Former Officer Ricky Vitte Jr Appears in Court on Charges of Masturbating With Boy

The former Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper accused of masturbating with a boy and showing him porn pleaded not guilty Monday at his first court appearance.

Ricky Vitte Jr., 34, of Helena, attended his arraignment hearing in Sandusky County Common Pleas Court on a felony charge and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. He was flanked at the hearing by his attorney, Dean Henry, as well as a few family members.

After Vitte pleaded not guilty to both counts, Sandusky County prosecutor Tom Stierwalt asked that the former trooper be released on his own recognizance, citing his appearance at the arraignment as an indication he would appear at the next hearing.

A condition of that bond, however, requires Vitte to completely avoid contact with the victim, who is now 18 years old.

As part of the proceedings, Judge Barbara Ansted ran through a laundry list of activities Vitte cannot engage in, given his pending charges.

One of those — a rule barring him from possessing a firearm — prompted Ansted to mention Vitte’s former Highway Patrol job.

“You don’t need (one) for your job anymore?” Ansted asked.

Vitte replied with a succinct “no.”

After the hearing, Henry and Stierwalt hashed out the next hearing date and Vitte was briefly booked into the Sandusky County jail on his indictment.

His arraignment came after nearly four months of conflicting information from Sandusky County officials, Highway Patrol administrators and Ohio Director of Public Safety Jon Born’s office.

In November, Sandusky County deputies learned Vitte allegedly showed porn to a boy and masturbated with him on two occasions when the boy was still a preteen.

Stierwalt at first declined to charge Vitte because the former trooper could argue he was teaching the child about sex. Stierwalt presented the case in April to a grand jury, which handed down an indictment. 

The Patrol then fired Vitte for conduct unbecoming of an officer.

During the Patrol’s investigation of the allegations, Stierwalt said he consulted with a Lucas County prosecutor, who agreed with Stierwalt’s initial decision not to press charges. In a recent public records request by the Register, however, Lucas County officials said they had no record of Stierwalt contacting their office. 

Officer Billy Hurst Accused of Wathcing Porn on City Computers

The fate of a Clinton police officer accused of viewing more than 23 hours of pornography during work hours could be known soon.

The Clinton Police and Fire Commission is set to meet today at City Hall, and included in the meeting's agenda is discussion of the employment case of 40-year old Billy Hurst. The 15-year veteran is accused of watching pornography on city-owned computers between November 2008 and January 2009.

Earlier this summer, the Commission heard a day and a half of testimony in the Hurst case.

He's accused of violating nine department rules including acting in a manner disrespectful of the law, violation of public trust and conduct unbecoming an officer.

Hurst has remained on the department staff since the charges were brought against him, however he was removed from his position as juvenile officer and reassigned to an overnight patrolman shift.

Hurst has not been criminally charged, however Police Chief Mike Reidy has asked for his dismissal from the force.

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http://www.examiner.com/x-7520-Chicago-Crime-Examiner~y2009m10d13-Cop-fired-for-watching-hard-core-porn-videos-in-squad-car

Officer Billy Hurst Accused of Viewing Porn in Police Car

A Clinton police officer accused of viewing pornography on his squad car computer is asking that evidence collected from the computer be barred from an upcoming disciplinary hearing because police officials are guilty of eavesdropping.

Patrolman Billy Hurst, 40, of Clinton will face the Clinton Police and Fire Commission on Aug. 13 on charges that he acted improperly by spending more than 23 hours watching pornography during working hours from Nov. 13, 2008, to Jan. 24. The charges filed in January initially sought a 30-day suspension for Hurst but were amended a month later by Clinton Police Chief Mike Reidy to ask that the officer be fired if found guilty by the three-member commission.

Hurst's attorney, Shane Voyles, with the Policemen's Benevolent labor committee, filed a civil complaint in May in DeWitt County court accusing Reidy of eavesdropping by monitoring Hurst's computer activities. Hurst did not consent to the city's installation of software put in place after viruses were detected on city computers, said Voyles.

Voyles is asking a judge to bar the computer information from Hurst's hearing. The defense attorney said Thursday that the police and fire board has declined to postpone the hearing until a ruling on the issue.

Agreed to follow agency's rules?

The commission and Reidy argued in response to the lawsuit that Hurst agreed when he was hired to follow agency rules, including a provision that "officers will not use the Mobile Data Terminals in any manner that would tend to discredit the Clinton Police Department."

Hurst was aware that any message sent to the computer was retrievable, said the response.

The officer also takes exception in his complaint to the release of information about the current disciplinary action and previous allegations lodged by the department against him. The specifics of the charges were released to the media under requests filed under the state Freedom of Information Act.

Voyles conceded Thursday that that portion of his complaint may be moot in light of a recent Illinois 4th District Appellate Court ruling that prohibits police agencies from withholding the results of internal investigations.

"I think the ruling is wrong but that's what the law is," said Voyles.

Hurst remains on duty, but he was moved to the night patrol shift after charges were filed. He also was removed from his post as juvenile officer. He has been with the department about 15 years.

Officer Melbourne Hunnicutt Arrested for Viewing Porn While on Duty

Huntington police officer Melbourne Hunnicutt is on a suspended leave without pay while the city's Board of Public Works and Safety reviews charges brought against him.

"My recommendation is the termination of Officer Hunnicutt from the police department," Chief Tom Emely said.

In June, Emely presented the board of works with a "Notice of Chief's Charges." In the document, he said Hunnicutt repeatedly used department computers while on duty "for the purpose of accessing Web sites, pornographic in nature, which were not job-related and not authorized by Department of City of Huntington policy."

"The city and police department has a policy that does not allow access to that type of information unless it's conducted in an investigation in normal performance of duties," Emely said.

Hunnicutt allegedly searched for porn from May 24 through June 14.

"Where the computer was, one of our other officers happened to notice some things on the computer that were inappropriate and we conduced an investigation from that point on," Emely said.

In the chief's charges, Hunnicutt was accused of neglect of duty and conduct unbecoming of an officer. The board suspended Hunnicutt on June 23rd and set a decision date of July 20. Hunnicutt had until June 30 to request a hearing, which his lawyer did, according to Huntington City Attorney John Branham.

Branham told NewsChannel 15 Hunnicutt requested a full hearing before the board of works. In that hearing, Hunnicutt can challenge the allegations against him and/or the termination recommendation. Chief Emely will also present his side.

A date for the hearing hasn't been set yet, but Branham doesn't expect it to happen before August 15.

Hunnicutt had been with the department for about 18 years and was most recently a detective. The recent allegations, Emely said, have shaken the department.

"It's mixed emotions and disbelief that someone would do that. Some disappointment also," Emely said.

Hunnicutt and his lawyer couldn't be reached for comment on Wednesday.
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http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/50316687.html

Officer Billy Hurst Accused of Watching Porn While on Duty

CLINTON

A Clinton police officer accused of watching more than 23 hours of pornography while on duty has asked that disciplinary hearings be closed to keep confidential his allegations that others in the department also may have behaved inappropriately. Read full complaint (PDF) Read defense's motion (PDF)

Patrolman Billy Hurst faces a May 21 hearing before the Clinton Police and Fire Commission on charges that he violated department policy by using city-owned computers to watch adult pornography in his squad car.

According to documents obtained by The Pantagraph under a Freedom of Information Act request, Hurst allegedly viewed a total of 23 hours and 22 minutes of pornography during portions of 15 working days between Nov. 13 and Jan. 24.

The 15-year veteran of the Clinton department does not face criminal charges. He is paid $22.06 per hour for an annual salary of $45,892 and remains on duty pending the outcome of the police board hearings. He has declined to comment on the charges.

Shane Voyles, labor attorney with the Policemen’s Benevolent in Springfield, said Hurst will disprove the suggestion that Hurst’s conduct “is unusual or singular at the Clinton Police Department.”

When contacted by The Pantagraph Tuesday, Voyles declined to provide specifics about the statements contained in his motion.

City Police Commissioner Jerry Milton said he is not aware of any accusations involving other officers. “I’ve not heard any of that,” said Milton.

Two hearings have been closed to the media and public. Voyles suggested hearings remain closed “with all due haste, out of abundance of caution (if for no other reason.)”

City officials monitored computers starting in November after viruses were detected on city computers.

The time Hurst spent on alleged inappropriate activity ranged from three minutes on Nov. 13 to 217 minutes on Jan. 22, according to the complaint filed by the city.

Hurst violated nine departmental rules, including acting in a manner disrespectful of the law, violation of public trust and conduct unbecoming an officer, said the police documents.

The initial complaint, filed Jan. 30 by Chief Michael Reidy, recommended that Hurst be suspended for 30 days without pay. In an amended complaint filed Feb. 19, Reidy changed his recommendation to ask that Hurst be terminated if found guilty by the commission.

Potential witnesses against Hurst include DeWitt County State’s Attorney Richard Koritz, according to commission records. Koritz told city officials in February that he is concerned that Hurst’s alleged behavior may make him unsuitable as a witness in criminal cases.

The disciplinary action follows a 2003 action against Hurst for exposing himself at a local bar. He was given 15 days suspension without pay and reduced in rank from sergeant to patrolman.

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-patrolman-pornogr,0,4577444.story