of serving as a courier for stolen money, taking part in an attempted robbery and other crimes.

—Mark Hay, 52, described as taking part in the robbery of jewelry stores.

—Anthony Volpendesto, 46, son of Samuel Volpendesto, who also is alleged to have taken part in robbing jewelry stores.

—Dino Vitalo, 40, a Cicero police officer since 1991, accused of searching law enforcement data bases and using the information to tip off criminals and searching for electronic surveillance equipment around a jewelry store operated by Polchan. Cicero officials on Thursday placed Vitalo on administrative leave.

Prosecutors are asking the court to force the defendants if convicted to forfeit $1.8 million — a possible measure of the amount taken in the robberies.
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http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6844795