A Detroit Police Officer accused of stealing more than $26,000 in reward money from a police tip line stood silently in 16th District Court in Livonia this morning as a judge ordered his case to circuit court.
Officer Stevie Perry, 39, of Detroit, a 14-year law enforcement veteran, said before the 9:30 a.m. hearing he did not want to talk about the case. He faces five felony charges, the most serious of which -- uttering and publishing -- includes a possible 14-year prison sentence for a conviction.
"Any and all issues will be tried in court," his lawyer, Paul Bernier of Royal Oak, a retired Wayne County assistant prosecutor, said after the three-minute hearing in front of Judge Sean P. Kavanagh. Bernier waived the preliminary examination and Perry was again released on a personal bond pending a hearing in two weeks in Third Circuit Court in Detroit.
According to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, Perry deposited reward checks from an auto-theft tip line into his personal bank account between June 2007 and November 2008.
Perry is charged with uttering and publishing; using a computer to commit a crime; identity theft; committing a crime under false pretenses, and misconduct in office. Assigned to investigate auto thefts for the past five years, Perry has been suspended without pay since March.
After the charges were announced against Perry in July, the Detroit Police Officers Association went to court in an attempt to fight the release of Perry’s booking photo to the Free Press. The union claimed the photo was part of Perry’s personnel file and that a collective-bargaining agreement prevented the city from releasing it.
The Michigan Court of Appeals, however, disagreed and ordered the city to release the image.
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http://www.detnews.com/article/20090929/METRO01/909290391/1409/METRO
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Officer Ray Roberts Suspended for Making Illegal Arrest
A Murfreesboro Police officer faces 10 days suspension and one year of disciplinary probation after a lengthy investigation by MPD internal affairs into an arrest made by him in November 2008.
Officer Ray Roberts made an illegal arrest of a local Murfreesboro man, Anthony Defeo, on Nov. 30, 2008, for driving without a license, according to investigative reports filed by MPD Sgt. Harry Haigh and Capt. Anita Flagg.
The arrest was for a misdemeanor that happened out of Robert’s presence and was therefor determined to be illegal by several police department investigators over the course of the 6-month-long investigation into the incident.
Capt. Michael Bowen initially proposed Ray be suspended for one month for the infraction, but a document signed by Murfreesboro Police Chief Glenn Chrisman and Maj. David Hudgens in May 2009 contained a recommendation that Roberts be terminated from the department for lying during the internal investigation into the matter.
But after an appeals process concluded this week, the proposed firing was reduced to suspension and probation by City Manager Rob Lyons. It was found that Roberts did not lie during the investigation into the matter.
“I find that you exceeded your authority when you made a custodial arrest of Mr. Defeo for a misdemeanor not committed in your presence,” Lyons said, adding that Tennessee law is clear on when arrests are appropriate.
Lyons wrote in a report filed Thursday that Roberts was also investigated for suspicion of violating a general order stating that officers should deal truthfully and honorably with others. It was found he did not violate that order.
“The proposed increase in discipline recommended by Captain Bowen and Major Hudgens centered upon their belief that you were not truthful,” Lyons wrote in Robert’s letter of disciplinary action. “It is apparent that due to your strong headed nature, your failure to accept criticism and advice and the manner in which you sequenced your investigation, you created doubt ... about your truthfulness.”
Lyons goes on to tell Roberts that, even though he did not lie, he will have to regain the confidence of his superiors at the Murfreesboro Police Department.
Officer Ray Roberts made an illegal arrest of a local Murfreesboro man, Anthony Defeo, on Nov. 30, 2008, for driving without a license, according to investigative reports filed by MPD Sgt. Harry Haigh and Capt. Anita Flagg.
The arrest was for a misdemeanor that happened out of Robert’s presence and was therefor determined to be illegal by several police department investigators over the course of the 6-month-long investigation into the incident.
Capt. Michael Bowen initially proposed Ray be suspended for one month for the infraction, but a document signed by Murfreesboro Police Chief Glenn Chrisman and Maj. David Hudgens in May 2009 contained a recommendation that Roberts be terminated from the department for lying during the internal investigation into the matter.
But after an appeals process concluded this week, the proposed firing was reduced to suspension and probation by City Manager Rob Lyons. It was found that Roberts did not lie during the investigation into the matter.
“I find that you exceeded your authority when you made a custodial arrest of Mr. Defeo for a misdemeanor not committed in your presence,” Lyons said, adding that Tennessee law is clear on when arrests are appropriate.
Lyons wrote in a report filed Thursday that Roberts was also investigated for suspicion of violating a general order stating that officers should deal truthfully and honorably with others. It was found he did not violate that order.
“The proposed increase in discipline recommended by Captain Bowen and Major Hudgens centered upon their belief that you were not truthful,” Lyons wrote in Robert’s letter of disciplinary action. “It is apparent that due to your strong headed nature, your failure to accept criticism and advice and the manner in which you sequenced your investigation, you created doubt ... about your truthfulness.”
Lyons goes on to tell Roberts that, even though he did not lie, he will have to regain the confidence of his superiors at the Murfreesboro Police Department.
Officer Joseph Rios Charged with Aggravated Assault
The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office has charged police officer Joseph Rios with third-degree aggravated assault and second-degree official misconduct.
Last May, Rios was allegedly captured on surveillance video beating a mental patient with his baton, sparking allegations of police brutality.
Ronnie Holloway was arrested after the incident. He insists he did not provoke the beating. Four months after the 50-year-old schizophrenia patient was allegedly beaten, an incident that community activists called unprovoked police brutality, the Passaic County prosecutor filed the charges.
Surveillence video shows the beating, which took place outside of Lawrence's Restaurant on Main street in Passaic on May 29th. In the video, Rios' patrol car pulls up, a female officer gets out and orders Holloway to zip his jacket. Moments later, Rios gets out, approaches Holloway and appears to strike him several times with his fists and baton.
Holloway appears not to resist or fight back. He's knocked to the grorund, picked up and slammed onto the police cruiser. He was charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and approaching a location to buy drugs. Holloway, who takes medication and had never been arrested, suffered a black eye and bruised ribs.
Rios has been suspended without pay from Passaic's police force. His attorney says evidence will eventually prove that Rios did nothing wrong.
Last May, Rios was allegedly captured on surveillance video beating a mental patient with his baton, sparking allegations of police brutality.
Ronnie Holloway was arrested after the incident. He insists he did not provoke the beating. Four months after the 50-year-old schizophrenia patient was allegedly beaten, an incident that community activists called unprovoked police brutality, the Passaic County prosecutor filed the charges.
Surveillence video shows the beating, which took place outside of Lawrence's Restaurant on Main street in Passaic on May 29th. In the video, Rios' patrol car pulls up, a female officer gets out and orders Holloway to zip his jacket. Moments later, Rios gets out, approaches Holloway and appears to strike him several times with his fists and baton.
Holloway appears not to resist or fight back. He's knocked to the grorund, picked up and slammed onto the police cruiser. He was charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and approaching a location to buy drugs. Holloway, who takes medication and had never been arrested, suffered a black eye and bruised ribs.
Rios has been suspended without pay from Passaic's police force. His attorney says evidence will eventually prove that Rios did nothing wrong.
Officer Jevon Adkins Sprays House with Bullets
An off-duty police officer with a rural Mississippi town opens fire on a home in Hardeman County early Sunday morning.
Investigators say Officer Jevon Adkins was drunk when he sprayed a house on Mecklinburg Drive with bullets, thinking his girlfriend was inside.
But it wasn't even his girlfriend's house. It belongs to an older couple, who was home at the time, asleep in a back bedroom.
The homeowner didn't want to be identified. She tells us one bullet hit the ceiling of their carport, another lodged next to the garage door. A third flew through a living room window and landed inside their TV.
Hardeman County Deputies say the man standing in her yard firing his .40 calibur weapon was an off-duty Byhalia Police Officer.
"I think it's awful," said Bolivar resident Sandra Brown.
She was stunned to find out Adkins' intended target was his girlfriend's home next door and that he'd aimed his gun at the wrong house.
"He could've killed somebody," she said.
The report states Adkins fired his weapon at least 7 times. The victim told deputies while shooting, he was calling out for someone named "Lela."
No one answered when we knocked at that house.
But according to the report, the address was somewhat familiar to dispatchers. Shortly after arriving on the scene deputies were on the phone with the Byhalia Police Department, asking about Officer Adkins whereabouts.
When they discovered it was his day off, they immediately put out an alert on him and his silver Toyota. But it turns out they didn't need to.
A couple of hours after the incident, Adkins he returned to the scene of the crime. We're told he was intoxicated. Deputies cuffed him, ending what could've been a deadly situation.
He's locked up at the Hardeman County jail, charged with Aggravated Assault.
Investigators say Officer Jevon Adkins was drunk when he sprayed a house on Mecklinburg Drive with bullets, thinking his girlfriend was inside.
But it wasn't even his girlfriend's house. It belongs to an older couple, who was home at the time, asleep in a back bedroom.
The homeowner didn't want to be identified. She tells us one bullet hit the ceiling of their carport, another lodged next to the garage door. A third flew through a living room window and landed inside their TV.
Hardeman County Deputies say the man standing in her yard firing his .40 calibur weapon was an off-duty Byhalia Police Officer.
"I think it's awful," said Bolivar resident Sandra Brown.
She was stunned to find out Adkins' intended target was his girlfriend's home next door and that he'd aimed his gun at the wrong house.
"He could've killed somebody," she said.
The report states Adkins fired his weapon at least 7 times. The victim told deputies while shooting, he was calling out for someone named "Lela."
No one answered when we knocked at that house.
But according to the report, the address was somewhat familiar to dispatchers. Shortly after arriving on the scene deputies were on the phone with the Byhalia Police Department, asking about Officer Adkins whereabouts.
When they discovered it was his day off, they immediately put out an alert on him and his silver Toyota. But it turns out they didn't need to.
A couple of hours after the incident, Adkins he returned to the scene of the crime. We're told he was intoxicated. Deputies cuffed him, ending what could've been a deadly situation.
He's locked up at the Hardeman County jail, charged with Aggravated Assault.
Officer James Wade Charged with Falsifying Timesheets
A Bayonne police officer and second man surrendered to the Hudson County Sheriff's Office this morning on charges they falsified their timesheets while working as security guards at Global Terminal containerport on the Jersey City/Bayonne border, officials said.
Police Officer James Wade, 33, of Columbus Drive in Bayonne, and Steven Hogan, 53, of Maywood, then made their first appearance on the charge of theft by deception in Central Judicial Processing Court in Jersey City this afternoon.
Bayonne Police Chief Robert Kubert was shocked at the charge against Wade.
"I'd be surprised if it turns out to be a fact because he's one of my best officers, but we will see what happened down the road," Kubert told The Jersey Journal. "I'd be quite surprised if anything came out of it."
Waterfront Commission Executive Director Walter Arenault said both men were employed as port watchmen by the commission through a private security firm.
Both are charged with falsifying their timesheets to show they worked more hours than they actually did, and thereby being paid more money than they should have, officials said.
Eleven people have already been charged in the same investigation, which began more than a year ago and led to a warrant being signed this morning for the arrest of Hogan and Wade, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Karyn Pizzelanti.
Wade is the only police officer charged, she said.
The others charged have all entered into pre-trial intervention and if they comply with the terms of PTI, the charges against them will be removed from their record.
Arenault said the continuing investigation led to the charges against Hogan and Wade and he also said charges against additional people are possible.
Wade was not representing the Bayonne Police Department in any way at the time of the alleged crime, officials said.
Wade has been placed on desk duty following his surrender this morning and he will remain in the status pending a review of the charges by Bayonne police, Kubert said.
At today's hearing, CJP Judge Richard Nieto set bail for Wade and Hogan at $20,000 cash or bond for each and he then ordered them remanded to the Hudson County jail in Kearny.
Cpl Donald Bailey Arrested for Taking Money for Favors
A veteran Baton Rouge police officer arrested Monday evening by Louisiana State Police for allegedly accepting cash from an inmate to get the jailed man's charges dismissed and his parole hold lifted bonded out of jail early Tuesday morning.
East Baton Rouge Parish jail officials said Cpl. Donald Bailey, 49, was released on a $10,000 bond around 2 a.m.
Bailey was charged with malfeasance in office and corrupt influencing. Investigators said they found out Bailey extorted money from the inmate and set up an operation to catch him in the act.
Troopers recorded a telephone call between Bailey and the inmate. During the call, the inmate told Bailey he needed help getting out of the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on a cocaine possession charge and a parole hold. According to state police, Bailey told the inmate he would help him in exchange for $12,000.
The officer allegedly then contacted the district attorney's office and the parole office to make the requests. The agencies allowed the requests to happen and once the inmate was out of jail, a meeting was arranged between the inmate and Bailey. Investigators reported Bailey accepted $1,400 in cash. He was then arrested and booked into the parish prison.
Bailey is a 14-year veteran of the department and was the coordinator of the Targeted Violent Offender Program. Bailey was placed on administrative leave "pending a legally mandated pre-termination hearing," the department said in a statement late Monday evening.
"To say I'm disappointed would be a major understatement," Police Chief Jeff LeDuff said. "It hurts me personally and it hurts all of us professionally, anytime an officer violates the public trust."
LeDuff said he asked Louisiana State Police to conduct an independent investigation after first hearing of allegations against the corporal earlier this month.
"Allegations of corruption are taken very seriously and need to be investigated immediately," LeDuff said. "Many times we conduct those inquiries in-house. But in this case, Bailey was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Bureau, and we wanted to be certain we could maintain the integrity of the investigation, so we requested the assistance of Louisiana State Police."
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Deputy Colin Teem Arrested for Theft
A deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave after being charged with theft, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.
Polk County investigators said Deputy Colin Teem refused to admit he found and pocketed $60 off a floor at the Spirit Mountain Casino on Saturday night.
A short time later, the man who lost the money notified security, authorities said. Surveillance cameras at the casino clearly showed the victim losing his money and Teem picking it up, said Polk County authorities.
After security officers found Teem and his wife inside the casino, Teem denied finding the money and refused to tell them his name, according to officials.
Teem was arrested Saturday and placed on leave Sunday, said Sheriff Dennis Dotson in a news release. He has been charged with second-degree theft -- theft of lost, mislaid property, which is a misdemeanor, Dotson said. Teem's wife was also arrested on charges of receiving stolen property.
Polk County residents said they find it troubling that a deputy allegedly risked his law enforcement career over $60.
"For $60, what an idiot, especially when you're in a casino," said Cathleen Hogan, who lives in the area. "Didn't he watch 'Ocean's 11?' He should know there's cameras everywhere."
The alleged theft could cost Teem his position with the sheriff's office. Dotson said no further action will be taken until his office has reviewed a report from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Teem has worked for the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office since May 2006.
Deputy Accused Of Theft At Casino
Polk County investigators said Deputy Colin Teem refused to admit he found and pocketed $60 off a floor at the Spirit Mountain Casino on Saturday night.
A short time later, the man who lost the money notified security, authorities said. Surveillance cameras at the casino clearly showed the victim losing his money and Teem picking it up, said Polk County authorities.
After security officers found Teem and his wife inside the casino, Teem denied finding the money and refused to tell them his name, according to officials.
Teem was arrested Saturday and placed on leave Sunday, said Sheriff Dennis Dotson in a news release. He has been charged with second-degree theft -- theft of lost, mislaid property, which is a misdemeanor, Dotson said. Teem's wife was also arrested on charges of receiving stolen property.
Polk County residents said they find it troubling that a deputy allegedly risked his law enforcement career over $60.
"For $60, what an idiot, especially when you're in a casino," said Cathleen Hogan, who lives in the area. "Didn't he watch 'Ocean's 11?' He should know there's cameras everywhere."
The alleged theft could cost Teem his position with the sheriff's office. Dotson said no further action will be taken until his office has reviewed a report from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Teem has worked for the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office since May 2006.
Deputy Accused Of Theft At Casino
Former Officer Ryan Jackson Accused of Inappropriate Contact with Juvenile
A former Shreveport police corporal is accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a female juvenile while working an off-duty security job.
Ryan Jackson, 30, of the 4100 block of Pines Road in Shreveport, was booked into Caddo Correctional Center at 5:10 p.m. Friday after being indicted on one count of molestation of a juvenile. He was there Friday evening on a $75,184 bond, according to online booking records, which later did not list him as being at Caddo Correctional.
Jackson was employed by the Shreveport Police Department at the time of the incident, which was reported April 21, according to news releases from the Police Department and City of Shreveport.
He was placed on paid administrative leave April 28 then fired June 24, as a result of internal and criminal investigations, for violating departmental policies, the releases state.
“When an officer conducts himself in such a manner as to bring disrepute to the badge we are entrusted to wear, it is disappointing and disconcerting,” Police Chief Henry Whitehorn says in one of the statements released after 5 p.m. Friday. “I hold each of my officers to a high standard, and I will simply not tolerate misconduct.”
The case was handed over to the Caddo district attorney’s office, which brought it before a grand jury. That panel returned a secret indictment against Johnson, a seven-year member of the department, the city’s release states.
The date the indictment was handed up was not immediately known Friday by representatives of the Police Department and city. An after-hours phone call to the district attorney’s office was not answered.
Mayor Cedric Glover was “repulsed, disgusted and appalled by the charge” and commended Whitehorn for his swift action in the matter, according to the city’s release.
If convicted as charged, Jackson could face one to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
The law also includes a provision for more jail time if a juvenile is molested by someone who has control or supervision over the juvenile. The provision increases the possible penalty to up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
And if the juvenile is younger than age 13, Jackson could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted as charged.
Ryan Jackson, 30, of the 4100 block of Pines Road in Shreveport, was booked into Caddo Correctional Center at 5:10 p.m. Friday after being indicted on one count of molestation of a juvenile. He was there Friday evening on a $75,184 bond, according to online booking records, which later did not list him as being at Caddo Correctional.
Jackson was employed by the Shreveport Police Department at the time of the incident, which was reported April 21, according to news releases from the Police Department and City of Shreveport.
He was placed on paid administrative leave April 28 then fired June 24, as a result of internal and criminal investigations, for violating departmental policies, the releases state.
“When an officer conducts himself in such a manner as to bring disrepute to the badge we are entrusted to wear, it is disappointing and disconcerting,” Police Chief Henry Whitehorn says in one of the statements released after 5 p.m. Friday. “I hold each of my officers to a high standard, and I will simply not tolerate misconduct.”
The case was handed over to the Caddo district attorney’s office, which brought it before a grand jury. That panel returned a secret indictment against Johnson, a seven-year member of the department, the city’s release states.
The date the indictment was handed up was not immediately known Friday by representatives of the Police Department and city. An after-hours phone call to the district attorney’s office was not answered.
Mayor Cedric Glover was “repulsed, disgusted and appalled by the charge” and commended Whitehorn for his swift action in the matter, according to the city’s release.
If convicted as charged, Jackson could face one to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
The law also includes a provision for more jail time if a juvenile is molested by someone who has control or supervision over the juvenile. The provision increases the possible penalty to up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
And if the juvenile is younger than age 13, Jackson could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted as charged.
Officer Antonio White Charged with Rape, Incest & Other Sex Charges
Macon police say an officer has been placed on administrative leave after he was arrested on multiple sex charges in Houston County.
Police said in a statement released Friday that 33-year-old Antonio J. White of Warner Robins is charged with rape, incest, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, statutory rape, cruelty to children and child molestation.
Sheriff's deputies arrested White around 6:40 p.m. Thursday. He was being held Friday at the Houston County jail without bond.
Houston County arrest warrants allege that the crimes occurred between April 19, 2006 and Sept. 2, 2009.
White's lawyer, Clarence Williams, says the allegations are untrue.
White was hired as a Macon police officer in September 2007.
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Information from: The Macon Telegraph, http://www.macontelegraph.com/
Police said in a statement released Friday that 33-year-old Antonio J. White of Warner Robins is charged with rape, incest, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, statutory rape, cruelty to children and child molestation.
Sheriff's deputies arrested White around 6:40 p.m. Thursday. He was being held Friday at the Houston County jail without bond.
Houston County arrest warrants allege that the crimes occurred between April 19, 2006 and Sept. 2, 2009.
White's lawyer, Clarence Williams, says the allegations are untrue.
White was hired as a Macon police officer in September 2007.
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Information from: The Macon Telegraph, http://www.macontelegraph.com/
Other Information: http://www.13wmaz.com/news/breaking/story.aspx?storyid=69561&catid=4
Chief Ellis Casper Arrested for Drunk Driving
The chief of police in Bayfield was arrested and charged last week for first-offense drunk driving near Merrill, Wisconsin.
The State Patrol noticed Ellis Casper's vehicle going north in the southbound lane of Highway 51 in Lincoln County.
Casper, 60, was arrested about 9 p.m. on Sept. 18. A preliminary breath test indicated his blood-alcohol content was 0.14 percent.
Bayfield Mayor Larry MacDonald says Casper called him the next day. The city council is considering a possible reprimand.
"We are examining the situation very closely. The city attorney is looking at the issue, and we'll be addressing it at an upcoming Bayfield City Council meeting," Mayor MacDonald said over the phone on Friday.
The mayor also said Casper was not on city business nor was he in a city vehicle at the time of the arrest. Casper has been the chief for about 10 years.
A first offense DWI in Wisconsin is essentially a traffic ticket, and Casper, if convicted, will be subject to a fine.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-policechiefarrest,0,505031.story
The State Patrol noticed Ellis Casper's vehicle going north in the southbound lane of Highway 51 in Lincoln County.
Casper, 60, was arrested about 9 p.m. on Sept. 18. A preliminary breath test indicated his blood-alcohol content was 0.14 percent.
Bayfield Mayor Larry MacDonald says Casper called him the next day. The city council is considering a possible reprimand.
"We are examining the situation very closely. The city attorney is looking at the issue, and we'll be addressing it at an upcoming Bayfield City Council meeting," Mayor MacDonald said over the phone on Friday.
The mayor also said Casper was not on city business nor was he in a city vehicle at the time of the arrest. Casper has been the chief for about 10 years.
A first offense DWI in Wisconsin is essentially a traffic ticket, and Casper, if convicted, will be subject to a fine.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-policechiefarrest,0,505031.story
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Officer Lourdes Smith Arrested on 2 Misdemeanor Charges
A Metro police officer has been arrested by Henderson police.
Lourdes Smith, 36, was arrested Tuesday on two misdemeanor charges. She has been employed by Metro police for over eight years.
Metro police said they became aware of the HPD investigation on Sept. 17 and are conducting an independent internal investigation into the incident.
Smith was assigned to the patrol division, South Central Area Command. She has been reassigned to administrative duties within that area command, with no public contact, pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs investigation.
Metro said as with all internal affairs investigations, no information will be released until the investigation is concluded.
Lourdes Smith, 36, was arrested Tuesday on two misdemeanor charges. She has been employed by Metro police for over eight years.
Metro police said they became aware of the HPD investigation on Sept. 17 and are conducting an independent internal investigation into the incident.
Smith was assigned to the patrol division, South Central Area Command. She has been reassigned to administrative duties within that area command, with no public contact, pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs investigation.
Metro said as with all internal affairs investigations, no information will be released until the investigation is concluded.
Portland Officers Being Sued for Excessive Force
A police officer, whose shooting of a Portland man two years ago cost the city a half million dollars, was in court again Friday on claims he and several other officers used excessive force.
Officer Leo Besner was among the officers who responded to a report of a fight downtown two years ago during a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
Three men, Alex Clay, Richard Booth, and Harold Hammick, said the officers’ actions toward them were excessive and too aggressive. They are suing the city for $300,000.
Hammick said Besner punched him in the groin and used a knife to cut the seat belts he was wearing while he sat in a vehicle.
All three said they were detained too long and for no reason. None of the three was arrested.
A witness to the incident that took place in a parking garage, Adam Ganer, agreed with the plaintiffs.
“All of a sudden we see the police with all their guns drawn, you know, shouting. The three plaintiff’s were just shouting, ‘please just tell us what we did wrong,’” he said. There was “no resisting, no anger, no questioning. They were terrified.”
Greg Kafoury, the attorney for Hammick, said when his client told Besner he had a concealed weapon permit and was carrying a gun, the officers overreacted because of race.
“The officers’ story is built on the ugliest of stereotypes,” he said. “Young, black men, confrontational, belligerent, loud, pushy, aggressive, got a chip on their shoulder, looking for trouble.”
City attorney Bill Manlove argued the police were just doing their job.
“Officer Besner had to do that investigation to find out if in fact the gun was lawfully possessed by Mr. Hammick,” he said.
Besner’s history includes shooting 30-year-old Raymond Gwerder two years ago.
Gwerder was suicidal and had threatened to shoot police if they came inside his house.
He was shot outside the house while on the phone with a police negotiator, ending a 90-minute standoff.
In that case, Besner said he saw Gwerder appear to aim his gun as if he was “hunting” for something to shoot.
Ultimately, the city of Portland agreed to pay a $500,000 settlement to Gwerder’s family.
The jury is currently deliberating the current suit against Besner.
Officer Leo Besner was among the officers who responded to a report of a fight downtown two years ago during a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
Three men, Alex Clay, Richard Booth, and Harold Hammick, said the officers’ actions toward them were excessive and too aggressive. They are suing the city for $300,000.
Hammick said Besner punched him in the groin and used a knife to cut the seat belts he was wearing while he sat in a vehicle.
All three said they were detained too long and for no reason. None of the three was arrested.
A witness to the incident that took place in a parking garage, Adam Ganer, agreed with the plaintiffs.
“All of a sudden we see the police with all their guns drawn, you know, shouting. The three plaintiff’s were just shouting, ‘please just tell us what we did wrong,’” he said. There was “no resisting, no anger, no questioning. They were terrified.”
Greg Kafoury, the attorney for Hammick, said when his client told Besner he had a concealed weapon permit and was carrying a gun, the officers overreacted because of race.
“The officers’ story is built on the ugliest of stereotypes,” he said. “Young, black men, confrontational, belligerent, loud, pushy, aggressive, got a chip on their shoulder, looking for trouble.”
City attorney Bill Manlove argued the police were just doing their job.
“Officer Besner had to do that investigation to find out if in fact the gun was lawfully possessed by Mr. Hammick,” he said.
Besner’s history includes shooting 30-year-old Raymond Gwerder two years ago.
Gwerder was suicidal and had threatened to shoot police if they came inside his house.
He was shot outside the house while on the phone with a police negotiator, ending a 90-minute standoff.
In that case, Besner said he saw Gwerder appear to aim his gun as if he was “hunting” for something to shoot.
Ultimately, the city of Portland agreed to pay a $500,000 settlement to Gwerder’s family.
The jury is currently deliberating the current suit against Besner.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Officer Mark Lunsford Charged with Stealing Money & Jewelry
A Baltimore police officer assigned to a federal drug task force was arrested by the FBI and charged Thursday with stealing money and jewelry from houses hit on drug raids and with embezzling from funds used to pay confidential informants, according to the Maryland U.S. attorney's office.
Officer Mark J. Lunsford, 40, who has been on the force for six years, was placed by a federal judge on home detention with electronic monitoring during an appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. He had been assigned to Baltimore's Drug Enforcement Administration, which conducts high-end narcotics investigations.
"These allegations represent an egregious abuse of trust," Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in an interview. FBI agents arrested the officer Wednesday night after he left work. He was charged with making a false claim, making a false statement and embezzlement.
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Baltimore Police Department, said Lunsford is being suspended without pay. "The department doesn't tolerate any behavior that undermines the integrity of the agency or the hard work of our police officers," he said.
Neither Lunsford, who earned $97,196 with overtime in fiscal 2008, nor his attorney could be reached for comment.
Authorities said a confidential informant used by the DEA and city police tipped them off to the allegations. One of the items stolen from a drug raid at a hotel room, according to court documents filed Thursday, was a stainless steel Aqua Master diamond watch that retails for $18,000. The source told the FBI that Lunsford ordered him to "repair the watch and sell it and share the proceeds with him," according to the affidavit. The watch was sold for about $4,200 in New York.
The court documents describe the informant as unreliable because of his "inability to follow instructions and candor issues." The FBI dropped him as an informant, but court papers said the DEA and Baltimore police continued to use him for information.
After the informant came forward to FBI agents, prosecutors said in court documents, they secretly recorded conversations between Lunsford and the informant.
The affidavit alleges that Lunsford listed the informant on drug cases that the informant hadn't worked and would then tell his superiors that the informant deserved bonuses. In one case, he falsely linked the informant to a secret wiretap on a drug case "in the county" and then got the informant a $10,000 bonus from the DEA, according to prosecutors.
The prosecutors said Lunsford then split the money with the informant.
On July 1, the FBI said, agents caught Lunsford meeting with the informant outside a federal office in Elkridge and discussing a drug case: "I put in there that you gave me the information about ah ... what's the guy's name? That's that [expletive] house we're gonna hit. Who knows? We might get lucky," Lunsford told the informant, according to the court documents.
During that same conversation, prosecutors said, Lunsford told the informant "that he stole three [PlayStation] video games from the residence of a person [federal agents] had interviewed," according to court documents.
Lunsford then told the informant, "Me and you are the only ones that know we split that ten grand, right?" the documents say. The informant answered, "Oh yea, nobody knows."
Later, authorities said, Lunsford arrested a man during a raid and seized $17,490. Prosecutors said Lunsford put the informant, who had nothing to do with the case, in for a 20 percent bonus.
According to prosecutors, Lunsford wrote that "without the valuable intelligence provided by the [informant], the [suspect] would not have been arrested." Prosecutors said, "As Lunsford well knew at the time he submitted the claim for an award to DEA, the [informant] had provided no intelligence to him."
Prosecutors said the DEA allowed the informant to receive a $3,498 bonus and cut a U.S. Treasury check to the informant. The informant cashed the check and handed the money back to a DEA supervisor, who gave the informant marked $100 bills. Prosecutors said the informant then met with Lunsford to give him his share of the bonus in a parking lot in Sykesville. The FBI said agents had that meeting under surveillance.
Officer Mark J. Lunsford, 40, who has been on the force for six years, was placed by a federal judge on home detention with electronic monitoring during an appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. He had been assigned to Baltimore's Drug Enforcement Administration, which conducts high-end narcotics investigations.
"These allegations represent an egregious abuse of trust," Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in an interview. FBI agents arrested the officer Wednesday night after he left work. He was charged with making a false claim, making a false statement and embezzlement.
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Baltimore Police Department, said Lunsford is being suspended without pay. "The department doesn't tolerate any behavior that undermines the integrity of the agency or the hard work of our police officers," he said.
Neither Lunsford, who earned $97,196 with overtime in fiscal 2008, nor his attorney could be reached for comment.
Authorities said a confidential informant used by the DEA and city police tipped them off to the allegations. One of the items stolen from a drug raid at a hotel room, according to court documents filed Thursday, was a stainless steel Aqua Master diamond watch that retails for $18,000. The source told the FBI that Lunsford ordered him to "repair the watch and sell it and share the proceeds with him," according to the affidavit. The watch was sold for about $4,200 in New York.
The court documents describe the informant as unreliable because of his "inability to follow instructions and candor issues." The FBI dropped him as an informant, but court papers said the DEA and Baltimore police continued to use him for information.
After the informant came forward to FBI agents, prosecutors said in court documents, they secretly recorded conversations between Lunsford and the informant.
The affidavit alleges that Lunsford listed the informant on drug cases that the informant hadn't worked and would then tell his superiors that the informant deserved bonuses. In one case, he falsely linked the informant to a secret wiretap on a drug case "in the county" and then got the informant a $10,000 bonus from the DEA, according to prosecutors.
The prosecutors said Lunsford then split the money with the informant.
On July 1, the FBI said, agents caught Lunsford meeting with the informant outside a federal office in Elkridge and discussing a drug case: "I put in there that you gave me the information about ah ... what's the guy's name? That's that [expletive] house we're gonna hit. Who knows? We might get lucky," Lunsford told the informant, according to the court documents.
During that same conversation, prosecutors said, Lunsford told the informant "that he stole three [PlayStation] video games from the residence of a person [federal agents] had interviewed," according to court documents.
Lunsford then told the informant, "Me and you are the only ones that know we split that ten grand, right?" the documents say. The informant answered, "Oh yea, nobody knows."
Later, authorities said, Lunsford arrested a man during a raid and seized $17,490. Prosecutors said Lunsford put the informant, who had nothing to do with the case, in for a 20 percent bonus.
According to prosecutors, Lunsford wrote that "without the valuable intelligence provided by the [informant], the [suspect] would not have been arrested." Prosecutors said, "As Lunsford well knew at the time he submitted the claim for an award to DEA, the [informant] had provided no intelligence to him."
Prosecutors said the DEA allowed the informant to receive a $3,498 bonus and cut a U.S. Treasury check to the informant. The informant cashed the check and handed the money back to a DEA supervisor, who gave the informant marked $100 bills. Prosecutors said the informant then met with Lunsford to give him his share of the bonus in a parking lot in Sykesville. The FBI said agents had that meeting under surveillance.
Officer Francis Brevetti Faces Drug Charges
A Waterbury police officer has been charged possessing cocaine and marijuana with intent to sell, but insists he seized the drugs during an investigation and just forgot to turn them in at the police department.
Twenty-nine-year-old Francis Brevetti of Wolcott was arrested by Watertown police Thursday. Officers say Brevetti crashed his pickup into a tree Sunday and police found the drugs in his truck.
Police say they found nearly 2 ounces of marijuana, less than 3 grams of powder cocaine and a digital scale.
Brevetti has been suspended with pay pending an investigation. He posted $100,000 bail and is to be arraigned in state court Tuesday.
Brevetti's lawyer says his client seized the drugs while on duty and put them in a bag that he forgot to turn in at the police station.
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http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local-beat/Search-for-Missing-Boater-61393407.html
Twenty-nine-year-old Francis Brevetti of Wolcott was arrested by Watertown police Thursday. Officers say Brevetti crashed his pickup into a tree Sunday and police found the drugs in his truck.
Police say they found nearly 2 ounces of marijuana, less than 3 grams of powder cocaine and a digital scale.
Brevetti has been suspended with pay pending an investigation. He posted $100,000 bail and is to be arraigned in state court Tuesday.
Brevetti's lawyer says his client seized the drugs while on duty and put them in a bag that he forgot to turn in at the police station.
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http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local-beat/Search-for-Missing-Boater-61393407.html
Former Sgt Faron White Sentenced to 16 Months
A federal judge has imposed a 16-month sentence on a former Decatur police officer who staged his apparent abduction, stole $50,000 from the department and fled to Las Vegas.
The judge in Huntsville sentenced former Decatur police Sgt. Faron White for theft on Tuesday. A co-defendant was to be sentenced afterward.
White already has been in jail for eight months.
White admitted stealing money from his office safe, staging his disappearance and fleeing to Las Vegas in January. Authorities said he had debts from gambling and normal family expenses.
The judge ordered White to pay about $50,000 in restitution to Decatur police.
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All previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/search?q=Faron+White+
The judge in Huntsville sentenced former Decatur police Sgt. Faron White for theft on Tuesday. A co-defendant was to be sentenced afterward.
White already has been in jail for eight months.
White admitted stealing money from his office safe, staging his disappearance and fleeing to Las Vegas in January. Authorities said he had debts from gambling and normal family expenses.
The judge ordered White to pay about $50,000 in restitution to Decatur police.
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All previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/search?q=Faron+White+
Former Officer Robert Miller Charged with Scamming People
A former South Charleston police officer now finds himself in trouble with the law. Charleston Police arrested Robert Earl Miller Thursday and charged him with impersonating a police officer.
It has been more than ten years since Miller served on the South Charleston force but Charleston police say he is guilty of scamming people out of money.
If you think you may have been a victim of one of Miller's possible scams you are asked to contact the Charleston Police Department.
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http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/61356722.html
It has been more than ten years since Miller served on the South Charleston force but Charleston police say he is guilty of scamming people out of money.
If you think you may have been a victim of one of Miller's possible scams you are asked to contact the Charleston Police Department.
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http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/61356722.html
Deputy Jonathan Bleiweiss May Face More Charges
The attorney representing a Broward sheriff's deputy charged with sexually assaulting an undocumented immigrant on multiple occasions said Tuesday that ``there was no reason to believe any of the accusations.''
``Everyone should sit back and take a deep breath,'' said Eric Schwartzreich, an attorney who represents the Police Benevolent Association. ``We're hopeful that when all the ink dries, everyone will see that there's more than meets the eye.''
Jonathan Bleiweiss, 29, who joined the Broward Sheriff's Office in 2002, was arrested Monday morning on 14 charges, including sexual battery, false armed imprisonment and stalking. Detectives said Bleiweiss stopped a 30-year-old man waiting for a ride to work. After discovering he was an undocumented migrant, Bleiweiss groped him during a pat-down, detectives said.
According to the arrest warrant, the victim told BSO that he was forced to allow the deputy to perform oral sex on him on four occasions. Detectives said the incidents took place during traffic stops or inside Bleiweiss' marked police car.
Schwartzreich and Bleiweiss appeared in Broward Circuit Court on Tuesday, during which the judge ordered that Bleiweiss be placed in protective custody. Schwartzreich said the deputy was ``dismayed and upset'' by the allegations.
Bleiweiss, who lives in Fort Lauderdale and is openly gay, is being held without bail.
Prosecutors and detectives said Tuesday that their work was only beginning. Charges are being prepared in at least seven other cases in which Bleiweiss allegedly fondled or performed sexual acts on undocumented migrants.
STAYED ON JOB
BSO was alerted in April that at least two men claimed to have been victimized by a deputy, but Bleiweiss was allowed to continue on his job until last month. During that period, detectives said, there was at least one additional incident, which raised concerns that BSO did not work swiftly enough.
``I gotta believe that if the police department had allowed someone to work when they had information that he touched a woman, the roar of objection would be deafening,'' said Howard Finkelstein, Broward's chief public defender, whose office is not involved in the case.
A BSO spokeswoman would not respond to Finkelstein's remarks, but Sheriff Al Lamberti said Monday the office needed to ensure the allegations were not a response to a vendetta against the deputy.
Bleiweiss was known as being an enforcer, and his supervisors often commended his high number of arrests and investigative skills.
EMPLOYEE OF YEAR
Bleiweiss, who graduated from Great Neck High School in Long Island and majored in history at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, also received the Oakland Park BSO District's employee of the year award for 2008.
Court documents released Tuesday also detail at least three encounters in which witnesses said Bleiweiss denied their requests that he stop molesting them, sunsentinel.com reported Tuesday night. The victims identified Bleiweiss in a police line-up, the records show.
Meanwhile, prosecutors must determine what to do with three traffic cases for which the accused deputy is listed as a witness.
``Everyone should sit back and take a deep breath,'' said Eric Schwartzreich, an attorney who represents the Police Benevolent Association. ``We're hopeful that when all the ink dries, everyone will see that there's more than meets the eye.''
Jonathan Bleiweiss, 29, who joined the Broward Sheriff's Office in 2002, was arrested Monday morning on 14 charges, including sexual battery, false armed imprisonment and stalking. Detectives said Bleiweiss stopped a 30-year-old man waiting for a ride to work. After discovering he was an undocumented migrant, Bleiweiss groped him during a pat-down, detectives said.
According to the arrest warrant, the victim told BSO that he was forced to allow the deputy to perform oral sex on him on four occasions. Detectives said the incidents took place during traffic stops or inside Bleiweiss' marked police car.
Schwartzreich and Bleiweiss appeared in Broward Circuit Court on Tuesday, during which the judge ordered that Bleiweiss be placed in protective custody. Schwartzreich said the deputy was ``dismayed and upset'' by the allegations.
Bleiweiss, who lives in Fort Lauderdale and is openly gay, is being held without bail.
Prosecutors and detectives said Tuesday that their work was only beginning. Charges are being prepared in at least seven other cases in which Bleiweiss allegedly fondled or performed sexual acts on undocumented migrants.
STAYED ON JOB
BSO was alerted in April that at least two men claimed to have been victimized by a deputy, but Bleiweiss was allowed to continue on his job until last month. During that period, detectives said, there was at least one additional incident, which raised concerns that BSO did not work swiftly enough.
``I gotta believe that if the police department had allowed someone to work when they had information that he touched a woman, the roar of objection would be deafening,'' said Howard Finkelstein, Broward's chief public defender, whose office is not involved in the case.
A BSO spokeswoman would not respond to Finkelstein's remarks, but Sheriff Al Lamberti said Monday the office needed to ensure the allegations were not a response to a vendetta against the deputy.
Bleiweiss was known as being an enforcer, and his supervisors often commended his high number of arrests and investigative skills.
EMPLOYEE OF YEAR
Bleiweiss, who graduated from Great Neck High School in Long Island and majored in history at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, also received the Oakland Park BSO District's employee of the year award for 2008.
Court documents released Tuesday also detail at least three encounters in which witnesses said Bleiweiss denied their requests that he stop molesting them, sunsentinel.com reported Tuesday night. The victims identified Bleiweiss in a police line-up, the records show.
Meanwhile, prosecutors must determine what to do with three traffic cases for which the accused deputy is listed as a witness.
Deputy Sidney Binkley Arrested for Stealing Items from Accident Scenes
A former Greene County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with three counts of theft after he was accused of stealing items from accident scenes.
The charges were filed this week against 28-year-old Sidney Robert Binkley of Paragould. Binkley was arrested June 15, five days after he resigned from the sheriff’s department.
Authorities accuse Binkley of taking a Glock 9mm pistol and a magazine clip worth $600 and a benchmade knife worth $250 from the scene of an accident in which the owner was allegedly a convicted felon. State police say the items were found in Binkley’s home.
The charges were filed this week against 28-year-old Sidney Robert Binkley of Paragould. Binkley was arrested June 15, five days after he resigned from the sheriff’s department.
Authorities accuse Binkley of taking a Glock 9mm pistol and a magazine clip worth $600 and a benchmade knife worth $250 from the scene of an accident in which the owner was allegedly a convicted felon. State police say the items were found in Binkley’s home.
Corrections Officer John Carrasquillo Arrested for Stalking
An Orange County corrections officer was arrested today on a stalking charge after Osceola deputies said he made crank calls to a friend of his wife.
The woman told investigators that someone with a blocked number called her cell phone several times, speaking inaudibly or not at all or making noises. One day last month, the person called four times but hung up when she answered, according to a a sheriff's report. Another day, the person called six times and once whispered, "How are you?"
Investigators traced the call to John Carrasquillo, 45, who told them he wanted the woman to stay away from his wife so he could get "some quality time" with his wife, the report states.
Carrasquillo was arrested on a stalking charge. A deputy wrote that he called the woman "willfully, repeatedly and maliciously."
Carrasquillo is being held without bail at the Osceola County Jail.
The woman told investigators that someone with a blocked number called her cell phone several times, speaking inaudibly or not at all or making noises. One day last month, the person called four times but hung up when she answered, according to a a sheriff's report. Another day, the person called six times and once whispered, "How are you?"
Investigators traced the call to John Carrasquillo, 45, who told them he wanted the woman to stay away from his wife so he could get "some quality time" with his wife, the report states.
Carrasquillo was arrested on a stalking charge. A deputy wrote that he called the woman "willfully, repeatedly and maliciously."
Carrasquillo is being held without bail at the Osceola County Jail.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Sgt. Daniel Bowden Has Been Terminated for Child Porn
The veteran Florida Highway Patrol trooper arrested on 10 counts of possession of child pornography this week has been terminated, according to an FHP official in Tallahassee.
"He has been terminated," said Capt. Mark Welch, FHP's chief of public affairs in Tallahassee.
Lake County Sheriff's Office Cyber Crimes Unit arrested former FHP Sgt. Daniel Bowden, 40, on the 10 counts on Tuesday.
The unit had been investigating the Bowden case for several months. A search warrant was served at Bowden's Lake County home and an examination of computers there discovered "numerous images of child pornography," according to the Sheriff's Office.
The images show young male and female children engaged in sex acts, according to an affidavit released by the Sheriff's Office. The children shown in the images are under 18, the document states.
Bowden was arrested without incident and taken to the Lake County Jail. He was released Tuesday evening after posting bail.
During an interview with Lake investigators, Bowden said he "made a mistake," but he also said that "he did not think what he was doing was a big deal," the affidavit states. He told investigators he was viewing the images "out of curiosity," according to the document.
Bowden had been with the FHP since August 1991. He worked ouf of FHP's Troop D and its DeLand station.
"He has been terminated," said Capt. Mark Welch, FHP's chief of public affairs in Tallahassee.
Lake County Sheriff's Office Cyber Crimes Unit arrested former FHP Sgt. Daniel Bowden, 40, on the 10 counts on Tuesday.
The unit had been investigating the Bowden case for several months. A search warrant was served at Bowden's Lake County home and an examination of computers there discovered "numerous images of child pornography," according to the Sheriff's Office.
The images show young male and female children engaged in sex acts, according to an affidavit released by the Sheriff's Office. The children shown in the images are under 18, the document states.
Bowden was arrested without incident and taken to the Lake County Jail. He was released Tuesday evening after posting bail.
During an interview with Lake investigators, Bowden said he "made a mistake," but he also said that "he did not think what he was doing was a big deal," the affidavit states. He told investigators he was viewing the images "out of curiosity," according to the document.
Bowden had been with the FHP since August 1991. He worked ouf of FHP's Troop D and its DeLand station.
Sgt. Hector Montes Arrested for Official Oppression
El Paso County Sheriff's Sgt. Hector Montes, 42, is arrested on suspicion of abusing his authority.
Montes has been booked and released from the El Paso County Jail, and while few details are coming out about what he has done, the sheriff's office has already said it does not condone his behavior.
Montes was charged with official oppression. According to the penal code, the charge is that Montes used his position as a sergeant in the El Paso County Sheriff's Office to his advantage. That could mean he mistreated or arrested someone unlawfully, denied someone his or her rights and/or subjected someone to sexual harassment. It is a misdemeanor charge.
According to what KFOX found in a search of jail records, 42-year-old Montes was booked at the El Paso County Jail a little after 5:30 p.m. on Thursday on a $5,000 bond, and that the incident for which he was charged for happened a week and a half ago on Sept. 16.
He was released less than an hour later on a cash bond.
A spokesman, Deputy Jesse Tovar, said the incident was uncovered by the sheriff's office, calling it "a disturbing incident." Tovar also said they will investigate any additional allegations.
Sheriff's officials said Montes is a 13-year veteran of the sheriff's office, and has been relieved of his duties and placed on administrative leave.
Since Montes is a peace officer, the sheriff's office will not release his mug shot until after an indictment.
Montes has been booked and released from the El Paso County Jail, and while few details are coming out about what he has done, the sheriff's office has already said it does not condone his behavior.
Montes was charged with official oppression. According to the penal code, the charge is that Montes used his position as a sergeant in the El Paso County Sheriff's Office to his advantage. That could mean he mistreated or arrested someone unlawfully, denied someone his or her rights and/or subjected someone to sexual harassment. It is a misdemeanor charge.
According to what KFOX found in a search of jail records, 42-year-old Montes was booked at the El Paso County Jail a little after 5:30 p.m. on Thursday on a $5,000 bond, and that the incident for which he was charged for happened a week and a half ago on Sept. 16.
He was released less than an hour later on a cash bond.
A spokesman, Deputy Jesse Tovar, said the incident was uncovered by the sheriff's office, calling it "a disturbing incident." Tovar also said they will investigate any additional allegations.
Sheriff's officials said Montes is a 13-year veteran of the sheriff's office, and has been relieved of his duties and placed on administrative leave.
Since Montes is a peace officer, the sheriff's office will not release his mug shot until after an indictment.
Sgt. Daniel Bowden Busted for Looking at Child Porn
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper is unemployed after he was busted for looking at child pornography online.
Lake County Sheriff's deputies arrested Sgt. Daniel Bowden, 40, Tuesday afternoon.
Bowden is facing 10 counts of child pornography for pictures the Lake County Sheriff's Office Cyber Crimes Unit confirmed were on Bowden's computer.
It's an undercover investigation that has taken months to come to light.
“This started back in November of 2008 with a search warrant. Several computers were seized and once the forensics was completed on those computers, there were several images of child pornography that we discovered,” said Cpl. Jim Vachon from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
It was a shocking discovery that led to the arrest of Bowden, an 18-year veteran of the highway patrol, who worked in DeLand, but lives in Lake County.
Deputies said some of the pornographic images Bowden had on his computer appeared to be of children under 4 years old.
“They were described as being obviously children, some pre-pubescent. Just the file names alone were pretty graphic,” Vachon said.
Bowden made statements to the sheriff’s office about his actions.
“Things like ‘I screwed up’ and ‘I was just curious,’ that kind of thing,” Vachon said.
Officers said at one point, Bowden said he did not think what he was doing was a big deal.
It wasn’t the reaction the Florida Highway Patrol had after finding out about his arrest. They said Bowden is being fired and released the following statement:
We regret the incident involving Mr. Bowden, and we certainly do not condone his actions in any way. As State Troopers charged with the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors, we expect all of our officers to hold themselves to the highest ethical and moral standards, including those relating to both their professional and personal lives.
“I mean, of course, it’s difficult for us to investigate a fellow law enforcement officer. But in the end, we've got a job to do and it's just unfortunate that this is the way it went,” Vachon said.
Lake County Sheriff's deputies arrested Sgt. Daniel Bowden, 40, Tuesday afternoon.
Bowden is facing 10 counts of child pornography for pictures the Lake County Sheriff's Office Cyber Crimes Unit confirmed were on Bowden's computer.
It's an undercover investigation that has taken months to come to light.
“This started back in November of 2008 with a search warrant. Several computers were seized and once the forensics was completed on those computers, there were several images of child pornography that we discovered,” said Cpl. Jim Vachon from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
It was a shocking discovery that led to the arrest of Bowden, an 18-year veteran of the highway patrol, who worked in DeLand, but lives in Lake County.
Deputies said some of the pornographic images Bowden had on his computer appeared to be of children under 4 years old.
“They were described as being obviously children, some pre-pubescent. Just the file names alone were pretty graphic,” Vachon said.
Bowden made statements to the sheriff’s office about his actions.
“Things like ‘I screwed up’ and ‘I was just curious,’ that kind of thing,” Vachon said.
Officers said at one point, Bowden said he did not think what he was doing was a big deal.
It wasn’t the reaction the Florida Highway Patrol had after finding out about his arrest. They said Bowden is being fired and released the following statement:
We regret the incident involving Mr. Bowden, and we certainly do not condone his actions in any way. As State Troopers charged with the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors, we expect all of our officers to hold themselves to the highest ethical and moral standards, including those relating to both their professional and personal lives.
“I mean, of course, it’s difficult for us to investigate a fellow law enforcement officer. But in the end, we've got a job to do and it's just unfortunate that this is the way it went,” Vachon said.
Officer John Cumberland Arrested for Drunk Driving
Metro Police say East Precinct Crime Suppression Unit Officer John Cumberland has been decommissioned of his police authority following his arrest early today on charges of drunken driving and possessing a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.
Police say Cumberland crashed his unmarked police vehicle into a ditch on Newsome Station Road near Settlers Way just before 12:30 a.m.
A citizen called to report the crash and said that the driver appeared to be impaired.
Officers found that Cumberland smelled of alcohol and, after performing field sobriety tasks, indicated impairment.
Cumberland consented to a breath alcohol test, which registered 0.12%.
In Tennessee, a person is considered to be legally under the influence of alcohol with a reading of 0.08%.
Cumberland got off work at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Cumberlands bond was set at $7,000.
The police departments administrative investigation of Cumberlands actions, which is separate from the criminal matter, is underway.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Officer Travis Ludwig Arrest on Drug Charges
A Tulsa police officer is free on bond after his arrest on drug complaints Tuesday night.
Police arrested 37-year-old Travis K. Ludwig at his home Tuesday evening. According to the arrest and booking report, police obtained several search reports and that those search warrants turned up three bags of a tannish-white substance, drug scales and money.
The report says the substance field-tested positive for cocaine.
Today, we spoke with Ludwig's attorney, Scott Wood, who says his client is innocent.
"Travis Ludwig is not a drug dealer," Wood said. "He abhors drug dealers and is not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing in this matter."
Police say they learned of the alleged drug dealing during an internal administrative investigation into Ludwig. We're told he has now been suspended until the investigation is complete.
He posted $10,000 bond and was released at 2:47 a.m. Wednesday.
In January 2006, Ludwig was disciplined by the Police Department for his relationship with a married exotic dancer.
He reportedly told the woman not to cooperate with an Internal Affairs investigation into the matter, according to documents that are part of a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the woman's husband.
In tape-recorded conversations and depositions, Ludwig urged the woman, Crystal Garr, not to talk to Tulsa Police Department Internal Affairs officers investigating him.
In 2005 Ludwig conducted a search of Garr's husband's house that resulted in drug charges against the man, Shannon Coyle.
Those charges have since been dropped.
Records show that Ludwig and Crystal Garr married in June 2009.
Three Officers Investigated for Tasering Death of Richard Battistata
Three Laredo police officers are on administrative duty pending investigation of the death of a man they shocked with a Taser gun.
Police spokesman Alberto Escobedo says the three officers answered a pre-dawn criminal mischief report Monday and confronted 44-year-old Richard Battistata. That's after the man allegedly had broken a bedroom window and entered an apartment.
Escobedo says that during the confrontation Battistata turned combative and one officer used the Taser to subdue him.
Instead, Battistata became unresponsive and police called an ambulance. He died soon after arriving at Doctors Hospital.
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More Information: http://www.pro8news.com/news/local/60417377.html
Police spokesman Alberto Escobedo says the three officers answered a pre-dawn criminal mischief report Monday and confronted 44-year-old Richard Battistata. That's after the man allegedly had broken a bedroom window and entered an apartment.
Escobedo says that during the confrontation Battistata turned combative and one officer used the Taser to subdue him.
Instead, Battistata became unresponsive and police called an ambulance. He died soon after arriving at Doctors Hospital.
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More Information: http://www.pro8news.com/news/local/60417377.html
Sheriff Joe Arpaio At It Again
Sheriff Joe Arpaio's arrest of Supervisor Don Stapley is outrageous (Stapley arrested by deputies, Tuesday)!
Although the sheriff has the legal power to arrest people who have committed a crime, to do so for 100 alleged financial crimes without involving a county attorney and therefore without an indictment, especially when public safety is not threatened and the suspect is not a flight risk, is a misuse of that power.
Obviously, humiliating a perceived political foe is more important to Sheriff Joe than following the customary procedure of turning over the results of his office's investigation to the prosecutor.
Thankfully, our megalomaniac sheriff is not also the judge and jury.
Although the sheriff has the legal power to arrest people who have committed a crime, to do so for 100 alleged financial crimes without involving a county attorney and therefore without an indictment, especially when public safety is not threatened and the suspect is not a flight risk, is a misuse of that power.
Obviously, humiliating a perceived political foe is more important to Sheriff Joe than following the customary procedure of turning over the results of his office's investigation to the prosecutor.
Thankfully, our megalomaniac sheriff is not also the judge and jury.
Corrections Officer Daniel Vili Arrested for Sexual Assault on Minor
A Colorado corrections officer is suspected of supplying two teenage girls with alcohol, fondling them and then threatening a third girl.
Daniel Vili, 28, who has worked for the Colorado Department of Corrections since 2004 and was most recently a guard at the Camp George West correctional center in Golden, was arrested Friday in Loveland on suspicion of sexual assault on a child, unlawful sexual contact and contributing to the delinquency of minors, according to the Loveland Police Department.
Three teenage girls — ages 14, 15 and 16 — were "hanging out" on a lawn outside Vili's Loveland apartment Friday when he invited them inside, according to police. Vili gave alcohol to the two younger teens, and the 16-year-old declined it, police said.
Vili, who had been drinking, fondled both of the younger girls, the department said.
The 16-year-old urged her friends to leave and returned to the apartment to "confront" Vili, police said, when he "threatened to cut the throat" of the older girl.
Daniel Vili, 28, who has worked for the Colorado Department of Corrections since 2004 and was most recently a guard at the Camp George West correctional center in Golden, was arrested Friday in Loveland on suspicion of sexual assault on a child, unlawful sexual contact and contributing to the delinquency of minors, according to the Loveland Police Department.
Three teenage girls — ages 14, 15 and 16 — were "hanging out" on a lawn outside Vili's Loveland apartment Friday when he invited them inside, according to police. Vili gave alcohol to the two younger teens, and the 16-year-old declined it, police said.
Vili, who had been drinking, fondled both of the younger girls, the department said.
The 16-year-old urged her friends to leave and returned to the apartment to "confront" Vili, police said, when he "threatened to cut the throat" of the older girl.
Officer Sallica Wilson Fired After Taking Money from Department
Bishopville Police Chief John Ewing says one of his officers has been fired after being accused of taking money from his department.
Sallica Wilson has been arrested and charged with misconduct in office.
Ewing says that between September 11 and September 21, his department noticed that about $100 in cash was missing from the records money.
Officers says audio and videotapes helped them in their investigation.
"I want the citizens of the City of Bishopville to know that I hold our officers to a higher standard then everyone else," Ewing said in a written statement. "If we do wrong, then we should be held accountable just like everyone else. Just because we wear a badge does not mean we should be treated differently as it pertains to the law."
Wilson was an eight-year veteran of the force. She held the rank of sergeant.
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http://www.theitem.com/article/20090922/ITNEWS01/709229857/-1/ITNEWS
Sallica Wilson has been arrested and charged with misconduct in office.
Ewing says that between September 11 and September 21, his department noticed that about $100 in cash was missing from the records money.
Officers says audio and videotapes helped them in their investigation.
"I want the citizens of the City of Bishopville to know that I hold our officers to a higher standard then everyone else," Ewing said in a written statement. "If we do wrong, then we should be held accountable just like everyone else. Just because we wear a badge does not mean we should be treated differently as it pertains to the law."
Wilson was an eight-year veteran of the force. She held the rank of sergeant.
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http://www.theitem.com/article/20090922/ITNEWS01/709229857/-1/ITNEWS
Officer Kyle Zumbrunn Arrested on Drug Charges
An officer with the Weston Police Department has been arrested on a pair of drug-related charges, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
Kyle A. Zumbrunn, 26, was arrested on Tuesday by the KBI for sale of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school and using a telephonic device to facilitate a drug transaction. The KBI was acting on a request from the Atchison Police Department.
Zumbrunn was arrested after he sold a suspected controlled substance to an undercover KBI agent, officials said. He was slated to make his first appearance in court on Wednesday.
Officer Janet Hawkins Charged with Resisting Arrest
A Daytona Beach police officer was arrested in Holly Hill Tuesday night after authorities said she became violent during a traffic stop and two injured officers.
Janet Hawkins was placed on administrative leave following the incident and faces three charges: careless driving, resisting arrest with violence and resisting arrest without violence.
Investigators said Hawkins was stopped for speeding while apparently heading to the Holly Hill Police Department after learning her 25-year-old son had been arrested during a conflict at an apartment complex.
A police report indicated Hawkins was off-duty and driving her personal car at the time of the traffic stop. The report said she was angered after identifying herself as a police officer, called the Holly Hill officers rednecks and corrupt and said she would sue them for "messing with her family."
Holly Hill police said they tried to calm the situation, but that Hawkins only became more hostile and volatile when they tried to arrest her.
"As they attempt to take her into custody, she then enters her vehicle through the open window. They fear that she is trying to access a weapon. At that point, they went hands-on with her and attempted to place her in hand restraints. That's when she responded with law enforcement defensive tactics against my officers, ultimately injuring one of them," Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker said.
One officer involved in the incident suffered a sprained wrist and the other twisted a knee.
Authorities said Hawkins had a gun in her purse but it did not become a factor in the arrest.
The mayor of Holly Hill witnessed part of the confrontation.
"Agitated, belligerent, it was obvious she had some issues with being stopped," Roland Via said.
Hawkins was released from jail on bond on Wednesday and faces an internal affairs investigation. She most recently served in the Daytona Beach Police Department's cold case squad.
Hawkins' younger son said he doesn't buy the story.
"Her being an officer for more than 10 years, I think she would know what resisting arrest is and know not to do that," he said.
A check of her personnel records indicated there was an incident several years ago in which she slapped a fellow officer, but Daytona Beach Police Chief Michael Chitwood said she had done a great job recently, and he said he was very disappointed.
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http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/volusia_news/092309_detective_arrested
Janet Hawkins was placed on administrative leave following the incident and faces three charges: careless driving, resisting arrest with violence and resisting arrest without violence.
Investigators said Hawkins was stopped for speeding while apparently heading to the Holly Hill Police Department after learning her 25-year-old son had been arrested during a conflict at an apartment complex.
A police report indicated Hawkins was off-duty and driving her personal car at the time of the traffic stop. The report said she was angered after identifying herself as a police officer, called the Holly Hill officers rednecks and corrupt and said she would sue them for "messing with her family."
Holly Hill police said they tried to calm the situation, but that Hawkins only became more hostile and volatile when they tried to arrest her.
"As they attempt to take her into custody, she then enters her vehicle through the open window. They fear that she is trying to access a weapon. At that point, they went hands-on with her and attempted to place her in hand restraints. That's when she responded with law enforcement defensive tactics against my officers, ultimately injuring one of them," Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker said.
One officer involved in the incident suffered a sprained wrist and the other twisted a knee.
Authorities said Hawkins had a gun in her purse but it did not become a factor in the arrest.
The mayor of Holly Hill witnessed part of the confrontation.
"Agitated, belligerent, it was obvious she had some issues with being stopped," Roland Via said.
Hawkins was released from jail on bond on Wednesday and faces an internal affairs investigation. She most recently served in the Daytona Beach Police Department's cold case squad.
Hawkins' younger son said he doesn't buy the story.
"Her being an officer for more than 10 years, I think she would know what resisting arrest is and know not to do that," he said.
A check of her personnel records indicated there was an incident several years ago in which she slapped a fellow officer, but Daytona Beach Police Chief Michael Chitwood said she had done a great job recently, and he said he was very disappointed.
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http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/volusia_news/092309_detective_arrested
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