A veteran deputy who recently resigned from the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office was arrested on a gun charge in New York near the Canadian border Sunday.
An officer in New York told the Herald-Journal Thursday that Leo Thao, 39, remained in the custody of Jefferson County authorities. Thao is accused of carrying a loaded 9-mm handgun in New York without the gun being registered. New York state law classifies carrying a gun without it being registered as a misdemeanor if it is empty and as a felony if it is loaded. The Jefferson County officer said it is a common charge filed against truck drivers.
Thao submitted a resignation letter last week, Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Tony Ivey said.
"He tendered a letter of resignation, and the next thing we know, we're getting a call from authorities in New York," Ivey said.
Thao worked at the sheriff's office 14 years, was a master deputy and member of the court security team at the time of his resignation. Ivey said Thao "turned in all equipment," including his service weapon, when he resigned.
The Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times reported Tuesday that Thao was arrested at U.S. Customs on Wellesly Island and charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The paper reported that Thao was denied entry to Canada by its Customs officials and sent back to U.S. Customs for further investigation.
Showing posts with label weapons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weapons. Show all posts
Friday, January 15, 2010
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Trooper Elton Jones Arrested for Breaking into Home
An Indiana state trooper is facing criminal charges after he allegedly broke into a Lansing home and attacked a homeowner, police said.
State Trooper Elton D. Jones, 28, of Valparaiso, faces armed robbery, home invasion and weapons charges in connection with the Sunday night burglary.
Police think Jones and two other men, ages 19 and 30, broke into a Lansing cou-ple's home while they were sleeping, according to WILX-TV in Lansing. The homeowner was assaulted when he came downstairs af-ter hearing noises, police said. The men held the cou-ple at gunpoint while the home was ransacked, WILX-TV reported.
The homeowner was able to escape, and the attackers fled soon after, taking only a briefcase with them, the television station reported.
The suspects were arrested a few hours later by police, the station reported.
Jones was working as a trooper based in South Bend. He was appointed to the state police in August 2008. He graduated from the state police academy in December 2008.
The Indiana State Police fired Jones Tuesday after-noon as a result of the charges. If convicted on all three, he could face life in prison.
State Trooper Elton D. Jones, 28, of Valparaiso, faces armed robbery, home invasion and weapons charges in connection with the Sunday night burglary.
Police think Jones and two other men, ages 19 and 30, broke into a Lansing cou-ple's home while they were sleeping, according to WILX-TV in Lansing. The homeowner was assaulted when he came downstairs af-ter hearing noises, police said. The men held the cou-ple at gunpoint while the home was ransacked, WILX-TV reported.
The homeowner was able to escape, and the attackers fled soon after, taking only a briefcase with them, the television station reported.
The suspects were arrested a few hours later by police, the station reported.
Jones was working as a trooper based in South Bend. He was appointed to the state police in August 2008. He graduated from the state police academy in December 2008.
The Indiana State Police fired Jones Tuesday after-noon as a result of the charges. If convicted on all three, he could face life in prison.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Former Chief Jose Cruz Arrested for Kidnapping
The former police chief in the Gulf coast port of Veracruz was among 11 people arrested for the kidnapping of Mexican customs official Francisco Serrano Aramoni, who remains missing and is feared dead.
Jose Osiris Cruz was detained Wednesday by military police, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office said.
A Veracruz state judge issued warrants for the arrest of Cruz and 10 other suspects on charges of racketeering, drug trafficking and illegal weapons possession, AG office spokesman Ricardo Celso Najera said.
Serrano, the head of the customs office in Veracruz, was driving home from work the night of June 1 when another vehicle rammed his vehicle and forced him to stop. Armed assailants then grabbed the official and drove away.
Since taking office in December 2006, President Felipe Calderon has deployed more than 50,000 soldiers and 20,000 federal police officers across Mexico in a bid to crush the country’s powerful drug cartels.
The operation has failed to put a dent in the violence due, according to experts, to the cartels’ ability to buy off police and even high-ranking prosecutors.
Jose Osiris Cruz was detained Wednesday by military police, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office said.
A Veracruz state judge issued warrants for the arrest of Cruz and 10 other suspects on charges of racketeering, drug trafficking and illegal weapons possession, AG office spokesman Ricardo Celso Najera said.
Serrano, the head of the customs office in Veracruz, was driving home from work the night of June 1 when another vehicle rammed his vehicle and forced him to stop. Armed assailants then grabbed the official and drove away.
Since taking office in December 2006, President Felipe Calderon has deployed more than 50,000 soldiers and 20,000 federal police officers across Mexico in a bid to crush the country’s powerful drug cartels.
The operation has failed to put a dent in the violence due, according to experts, to the cartels’ ability to buy off police and even high-ranking prosecutors.
Former Officer Joseph Bonachita Arrested for Burglary
A former Kauai police officer has been arrested on burglary, terroristic threats and weapons charges.
Forty-one-year-old Joseph Bonachita is out on $25,000 bail after being arrested earlier this week. Authorities have provided few details about the case.
Bonachita declined to comment.
The former officer also was the subject of a temporary restraining order filed by a woman shortly before she was found dead outside her Puhi home Aug. 17.
Police initially said they believed foul play was involved in 27-year-old Lauren Kagawa’s death but later determined it was a lethal mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol. They say they’re still investigating.
Bonachita, who Kagawa alleged had sexually assaulted her, has not been named as a suspect in the case, but police say they haven’t ruled him out.
Forty-one-year-old Joseph Bonachita is out on $25,000 bail after being arrested earlier this week. Authorities have provided few details about the case.
Bonachita declined to comment.
The former officer also was the subject of a temporary restraining order filed by a woman shortly before she was found dead outside her Puhi home Aug. 17.
Police initially said they believed foul play was involved in 27-year-old Lauren Kagawa’s death but later determined it was a lethal mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol. They say they’re still investigating.
Bonachita, who Kagawa alleged had sexually assaulted her, has not been named as a suspect in the case, but police say they haven’t ruled him out.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Deputy Esequiel Sauceda Buying Weapons for Someone Else
A former Cameron County sheriff's deputy was arraigned Friday for allegedly straw-purchasing three pistols at a local sporting goods store.
Esequiel Sauceda, 31, pleaded not guilty to making a false statement in firearms records. He was released on $50,000 bond.
His lawyer, Robert Lerma, said he was still familiarizing himself with the case and did not yet have any comment. He said Sauceda had resigned from the sheriff's department. Some local news reports said Sauceda was terminated on Thursday. Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio did not immediately return a call for clarification.
According to the Sept. 1 federal indictment, Sauceda on Dec. 8, 2007, misrepresented himself as the final buyer of two .22-caliber pistols and one 9 mm pistol. It was unclear from court documents for whom the weapons were purchased, or if they wound up in Mexico.
“It boils down to he bought weapons for someone else,” said Franceska Perot, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
ATF special agents arrested Sauceda on Thursday.
A trial has been set to begin in November. If convicted, Sauceda faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Esequiel Sauceda, 31, pleaded not guilty to making a false statement in firearms records. He was released on $50,000 bond.
His lawyer, Robert Lerma, said he was still familiarizing himself with the case and did not yet have any comment. He said Sauceda had resigned from the sheriff's department. Some local news reports said Sauceda was terminated on Thursday. Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio did not immediately return a call for clarification.
According to the Sept. 1 federal indictment, Sauceda on Dec. 8, 2007, misrepresented himself as the final buyer of two .22-caliber pistols and one 9 mm pistol. It was unclear from court documents for whom the weapons were purchased, or if they wound up in Mexico.
“It boils down to he bought weapons for someone else,” said Franceska Perot, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
ATF special agents arrested Sauceda on Thursday.
A trial has been set to begin in November. If convicted, Sauceda faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Former Officer Brian Hinkel Charged with Aggravated Assault
FRANKLIN
Attorneys for a former police officer charged with aggravated assault on a state trooper said Friday their client did not reach for a loaded weapon as alleged.
Rosemont Avenue resident Brian Hinkel is free on $10,000 cash bail on charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. Police seized a massive cache of guns and ammunition from Hinkel's property -- an arsenal state police said is the largest they've ever seen.
The cache included 259 weapons, a live grenade, about 500,000 rounds of ammunition, gunpowder and military items.
Vineland attorneys Joseph O'Neill and Charles Coant are representing the former Vineland police officer.
O'Neill said the idea of a former police officer deciding to pick up a gun in the presence of armed troopers makes no sense.
"He emphatically denies all that," Coant said. "He said he just got the coat and never pointed the weapon at anyone. It would be asinine as a former police officer. The trooper would have been armed and he wouldn't have done it."
Hinkel's legal problems started Monday when troopers went to his house to bring him in for questioning about burglaries in Salem County.
State police say Hinkel asked for a moment to get a jacket and in the process picked up a loaded weapon from a kitchen table. Troopers say they wrestled the gun away from him.
"I believe what our client has told us," O'Neill said. "Normally, we don't accept what our client tells us until we have testimony from the other side and then we confront our client with it."
Troopers have spent most of this week searching the house and property after discovering the large store of weapons and munitions.
State police are in the process of investigating whether the weapons found are legally in Hinkel's possession.
"That's going to be an extensive search," state police spokesman Sgt. Julian Castellanos said Friday.
Castellanos said there have been no developments in the case.
O'Neill said authorities still were at the Rosemont Avenue property on Friday.
He said he has not discussed with Hinkel the reason for the collection or whether the weapons were properly obtained. His firm wants to see the state's list of evidence first, he said.
"The search warrants apparently were obtained on the basis of this allegation that he attempted to pull a gun," O'Neill said, calling it another reason to doubt the charge against Hinkel.
"If there is something wrong with having weapons, why would he be drawing attention to the weapons by pulling a gun?" he said.
What led state police to Hinkel was the arrest last week of a Williamstown man in connection with a Jan. 15 burglary at an Upper Pittsgrove farm.
Anthony D'Alessandro, 42, was arrested in Malaga in a motor vehicle stop and charged with burglary and theft.
Another man, identified as Peter Monteleone Jr., was traveling with D'Alessandro but escaped on foot. Monteleone, 42, of Folsom, is still missing.
O'Neill said he has not asked Hinkel about the two men.
"We will not talk to Brian until after we get discovery," O'Neill said. "Otherwise, we'll be asking him stuff that may or may not be true."
__________
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/182/story/389379.html
Attorneys for a former police officer charged with aggravated assault on a state trooper said Friday their client did not reach for a loaded weapon as alleged.
Rosemont Avenue resident Brian Hinkel is free on $10,000 cash bail on charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. Police seized a massive cache of guns and ammunition from Hinkel's property -- an arsenal state police said is the largest they've ever seen.
The cache included 259 weapons, a live grenade, about 500,000 rounds of ammunition, gunpowder and military items.
Vineland attorneys Joseph O'Neill and Charles Coant are representing the former Vineland police officer.
O'Neill said the idea of a former police officer deciding to pick up a gun in the presence of armed troopers makes no sense.
"He emphatically denies all that," Coant said. "He said he just got the coat and never pointed the weapon at anyone. It would be asinine as a former police officer. The trooper would have been armed and he wouldn't have done it."
Hinkel's legal problems started Monday when troopers went to his house to bring him in for questioning about burglaries in Salem County.
State police say Hinkel asked for a moment to get a jacket and in the process picked up a loaded weapon from a kitchen table. Troopers say they wrestled the gun away from him.
"I believe what our client has told us," O'Neill said. "Normally, we don't accept what our client tells us until we have testimony from the other side and then we confront our client with it."
Troopers have spent most of this week searching the house and property after discovering the large store of weapons and munitions.
State police are in the process of investigating whether the weapons found are legally in Hinkel's possession.
"That's going to be an extensive search," state police spokesman Sgt. Julian Castellanos said Friday.
Castellanos said there have been no developments in the case.
O'Neill said authorities still were at the Rosemont Avenue property on Friday.
He said he has not discussed with Hinkel the reason for the collection or whether the weapons were properly obtained. His firm wants to see the state's list of evidence first, he said.
"The search warrants apparently were obtained on the basis of this allegation that he attempted to pull a gun," O'Neill said, calling it another reason to doubt the charge against Hinkel.
"If there is something wrong with having weapons, why would he be drawing attention to the weapons by pulling a gun?" he said.
What led state police to Hinkel was the arrest last week of a Williamstown man in connection with a Jan. 15 burglary at an Upper Pittsgrove farm.
Anthony D'Alessandro, 42, was arrested in Malaga in a motor vehicle stop and charged with burglary and theft.
Another man, identified as Peter Monteleone Jr., was traveling with D'Alessandro but escaped on foot. Monteleone, 42, of Folsom, is still missing.
O'Neill said he has not asked Hinkel about the two men.
"We will not talk to Brian until after we get discovery," O'Neill said. "Otherwise, we'll be asking him stuff that may or may not be true."
__________
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/182/story/389379.html
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
What Are You Afraid Of?
"Police ask to carry own rifles" (Arizona Republic, November 24)
"Phoenix police union officials are proposing that 200 senior officers be allowed to buy their own semiautomatic rifles to use on the job after some said they felt more at risk and asked for additional firepower."
Pretty dangerous out there, eh, boys? In 2007, in fact, two officers were killed on the job, whereas 2008 has seen a whopping one on-the-job death. From an automobile accident, which no doubt could have been prevented had there been a semiautomatic rifle at hand.
Naturally, you guys are afraid -- according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website, the Phoenix Police Department has been fairly plagued with on-the-job deaths. Thirty-four -- that's thirty-four officers have been killed in the line of duty, fifteen of them by gunfire, since 1925. That averages out to -- let's see; .41 deaths per year.
According to the Arizona Republic, about 76% of Phoenix officers surveyed said that the job "has become increasingly violent since they graduated from the police academy." I'm sure it has. The use of percussion grenades, battering rams, armored vehicles and assault rifles against suspected drug users and their families has increased by quantum leaps in the past decade.
Think about this...If you get a bigger weapon, the 'bad guy' is going to try and get an even bigger weapon, and then you feel the need to getter a bigger and badder weapon, and then the 'bad guy' ....you get the picture. How big does your weapon have to be? Where does it finally stop? There is another way, and it's not a better weapon than the Jones have.
Since you are the ones causing the violence, I'm pretty sure that arming yourselves with even more weapons isn't going to improve matters. It might make you feel safer, but I was under the impression that we pay, and trust, you to protect us. You remember us, don't you -- the public?
"Phoenix police union officials are proposing that 200 senior officers be allowed to buy their own semiautomatic rifles to use on the job after some said they felt more at risk and asked for additional firepower."
Pretty dangerous out there, eh, boys? In 2007, in fact, two officers were killed on the job, whereas 2008 has seen a whopping one on-the-job death. From an automobile accident, which no doubt could have been prevented had there been a semiautomatic rifle at hand.
Naturally, you guys are afraid -- according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website, the Phoenix Police Department has been fairly plagued with on-the-job deaths. Thirty-four -- that's thirty-four officers have been killed in the line of duty, fifteen of them by gunfire, since 1925. That averages out to -- let's see; .41 deaths per year.
According to the Arizona Republic, about 76% of Phoenix officers surveyed said that the job "has become increasingly violent since they graduated from the police academy." I'm sure it has. The use of percussion grenades, battering rams, armored vehicles and assault rifles against suspected drug users and their families has increased by quantum leaps in the past decade.
Think about this...If you get a bigger weapon, the 'bad guy' is going to try and get an even bigger weapon, and then you feel the need to getter a bigger and badder weapon, and then the 'bad guy' ....you get the picture. How big does your weapon have to be? Where does it finally stop? There is another way, and it's not a better weapon than the Jones have.
Since you are the ones causing the violence, I'm pretty sure that arming yourselves with even more weapons isn't going to improve matters. It might make you feel safer, but I was under the impression that we pay, and trust, you to protect us. You remember us, don't you -- the public?
Friday, July 25, 2008
Officer and Wife Held in Federal Custody
WINTER PARK, Fla.
A press conference was held Tuesday afternoon regarding the arrest of an Altamonte Springs police officer.
Officer Clay Adams and his wife were arrested by federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Monday night on drugs and weapons charges.
Adams was arrested when he arrived to work for his shift Monday night.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Bodnar said most of the evidence in this case comes from audio and videotapes revealing conversations with Adams as he attempted to recruit a confidential government informant into an operation to grow and sell marijuana.
"Well it is very troubling, but right now the case is in a complaint stage, we anticipate going before the grand jury in the near future," Bodnar said.
The 36-year-old officer served for nine years in Altamonte Springs and was promoted three times, but was suspended after his arrest.
His wife is accused of ordering marijuana seeds from the Netherlands using her home computer.
The arrest affidavit reported that Adams and his wife ran a marijuana grow house, supplying distributors in Tallahassee and are also accused of dealing in illicit prescription drugs.
Adams is also accused of possession of weapons and explosives.
"To be very honest, I’m extremely disappointed in this whole situation. I’m very upset and we work very, very hard to try to build a reputation in the community, only to have it brought down by the careless actions of Officer Adams is inexcusable," Altamonte Springs Chief Robert Merchant said.
The Altamonte Springs Chief of Police and the Seminole County Sheriff also attended the conference.
The affidavit reported Adams threatened to kill a Seminole County deputy who filed a complaint of poor performance that resulted in Adams' termination from a Seminole County drug task force.
It was reported that Adams told the police informant that after the situation calmed down, he would "take the supervisor out, using a high-powered rifle and a silencer."
"Threats have been made by both of the defendants in this case, regarding the safety of a confidential informant and others involved in the investigation," Bodnar said.
It was also reported that Adams provided weapons to the police informant who was also a convicted felon and gave that informant information about the names, vehicles and techniques of undercover drug agents.
"I think the public should have trust in the fact that law enforcement has done the right thing here and caught someone that we believe is involved in a criminal enterprise, we still have to prove it of course, but they’ve done their best to remove someone who is a threat to the community off the street," Bodnar said.
Altamonte Springs Chief released Adam’s personnel record showing that while no formal punishments were issued, there were several accounts of citizen complaints stating Adams was rude and disrespectful.
Adams and his wife will remain in federal custody in jail until Friday at the least. Friday is when both the officer and his wife have another court hearing at the Federal Court House to argue for their release.
Altamonte police will investigate all cases involving Adams in the nine years he served on the Altamonte police force to ensure no cases were compromised.
A press conference was held Tuesday afternoon regarding the arrest of an Altamonte Springs police officer.
Officer Clay Adams and his wife were arrested by federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Monday night on drugs and weapons charges.
Adams was arrested when he arrived to work for his shift Monday night.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Bodnar said most of the evidence in this case comes from audio and videotapes revealing conversations with Adams as he attempted to recruit a confidential government informant into an operation to grow and sell marijuana.
"Well it is very troubling, but right now the case is in a complaint stage, we anticipate going before the grand jury in the near future," Bodnar said.
The 36-year-old officer served for nine years in Altamonte Springs and was promoted three times, but was suspended after his arrest.
His wife is accused of ordering marijuana seeds from the Netherlands using her home computer.
The arrest affidavit reported that Adams and his wife ran a marijuana grow house, supplying distributors in Tallahassee and are also accused of dealing in illicit prescription drugs.
Adams is also accused of possession of weapons and explosives.
"To be very honest, I’m extremely disappointed in this whole situation. I’m very upset and we work very, very hard to try to build a reputation in the community, only to have it brought down by the careless actions of Officer Adams is inexcusable," Altamonte Springs Chief Robert Merchant said.
The Altamonte Springs Chief of Police and the Seminole County Sheriff also attended the conference.
The affidavit reported Adams threatened to kill a Seminole County deputy who filed a complaint of poor performance that resulted in Adams' termination from a Seminole County drug task force.
It was reported that Adams told the police informant that after the situation calmed down, he would "take the supervisor out, using a high-powered rifle and a silencer."
"Threats have been made by both of the defendants in this case, regarding the safety of a confidential informant and others involved in the investigation," Bodnar said.
It was also reported that Adams provided weapons to the police informant who was also a convicted felon and gave that informant information about the names, vehicles and techniques of undercover drug agents.
"I think the public should have trust in the fact that law enforcement has done the right thing here and caught someone that we believe is involved in a criminal enterprise, we still have to prove it of course, but they’ve done their best to remove someone who is a threat to the community off the street," Bodnar said.
Altamonte Springs Chief released Adam’s personnel record showing that while no formal punishments were issued, there were several accounts of citizen complaints stating Adams was rude and disrespectful.
Adams and his wife will remain in federal custody in jail until Friday at the least. Friday is when both the officer and his wife have another court hearing at the Federal Court House to argue for their release.
Altamonte police will investigate all cases involving Adams in the nine years he served on the Altamonte police force to ensure no cases were compromised.
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