Bond has been set at $750,000 for a Chicago police officer accused of breaking into his estranged wife’s home and hitting her with a gun.
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office says 38-year-old Jason Jones is charged with aggravated domestic battery and home invasion.
He’s accused of kicking in the door of his estranged wife’s home on June 19 after she wouldn’t let him in.
Court records say Jones found another man at the home and hit his wife in the head with a gun.
Jones and his wife, who’s also a Chicago police officer, have been married for 18 months.
It was not immediately clear whether Jones has an attorney.
Chicago police news affairs said Tuesday that no information was immediately available about Jones’ status with the department.
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http://www.wbbm780.com/Bond-set-for-Chicago-cop-in-beating-of-estranged-w/4659557
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sgt. Mark Lykken, Deptuy Justin Krohmer & Mother Arrested at Kenny Chesney Concert
A sheriff's deputy and his mother face charges of disorderly conduct after the deputy vomited on people at a Kenny Chesney concert in Fargo and refused to leave, authorities say. Police Sgt. Mark Lykken said Stark County Deputy Justin Krohmer, 26, and his mother, Susan, 47, whose husband is the Ada, Minn., police chief, were arrested after the Saturday night incident.
Lykken said Justin Krohmer was asked to leave the Fargodome about 11 p.m. Saturday after vomiting on people in front of him, but he refused to do so.
Susan Krohmer is accused of pulling and pushing officers, screaming profanities and of trying to prevent an officer from escorting her son out of the concert.
Justin Krohmer appeared in Fargo municipal court Monday and his mother appeared Tuesday. Both face another hearing July 2.
Justin Krohmer joined the Stark County Sheriff's Department on Dec. 15 at an annual salary of $39,621, said Kay Haag, the county's deputy auditor. Earlier, he was a McLean County deputy.
No phone listing was available for Krohmer and he could not be reached for comment. The number for Susan Kromer was unlisted, and a message at her husband's office was not returned.
Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said that as of Tuesday, Justin Krohmer was still a deputy and he had no reports on the Fargo incident.
"I'm waiting for reports so I can review them, " the sheriff said.
Lykken said Justin Krohmer was asked to leave the Fargodome about 11 p.m. Saturday after vomiting on people in front of him, but he refused to do so.
Susan Krohmer is accused of pulling and pushing officers, screaming profanities and of trying to prevent an officer from escorting her son out of the concert.
Justin Krohmer appeared in Fargo municipal court Monday and his mother appeared Tuesday. Both face another hearing July 2.
Justin Krohmer joined the Stark County Sheriff's Department on Dec. 15 at an annual salary of $39,621, said Kay Haag, the county's deputy auditor. Earlier, he was a McLean County deputy.
No phone listing was available for Krohmer and he could not be reached for comment. The number for Susan Kromer was unlisted, and a message at her husband's office was not returned.
Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said that as of Tuesday, Justin Krohmer was still a deputy and he had no reports on the Fargo incident.
"I'm waiting for reports so I can review them, " the sheriff said.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Ex-Detective Thomas Sadler Preparing for Trial
A former Sheriff's deputy is preparing for his trial on charges of sexually assaulting a prostitute.
Ex-detective Thomas Sadler was expected by many to enter a plea Monday, but instead he told 10News he would take his chances with a jury.
Sadler, a 23-year veteran of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, has been on administrative leave without pay following his arrest last July.
He was charged with five felonies stemming from an incident in February 2008 in which he was accused of forcing a prostitute into his unmarked department vehicle and then forcefully fondling her.
Sadler said he is ready to go to trial and tell his side of the story.
"I feel that I'm innocent in this case. I believe a lot of this is because I do work in law enforcement and they were overzealous in their prosecution. I want my day in court, I want to get my side out there. I believe a jury will hear the case openly and honestly and make a decision based on what they believe is the truth," said Sadler.
The jury will hear Sadler's side of the story when the case goes to trial on July 23.
If convicted, he could serve 8 years in prison.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/deputy-accused-of-sexual-assault.html
http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/arraignment-for-officer-accused-of.html
http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2008/08/detective-fondles-prostitute-while-on.html
Officer Mark Benton Ashcraft Arrested for Sexual Abuse to Child
A 36-year-old police officer was arraigned in Umatilla County today on felony sex-abuse charges involving a child.
The district attorney's office said Mark Benton Ashcraft of Athena was being held in Umatilla County Jail on $50,000 bail. He's charged with sex abuse in the second degree, sodomy in the third degree, and online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree.
The arrest came as a surprise to officials in Athena, which has a population of 1,270.
"We know as much as you do," said Dyann Swanson, Athena city recorder.
She said Ashcraft will be put on paid administrative leave and that the city will seek legal advice on what to do.
"It's an unfortunate thing," she said. "But he's only been arrested. He's not been convicted."
Ashcraft is one of two officers in the city. He was hired in December 2007 after working nine years in Pilot Rock.
Swanson said, "He's been a perfect police officer. We have not had any problem with him at all."
Ashcraft, who was arrested Monday afternoon, is due next in court at the end of the month.
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http://eastoregonian.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=94294&SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48
Officer Blaine McNeese Arrested for Plotting to Fellow Officer
It's a crime that shocked the Department of Public Safety. One of their own officers plotted to kill a fellow officer.
Luckily, the officer found out about the plot before the plan was carried out. Now a criminal organization has been busted.
A hole was dug in the desert near I-10 and Highway 87. The suspects were planning on shooting the officer and burying him there. The officer was interviewing one of the members of the group when he learned about the plot against his life.
Police say Lazar Lazar, Carlos Saquilan and Khalid Henry were behind the plot. Phoenix police then got involved.
Police say Blaine McNeese was the "bad cop." He worked for DPS and at the same time, for the Younan criminal syndicate. Police say McNeese became involved after accepting a bribe.
McNeese is in jail and four other members of the group have also been arrested or are in police custody.
Lazar Lazar is the only one still missing. If you see him, call the police.
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http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/06/23/20090623syndicate0623-ON.html
Luckily, the officer found out about the plot before the plan was carried out. Now a criminal organization has been busted.
A hole was dug in the desert near I-10 and Highway 87. The suspects were planning on shooting the officer and burying him there. The officer was interviewing one of the members of the group when he learned about the plot against his life.
Police say Lazar Lazar, Carlos Saquilan and Khalid Henry were behind the plot. Phoenix police then got involved.
Police say Blaine McNeese was the "bad cop." He worked for DPS and at the same time, for the Younan criminal syndicate. Police say McNeese became involved after accepting a bribe.
McNeese is in jail and four other members of the group have also been arrested or are in police custody.
Lazar Lazar is the only one still missing. If you see him, call the police.
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http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/06/23/20090623syndicate0623-ON.html
Officer Gerald Bossolono Arrested for Stealing $70,000
A 10-year Cicero police veteran was charged with theft today after allegedly stealing more than $70,000 from the department's benevolent association, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said.
Gerald Bossolono, 46, was arrested as he showed up for work today by investigators with the Cook County State's Attorney's office, Alvarez said in a press release. He served as treasurer of the Cicero police benevolent association.
Bossolono who has worked with the Cicero police department since 1999 was charged with felony theft after an investigation by the State's Attorney's financial crimes unit.
Officials allege that Bossolono used his position as treasurer of the group to siphon more than $70,000 from the group's accounts. The association is a fraternal organization made up of Cicero police officers that raises money through memberships and social functions, Alvarez said.
If convicted of the Class 2 felony, Bossolono faces up to seven years in prison. He is scheduled to go have a bond hearing Thursday in the Maybrook court house in Maywood, Alvarez said.
Bossolono was taken into custody by State's Attorney investigators and charged after reporting for work this morning at the west suburban police station, said Elio Montenegro, a spokesperson for the town.
Montenegro said the former Joliet police officer who was hired by the town in 1999 was being investigated by the Cicero Internal Affairs Department since June 2008 after police received a phone tip that he was stealing money from the fund.
Montenegro said the town placed Bossolono on restricted duty one month later and then turned over the investigation to the State's Attorney's Financial Crimes Unit.
Bossolono is scheduled to appear in bond court Thursday morning in Maywood. The Class 2 felony is punishable by three to seven year in prison or probation, according to the state's attorney office.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-ciceroofficer-emb,0,1052225.story
Gerald Bossolono, 46, was arrested as he showed up for work today by investigators with the Cook County State's Attorney's office, Alvarez said in a press release. He served as treasurer of the Cicero police benevolent association.
Bossolono who has worked with the Cicero police department since 1999 was charged with felony theft after an investigation by the State's Attorney's financial crimes unit.
Officials allege that Bossolono used his position as treasurer of the group to siphon more than $70,000 from the group's accounts. The association is a fraternal organization made up of Cicero police officers that raises money through memberships and social functions, Alvarez said.
If convicted of the Class 2 felony, Bossolono faces up to seven years in prison. He is scheduled to go have a bond hearing Thursday in the Maybrook court house in Maywood, Alvarez said.
Bossolono was taken into custody by State's Attorney investigators and charged after reporting for work this morning at the west suburban police station, said Elio Montenegro, a spokesperson for the town.
Montenegro said the former Joliet police officer who was hired by the town in 1999 was being investigated by the Cicero Internal Affairs Department since June 2008 after police received a phone tip that he was stealing money from the fund.
Montenegro said the town placed Bossolono on restricted duty one month later and then turned over the investigation to the State's Attorney's Financial Crimes Unit.
Bossolono is scheduled to appear in bond court Thursday morning in Maywood. The Class 2 felony is punishable by three to seven year in prison or probation, according to the state's attorney office.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-ciceroofficer-emb,0,1052225.story
Officer Anthony Abbate Sentenced to Just 2 years Probation for Beating Woman
An off-duty Chicago police officer convicted of pummeling a female bartender half his size was sentenced Tuesday to two years probation and anger management classes for the videotaped attack that appeared worldwide on the Internet and cable news channels.
Cook County Circuit Judge John Fleming also gave Anthony Abbate a home curfew of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and ordered him to perform 130 hours of community service.
"No one in recent memory ... has done more to tarnish the reputation of the Chicago Police Department than Anthony Abbate," Cook County Assistant State's Attorney LuAnn Snow said Tuesday.
Prosecutors had asked for prison for Abbate — he could have been sentenced to up to five years behind bars — but the judge said he didn't see aggravating factors to justify a prison term.
"If I believed sentencing Anthony Abbate to prison would stop people from getting drunk and hitting people, I'd give him the maximum sentence," Fleming said.
Earlier this month, the judge rejected Abbate's claim he acted in self-defense and convicted him of aggravated battery. A tavern security video shows a drunken, 250-pound Abbate punching and kicking the 125-pound Karolina Obrycka as she tended bar in February 2007. The altercation happened after she refused to serve him more drinks.
The video captured a lot of attention as another example of misconduct by Chicago police. Then-Superintendent Phil Cline suddenly announced his retirement shortly after the video surfaced and former FBI official Jody Weis was appointed to the spot with an order to clean up the department's image.
Abbate acknowledged during the trial that he was drunk during the incident. But he said Obrycka pushed him first as she tried to remove him from behind the bar.
"He's not a bad man, he did something bad," said defense attorney Peter Hickey.
Abbate has been relieved of his duties and pay, Chicago Police Department spokesman Officer Robert Perez said.
The department is looking into "separation proceedings," Perez said. Weis has said he wants Abbate fired.
Cook County Circuit Judge John Fleming also gave Anthony Abbate a home curfew of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and ordered him to perform 130 hours of community service.
"No one in recent memory ... has done more to tarnish the reputation of the Chicago Police Department than Anthony Abbate," Cook County Assistant State's Attorney LuAnn Snow said Tuesday.
Prosecutors had asked for prison for Abbate — he could have been sentenced to up to five years behind bars — but the judge said he didn't see aggravating factors to justify a prison term.
"If I believed sentencing Anthony Abbate to prison would stop people from getting drunk and hitting people, I'd give him the maximum sentence," Fleming said.
Earlier this month, the judge rejected Abbate's claim he acted in self-defense and convicted him of aggravated battery. A tavern security video shows a drunken, 250-pound Abbate punching and kicking the 125-pound Karolina Obrycka as she tended bar in February 2007. The altercation happened after she refused to serve him more drinks.
The video captured a lot of attention as another example of misconduct by Chicago police. Then-Superintendent Phil Cline suddenly announced his retirement shortly after the video surfaced and former FBI official Jody Weis was appointed to the spot with an order to clean up the department's image.
Abbate acknowledged during the trial that he was drunk during the incident. But he said Obrycka pushed him first as she tried to remove him from behind the bar.
"He's not a bad man, he did something bad," said defense attorney Peter Hickey.
Abbate has been relieved of his duties and pay, Chicago Police Department spokesman Officer Robert Perez said.
The department is looking into "separation proceedings," Perez said. Weis has said he wants Abbate fired.
Officer Carl Sain Charged with Attacking Chief Yancey
North Chicago's "Officer of the Year" has been charged with seriously injuring a police chief he allegedly found in his estranged wife's home, police said.
Carl Sain, 45, was charged with felony aggravated battery for allegedly attacking Police Chief Artis Yancey, who was hospitalized with several broken bones in his face, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Tuesday.
Sain allegedly beat Yancey Wednesday night after breaking a window in his estranged wife's home in Waukegan and finding Yancey alone in an upstairs bedroom, Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller said, noting Sain's wife called 911.
Sain, named North Chicago Police Officer of the Year in April, and his wife are divorcing. Yancey is a friend of Sain's wife, Waller said.
Sain, who was not available for comment, was released Sunday on $75,000 bail and put on administrative leave, the Sun-Times reported.
Yancey, who was expected to recover, was taking time off from his job and was not available for comment, a Waukegan police spokesman said.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-waukegan-chief-23-jun23,0,2009938.story
Carl Sain, 45, was charged with felony aggravated battery for allegedly attacking Police Chief Artis Yancey, who was hospitalized with several broken bones in his face, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Tuesday.
Sain allegedly beat Yancey Wednesday night after breaking a window in his estranged wife's home in Waukegan and finding Yancey alone in an upstairs bedroom, Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller said, noting Sain's wife called 911.
Sain, named North Chicago Police Officer of the Year in April, and his wife are divorcing. Yancey is a friend of Sain's wife, Waller said.
Sain, who was not available for comment, was released Sunday on $75,000 bail and put on administrative leave, the Sun-Times reported.
Yancey, who was expected to recover, was taking time off from his job and was not available for comment, a Waukegan police spokesman said.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-waukegan-chief-23-jun23,0,2009938.story
Border Patrol Officer Luis Hermosillo Charged with Sexually Assaulting Woman
A Border Patrol officer accused of sexually assaulting a Mexican woman traveling on a tourist visa to Cathedral City with her two children followed her from a Salton Sea-area checkpoint, then pulled her over and demanded she drive to a secluded area, court records show.
Luis Edward Hermosillo, 41, faces three sexual assault charges stemming from the alleged assault June 13.
Hermosillo, who works out of the Border Patrol Office in Indio, appeared in court Monday for his arraignment, which was delayed until July 7.
His attorney, Robert W. Krause, asked Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jorge Hernandez for the delay because he needed more time to review the case.
``It's a very important case and we just want to make sure everyone is prepared,'' Krause said outside of court.
Hernandez granted the delay and kept the defendant's bail at $1 million.
Hermosillo is accused of following the 24-year-old victim from a checkpoint in the Salton Sea area before pulling her over on the Highway 86 Expressway near Mecca, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant.
Hermosillo asked the woman to pull off the highway onto a secluded area on Avenue 72 so he could inspect a briefcase inside her vehicle that he claimed he forgot to examine at the checkpoint.
The woman, who was driving with her two 5-year-old and 2-year-old children, recognized the officer from the Salton Sea checkpoint and complied with his request.
Once off the highway, Hermosillo, who had a dog with him in a white F-150 pickup truck, pulled up next to her vehicle and asked her to drive to the end of the road, according to sheriff's Investigator Bradley Farwell, who prepared the declaration.
The victim complied and got out of her vehicle to open her trunk, the investigator wrote. The officer asked her if he could search her person, but she declined.
``The Border Patrol Officer had the victim turn around and place her hands on the edge of the trunk of her vehicle,'' Farwell wrote. ``(Hermosillo) then used his hands to squeeze the victim's breasts and feel around her upper torso.''
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More of the story: http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090623/NEWS0801/90623006/0/opinion03/Border-Patrol-officer-faces-3-charges-of-sexual-assault
Luis Edward Hermosillo, 41, faces three sexual assault charges stemming from the alleged assault June 13.
Hermosillo, who works out of the Border Patrol Office in Indio, appeared in court Monday for his arraignment, which was delayed until July 7.
His attorney, Robert W. Krause, asked Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jorge Hernandez for the delay because he needed more time to review the case.
``It's a very important case and we just want to make sure everyone is prepared,'' Krause said outside of court.
Hernandez granted the delay and kept the defendant's bail at $1 million.
Hermosillo is accused of following the 24-year-old victim from a checkpoint in the Salton Sea area before pulling her over on the Highway 86 Expressway near Mecca, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant.
Hermosillo asked the woman to pull off the highway onto a secluded area on Avenue 72 so he could inspect a briefcase inside her vehicle that he claimed he forgot to examine at the checkpoint.
The woman, who was driving with her two 5-year-old and 2-year-old children, recognized the officer from the Salton Sea checkpoint and complied with his request.
Once off the highway, Hermosillo, who had a dog with him in a white F-150 pickup truck, pulled up next to her vehicle and asked her to drive to the end of the road, according to sheriff's Investigator Bradley Farwell, who prepared the declaration.
The victim complied and got out of her vehicle to open her trunk, the investigator wrote. The officer asked her if he could search her person, but she declined.
``The Border Patrol Officer had the victim turn around and place her hands on the edge of the trunk of her vehicle,'' Farwell wrote. ``(Hermosillo) then used his hands to squeeze the victim's breasts and feel around her upper torso.''
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More of the story: http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090623/NEWS0801/90623006/0/opinion03/Border-Patrol-officer-faces-3-charges-of-sexual-assault
Retired Opelousas Officer Accused of Rape
An investigation into an accusation of rape leveled against a retired Opelousas Police Department officer has been handed over to the Louisiana State Police, said Capt. Martin McClendon of the Opelousas Police Department.
The complaint was filed Friday afternoon with the Opelousas Police Department.
"The victim said she was raped by this individual," McClendon said. "I do not know the specifics of this particular case, but I do know that an interview was conducted with the victim and the person accused of it. What Chief (Perry) Gallow did Friday evening was, he asked the St.Landry Parish Sheriff's Office to assist in this investigation."
Capt. Buford Knight of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office said that while his department assisted, the case still belonged to OPD.
"The St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office cannot provide information on an Opelousas Police Department case," Knight said.
Gallow subsequently asked the Louisiana State Police to take over the investigation.
"They're going to come in and conduct this investigation because obviously, it's a very sensitive issue we're dealing with - because it's a retired police officer, to make sure the investigation is independently done without any bias," McClendon said.
The name of the accused former officer has not been released.
"Right now, it's only an accusation," McClendon said. "We don't want to release the name of the person being accused unless the investigation has enough evidence to support an arrest."
The names of persons accused of crimes are not routinely released unless police know an arrest is immanent, McClendon said.
At this point, McClendon said, some evidence has been gathered, but he is not certain as to the nature of the evidence or whether DNA was found.
The complaint was filed Friday afternoon with the Opelousas Police Department.
"The victim said she was raped by this individual," McClendon said. "I do not know the specifics of this particular case, but I do know that an interview was conducted with the victim and the person accused of it. What Chief (Perry) Gallow did Friday evening was, he asked the St.Landry Parish Sheriff's Office to assist in this investigation."
Capt. Buford Knight of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office said that while his department assisted, the case still belonged to OPD.
"The St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office cannot provide information on an Opelousas Police Department case," Knight said.
Gallow subsequently asked the Louisiana State Police to take over the investigation.
"They're going to come in and conduct this investigation because obviously, it's a very sensitive issue we're dealing with - because it's a retired police officer, to make sure the investigation is independently done without any bias," McClendon said.
The name of the accused former officer has not been released.
"Right now, it's only an accusation," McClendon said. "We don't want to release the name of the person being accused unless the investigation has enough evidence to support an arrest."
The names of persons accused of crimes are not routinely released unless police know an arrest is immanent, McClendon said.
At this point, McClendon said, some evidence has been gathered, but he is not certain as to the nature of the evidence or whether DNA was found.
Officer Kevin Barrington Arrested on Sexual Abuse Charges
A 22-year veteran of the Springfield police department has been arrested and charged for alleged sex crimes.
Kevin Barrington was arrested Sunday night at his Springfield home on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sexual relations with family.
Springfield Police Chief Ralph Caldwell on Monday refused to reveal additional information about the allegations against the 51-year-old Barrington, the ages or relationships of the victims and how long the alleged abuse took place.
Bond has been set at $250,000 for Barrington, who is scheduled to appear Tuesday in Sangamon County Circuit Court.
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http://illinoishomepage.net/content/fulltext/?cid=92381
Barrington was put on paid leave, pending the outcome of the criminal case, and an internal Springfield Police Department investigation.
Kevin Barrington was arrested Sunday night at his Springfield home on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sexual relations with family.
Springfield Police Chief Ralph Caldwell on Monday refused to reveal additional information about the allegations against the 51-year-old Barrington, the ages or relationships of the victims and how long the alleged abuse took place.
Bond has been set at $250,000 for Barrington, who is scheduled to appear Tuesday in Sangamon County Circuit Court.
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http://illinoishomepage.net/content/fulltext/?cid=92381
Barrington was put on paid leave, pending the outcome of the criminal case, and an internal Springfield Police Department investigation.
Former Trooper John Sawyer Sentenced to Three Years Probation
Former S.C. Highway Patrol Trooper John B. Sawyer, 34, was sentenced today for repeatedly kicking an arrested driver following a lengthy chase, said U.S. Attorney W. Walter Wilkins.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Sawyer to a probation term of three years, the first of which he will serve in a halfway house.
On May 28, 2006, Sawyer and other law enforcement officers were involved in a 30-mile high speed chase of a dump truck driven by Sergio Caridi on Interstate 95, Wilkins said.
After the truck ran out of gas in Sumter County, Caridi exited the truck and surrendered, lying on the ground.
Sawyer rushed over to Caridi at that point, kicking him in the head numerous times, and injuring him, Wilkins said. Dash cam video of the incident captured the assault on tape.
Sawyer pled guilty in the case last January, admitting that his actions willfully deprived Caridi of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, Wilkins said.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Sawyer to a probation term of three years, the first of which he will serve in a halfway house.
On May 28, 2006, Sawyer and other law enforcement officers were involved in a 30-mile high speed chase of a dump truck driven by Sergio Caridi on Interstate 95, Wilkins said.
After the truck ran out of gas in Sumter County, Caridi exited the truck and surrendered, lying on the ground.
Sawyer rushed over to Caridi at that point, kicking him in the head numerous times, and injuring him, Wilkins said. Dash cam video of the incident captured the assault on tape.
Sawyer pled guilty in the case last January, admitting that his actions willfully deprived Caridi of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, Wilkins said.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Lafayette Police Investigating Complaint of Police Brutality
Lafayette Police are investigating complaints of police brutality. The investigation stems from an arrest made early Sunday morning, near the intersection of Jefferson Street and Garfield Street. The man arrested, who KATC is not identifying, says just after 2 a.m. became involved in an alcohol-fueled fight, which police tried to break up.
"One of the cops came from behind, put me in a bear hug and I guess when I turned around, I thought he was one of them, so I accidentally hit him and I took off running," the man said.
Police followed and arrested him on charges of simple battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and public intoxication.
"Once they got me, they pepper sprayed me, threw me on the ground, and I don't remember much after that because of the pepper spray," the man said.
Regina Toce and her son Fabio witnessed the arrest, they say police crossed the line.
"It was horrible, it was a horrible scene, one that I'll never forget," said Regina. She and her son have also filed a complaint against the department. They've also set up a facebook page in support of the man who was arrested.
Meantime Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft says as with any complaint of misconduct, his department is investigating.
"We have initiated an internal affairs investigation regarding that incident to determine if our officers violated any departmental policies or procedures, or if in fact the force they used was excessive," said Craft.
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http://www.theadvertiser.com/section/NEWSFRONT2
"One of the cops came from behind, put me in a bear hug and I guess when I turned around, I thought he was one of them, so I accidentally hit him and I took off running," the man said.
Police followed and arrested him on charges of simple battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and public intoxication.
"Once they got me, they pepper sprayed me, threw me on the ground, and I don't remember much after that because of the pepper spray," the man said.
Regina Toce and her son Fabio witnessed the arrest, they say police crossed the line.
"It was horrible, it was a horrible scene, one that I'll never forget," said Regina. She and her son have also filed a complaint against the department. They've also set up a facebook page in support of the man who was arrested.
Meantime Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft says as with any complaint of misconduct, his department is investigating.
"We have initiated an internal affairs investigation regarding that incident to determine if our officers violated any departmental policies or procedures, or if in fact the force they used was excessive," said Craft.
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http://www.theadvertiser.com/section/NEWSFRONT2
Officer Walter Reyna Arrested for Assault & Shooting Weapon
A local police officer has been put on leave after being arrested for an assault on a family member.
Rogers police responded to a report of shots fired early Monday morning at a home on Pinewood Drive in Rogers. They said the man who fired the shot was 28-year-old Walter Reyna, a Lowell police officer.
Reyna was put on administrative leave soon after his arrest. He has been an officer with the Lowell Police Department since 2004, and received an Officer of the Year award just a few years ago. The Lowell police chief said Reyna has no history of disciplinary problems, but that might have changed on Monday morning.
"The call reflected that the male subject was intoxicated and had a firearm and the family left the residence. When they walked outside was when they heard what they believed to be the weapon discharging," said Cpl. Angel Murphy-Pearce, with the Rogers Police Department.
Rogers police officers were the ones who responded to the call, which ended up involving a Lowell police officer.
"Officers did go inside to check the welfare and status of the individual. He did not have the weapon on him at that time. It was seized later from the residence -- when he was arrested, the weapon was seized as well," Murphy-Pearce said.
Rogers police arrested Reyna for second degree assault on a family member, as well as discharging a firearm inside the city limits. Murphy-Pearce added that the weapon used, a shotgun, was not station-issued, and that the officers who responded to the scene probably knew where Reyna worked.
"The report does not reflect that he stated where he worked, but one of the officers present did know him, so they may have known where he was employed," Murphy-Pearce said.
As for one department arresting an officer with another department, Murphy-Pearce said it's unusual.
"It's not something that happens on a daily basis," Murphy-Pearce said.
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http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/06/22/news/062309rzreyna.txt
Rogers police responded to a report of shots fired early Monday morning at a home on Pinewood Drive in Rogers. They said the man who fired the shot was 28-year-old Walter Reyna, a Lowell police officer.
Reyna was put on administrative leave soon after his arrest. He has been an officer with the Lowell Police Department since 2004, and received an Officer of the Year award just a few years ago. The Lowell police chief said Reyna has no history of disciplinary problems, but that might have changed on Monday morning.
"The call reflected that the male subject was intoxicated and had a firearm and the family left the residence. When they walked outside was when they heard what they believed to be the weapon discharging," said Cpl. Angel Murphy-Pearce, with the Rogers Police Department.
Rogers police officers were the ones who responded to the call, which ended up involving a Lowell police officer.
"Officers did go inside to check the welfare and status of the individual. He did not have the weapon on him at that time. It was seized later from the residence -- when he was arrested, the weapon was seized as well," Murphy-Pearce said.
Rogers police arrested Reyna for second degree assault on a family member, as well as discharging a firearm inside the city limits. Murphy-Pearce added that the weapon used, a shotgun, was not station-issued, and that the officers who responded to the scene probably knew where Reyna worked.
"The report does not reflect that he stated where he worked, but one of the officers present did know him, so they may have known where he was employed," Murphy-Pearce said.
As for one department arresting an officer with another department, Murphy-Pearce said it's unusual.
"It's not something that happens on a daily basis," Murphy-Pearce said.
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http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/06/22/news/062309rzreyna.txt
Veteran Officer Arrested for Sexual Assault
A 22-year veteran of the Springfield Police Department has been arrested on charges of criminal sexual assault and sexual relations with family.
The Associated Press isn't naming the 51-year-old officer because he hasn't been formally charged.
He's in custody at the Sangamon County Jail on $250,000 bond.
Springfield police say the officer was arrested Sunday evening on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sexual relations with family.
No other details have been released about the alleged victim or the victim's relationship to the officer.
Springfield police say the officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of criminal and internal affairs investigations.
The Associated Press isn't naming the 51-year-old officer because he hasn't been formally charged.
He's in custody at the Sangamon County Jail on $250,000 bond.
Springfield police say the officer was arrested Sunday evening on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sexual relations with family.
No other details have been released about the alleged victim or the victim's relationship to the officer.
Springfield police say the officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of criminal and internal affairs investigations.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Brian Cardall Dies After Being Tasered
Brian Cardall, an expectant father for the second time, was tasered by police after wandering along a Utah highway. He was a recently diagnosed bipolar patient who didn’t exhibit many symptoms of his disorder. But that night he was in a fairly confused state on the way back from a wedding party. His pregnant wife, Anna, said that Cardall had been under high stress due to his pursuit of a Doctora degree after winning a competitive scholarship at Northern Arizona University. The couple had pulled off the highway so that he could take medications. While in a confused state, Cardall decided to leave the car, remove his clothes and began walking in the middle of the highway. He was screaming unintelligible words. Anna called 911 to get help in getting him off of the highway.
When police responded, they apparently saw Cardall as a threat at one point in the confrontation. According to analysis of the 911 tapes and statements made by the officer at the scene, Cardall refused 42 seconds-worth of verbal commands to lay down on the ground. That is when the officer decided to use the taser. His account says that even after he went down, Cardall still came at the officer. He tasered him again. Although emergency medical technicians immediately came to the aide of Cardall, he subsequently died from the electrical shocks.
While there is little doubt that Cardall did not obey the officer’s commands and may have posed a threat to motorists and others while in his confused state, this could speak volumes as to the need for more training for officers dealing with suspects that have mental health issues. The officer at the scene was put in a very difficult situation. Perhaps, with the Salt Lake City’s crisis intervention training that is supposedly one of the best in the country, the officer could have recognized Cardall’s symptoms. Cardall is heard pleading with the officer not to shoot him. Cardall could also be heard asking for his medicine, and Anna relayed to the 911 operator he had a mental illness. Could that information have changed the officer’s tactics? Instead of instigating further excitement to a man who was asking for help in his confused state, would the officer have been able to calmly talk him off of the road? For now, we will never know.
When police responded, they apparently saw Cardall as a threat at one point in the confrontation. According to analysis of the 911 tapes and statements made by the officer at the scene, Cardall refused 42 seconds-worth of verbal commands to lay down on the ground. That is when the officer decided to use the taser. His account says that even after he went down, Cardall still came at the officer. He tasered him again. Although emergency medical technicians immediately came to the aide of Cardall, he subsequently died from the electrical shocks.
While there is little doubt that Cardall did not obey the officer’s commands and may have posed a threat to motorists and others while in his confused state, this could speak volumes as to the need for more training for officers dealing with suspects that have mental health issues. The officer at the scene was put in a very difficult situation. Perhaps, with the Salt Lake City’s crisis intervention training that is supposedly one of the best in the country, the officer could have recognized Cardall’s symptoms. Cardall is heard pleading with the officer not to shoot him. Cardall could also be heard asking for his medicine, and Anna relayed to the 911 operator he had a mental illness. Could that information have changed the officer’s tactics? Instead of instigating further excitement to a man who was asking for help in his confused state, would the officer have been able to calmly talk him off of the road? For now, we will never know.
Officer Bryan Womble Arrested for DUI
A Virginia Beach police officer Bryan Womble is charged with driving under the influence after a crash at the Oceanfront early Saturday morning.
Police said 36-year-old Bryan Womble crashed his vehicle at the corner of 20th St. and Pacific Ave. around 2 am. Nobody was seriously injured, but Womble was charged with DUI.
Womble is a part of the Virginia Beach Selective Enforcement Team that focuses on catching drunk drivers. During an interview with 13News in May 2008, Womble explained why preventing drivers from drinking is difficult.
"It's not an easy task because a lot of them have that mentality that it can not happen, it will not happen to me," said Womble.
Womble arrested former NFL star Bruce Smith for DUI last month. Now the officer faces his own charge.
"It's still a terrible black eye for the Police Department and for police when something like this happens," said Reggie Wade. He's vacationing in Virginia Beach. "You lose faith in the Department and in the system."
"You would think someone would be smarter than that if that's his job," said Beach resident Shane Smith. Smith was convicted of DUI last year in Virginia Beach. said if Womble is found guilty, the officer should be punished.
"I think he should get the same charge as me. Suspend his license, and go through the program and do the inpatient rehab or outpatient rehab," Smith explained.
Womble was booked and released on $500 bond. He is on administrative duty until the investigation is complete.
Police said 36-year-old Bryan Womble crashed his vehicle at the corner of 20th St. and Pacific Ave. around 2 am. Nobody was seriously injured, but Womble was charged with DUI.
Womble is a part of the Virginia Beach Selective Enforcement Team that focuses on catching drunk drivers. During an interview with 13News in May 2008, Womble explained why preventing drivers from drinking is difficult.
"It's not an easy task because a lot of them have that mentality that it can not happen, it will not happen to me," said Womble.
Womble arrested former NFL star Bruce Smith for DUI last month. Now the officer faces his own charge.
"It's still a terrible black eye for the Police Department and for police when something like this happens," said Reggie Wade. He's vacationing in Virginia Beach. "You lose faith in the Department and in the system."
"You would think someone would be smarter than that if that's his job," said Beach resident Shane Smith. Smith was convicted of DUI last year in Virginia Beach. said if Womble is found guilty, the officer should be punished.
"I think he should get the same charge as me. Suspend his license, and go through the program and do the inpatient rehab or outpatient rehab," Smith explained.
Womble was booked and released on $500 bond. He is on administrative duty until the investigation is complete.
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Saturday, June 20, 2009
Lt. Jerald Fifer Charged with Domestic Violence
A Louisville Metro Police lieutenant was arrested Thursday night in Tampa in connection with a domestic violence-related incident.
Tampa Police said that the Florida Highway Patrol arrested Lt. Jerald Fifer on June 18 and charged him with false imprisonment, domestic violence and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Officials with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office said Fifer is being held in the county jail, and no bond has been set.
Details of the incident were not immediately available.
Fifer, who works in the downtown LMPD headquarters, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation by Louisville police, said Dwight Mitchell, a police spokesman. He would not comment further on the case.
A call to a lawyer listed on Fifer's arrest information in Tampa was not returned Friday.
Fifer was suspended for 29 days in 2003 after he was charged with drunken driving. He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence. His blood-alcohol level at the time of his arrest was 0.24 percent, three times the legal limit.
Fifer was off-duty at the time that he crashed his personal car into a minivan on April 2, 2003. He was sentenced to four days in jail and served three of them on home incarceration.
At the time of that suspension, Police Chief Robert White wrote in Fifer's suspension letter that he could have been fired for the drunken driving, but he mitigated the discipline because of "personal circumstances that clearly had you under a substantial amount of stress." White also acknowledged that Fifer was seeking help for alcohol use.
After an appeal to the Police Merit Board, Fifer's suspension was reduced to 25 days.
In February 2006, Fifer, who has been an officer since 1991, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. White said then that Fifer deserved to be promoted because he had served his punishment and proved to be a good supervisor.
Tampa Police said that the Florida Highway Patrol arrested Lt. Jerald Fifer on June 18 and charged him with false imprisonment, domestic violence and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Officials with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office said Fifer is being held in the county jail, and no bond has been set.
Details of the incident were not immediately available.
Fifer, who works in the downtown LMPD headquarters, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation by Louisville police, said Dwight Mitchell, a police spokesman. He would not comment further on the case.
A call to a lawyer listed on Fifer's arrest information in Tampa was not returned Friday.
Fifer was suspended for 29 days in 2003 after he was charged with drunken driving. He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence. His blood-alcohol level at the time of his arrest was 0.24 percent, three times the legal limit.
Fifer was off-duty at the time that he crashed his personal car into a minivan on April 2, 2003. He was sentenced to four days in jail and served three of them on home incarceration.
At the time of that suspension, Police Chief Robert White wrote in Fifer's suspension letter that he could have been fired for the drunken driving, but he mitigated the discipline because of "personal circumstances that clearly had you under a substantial amount of stress." White also acknowledged that Fifer was seeking help for alcohol use.
After an appeal to the Police Merit Board, Fifer's suspension was reduced to 25 days.
In February 2006, Fifer, who has been an officer since 1991, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. White said then that Fifer deserved to be promoted because he had served his punishment and proved to be a good supervisor.
Retired Officer Peter Meggett Accused of Stabbing Nephew
A retired police officer is accused of stabbing his nephew Thursday night during a domestic incident in downtown Charleston.
Harold N. Brown, 47, of Hanahan, told police that he was at his uncle's girlfriend's home on Ashley Avenue about 11 p.m., and there was an argument, a police report said.
It said Brown asked his uncle to leave, but the uncle went into the kitchen and returned with a knife.
Brown was stabbed in the right shoulder near the base of the neck, the report said. Both men required medical treatment, but their injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
Brown was out of the hospital Friday and said he was OK.
Peter James Meggett, 63, of Ladson, is charged with assault and battery with intent to kill.
On the report, his business address was listed as "retired police."
Brown said Meggett had been in the Marine Corps, during which time he served as a police officer at Charleston Naval Weapons Station in Goose Creek.
Meggett remained at the Charleston County Detention Center on Friday night. His bond is $20,000.
Harold N. Brown, 47, of Hanahan, told police that he was at his uncle's girlfriend's home on Ashley Avenue about 11 p.m., and there was an argument, a police report said.
It said Brown asked his uncle to leave, but the uncle went into the kitchen and returned with a knife.
Brown was stabbed in the right shoulder near the base of the neck, the report said. Both men required medical treatment, but their injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
Brown was out of the hospital Friday and said he was OK.
Peter James Meggett, 63, of Ladson, is charged with assault and battery with intent to kill.
On the report, his business address was listed as "retired police."
Brown said Meggett had been in the Marine Corps, during which time he served as a police officer at Charleston Naval Weapons Station in Goose Creek.
Meggett remained at the Charleston County Detention Center on Friday night. His bond is $20,000.
Officer Gary Schemper Arrested for Drunk Driving
A former Maui police officer, who was on administrative leave from the department when he was arrested last year for driving drunk, had his license suspended for 90 days and was ordered Thursday to pay $637 in fines and fees.
Gary R. Schemper, 26, was pulled over around 2:10 a.m. on Dec. 11, 2008, after a police officer saw him driving "at a high rate of speed" on Piilani Highway in Kihei, according to court records.
The officer said the vehicle sped up at the intersection of Lipoa Street and Piilani Highway in order to beat a red light.
Schemper was observed driving at no less than 78 miles per hour, with the officer having to drive up to 90 miles per hour to catch up with the car.
When stopped, police observed Schemper with red, watery eyes, slurred speech and having an "overwhelming odor of liquor" on his breath.
Schemper told the police officer that he had a few beers at the Tiki Lounge in Kihei and he was on his way home.
Schemper's blood-alcohol level was at 0.145 percent. The legal limit is 0.08.
When Schemper was arrested, the arresting officer learned from dispatchers that he was on administrative leave from the Maui Police Department pending an internal investigation, according to court records.
Maui Police administrative officials confirmed Thursday that Schemper is no longer with the department, but would not discuss other details of his employment.
Schemper pleaded guilty to the driving under the influence charge in April, said Deputy Prosecutor Marie Kosegarten outside of court. She said Schemper also admitted to speeding.
Wailuku District Court Judge Kelsey Kawano waived the requirement for Schemper to appear in court. Schemper no longer resides in Hawaii, attorneys said.
In court Thursday, Kawano said Schemper will have his license suspended "absolutely" for 30 days, but for the following 60 days he will be able to drive, if needed, to and from work and substance-abuse treatment.
Kawano also ordered Schemper to undergo a substance-abuse evaluation and a driver's-education course, both of which he already has completed.
Schemper previously was ordered to pay $202 in fines and fees for speeding, according to court records.
Kosegarten said these were Schemper's first offenses for drunken driving and speeding.
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http://www.kitv.com/news/19811346/detail.html
Gary R. Schemper, 26, was pulled over around 2:10 a.m. on Dec. 11, 2008, after a police officer saw him driving "at a high rate of speed" on Piilani Highway in Kihei, according to court records.
The officer said the vehicle sped up at the intersection of Lipoa Street and Piilani Highway in order to beat a red light.
Schemper was observed driving at no less than 78 miles per hour, with the officer having to drive up to 90 miles per hour to catch up with the car.
When stopped, police observed Schemper with red, watery eyes, slurred speech and having an "overwhelming odor of liquor" on his breath.
Schemper told the police officer that he had a few beers at the Tiki Lounge in Kihei and he was on his way home.
Schemper's blood-alcohol level was at 0.145 percent. The legal limit is 0.08.
When Schemper was arrested, the arresting officer learned from dispatchers that he was on administrative leave from the Maui Police Department pending an internal investigation, according to court records.
Maui Police administrative officials confirmed Thursday that Schemper is no longer with the department, but would not discuss other details of his employment.
Schemper pleaded guilty to the driving under the influence charge in April, said Deputy Prosecutor Marie Kosegarten outside of court. She said Schemper also admitted to speeding.
Wailuku District Court Judge Kelsey Kawano waived the requirement for Schemper to appear in court. Schemper no longer resides in Hawaii, attorneys said.
In court Thursday, Kawano said Schemper will have his license suspended "absolutely" for 30 days, but for the following 60 days he will be able to drive, if needed, to and from work and substance-abuse treatment.
Kawano also ordered Schemper to undergo a substance-abuse evaluation and a driver's-education course, both of which he already has completed.
Schemper previously was ordered to pay $202 in fines and fees for speeding, according to court records.
Kosegarten said these were Schemper's first offenses for drunken driving and speeding.
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http://www.kitv.com/news/19811346/detail.html
Officer Arnold Ford Arrested for Domestic Violence
A Baltimore City Police officer was arrested Saturday afternoon after police say he got into a physical argument with his wife, sending her to the hospital.
The officer, identified as 44-year-old Arnold Ford, was arrested at around 2 p.m. in the area of the 3800-block of Grantley Street in Northwest Baltimore.
The victim, who is not being named by police, is also a Baltimore City Police officer. She was taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries to her hand.
Investigators are still trying to piece together what happened, says Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the police department. Right now it is unclear who started the argument and what it was about.
Ford has been with the department since March of 2007. He has been suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
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http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bal-md.crimebriefs211jun21,0,5851394.story
The officer, identified as 44-year-old Arnold Ford, was arrested at around 2 p.m. in the area of the 3800-block of Grantley Street in Northwest Baltimore.
The victim, who is not being named by police, is also a Baltimore City Police officer. She was taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries to her hand.
Investigators are still trying to piece together what happened, says Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the police department. Right now it is unclear who started the argument and what it was about.
Ford has been with the department since March of 2007. He has been suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
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http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bal-md.crimebriefs211jun21,0,5851394.story
Officer Trent Stanley Arrested for DUI
An off-duty Topeka Police Officer was arrested Thursday for suspicion of DUI after crashing into two parked vehicles.
23-year-old Trent Stanley was booked early Thursday morning at the Shawnee County Jail.
According to the Topeka Capital Journal, he reportedly hit the two cars and a tree, then asked witnesses not to call the police.
Police Chief Ron Miller tells the paper he expects a report to be ready at the beginning of the week. He said an administrative investigation would begin after the criminal system renders its decision.
23-year-old Trent Stanley was booked early Thursday morning at the Shawnee County Jail.
According to the Topeka Capital Journal, he reportedly hit the two cars and a tree, then asked witnesses not to call the police.
Police Chief Ron Miller tells the paper he expects a report to be ready at the beginning of the week. He said an administrative investigation would begin after the criminal system renders its decision.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Trooper John Fogg Arrested for Drunk Driving
A North Carolina state trooper is in trouble with the law after he was charged with driving while intoxicated.
The Durham (NC) Police Department contacted the North Carolina Highway patrol and advised that 40-year old John Fogg had been charged with dwi. According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Fogg was allegedly off-duty and in his personnel vehicle when he became involved in a collision with another vehicle on the Durham Freeway.
Authorties say a blood-alcohol level performed on Fogg showed his level was .17, twice the legal limit. Fogg, who is assigned to Wilson County and has been a trooper since 2007, has been relieved of his duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
The Durham (NC) Police Department contacted the North Carolina Highway patrol and advised that 40-year old John Fogg had been charged with dwi. According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Fogg was allegedly off-duty and in his personnel vehicle when he became involved in a collision with another vehicle on the Durham Freeway.
Authorties say a blood-alcohol level performed on Fogg showed his level was .17, twice the legal limit. Fogg, who is assigned to Wilson County and has been a trooper since 2007, has been relieved of his duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
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Three Officers Resign After Tasering Incident
Danny Wilson, a Waffle House employee, alleges that Officer Gary Miles Jr. came into the restaurant while on duty and stunned him with a Taser without provocation. Wilson said Miles was a regular at the restaurant and had taunted and intimidated him in the past.
Miles, who resigned from the Police Department this week after six years on the force, later surrendered to investigators. Gwinnett police said an internal investigation revealed Miles used a Taser on Wilson without provocation.
Two additional officers were identified as being present during the Taser incident. Sergeants Joey T. Parkerson, 39, and 41-year-old Christopher T. Parry both resigned following an administrative investigation. Parkerson was a 13-year veteran of the force and Parry was a 14-year veteran.
Parkerson can be seen in the surveillance video, although he did not shoot Wilson with the Taser.
The incident happened Feb. 16 at the Waffle House in the 2700 block of Loganville Highway, police said. The department launched an investigation after its internal affairs unit received information about possible criminal conduct.
Mike Puglise, an attorney representing Wilson, said it took him until the end of May to get surveillance video from the Waffle House and later filed a notice of intent to sue.
Authorities said the investigation revealed enough probable cause to arrest Miles.
"We are disappointed by the incident and this is not a reflection of our training," said a representative for the Gwinnett Police Department.
Miles has been charged with one count of battery and one count of violation of oath of office. He was booked at the Gwinnett County Detention Center and later released on $8,100 bond.
Miles, who resigned from the Police Department this week after six years on the force, later surrendered to investigators. Gwinnett police said an internal investigation revealed Miles used a Taser on Wilson without provocation.
Two additional officers were identified as being present during the Taser incident. Sergeants Joey T. Parkerson, 39, and 41-year-old Christopher T. Parry both resigned following an administrative investigation. Parkerson was a 13-year veteran of the force and Parry was a 14-year veteran.
Parkerson can be seen in the surveillance video, although he did not shoot Wilson with the Taser.
The incident happened Feb. 16 at the Waffle House in the 2700 block of Loganville Highway, police said. The department launched an investigation after its internal affairs unit received information about possible criminal conduct.
Mike Puglise, an attorney representing Wilson, said it took him until the end of May to get surveillance video from the Waffle House and later filed a notice of intent to sue.
Authorities said the investigation revealed enough probable cause to arrest Miles.
"We are disappointed by the incident and this is not a reflection of our training," said a representative for the Gwinnett Police Department.
Miles has been charged with one count of battery and one count of violation of oath of office. He was booked at the Gwinnett County Detention Center and later released on $8,100 bond.
Deputy Kelly Tillmon Arrested for Attacking Ex-Wife
A sheriff's deputy accused of attacking his estranged wife resigned this week.
Kelly Leanthony Tillmon, 44, was arrested on a warrant charging him with domestic violence on Wednesday.
Irene Tillmon said her husband and his girlfriend, Brenda Garza, attacked her during a confrontation in a shopping center parking lot June 12.
Irene Tillmon's wrist and ribs were fractured during the fight, and she got a black eye, she said.
Sheriff T. Michael O'Connor said he could not confirm her injuries because the investigation is ongoing.
"If she said that, I'd take it as a fact," he said.
Her husband and Garza were put on paid administrative leave after the wife reported the assault Friday, according to a news release from the Victoria County Sheriff's Office.
Kelly Tillmon was arrested on misdemeanor charges and released on a personal recognizance bond. Garza was not charged, but both resigned.
O'Connor said his office filed the charges against Tillmon and Garza with the District Attorney's Office. The Sheriff's Office suggested felony charges for Tillmon, O'Connor said.
"I don't feel I'm getting any justice here," Irene Tillmon said.
Irene Tillmon said she and her husband separated in April. He had not returned her calls recently, she said. When she saw him in the store parking lot she wanted to talk to him about bills, she said.
Garza started the fight, which was broken up by store employees, Irene Tillmon said. When she tried to talk to her husband again, he hit her, she said.
"I'm very disappointed about this because I regarded Deputy Tillmon as a good deputy," O'Connor said. "No one is above the law."
The former deputy did not answer his phone Friday.
Kelly Leanthony Tillmon, 44, was arrested on a warrant charging him with domestic violence on Wednesday.
Irene Tillmon said her husband and his girlfriend, Brenda Garza, attacked her during a confrontation in a shopping center parking lot June 12.
Irene Tillmon's wrist and ribs were fractured during the fight, and she got a black eye, she said.
Sheriff T. Michael O'Connor said he could not confirm her injuries because the investigation is ongoing.
"If she said that, I'd take it as a fact," he said.
Her husband and Garza were put on paid administrative leave after the wife reported the assault Friday, according to a news release from the Victoria County Sheriff's Office.
Kelly Tillmon was arrested on misdemeanor charges and released on a personal recognizance bond. Garza was not charged, but both resigned.
O'Connor said his office filed the charges against Tillmon and Garza with the District Attorney's Office. The Sheriff's Office suggested felony charges for Tillmon, O'Connor said.
"I don't feel I'm getting any justice here," Irene Tillmon said.
Irene Tillmon said she and her husband separated in April. He had not returned her calls recently, she said. When she saw him in the store parking lot she wanted to talk to him about bills, she said.
Garza started the fight, which was broken up by store employees, Irene Tillmon said. When she tried to talk to her husband again, he hit her, she said.
"I'm very disappointed about this because I regarded Deputy Tillmon as a good deputy," O'Connor said. "No one is above the law."
The former deputy did not answer his phone Friday.
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Former Officer Anthony Miller Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Porn
Former Hastings police officer Anthony Miller pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography at a court appearance Thursday in St. Croix County, Wis.
Miller had originally pleaded not guilty to one count of possession of child pornography, in addition to a charge of sexual exploitation of a child, but the exploitation charge was amended Thursday to a second count of possession. He is scheduled to appear for a sentencing hearing Aug. 17.
According to the criminal complaint filed last December, Miller admitted to agents from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation that he downloaded, possessed and traded child pornography for approximately the previous two years, consisting of images of girls Miller estimated to be between the ages of nine and 15.
Former Hastings police officer Anthony Miller pleaded guilty Thursday June 18 to two counts of possession of child pornography.
The two charges are felonies and carry a combined maximum sentence of 50 years in prison and a $200,000 fine, in addition to a $500 court surcharge for each illegal image.
Miller, a New Richmond, Wis., resident, resigned from the Hastings Police Department in January after an 11-year career with the department.
According to Wisconsin Department of Justice officials, Miller admitted he used his personal laptop to view child pornography while on duty as a police officer. Miller said he obtained Internet access via unencrypted wireless signals from various locations throughout the Hastings area.
Miller had originally pleaded not guilty to one count of possession of child pornography, in addition to a charge of sexual exploitation of a child, but the exploitation charge was amended Thursday to a second count of possession. He is scheduled to appear for a sentencing hearing Aug. 17.
According to the criminal complaint filed last December, Miller admitted to agents from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation that he downloaded, possessed and traded child pornography for approximately the previous two years, consisting of images of girls Miller estimated to be between the ages of nine and 15.
Former Hastings police officer Anthony Miller pleaded guilty Thursday June 18 to two counts of possession of child pornography.
The two charges are felonies and carry a combined maximum sentence of 50 years in prison and a $200,000 fine, in addition to a $500 court surcharge for each illegal image.
Miller, a New Richmond, Wis., resident, resigned from the Hastings Police Department in January after an 11-year career with the department.
According to Wisconsin Department of Justice officials, Miller admitted he used his personal laptop to view child pornography while on duty as a police officer. Miller said he obtained Internet access via unencrypted wireless signals from various locations throughout the Hastings area.
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Former Sheriff William Sanders & Son-in-law Arrested for Beating Man with Baseball Bat
Former Oglethorpe County Sheriff William "Ray" Sanders and his son-in-law face assault charges for allegedly beating another man with a baseball bat last month at Sanders' daughter's home in Comer.
Sanders, 71, and Steven Bryant Hill, 34, each were charged with aggravated assault after an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Oglethorpe County Sheriff Mike Smith said.
The men surrendered to authorities at the county jail last week; Sanders was released on a $20,000 bond and Hill was released on a $40,000 bond, the sheriff said.
Smith would not discuss the case, explaining he once worked as a deputy under Ray Sanders - who did not run for re-election in 2000 after 16 years as Oglethorpe County's sheriff - and that he asked the GBI to investigate to remove any appearance of conflict of interest.
Jim Fullington, special agent in charge of the GBI's Athens office, only would say the investigation determined Hill had assaulted Justin Griffith of Lexington and that Ray Sanders was a "party to the crime."
Under state law, someone who urges or helps another to commit a crime can be charged with that crime.
According to a deputy's report, Griffith and his son were visiting with Ray Sanders' daughter, Dale, the night of May 15. Her husband and father showed up, and Ray Sanders pointed at Griffith and told Hill to "kill that son of a bitch," according to Griffith's account to deputies.
Hill struck him in the head with a baseball bat, Griffith said, and Ray Sanders grabbed Griffith's son, pulled him to the door and pushed him down steps, according to the report.
Griffith's son helped his father to their truck and they drove away, according to the report.
Dale Sanders and Hill were separated at the time of the attack, she said, when Griffith - a childhood friend whose mother had just died - asked if he could come over to talk.
After Griffith arrived with his son, her father and husband came to check on her, and Hill "pitched a fit" when he saw another man was there, she said.
Hill pummeled Griffith with his fists, not a bat, she said.
"My husband did have a baseball bat in his hand, but when he came around in the kitchen and saw Justin and me, he flung the bat down and started beating on him," Dale Sanders said.
"It's a lie that my daddy said to 'kill that son of a bitch,' " she said. "My daddy's the one who pulled (Hill) off Justin to keep him from killing him."
The former sheriff also didn't push the victim's son down the stairs, Dale Sanders said.
"My daddy grabbed him by the arm and said, 'Come outside, you don't need to be in there' " while Hill beat Griffith, she said.
Griffith's son drove him to Athens Regional Medical Center, where doctors treated him for a concussion, a broken nose and other facial injuries, according to the deputy's report. Someone at the hospital reported the assault to authorities the next afternoon.
Dale Sanders sent a text message to Griffith while he was in the emergency room, apologizing for the attack, telling him he should press charges against her father and husband, and warning him to stay away from her so that he didn't get hurt, according to the police report.
She sent Griffith an apology, Dale Sanders said, but didn't encourage him to press charges.
"I texted him to ask if he was all right and that I was sorry about what happened, and told him not to come back," Dale Sanders said.
Sanders, 71, and Steven Bryant Hill, 34, each were charged with aggravated assault after an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Oglethorpe County Sheriff Mike Smith said.
The men surrendered to authorities at the county jail last week; Sanders was released on a $20,000 bond and Hill was released on a $40,000 bond, the sheriff said.
Smith would not discuss the case, explaining he once worked as a deputy under Ray Sanders - who did not run for re-election in 2000 after 16 years as Oglethorpe County's sheriff - and that he asked the GBI to investigate to remove any appearance of conflict of interest.
Jim Fullington, special agent in charge of the GBI's Athens office, only would say the investigation determined Hill had assaulted Justin Griffith of Lexington and that Ray Sanders was a "party to the crime."
Under state law, someone who urges or helps another to commit a crime can be charged with that crime.
According to a deputy's report, Griffith and his son were visiting with Ray Sanders' daughter, Dale, the night of May 15. Her husband and father showed up, and Ray Sanders pointed at Griffith and told Hill to "kill that son of a bitch," according to Griffith's account to deputies.
Hill struck him in the head with a baseball bat, Griffith said, and Ray Sanders grabbed Griffith's son, pulled him to the door and pushed him down steps, according to the report.
Griffith's son helped his father to their truck and they drove away, according to the report.
Dale Sanders and Hill were separated at the time of the attack, she said, when Griffith - a childhood friend whose mother had just died - asked if he could come over to talk.
After Griffith arrived with his son, her father and husband came to check on her, and Hill "pitched a fit" when he saw another man was there, she said.
Hill pummeled Griffith with his fists, not a bat, she said.
"My husband did have a baseball bat in his hand, but when he came around in the kitchen and saw Justin and me, he flung the bat down and started beating on him," Dale Sanders said.
"It's a lie that my daddy said to 'kill that son of a bitch,' " she said. "My daddy's the one who pulled (Hill) off Justin to keep him from killing him."
The former sheriff also didn't push the victim's son down the stairs, Dale Sanders said.
"My daddy grabbed him by the arm and said, 'Come outside, you don't need to be in there' " while Hill beat Griffith, she said.
Griffith's son drove him to Athens Regional Medical Center, where doctors treated him for a concussion, a broken nose and other facial injuries, according to the deputy's report. Someone at the hospital reported the assault to authorities the next afternoon.
Dale Sanders sent a text message to Griffith while he was in the emergency room, apologizing for the attack, telling him he should press charges against her father and husband, and warning him to stay away from her so that he didn't get hurt, according to the police report.
She sent Griffith an apology, Dale Sanders said, but didn't encourage him to press charges.
"I texted him to ask if he was all right and that I was sorry about what happened, and told him not to come back," Dale Sanders said.
Judge Gerard Maney Arrested for Drunk Driving
Albany County Family Court Judge Gerard Maney is accused of using bad judgement.
Green Island Police say the 59-year-old judge was drinking and driving on Thursday night.
At about 8:30 p.m., police say Maney's car approached an Albany County Stop DWI Checkpoint on the Green Island Bridge.
"He did a U-turn on the bridge to avoid the checkpoint," says Green Island Police Chief Chris Parker.
Police say Maney didn't pull over until he got to Route 32 in Watervliet.
"Nobody was in danger but he did fail to comply with the lights and sirens for approximately a mile and a half," says Chief Parker. "He never stopped until Route 32."
Paul Tommasini tells us he saw the arrest from his house.
"Another two cars came and they were looking around and discussing what they were going to do to him," Tommasini tells us.
Police say officers smelled alcohol and Maney failed field sobriety tests.
Investigators say Maney had a blood-alcohol content of 0.07 - just shy of the 0.08 BAC that constitutes being legally drunk.
Maney is charged with DWAI - driving while ability impaired by alcohol.
The judge is also charged with making an illegal U-turn and failing to comply with a traffic stop.
According to the New York State Unified Court System web site, Maney has spent 18 years as a family court judge.
He recently served as a member of the City of Albany's Gun Violence Task Force.
He was back on the bench on Friday.
A court spokeswoman says there will be no changes to Judge Maney's judicial duties while the matter is pending.
Albany County Stop DWI Sergeant Lenny Crouch calls the allegations against Judge Maney sad, adding, "You see things like this and you say, 'Boy, you never saw that coming.'"
Neither Judge Maney nor his attorney had any comment on Friday.
Maney is due in Green Island Town Court on July 7th.
___________________
Information & Video: http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S986875.shtml?cat=300
Green Island Police say the 59-year-old judge was drinking and driving on Thursday night.
At about 8:30 p.m., police say Maney's car approached an Albany County Stop DWI Checkpoint on the Green Island Bridge.
"He did a U-turn on the bridge to avoid the checkpoint," says Green Island Police Chief Chris Parker.
Police say Maney didn't pull over until he got to Route 32 in Watervliet.
"Nobody was in danger but he did fail to comply with the lights and sirens for approximately a mile and a half," says Chief Parker. "He never stopped until Route 32."
Paul Tommasini tells us he saw the arrest from his house.
"Another two cars came and they were looking around and discussing what they were going to do to him," Tommasini tells us.
Police say officers smelled alcohol and Maney failed field sobriety tests.
Investigators say Maney had a blood-alcohol content of 0.07 - just shy of the 0.08 BAC that constitutes being legally drunk.
Maney is charged with DWAI - driving while ability impaired by alcohol.
The judge is also charged with making an illegal U-turn and failing to comply with a traffic stop.
According to the New York State Unified Court System web site, Maney has spent 18 years as a family court judge.
He recently served as a member of the City of Albany's Gun Violence Task Force.
He was back on the bench on Friday.
A court spokeswoman says there will be no changes to Judge Maney's judicial duties while the matter is pending.
Albany County Stop DWI Sergeant Lenny Crouch calls the allegations against Judge Maney sad, adding, "You see things like this and you say, 'Boy, you never saw that coming.'"
Neither Judge Maney nor his attorney had any comment on Friday.
Maney is due in Green Island Town Court on July 7th.
___________________
Information & Video: http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S986875.shtml?cat=300
Former Detective Rickie Durham on House Arrest for Obstruction of Justice
Suspended Philadelphia police detective Rickie Durham pleaded not guilty to obstruction-of-justice charges yesterday and was placed under house arrest during a brief hearing in U.S. District Court.
Judge David R. Strawbridge rejected a prosecution motion to deny Durham bail and instead set restrictions aimed at addressing the government's concern that Durham might try to influence witnesses in the case against him.
In a cramped fifth-floor courtroom packed with relatives and friends, including several off-duty police officers, Durham responded with a firm "not guilty" when the six charges were read to him.
The 12-year police veteran has been suspended with intent to dismiss, a procedure that will result in his firing within 30 days.
He has been charged with knowingly leaking information to a drug kingpin about a pending law enforcement raid and then lying to investigators about it.
His lawyer, Fortunato N. Perri Jr., told Strawbridge that Durham was a "dedicated police officer" and intended to fight the charges.
Pointing to the members of the department who had turned out for the hearing, Perri said, "Law enforcement has a different view than the government. . . . Law enforcement has not turned their back on Rickie Durham."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bresnick had argued that Durham should be denied bail and jailed pending trial.
In a detention motion and in arguments in open court, Bresnick contended that Durham had violated his oath as a police officer by tipping off Alton "Ace Capone" Coles about a series of raids Aug. 10, 2005.
Bresnick argued that Durham had "risked the lives of hundreds of his fellow officers, who unwittingly could have walked into a firestorm of bullets as a result of his obstructive conduct."
He contended that if left free, Durham would be "a serious risk of continuing to obstruct justice in the case that awaits him."
Strawbridge, however, ruled that Durham would be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring at his home in the 1600 block of East Mount Pleasant Avenue; that the house, owned by Durham's wife, would be used as collateral for a $50,000 bail bond; that Durham would report to pretrial-services officials twice a week; and that he could not have any contact with any potential witness in the case.
The charges appear to be built around information provided by Jerome "Pooh" Richardson, a former Philadelphia high school and NBA basketball standout.
Durham and Richardson have been friends for years. Richardson's half-sister, Aysa, was Coles' live-in girlfriend in August 2005.
Durham was one of more than 200 law enforcement agents assigned to take part in predawn raids aimed at the Coles drug organization that Aug. 10.
A few hours before the raids went off, Durham called Pooh Richardson, who lives in California.
The indictment alleges that Durham made the call knowing that Richardson would in turn call his sister and tip her and Coles off about the raids.
Durham has said he made the call merely to gather information for the investigation. He has subsequently acknowledged that the call was "poor judgment," but has insisted he had no intention of leaking information.
What Durham said to Richardson during their phone call will be at the heart of the case. Richardson is cooperating with authorities.
The raids went off as planned.
Coles, who was charged with heading a multimillion-dollar cocaine operation, was eventually convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to life plus 55 years.
Judge David R. Strawbridge rejected a prosecution motion to deny Durham bail and instead set restrictions aimed at addressing the government's concern that Durham might try to influence witnesses in the case against him.
In a cramped fifth-floor courtroom packed with relatives and friends, including several off-duty police officers, Durham responded with a firm "not guilty" when the six charges were read to him.
The 12-year police veteran has been suspended with intent to dismiss, a procedure that will result in his firing within 30 days.
He has been charged with knowingly leaking information to a drug kingpin about a pending law enforcement raid and then lying to investigators about it.
His lawyer, Fortunato N. Perri Jr., told Strawbridge that Durham was a "dedicated police officer" and intended to fight the charges.
Pointing to the members of the department who had turned out for the hearing, Perri said, "Law enforcement has a different view than the government. . . . Law enforcement has not turned their back on Rickie Durham."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bresnick had argued that Durham should be denied bail and jailed pending trial.
In a detention motion and in arguments in open court, Bresnick contended that Durham had violated his oath as a police officer by tipping off Alton "Ace Capone" Coles about a series of raids Aug. 10, 2005.
Bresnick argued that Durham had "risked the lives of hundreds of his fellow officers, who unwittingly could have walked into a firestorm of bullets as a result of his obstructive conduct."
He contended that if left free, Durham would be "a serious risk of continuing to obstruct justice in the case that awaits him."
Strawbridge, however, ruled that Durham would be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring at his home in the 1600 block of East Mount Pleasant Avenue; that the house, owned by Durham's wife, would be used as collateral for a $50,000 bail bond; that Durham would report to pretrial-services officials twice a week; and that he could not have any contact with any potential witness in the case.
The charges appear to be built around information provided by Jerome "Pooh" Richardson, a former Philadelphia high school and NBA basketball standout.
Durham and Richardson have been friends for years. Richardson's half-sister, Aysa, was Coles' live-in girlfriend in August 2005.
Durham was one of more than 200 law enforcement agents assigned to take part in predawn raids aimed at the Coles drug organization that Aug. 10.
A few hours before the raids went off, Durham called Pooh Richardson, who lives in California.
The indictment alleges that Durham made the call knowing that Richardson would in turn call his sister and tip her and Coles off about the raids.
Durham has said he made the call merely to gather information for the investigation. He has subsequently acknowledged that the call was "poor judgment," but has insisted he had no intention of leaking information.
What Durham said to Richardson during their phone call will be at the heart of the case. Richardson is cooperating with authorities.
The raids went off as planned.
Coles, who was charged with heading a multimillion-dollar cocaine operation, was eventually convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to life plus 55 years.
Correctional Sgt. Paul Edward Black Charged with Possession of Child Porn
A Century man who works as a sergeant at Century Correctional Facility has been arrested on federal child porn charges.
Paul Edward Black, 42, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of the possession of child pornography, according to United States Attorney Thomas F. Kirwin, Northern District of Florida.
Black is a sergeant at the Century Correctional Institution. He made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Timothy today in federal court. A trial date has been set for August 3.
Black was arrested about noon Wednesday while he was at work at Century Correctional Institution. Florida Department of Corrections Spokesperson Gretl Plessinger said Black has been employed at CCI since March 22, 1991. She said he typically worked the day shift at the prison. He has not been fired, but the Department of Corrections is working toward his termination, Plessinger said. DOC officials will not allow Black to return to work at CCI unless the charges are dropped, she said.
Black was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday, and a warrant was issued for his arrest through the Jacksonville Field Office of the FBI.
Black is accused of using online file sharing software to download images and videos of child pornography. If convicted, Black faces a term of up to ten years imprisonment and a lifetime term of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This investigation was initiated by the Computer Crime Unit of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and supported by the Pensacola Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other members of the North Florida Child Pornography Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
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