Officer Joseph Gray Charged with DUI & Knocking out Window of Squad Car

PEORIA

A Peoria police officer is on paid leave following charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and knocking out the window of a Metamora squad car Sunday morning.

Joseph Gray, 33, a "patrol-level" officer who was hired by the Peoria Police Department in September 1999, was arrested after a single-vehicle accident on Hickory Point Road near Santa Fe Trail in Metamora.

According to a news release issued by Woodford County State's Attorney Michael Stroh, Gray has been charged with DUI, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and criminal damage to government supported property. The latter charge is a Class 4 felony, according to Stroh's release.

If Gray were to be convicted of a felony, he would be unable to serve as a police officer.

Woodford County Sheriff Jim Pierceall said Stroh was not allowing the accident report to be released to media because the crash remained under investigation Tuesday.

Stroh and Pierceall would not disclose Gray's blood-alcohol content, or confirm if tests had been conducted. They also would not say what Gray's vehicle crashed into.

Gray, who lives in Metamora, is next scheduled to appear in court April 2. According to the Woodford County Jail, Gray was arrested about 6:30 a.m. Sunday and bailed out Monday by posting $1,200 cash.

Peoria Police Chief Steven Settingsgaard said Gray is "on paid leave until we can obtain all the documentation and determine for certain what charges will be pursued."

Settingsgaard said an officer with pending criminal charges typically is placed on paid leave until the case, or the department's related internal investigation, is resolved. Discipline is determined at the conclusion of an internal investigation. An officer charged with a felony is placed on unpaid leave, and a felony conviction prevents employment as an officer.

According to Stroh's release, police found Gray alone in his car after the crash and arrested him for DUI based on their observations.

While being transported to the county jail, an agitated Gray reportedly began hitting and kicking the rear passenger-side window of the Metamora squad car, while also yelling to let him out. Glass in the window broke out, and window trim also was broken.

At that point, other officers assisted in restraining Gray and bringing him to jail, Stroh indicated.

Pierceall said his office provided a report to the state's attorney.

The monetary damage to the police car was not known. Metamora Police Chief Mike Todd did not return a phone call.

Use of Tasers being Reviewed in Missouri

A group calling itself the Coalition to Control Tasers is asking the Columbia, Missouri, police department to review its policy on the use of the weapons.

According to the Columbia Missourian, the coalition wants the police department to adopt a 52-policy guideline outlining how and when its officers should use Tasers. Last July the police department caught flak when they tasered a man who was threatening to commit suicide. Once shot, the man fell off a 15-foot overpass. The city later reached a $500,000 settlement with the man. The Columbia police now prohibit use of the weapons in misdemeanor offenses.

Meanwhile, in Jefferson City, state Sen. Joan Bray (D-St. Louis County) is pushing a bill that would create a statewide task force to review the safety of Tasers. The task force would include doctors, scientists, lawyers, police and two private citizens who've been shot with Tasers.

Officer Henry Knipple Arrested for Meancing

BROOMFIELD

A police officer found himself on the other side of the law last week.

Broomfield Police say Henry Jay Knipple was arrested last week following what they describe as a "traffic altercation" between two men.

Knipple was arrested; the other man does not face charges.

The Adams County District Attorney could file charges later this week. They say he could face a charge of felony menacing.

Knipple works in the Special Operations Division of the Denver Police Department. A spokesman tells 9NEWS he's now working a modified position pending any charges, which could come Wednesday.

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http://cbs4denver.com/local/officer.arrested.menacing.2.954581.html

Former Officer Jerry Bowens Accused of Shooting two Women

A former New York City police officer who resigned last year after being arrested on corruption charges is suspected of fatally shooting his 28-year-old ex-girlfriend and wounding another woman in Brooklyn on Sunday, the police said.

The police said the shooting happened shortly after 4:30 p.m. inside Apartment 1B of a condominium building at 84 Engert Avenue in Greenpoint.

The ex-girlfriend, identified by a family friend as Catherine D’Onofrio, was shot once in the head and taken to Bellevue Hospital Center, where she was pronounced dead.

The second woman, also 28, who lives in the apartment, suffered graze wounds to the head and arm and was listed in stable condition at Bellevue, the police said.

The police said the women were friends, possibly co-workers at a law firm.

The suspect, Jerry Bowens, 43, was identified by the surviving victim, the police said. Mr. Bowens was not in police custody as of late Sunday night, said Carlos Nieves, a police spokesman.

The police described Mr. Bowens as a former undercover narcotics unit officer who resigned last year after being arrested on corruption charges.

Mr. Bowens and another officer were accused in court papers of taking drugs and cash they had recovered and using the drugs to pay a confidential informant.

Four narcotics officers and a deputy police chief were arrested in the scandal. After the arrests, the Brooklyn district attorney dismissed the charges or vacated convictions in 183 cases that involved the accused officers. The investigation is continuing.

An attempt to reach a lawyer who represented Mr. Bowens in the corruption case was unsuccessful.

Annie Turchiano, who identified herself on Sunday as Ms. D’Onofrio’s godmother, said the woman worked as a legal secretary for a law firm in Manhattan and took care of her parents, both legally blind, at their home on 70th Street in Bensonhurst.

“The parents will never be the same,” Ms. Turchiano said.

Ms. Turchiano said that she met Mr. Bowens about two weeks ago at a dinner celebrating her goddaughter’s birthday. He was introduced by Ms. D’Onofrio as her “friend,” Ms. Turchiano said, adding that she believed the young woman was dating another man.

Later, Ms. Turchiano stood outside her goddaughter’s home, smoking a cigarette, lamenting that the world had lost something more than a young woman’s life.

The last time she saw Ms. D’Onofrio, she said she told her goddaughter that she was going to change the world, “one by one.”

“She would take in a cockroach if it needed her,” she said.

Neighbors gathered on Sunday night in the vestibule of the condominium building where the shooting occurred, discussing how such violence could seep into their complex, nine stories of glass and aluminum enclosing million-dollar penthouses and $700,000 apartments.

Shortly before 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Ms. D’Onofrio’s father, John D’Onofrio, walked his daughter’s dog, a white mutt, up and down her street. He walked quickly, manically, up and down the block.

At one point he turned and said, “There’s nothing to say and nothing to be done.”

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5877601.ece

Officer Juan Nunez Charged with Assault

ROOSEVELT, N.Y.

A man who may have been panhandling outside a Long Island deli was beaten by a New York City police officer and three others, who hurled racial epithets at the victim as they punched, kicked and smacked him with a baseball bat, police said.

The victim, who was identified by police as a 52-year-old black man, was taken to Nassau University Medical Center for head injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.

The attack took place around 8 a.m. Sunday outside the deli in Roosevelt. Detective Sgt. Keenchant Sewell said three Hispanic brothers who work at the deli told a man loitering outside to leave the front of the business. When the man failed to leave, the brothers and Juan Nunez, an off-duty New York City police officer, allegedly began beating him.

During the attack, the victim told police one of the assailants uttered racial epithets.

At a briefing Monday, Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey said detectives have made a preliminary determination that the attack was not motivated by racial bias; he said the four men intended to have the victim leave the front of the store.

Nunez, 32, of Freeport, pleaded not guilty to assault at his arraignment in First District Court in Hempstead, where bail was set at $20,000. His attorney declined to speak with reporters. The NYPD suspended Nunez, a police officer since 2001, from his post at the 101st Precinct in Queens.

Arraignment information on the three other suspects was not immediately available.


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Other information:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29601956/

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/law_enforcement/95256/police-officer-arrested-after-brawl-outside-deli/Default.aspx

Former Cpl Will Cosby in Court for Assault & Perjury

LEBANON, Tenn.

Former Mt. Juliet Police Cpl. Will Cosby went to a Wilson County courtroom Monday to resolve the charges against him.

Cosby stood accused of assault and perjury. Cosby asked for - and the state agreed on - pre-trial diversion because the former officer had no previous criminal record.

Cosby's courtroom appearance came from a controversial stop of a man last spring while Cosby was still on the job. Cosby thought James Anders had marijuana in his mouth. The former officer wanted to keep Anders from swallowing the drug, so he used a vascular restraint. After two minutes Anders collapsed.

An investigation revealed that Anders did not have any marijuana on him, and he also passed a drug test.

Anders also sued Cosby. They settled out of court for $56,000.

In court Monday, the judge told Cosby he must spend the next two years on un-supervised probation. If Cosby doesn't get into any trouble during that time, the incident will be expunged from his record.

Deputy Sydney Eghan Charged with Child Neglect

A form of punishment used on a 12-year-old boy led Saturday to the arrest of a Marion County sheriff's deputy and his fiancee.

Sydney S. Eghan, 24, is accused of handcuffing the boy's wrists behind his back and leaving him that way for six hours at the Southside home the deputy shares with Betsy Chestnut, 30, the boy's mother.

The boy would have remained in handcuffs even longer had Chestnut not called 911 about 2 a.m. Saturday after the cuffs had tightened and began cutting off circulation in her son's arms, said Sgt. Matthew Mount of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

"He was in some pretty serious pain," Mount said. "He was having swelling in the arms and swelling in the hands."

Police arrested Eghan and Chestnut on preliminary charges of child neglect. Chestnut consented to Eghan's decision to place the boy in handcuffs, police said.

Eghan works as a jailer for the Marion County Sheriff's Department. The department continues to operate the jail after most of the department was merged with Indianapolis Police Department to form IMPD.

"The sheriff considers this incident to be a very serious matter," said sheriff's Maj. Herman D. Humbles. He said Eghan has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation.

The incident began when Chestnut suspected Friday that her son had stolen a cell phone from a family friend. Chestnut told Eghan, Mount said, and suggested they turn the boy over to authorities. Eghan disagreed, Mount said, and told Chestnut he would teach the boy a lesson.

At the home where the couple live along with Chestnut's two sons, Eghan placed the boy in handcuffs sometime after 8 p.m. Friday, Mount said, then left for his night shift. He did not intend to remove the handcuffs until he returned to the home about 7 a.m. Saturday, according to Mount.

Eghan made things worse for the boy by failing to follow a standard procedure used when handcuffing offenders, Mount said.

"It appears he failed to double-lock the handcuffs," Mount said. "Double-locking the handcuffs is what . . . makes sure those handcuffs do not tighten down further."

At one point during the night, Chestnut left home with her other son for about 90 minutes -- leaving the handcuffed son alone at the home in the 2900 block of Sleeping Ridge Way.

Had Eghan handcuffed the boy for only a brief period to show him what happens when people break the law, Mount said, the matter likely would not have risen to a criminal offense.

"Appropriate or not, we could argue," Mount said. "If he had gone to juvenile (detention), he would have been handcuffed, so maybe he could have shown him what it's like to be handcuffed half an hour or an hour."

But in this case, the handcuffing continued for several hours and caused injury, leading to the officers' decision to arrest the couple, Mount said.

Both the boys were taken into the custody of Child Protective Services, Mount said.

The criminal case against the couple, who continued to be held at the jail late Saturday, will be referred to the Marion County prosecutor's office for a decision on any formal charges.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29573803/

Sergeant Timothy Richissin Arrested for Video Taping Women in Bathroom

MEDINA

A Cleveland police sergeant was suspended without pay following his arrest in connection with a video camera in a bathroom at a Medina County business.

Cleveland Public Safety Director Martin Flask said he suspended Sgt. Timothy Richissin Friday and that the officer will remain on suspension until the criminal charges in Medina are resolved.

Police say Richissin hid a small camera inside a bathroom at a warehouse in Medina County. An employee at the company found the images taken in the bathroom on Richissin's computer. Police said he invited a female Cleveland officer to work at the facility and recorded her in the bathroom. The crimes occurred in June, November and December, police said.

Richissin, of Brunswick, has been a Cleveland police officer since 1982.

He turned himself in Friday and will be arraigned at 9 a.m. Monday in Medina County Common Pleas Court. He's free on bond.

Medina County Prosecutor Dean Holman said Richissin faces charges of tampering with evidence, voyeurism, possession of criminal tools and obstructing official business.

Crowd Protest Alleged Brutality by Hartwell Police

HARTWELL, Ga.

Hundreds of people hit the streets in Hartwell, Ga., on Saturday calling for justice.

The crowd marched Saturday morning in support of Jimmy Lee Blackwell. Blackwell lost his eye in a fight with a police officer Feb. 16.

About 200 people attended the march, and some came from as far away as New York.

"He went in with two eyes and came out with one eye," a protester said. "That's bad."

Blackwell was walking and had been stopped by a police officer.

"We need the police to be on our side, not against us," another protester said.

He wound up in a hospital after a run-in with the officer.

"If someone's 51 years old and intoxicated, there's no reason you should beat him beyond recognition, first of all," said Tariq Alexander, president of Ruff Riders Films.

It's not exactly clear what happened between the time Blackwell met up with the officer and when he ended up in the hospital.

"It's just a shame the way that man was beat," Alexander said. "There's no justification for that."

The protesters said they're determined to keep it from happening again.

"We must stand up and say enough is enough," they said.

The Jimmy Lee Blackwell Support Group is named for one man, but the organizers said it's about the problems of many people. They said that what happened to Blackwell was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

"I think it's one of those things that's been swept under the rug so long that people thought, 'Hey, we can continue to sweep it under the rug,'" said Apostle Roderick Hughey, of the Jimmy Lee Blackwell Support Group. "But the rug has gotten so high off of the ground by the pile of the things that's been swept up under it that you can't hide it anymore."

The protesters walked a two-mile silent march. They said the idea is to let the talking do the walking, but everyone had so much to say.

"Everybody feels like it's wrong, regardless of what color you are," one person said.

"Stop giving thugs a badge," another person said.

The walk ended on the spot where Blackwell was injured. He was there with his family, who shielded him from questions about his legal record. But his friends said that the past is the past and they're ready to move forward.

The incident between Blackwell and the police officer is being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. That officer was also injured in the altercation. He is on paid administrative leave.

Officer Stephen Vega Accused of Assaulting Girlfriend

FORT WORTH

A Fort Worth police officer was arrested Friday on accusations that he tried to force his girlfriend from a car while on duty, telling witnesses who came to her defense, "This is a police matter; you don’t need to get involved," court documents show.

Stephen R. Vega, who has been with the department almost 18 years, surrendered at the Tarrant County Jail on Friday morning on warrants accusing him of assault with bodily injury and official oppression. He was released on $20,000 bail.

Both charges are Class A misdemeanors punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

Vega’s attorney, Kyle Whitaker, was out of the office Friday afternoon and could not be reached for comment.

Terry Daffron Hickey, who is representing Vega in the administrative investigation, said "all the facts, circumstances and details are not known at this time."

"It is my hope and my expectation that IAD [internal affairs division] will actually conduct a thorough, fair and impartial investigation into this matter revealing a complete and accurate account of the events that transpired," she said.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Vega and the 38-year-old victim had known each other for six years and had been romantically involved for the last two.

Vega confronted the woman at her workplace in late February, apparently agitated that their relationship was not progressing and that she had not proceeded with a divorce from her husband, the affidavit states.

On Monday morning, outside the Starbucks at 2600 W. Seventh St., the girlfriend was in the passenger seat of a car, waiting for a friend, when Vega pulled into the parking lot and parked one space away. According to the affidavit, Vega approached the car, opened the passenger door and demanded that his girlfriend come with him, grabbing her by the right arm and trying to force her from the car.

Sgt. Pedro Criado, a police spokesman, said Vega, most recently assigned to the department’s gang unit, was in civilian clothes during the encounter but was on duty.

The girlfriend, who witnesses told investigators appeared extremely frightened, began struggling with Vega in an attempt to pull away. A witness tried to break the officer’s grip on the woman’s arm, the affidavit states.

"Vega continued to pull [the victim] from the vehicle and proceeded to drag her against her will to his vehicle," the affidavit states.

Six other people also saw the incident, the affidavit states, at least one of whom also tried to get Vega to release his grip and another who called 911. According to a police report, patrol officers were sent to the scene on a reported kidnapping.

"This is a police matter; you don’t need to get involved," Vega told witnesses.

When a witness demanded to see the officer’s badge, Vega, his grasp on his girlfriend finally broken, said, "I’ll show you my badge." He then reached into his car through an open window and pulled out a police vest.

"Stay out of it. I’m a cop," the affidavit quotes Vega as telling the witness.

The victim then ran inside the Starbucks. Vega left in his car before patrol officers arrived, the affidavit states.

The woman told major case investigators that she had been surprised to see Vega at the coffee shop and that she was stunned and frightened by his actions. Officers observed bruises on both of the woman’s upper biceps and forearms, the affidavit stated.

"The detectives do believe that a crime did occur," Criado said.

Vega is on restricted duty during the internal investigation. Criado said Police Chief Jeff Halstead has 180 days to determine discipline.

Lt Joseph Gudziol Charged with DWI

BAY CITY, Mich.

A Macomb County deputy sheriff faces charges after he was arrested late Friday in Bay Countyon suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Lt. Joseph Guzdziol was arrested at 11 p.m. Friday by two state troopers who received a call about a driver who was suspected to be drunk. The troopers stopped and arrested Guzdziol on U.S. 10 near Three Mile Road in Monitor Township.

After being held overnight on Friday and Saturday morning, Guzdziol posted bond and was freed from Bay County Jail, according to Shanon Akans, spokeswoman for the Michigan State Police in Lansing.

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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/02/deputy-lt-joseph-guzdziol-arrested-for.html

Deputy Jeffrey Douglas Fleig Charged with Drunk Driving

An off-duty Pierce County sheriff’s deputy found passed out behind the wheel of a running car was charged Friday with drunken driving.

Charging documents filed in District Court say Jeffrey Douglas Fleig, 53, registered a 0.18 reading on a blood-alcohol breath test after he was stopped early Monday. The legal limit in Washington is 0.08.

Another sheriff’s deputy spotted Fleig about 2:30 a.m. in the 1400 block of 85th Street East, near Dawson Playfield, records state. The car Fleig was driving blocked the southbound lane.

The deputy drove past in the opposite direction, noticed the car wasn’t moving, and circled back. Fleig was behind the wheel, unconscious, his foot on the brake, records state. The car was in gear.

The deputy “had a difficult time waking the defendant,” records state. “The defendant finally awoke, but was fairly incoherent. The defendant stated he had too much to drink.”

Fleig had a hard time standing, according to the records. A deputy had to hold him upright.

Fleig “demonstrated six of six clues on the horizontal gaze nystagmus test,” records state, referring to a field sobriety test that measures visual reaction to a held finger or pen light.

He has been placed on paid administrative leave, pending an internal investigation, sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said Friday.

Fleig is a 23-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department. Troyer said he did not know whether Fleig’s prior record included similar incidents.

A survey of court records shows Fleig was cited for drunken driving in 2002 in Pierce County. He received a deferred sentence, stipulating no further violations for five years. Records indicate he met the standard. The charge was dismissed in October 2007.

Officer Phillip Mordick Arrested for Domestic Violence

DAYTON, Ohio

A Dayton police officer was arrested overnight after he allegedly hit his girlfriend and threatened someone with a gun.

Philip Mordick, 34, was arrested by Riverside police early Friday morning.

In a 911 call received shortly after midnight, a woman told dispatchers Mordick was angry because she went out drinking with friends. She said he pulled a gun on her cousin and then struck her in the jaw when she stepped in front of him.

The woman said the incident was very out-of-character for Mordick. He now faces charges of aggravated menacing and domestic violence.

He posted bond Friday afternoon. Dayton police said Mordick is currently on restricted status, and has been forced to surrender his gun.

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More Information: http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2009/03/06/ddn030609copweb.html

New Hampshire Firefighters Mad at Newport Officers

The Professional Firefighters Union of New Hampshire is upset with the Newport Police Department after officers disguised themselves as firefighters to make an arrest.

Police devised the plan to take 34-year-old Matthew Miller into custody. Police went to his apartment Tuesday night for a noise complaint. When Miller answered the door he was holding a baby, and allegedly pointed a shotgun at the officer's face.

The officer, who knew Miller had a violent past, left the scene to avoid a confrontation. So the next day the officers came back in a fire truck dressed as firemen. They told Miller he had to evacuate due to a carbon monoxide issue. He was then arrested without incident.

"We need to have the trust of the public when we respond. If we allow others to co-opt our image, trade on our good name, no matter the circumstances, we'd create a breach of trust with the public that will be impossible for us to repair," said David Lang, of the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire.

"If we as police didn't handle it correctly it was going to be disastrous for innocent people. This was the best possible scenario. It worked and it was very quick. It was not harmful to anybody. It's not to degrade those professions, to make those professions unsafe in any way. It's to accomplish our mission safely, without causing harm to anybody," said Newport Police Chief David Hoyt.

Hoyt went on to say he'd rather have firefighters criticizing his decisions than others questioning why innocent people were injured and killed.

Newport Fire Chief Wayne Conroy was in on the plot, and says he does not think residents will lose trust in his department.

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http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090305-NEWS-90305055

Officer James Arthur Jr Arrested for Possession of Stolen Firearm

A Vivian police officer was arrested today on charges he bought a stolen gun on the street and then sold it back to a drug dealer when he found out it was hot.

James Arthur Jr., 34, of Peach Street in Shreveport was arrested by Caddo Parish sheriff's deputies on charges of possession of a stolen firearm.

The charges involve a stolen Bushmaster XM15 assault rifle valued at $1,250.

The rifle and three others were reported stolen in Shreveport in March 2008. In November, one of the guns was recovered by local narcotics agents during a drug case.

Sheriff's Department detectives began an investigation into the stolen weapon and found that Arthur bought the gun on the street for $300, Prator said.

Afterward, Arthur got on a national crime information computer to check the weapon's history and found out it was stolen, Prator said. Instead of turning the gun in, he sold it on the street for $600 to a known drug dealer, Prator said.

Officer Bryan Spiotti Charged with Assaulting Person

A Wolcott police officer has been charged with assaulting a person who was being held at the police station, accused of driving under the influence.

Officer Bryan Spiotti, 42, a 12-year police veteran, is accused of assaulting the suspect at the end of January.

Spiotti's attorney, Hugh Keefe, takes issue with the police department investigating one of its own, particularly in light of the fact that his wife, Doreen Spiotti, is an officer on the same police force and won a substantial settlement in a harassment case brought against the same department.

Keefe said he requested that State Police handle the investigation but Wolcott police refused the request.

Bryan Spiotti turned himself in to Wolcott police Thursday morning and was released on a promise to appear.

Wolcott Police Chief Paul Scirpo Jr. said Spiotti has an average performance history with no documented abuse incidents.

Spiotti is on paid leave pending the outcome of the case and scheduled to be arraigned in Waterbury on March 11.

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http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/news_wtnh_wolcott_cop_arrested_2009030512230

Two Former Detectives Convicted of Being Assassins for Mob

Two highly decorated former detectives who were convicted of serving as assassins for the mob, helping to kill at least eight men in one of the most spectacular police corruption scandals in New York City’s history, were sentenced on Friday to life in prison — for the second time. (The sentencing is the topic of Jim Dwyer’s About New York column, which notes that both men have been drawing tax-free disability pensions.)

The two men, Louis J. Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, were convicted of murder in 2006 and were to be sentenced to life in prison. But then, in a stunning reversal, the federal judge overseeing the case, Jack B. Weinstein, threw out the convictions. He ruled that although there was little doubt that Mr. Eppolito and Mr. Caracappa had “kidnapped, murdered, and assisted kidnappers and murderers,” he had no choice but to let them go because the five-year statute of limitations in conspiracy cases had run out.

Federal prosecutors appealed Judge Weinstein’s decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which last September reinstated the convictions.

The appellate court concluded that Judge Weinstein’s view of the conspiracy was too narrow, and that it had continued to exist within five years of when the men were charged. Although murders and other serious crimes that the men were accused of occurred in Brooklyn in the 1980s and 1990s, prosecutors used more recent and less serious charges — money laundering and narcotics distribution in Las Vegas in 2004 and 2005 — to bring the earlier acts under the umbrella of an ongoing criminal enterprise.

The two former detectives were defiant in Federal District Court in Brooklyn on Friday, as the life sentences were imposed.

“I was a hard-working cop,” Mr. Eppolito told Judge Weinstein, as reported by The Associated Press. “I never hurt anybody. I never kidnapped anybody. … I never did any of this.”

Mr. Caracappa told the judge, “You’ll never take away my will to prove how innocent I am.”

In addition to the life sentences, Mr. Eppolito, 61, received an additional 100 years for various other offenses including money laundering, and was fined $4.7 million. Mr. Caracappa, 67, received an additional 80 years, and a $4.2 million fine.

In a statement, the United States attorney in Brooklyn, Benton J. Campbell, said he hoped the sentences would “bring some closure for the families of the victims of these defendants’ unspeakable crimes and for the citizens of the city whose trust they betrayed.”

The two men, who logged a combined 44 years on the job, were found guilty of secretly being on the payroll of the Luchese underboss, Anthony Casso, starting in the mid 1980s.

The A.P. reported:

Caracappa left the New York Police Department in 1992 after establishing a special unit for mob murder investigations. Eppolito, whose father was a member of the Gambino crime family, was a decorated officer who went on to play a bit part in “GoodFellas” and launch an unsuccessful career as a screenwriter.

The pair were arrested a 2005 drug sting in Las Vegas, where they had retired.

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http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com

Officer William Skett Pleads Not Guilty to DUI

A 34-year-old Los Angeles Police Department officer pleaded not guilty to three felony counts this week for allegedly driving his Hummer over two people and leaving the scene of the crime.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kristi Lousteau ordered William Skett to return to court March 23 for preliminary hearings in the drunk-driving case.

Skett, 34, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to driving under the influence, DUI causing injury and leaving the scene, all felonies.

Skett allegedly backed his Hummer into a man and a woman in a Saugus parking lot. Skett saw the victims lying on the ground and allegedly fled, leaving his Hummer behind.

"Apparently he just backed over the people and left," sheriff's Lt. Tom Bryski said.

He said Skett was arrested at home after Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's deputies looked up the registration of the offending vehicle.

The woman hit by the Hummer suffered multiple broken ribs and collapsed lung. The man hit by the SUV suffered minor cuts and bruises.

Deputies found the abandoned Hummer on the night of the incident and arrested Skett at his home.

If convicted, Skett faces up to seven years and eight months in prison.

Cpl Michael Kazouris Resigns After Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

A police officer who initially faced allegations that he had sex with a 17-year-old Tarpon Springs High School student he worked with has resigned today.

Tarpon Springs Police Department Cpl. Michael Kazouris was cleared last month of any criminal wrongdoing. On Monday, the department's interim chief will evaluate the status of an internal investigation, police say.

In a letter today to the department's acting chief, Kazouris wrote that he always has prided himself on his commitment to the community but that he needed to resign due to the "frivolous allegations and one-sided investigation against me."

Interim Police Chief Robert Kochen accepted the resignation this evening.

Kazouris, who has spent more than 11 years as a school resource officer in Pinellas County schools and had had an unblemished record, was put on administrative leave Nov.12 after the allegation involving the teenager came to light.

"Corporal Kazouris continues to vehemently deny all allegations alleged and further maintains that he has never violated any policies or procedures of the Tarpon Springs Police Department," a letter to the acting chief from Kazouris attorney Jerry Theophilopoulos states.

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article981925.ece

Officer Nick Joseph Back in Court for Hit and Run

Rochester, N.Y.

The Greece Police officer accused in a hit-and-run that caused a woman to deliver her baby prematurely was back in court Friday.

Friday in court, the prosecution played surveillance video of Officer Nick Joseph drinking at Spenders, a bar on Lyell Avenue, the night before the hit-and-run.

They say Joseph received seven shots of alcohol in under an hour.

At 12:42 a.m., the prosecution says he received a double shot of Captain Morgan, a double shot of whiskey at 12:57, a single shot of an unidentifiable alcohol at 12:58, a single shot of vodka at 1:11, and a single shot of rum at 1:35.

The defense said he took a sip of each but didn’t necessarily finish all seven shots. They say there’s no way he could drink it all.

The bartender from Spenders testified, and said Joseph did not appear to be drunk.

Joseph is accused of crashing into a stalled car on 390, then leaving the scene of an accident in June of last year.

The woman in the stalled car was forced to deliver her baby 14 weeks early, leading to health complications for the child.

Joseph says he blacked out when he crashed the car, and doesn’t remember what happened next.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29562168/

Attorney Accuses Officer of Malice

OCEAN CITY

A Salisbury attorney acquitted of a November 2008 DWI charge implied in court that police were out to get him because he was a plaintiff's lawyer in a police brutality suit.

"I said, 'I understand what this was about,' " Sherwood Wescott testified Wednesday in District Court. "That particular night, I hadn't done anything out of the ordinary. No matter what I did, they were going to make it look like I was intoxicated."

Wescott was arrested for suspected driving under the influence last November. He refused a field sobriety test at his traffic stop and a breath test at the police station. He admitted to having three drinks after work in Salisbury, but nothing after 7 p.m. He testified that he and a friend arrived at Seacrets at 11 p.m., where he drank iced tea.

"I knew I had to drive," he said.

Judge R. Patrick Hayman said it was that lack of evidence that led to Wescott's acquittal, though "it has not escaped my attention that your client came out of a bar about midnight," he told attorney Melvin Jews.

Wescott, a former Delaware police officer, represented two Berlin teens who sued Ocean City and six police officers in July 2007 for alleged police brutality and false arrest. The 93-count, $18.6-million civil suit was dismissed in October 2008, about six weeks before Wescott's arrest in Ocean City.

Ocean City Police Cpl. Frank Wrench, one of the officers named in the suit, testified that he recognized Wescott leaving Seacrets on Nov. 29, 2008. He said Wescott was apparently intoxicated and was getting into the driver's seat of his SUV. Wrench said he made eye contact, prompting Wescott to exit the vehicle and pace beside it.

Wrench said moments later he turned to see the car backing out. Wrench said he tried to stop Wescott with gestures and yelling, but he drove away. Wrench radioed other officers to watch for the SUV, mentioning Wescott by name, he said.

Pfc. Patrick Flynn, parked at 62nd Street, testified that he heard the radio call and spotted Wescott driving north on Coastal Highway. Flynn said the vehicle pulled onto 64th Street after seeing his patrol car without its emergency lights on and said he thought the driver was trying to avoid him.

Flynn testified that Wescott smelled of alcohol and had glassy eyes and slurred speech. He said Wescott at first refused to exit his vehicle and had to be ordered to. When Wescott refused a field sobriety test, he was arrested.

Wescott said Flynn told him that he was being stopped for having a tail light out, not that he was suspected of driving drunk. Flynn said that was true.

"I figured that would be another element I could use to stop that vehicle," he said.

Reserve Officer Greg Conner Charged with Attempted Murder & Stalking

A reserve officer with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has been arrested on charges of attempted murder and aggravated stalking.

Greg Conner, 48, was taken into custody Thursday outside a fast food restaurant on State Road 71 South.

According to a press release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, an investigation “revealed that Conner intended to kill his (estranged) wife and her boyfriend.”

Conner is also the firing range master and a firearms instructor for Chipola College, and had once been a full-time deputy with JCSO.

Jackson County Sheriff Lou Roberts said Conner and his wife had been separated for some time, and that JCSO investigators had received information in the last week or so that Conner was stalking her and her boyfriend.

According to Roberts, Conner had been seen at odd hours in the area of his wife’s home in the Grand Ridge/Shady Grove area and the boyfriend’s dwelling, which are some distance apart.

Roberts said officers had confronted Conner at one point, and he had denied stalking the couple.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement got involved Wednesday after receiving further information about Conner’s alleged plans.

Concern grew as authorities from FDLE and JCSO ramped up their investigation Wednesday evening, said Tommy Ford of FDLE. According to Ford, it appeared that Conner was progressing toward a plan of murder and that “overt acts” had been taken in the planning process. He and Roberts declined to give details of the surveillance and other investigative techniques employed which led authorities to that conclusion. They would reveal little further information except to say that it did not appear to be a ‘murder for hire’ plot but rather something that Conner planned to carry out himself. Unspecified evidence has been gathered in the case, Ford and Roberts said.

While they would not reveal any particulars, Ford and Roberts agreed that the alleged plan was an elaborate one that, if carried out, would have involved sudden death and would have had the clear earmarks of homicide.

The alleged plan was “unfolding rapidly” Wednesday when Conner’s wife, boyfriend, and the two Conner children were moved to a place of safety overnight, according to Ford.

Conner was arrested Thursday outside a fast food restaurant on State Road 71 South.
He offered no resistance and the arrest was without incident, Roberts and Ford said.
Authorities have spoken with Conner since he was taken into custody, but Roberts and Ford would not reveal the content of that conversation.

Roberts said the entire Jackson County Sheriff’s Office family is shocked and saddened by the events leading to Conner’s arrest.

“I’m saddened ...but glad to have stopped this before it was out of control...I’m disappointed with Conner’s actions. I am glad that Conner and his family were unharmed in the incident...there’s a good possibility that if this had not been interrupted, we would have been looking at potential homicide.”

For years, Conner was the person who most often greeted Roberts and his officers when they arrived at the local firing range to do the quarterly shooting necessary to keep them qualified for weapons.

Roberts said Conner left full-time employment as a deputy some years back in order to take the Chipola position.
Conner had not been involved as a reserve officer in any instances since Roberts took over as sheriff last year, but could have been called upon at any time to assist full-time deputies if needed.

He was immediately taken off the reserve roster following his arrest, Roberts said.
According to Roberts, it appears Conner was in a “depressed state of mind” in the recent past, and that was of concern as the investigation unfolded.

Authorities carefully selected the time and location of the arrest, he said.
They were able to observe that he was unarmed, for instance, as he exited the fast food restaurant and was walking alone a distance from his truck at the time he was taken into custody.

Capt Michael Nguyen Charged with Theft

FORT LEWIS, Wash.

A Fort Lewis captain is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the U.S. government and spending it on himself.

Twenty-seven-year-old Army Capt. Michael Dung Nguyen faces charges of theft of government property and money laundering. If convicted on all counts he could face up to 30 years in prison

Nguyen, a West Point graduate, spent 14 months in combat in Iraq with the 4th Stryker Brigade. When he returned from Iraq last year, he opened several bank accounts in Oregon and other places and deposited about $10,000 in each account.

It was those deposits and lavish spending that attracted the attention of authorities.

During his time in Iraq, Nguyen was entrusted with hundreds of thousands of dollars in uncirculated U.S. currency. He paid out that money for humanitarian relief and reconstruction.

But federal investigators say he mailed much of that money to his home in Oregon - nearly $700,000 in cash.

"It's really a case of betrayal of country and greed," U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut said. "He betrayed not only the U.S. government and the people of the United States but also his fellow armed services men and women."

When Nguyen got back, authorities say he went on a spending spree. He paid $70,000 for a new BMW and another $43,000 for a new hummer. More money went toward computers, electronics and furniture.

Much of it was confiscated from his Lakewood apartment last week where neighbors say he kept to himself.

"It was the captain's behavior that triggered this investigation," said Kenneth Hines, special agent for the IRS in Seattle. "What he was doing raised red flags for the IRS in conjunction with the Army CID and FBI to work this case jointly and we established enough probable cause for the search warrants."

Judge Alan Sadler Arrested for DWI

CONROE, Texas

A Montgomery County judge was arrested on suspicion of a DWI after a minor traffic accident.

Judge Alan B. Sadler was arrested after a minor accident involving another vehicle in the 2100 block of North Loop 336 West on Wednesday night.

Police said the judge was given a Breathalyzer test and he had .0257, which is below the legal limit of .08.

No charges were filed and the judge was released.

Sadler told a local newspaper, "No one is immune from being arrested for suspicion of DWI in Montgomery County. They did an excellent job at the jail. I have nothing but praise for how they handled it."

The arrest is under investigation.

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Officer Justin Terrazas Arrested for Public Intox & Assault

An officer with the Big Spring Police Department was placed on suspension Wednesday after being arrested at a local night club late Tuesday night on charges of public intoxication and assault.

Justin Terrazas, who has been with the BSPD since December of 2006, was placed on paid leave after he was arrested at the Bar By The Spring at approximately 11:50 p.m. Tuesday night, according to BSPD Chief Lonnie Smith.

“Officers with the BSPD and the Howard County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the bar, located at 3101 S. Highway 87, in reference to a fight involving a police officer,” said Smith. “Upon arrival, law enforcement found that the officer was off-duty and intoxicated.

“Terrazas was arrested on charges of public intoxication and assault. He's been placed on paid suspension from duty pending the outcome of an internal investigation.”

Terrazas was taken into custody by deputies and booked into the Howard County Jail.

According to Sgt. Tony Everett, public information officer for the BSPD, the person Terrazas allegedly assaulted did not suffer any major injuries in the altercation.

Everett also confirmed there is no set timeframe for the internal investigation to be completed within.

According to officials with the Howard County Jail, Terrazas bonded out at approximately 11 a.m. Wednesday.


http://www.oaoa.com/news/spring_27391___article.html/big_terrazas.html

Officer Frank Darnold III Arrested for Brandishing his Weapon

A Chesterfield County Police Officer is arrested and charged with brandishing a pistol after a traffic incident on March 3rd.

Police say the officer was off duty and not in uniform at the time of the incident.

Chesterfield Police arrested Frank Darnold III, age 25, after investigating the incident. Witnesses say Darnold displayed a firearm during a confrontation with a motorist in the 11000 block of West Providence Road.

He is now charged with brandishing a firearm which is a class one misdemeanor, and has been placed on administrative leave pending criminal and internal investigations.

Darnold is scheduled to appear in the Chesterfield County General District Court on April 21st.

Col. Thierry G. Dupuis, chief of police said, "We hold our officers to a high set of standards, as does the community we serve."

"These alleged actions, if found to be true, would bring dishonor to a department that is recognized for its professional reputation."

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Other Information: http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/crime/article/CFPD06_20090305-223021/223135/

Former Officer Charles Pinkston Arrested on Drug Charges

A former Leesburg police officer, who resigned after allegations surfaced that he had been purchasing cocaine, was arrested this afternoon on a drug charge.

Charles Pinkston, 38, turned himself into detectives at about 4:45 p.m. to face one count of attempting to purchase cocaine. He was released a short time later after posting $5,000.

On Feb. 20., Leesburg narcotics investigators arranged for an informant to sell crack cocaine to a person the informant knew from past encounters as "Marshall." "Marshall" had placed $340 under a rock near the intersection of 9th St. and Magnolia St., which the informant retrieved and replaced with crack cocaine provided by the police department, according to a probable cause affidavit. During the operation, an undercover Leesburg narcotics investigator saw Pinkston driving a silver SUV - the same car Marshall was supposed to be driving - near the drop point. Pinkston recognized the investigator and left the area, according to the affidavit. No one retrieved the drugs, and narcotics agents soon learned of allegations the Pinkston previously had bought drugs from the informant, who also identified him according to Sgt. John Herrell of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Leesburg Police Chief Bill Chrisman requested that the Lake County Sheriff's Office investigate the case. Detectives found that Pinkston had used his personal cell phone to repeatedly call the informant throughout February, and that he had withdrawn $340 from an ATM just before the drug buy was set to occur.

Lt. Rob Hicks of the Leesburg Police Department said that Pinkston submitted a letter of resignation on Feb. 25, and that he was the subject of an internal investigation at the time. Pinkston had been a Leesburg officer for eight years, and was working in the road patrol unit at the time of his resignation, Hicks said.

A copy of Pinkston's letter of resignation and his personnel file was not immediately available Wednesday.

Hicks would not comment on the internal investigation because it is ongoing, and that officials are awaiting its outcome before deciding to petition the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to revoke Pinkston's law enforcement certification.

Officer Thomas Crouch Arrested for Embezzling Money

NEWPORT NEWS

A Newport News police detective was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with embezzling money from a fraternal group that pays bagpipes at police funerals.

Thomas David Crouch, 45, of Windymille Drive in Portsmouth was arrested just before 1:30 p.m. and booked at the Newport News City Jail after an investigation by Norfolk police.

Norfolk police spokesman Chris Amos said Crouch is accused of using a credit card from the Police Emerald Society for personal use between late 2007 and mid-2008. Crouch was an officer in the group, designed for officers with Irish backgrounds.

Crouch, who has worked for the Newport News department since May 2000, is a master detective who worked in the training division, spokesman Lou Thurston said. Crouch turned himself in, and was released on $1,000 bail.

Crouch is the third Newport News officer arrested in recent months. Lt. Ronald M. Hendrickson and Officer Christopher E. Miner are facing current charges of sexual assault.

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Other Information: http://hamptonroads.com/2009/03/newport-news-police-detective-charged-embezzlement

Officer Javier Alonzo Arrested for Sexual Assault has been Suspended

EL PASO

An El Paso police officer arrested last week on a charge of aggravated sexual assault has been suspended from duty without pay, police officials said Tuesday.

Javier Alonzo, a member of he police force for 16 years, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a woman Feb. 24 at a home in El Paso.

He remained in the El Paso County Jail on Tuesday. His bond was set at $80,000.

Police officials said Tuesday that they had begun the process to fire Alonzo.

"Chief (Greg) Allen has instructed internal affairs to begin the termination process," said Officer Chris Mears, a department spokesman. "However, there are some rights and administrative issues that need to be resolved first. He will be on leave without pay until the administrative side is finished."

Alonzo's lawyer, Roger Montoya, is representing the officer on a separate charge of family violence and assault causing bodily injury. That case dates from Nov. 1.

"I want to remind the public that my client is entitled to the presumption of innocence," Montoya said.

In the case last week, Alonzo, 42, is accused of throwing a woman to the floor, threatening her life, handcuffing her and then sexually assaulting her.

Police did not identify the woman, and the El Paso Times does not publish the names of people who say they were victims of sexual assault. Police said the alleged assault occurred in a house in the 800 block of Sunset Park Drive.

Alonzo will have a pretrial hearing March 9 in connection with the November assault charge, court records show.