An Oldham County police officer is facing both criminal and administrative charges after being accused of sending suggestive text messages to a juvenile.
According to a press release, Oldham County Police were contacted on September 26 by the juvenile, a female, who said she had received text messages from someone claiming to be an Oldham County officer.
The girl told police she was contacted again the next day by the same person, but this time the messages contained "specific, graphic sexual references" and other communications said to be illegal or inappropriate.
Oldham County Police said their investigation was able to identify the person sending the messages as Officer Shane Mosley.
An arrest warrant was issued for Mosley charging him with unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor or engage in sexual or other prohibited activities, official misconduct and unlawful transaction with a minor.
Mosley was arrested on Friday and booked into the Oldham County Jail. Officials said he immediately resigned from the department.
Thursday, March 06, 2014
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Officer Brent Schade Arrested for Forcible Rape of Minor
On Tuesday, the Livingston County Sheriff’s office began an investigation into an alleged rape, sodomy, unlawful restraint and supplying intoxicants to a minor. The incident was reported to have taken place over the night of March 3 and into the early morning or March 4 in the 300 block of Cherry Street in Chillicothe.
Schade, 40, of Chillicothe, was arrested early today.
A variety of evidence has been collected and/or is currently being sought, according to Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox.
“A second person of interest was identified and we are seeking that individual at this time for questioning,” Cox said. “Several people have been interviewed and the investigation continues.”
Schade has been on the police force since August 2007 and is currently on unpaid administrative leave, stemming from an incident last year.
Schade was charged Jan. 24 with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence by Brady Kopek, special prosecuting attorney of Livingston County.
According to the probable cause statement, Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. J. Pithan investigated a traffic accident on Aug. 18 on Route V near Chillicothe involving two individuals. During the course of the investigation, Pithan reportedly discovered both occupants of the crashed vehicle walked to a nearby residence and called Schade. The investigation suggests Schade drove to their location and provided transportation to both subjects before returning to the scene of the accident. Schade allegedly assisted with the recovery of personal items belonging to both subjects, including cell phones and a bottle of Captain Morgan. Schade allegedly did not report the accident to authorities and transported the two individuals to his residence in Chillicothe.
Schade remains incarcerated in the Daviess Dekalb County Regional Jail pending filing of formal charges. Kopek is also the special prosecuting attorney on this most recent case.
Officer Jeremy Felder Charged with Official Misconduct
A 28-year-old township police officer has been suspended without pay from his $60,000 a year position after being charged with second-degree official misconduct.
Jeremy Felder of Old Bridge was arrested Tuesday on official misconduct charges in connection with an illegal search and then falsifying paperwork to cover it up, said Joseph Coronato, Ocean County Prosecutor.
Felder, who was hired from the Jackson Police Department in August 2011, was involved in the search of a motor vehicle in August 2013, which resulted in the seizure of controlled dangerous substances, Coronato said.
“Evidence developed during the investigation shows that Felder allegedly participated in an illegal search of the vehicle and subsequently falsified documents and his police report to conceal his wrongdoing,” said Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Della Fave said no specifics about the traffic stop where listed on the complaint. Calls to the Lakewood Police Department on the incident where referred back to the prosecutor’s office.
The charges against the vehicle’s occupants have been dismissed.
During his tenure as a police officer in Jackson, Felder was named in a lawsuit stemming from a Jan. 27, 2010, incident in the Wawa parking lot at South Hope Chapel Road and East Veterans Highway.
In his suit, Ball said he pulled into the gas station’s parking entrance, then attempted to move parking cones so he could drive to a nearby gas pump. Ball said Felder, who was on duty, told him to drive around to Wawa’s other entrance. Ball argued, saying doing so would cause his car to run out of gas, according to court documents.
At some point, the two started arguing, and Ball said Felder punched him.
In a police report included in court documents, Felder described Ball’s behavior as unusual and said Ball was slurring his speech and seemed excited and rambling. Ball also had a baseball bat in the front seat of his car, according to police. After refusing to move the vehicle, Ball allegedly yelled an expletive at the officer. Felder reported Ball made a rapid movement toward the front driver's compartment of the vehicle, leaning toward the baseball bat.
In April 2013, Jackson agreed to pay the man $95,000 to settle the case. No charges were ever filed against Felder.
Lakewood Police Chief Robert Lawson said the department’s internal affairs division is working with the prosecutor’s office on the case.
Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein said the governing body was notified of the situation a couple of days ago.
“We have a great police department and great officers,” Lichtenstein said. “Our professional standards division worked on this case. It shows that they can police their own. It’s disappointing, but you have to remember that he is innocent until proven guilty.”
Pastor Glenn Wilson, a community leader, said the incident cast a negative light on the police department.
“Off the bat, most people don’t trust the police and when things like this happen it just drives that idea,” Wilson said. “I really believe that most of our cops are good police officers. I don’t believe this should put a black eye on the whole department.”
Calls to Stuart Alterman, Felder’s attorney, were not returned.
Local Police Benevolent Association No. 71 President Gary Przewoznik said the union is there to support its members.
“As a local we stand behind and fully support all of our officers,” Przewoznik said. “Unlike civilians, police officers are held to a higher standard and for that reason, are typically presumed guilty until a trial allows the facts to be presented and innocence can be proven. Our union is here to ensure that until the facts are presented and a resolution/verdict is reached, our officers have the support necessary to get them though this difficult time.”
Felder’s bail was set at $15,000 with no 10 percent option by state Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels Jr. Della Fave said Felder immediately posted bail and so was never processed at the Ocean County Jail.
Della Fave did not have a photo of Felder. Detective Sgt. Greg Staffordsmith, spokesman for the Lakewood police, referred all questions to the prosecutor’s office and said he could not release a photo, per the state Attorney General’s Office guidelines.
Jeremy Felder of Old Bridge was arrested Tuesday on official misconduct charges in connection with an illegal search and then falsifying paperwork to cover it up, said Joseph Coronato, Ocean County Prosecutor.
Felder, who was hired from the Jackson Police Department in August 2011, was involved in the search of a motor vehicle in August 2013, which resulted in the seizure of controlled dangerous substances, Coronato said.
“Evidence developed during the investigation shows that Felder allegedly participated in an illegal search of the vehicle and subsequently falsified documents and his police report to conceal his wrongdoing,” said Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Della Fave said no specifics about the traffic stop where listed on the complaint. Calls to the Lakewood Police Department on the incident where referred back to the prosecutor’s office.
The charges against the vehicle’s occupants have been dismissed.
During his tenure as a police officer in Jackson, Felder was named in a lawsuit stemming from a Jan. 27, 2010, incident in the Wawa parking lot at South Hope Chapel Road and East Veterans Highway.
In his suit, Ball said he pulled into the gas station’s parking entrance, then attempted to move parking cones so he could drive to a nearby gas pump. Ball said Felder, who was on duty, told him to drive around to Wawa’s other entrance. Ball argued, saying doing so would cause his car to run out of gas, according to court documents.
At some point, the two started arguing, and Ball said Felder punched him.
In a police report included in court documents, Felder described Ball’s behavior as unusual and said Ball was slurring his speech and seemed excited and rambling. Ball also had a baseball bat in the front seat of his car, according to police. After refusing to move the vehicle, Ball allegedly yelled an expletive at the officer. Felder reported Ball made a rapid movement toward the front driver's compartment of the vehicle, leaning toward the baseball bat.
In April 2013, Jackson agreed to pay the man $95,000 to settle the case. No charges were ever filed against Felder.
Lakewood Police Chief Robert Lawson said the department’s internal affairs division is working with the prosecutor’s office on the case.
Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein said the governing body was notified of the situation a couple of days ago.
“We have a great police department and great officers,” Lichtenstein said. “Our professional standards division worked on this case. It shows that they can police their own. It’s disappointing, but you have to remember that he is innocent until proven guilty.”
Pastor Glenn Wilson, a community leader, said the incident cast a negative light on the police department.
“Off the bat, most people don’t trust the police and when things like this happen it just drives that idea,” Wilson said. “I really believe that most of our cops are good police officers. I don’t believe this should put a black eye on the whole department.”
Calls to Stuart Alterman, Felder’s attorney, were not returned.
Local Police Benevolent Association No. 71 President Gary Przewoznik said the union is there to support its members.
“As a local we stand behind and fully support all of our officers,” Przewoznik said. “Unlike civilians, police officers are held to a higher standard and for that reason, are typically presumed guilty until a trial allows the facts to be presented and innocence can be proven. Our union is here to ensure that until the facts are presented and a resolution/verdict is reached, our officers have the support necessary to get them though this difficult time.”
Felder’s bail was set at $15,000 with no 10 percent option by state Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels Jr. Della Fave said Felder immediately posted bail and so was never processed at the Ocean County Jail.
Della Fave did not have a photo of Felder. Detective Sgt. Greg Staffordsmith, spokesman for the Lakewood police, referred all questions to the prosecutor’s office and said he could not release a photo, per the state Attorney General’s Office guidelines.
Officer Eugene Taylor Charged with Killing Girlfriend's Puppy
Officers arrested 27-year-old Alec Eugene Taylor for intentionally and cruelly killing a seven-month-old puppy that belonged to his girlfriend. Taylor is charged with aggravated animal cruelty and abuse or neglect of an animal.
Police tell us that police officers and animal services officers were called to a home on Castle Boulevard on Feb. 28. Taylor's girlfriend told officers that Taylor had beaten and killed their seven-month-old Jack Russell Terrier named Rocko.
Officers later discovered that on Feb. 26 at approximately 4:30 p.m., Taylor sent a text to his girlfriend stating that Rocko had pooped on the carpet and that he had killed the dog. Police say Taylor also texted a photograph of what appeared to be a lifeless dog.
Police say Taylor told his girlfriend during a follow-up call that he was tired of cleaning up the dog's mess and that he had beaten the dog with a mop. He also told her he had put the dog in a dumpster in the parking lot. She asked Taylor to take Rocko out of the dumpster so that she could bury the dog, according to police. That evening, she returned home from work, took Rocko from a shoe box on the apartment balcony, and buried the dog at a neighborhood park in Hyattsville.
Animal Services officers recovered the dog and performed a necropsy, say police. Results show that the immediate cause of death was acute hemorrhagic shock likely due to blood loss from liver damage caused by blunt force trauma, according to police.
Animal Services Division officers spoke with Taylor, who stated that he used a mop to force Rocko from behind the dryer and then used his hands to choke Rocko until he was dead, say police.
Officers obtained a warrant for Taylor's arrest on Tuesday. Taylor turned himself into officers on Wednesday. He was transported to the Central Processing Unit and charged with aggravated animal cruelty (a felony) and abuse or neglect of an animal.
The Baltimore Police Department released the following statement:
"The Baltimore Police Department is conducting an administrative investigation into the incident contained in the charges filed this morning by the Montgomery County Police Department against Officer Alec Taylor. Allegations of animal cruelty are taken seriously by the Baltimore Police Department. Over the course of the last year significant emphasis has been placed on developing and training investigators to handle animal abuse incidents in Baltimore. Alec Taylor is a five-year veteran of the Department and will be suspended without pay."
Officer Jason Green Arrested for Domestic Violence
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said deputies responded to an assault call at 2438 Willow Oak Drive around 1 a.m. Wednesday.
According to police, Jason Green, 32, and his wife were involved in a verbal altercation when Green grabbed her by throat and shoved her.
Sheriff Lott said officers discovered Green is a City of Columbia police officer while investigating.
Green was arrested and taken to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
A judge granted Green a $5,242.50 personal recognizance bond Wednesday morning. He is not permitted to have contact with the victim directly or indirectly and he cannot go within 1000 feet of victim's home, work, school, or place of worship.
According to a Columbia Police Department spokesperson, Green has been suspended without pay.
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
CMDR. Johnny Thomas Arrested for Domestic Violence
A Detroit police officer with nearly 25 years on the job is in custody accused of domestic violence.
The alleged altercation happened on Saturday between the 42-year-old officer and his girlfriend. Neighbors tell Isom they heard gunfire that day, which police have not confirmed.
"On the night of the incident there was a physical altercation between him and the young lady, and a report was made and we moved on that and sought a warrant and he arrested him for the ... alleged actions," says Commander Johnny Thomas.
A source tells FOX 2's Andrea Isom the woman escaped the situation by jumping out of a window and running to a nearby restaurant, wearing barely any clothing.
An employee at the restaurant tells Isom the woman was only wearing a shirt and her face was "a little bit beat up." Employees gave her some clothes to cover up and called for help.
Investigators may have been at the home once before, but they were also there again Tuesday searching for any signs of a struggle. They took lots of pictures and seemed to collect more evidence.
Police say the officer turned himself in, and the department has a zero tolerance policy for crime so the situation could cost the officer his job.
The officer is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday.
The alleged altercation happened on Saturday between the 42-year-old officer and his girlfriend. Neighbors tell Isom they heard gunfire that day, which police have not confirmed.
"On the night of the incident there was a physical altercation between him and the young lady, and a report was made and we moved on that and sought a warrant and he arrested him for the ... alleged actions," says Commander Johnny Thomas.
A source tells FOX 2's Andrea Isom the woman escaped the situation by jumping out of a window and running to a nearby restaurant, wearing barely any clothing.
An employee at the restaurant tells Isom the woman was only wearing a shirt and her face was "a little bit beat up." Employees gave her some clothes to cover up and called for help.
Investigators may have been at the home once before, but they were also there again Tuesday searching for any signs of a struggle. They took lots of pictures and seemed to collect more evidence.
Police say the officer turned himself in, and the department has a zero tolerance policy for crime so the situation could cost the officer his job.
The officer is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday.
More Charges Filed Against Officer Dana Bond
A suspended Detroit Police officer has been charged with multiple misdemeanors in connection to an alcohol-related car crash that occurred Sunday.
Officer Dana Bond, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, is accused of driving while intoxicated when she crashed her car into another vehicle at 1:05 p.m. Sunday, injuring a 19-year-old male driver and his 16-year-old female passenger.
After striking the car, officials say, the 41-year-old allegedly attempted to flee the scene, ran into a snow bank and was arrested.
The injured victims were transported to a local hospital and were listed in stable condition, according to officials.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy’s office Tuesday announced Bond is charged with High Blood Alcohol Content (180-day misdemeanor), Failure to Stop at the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident (one-year misdemeanor) and Failure to Stop at the Scene of an Accident with Property Damage (90-day Misdemeanor).
Bond was previously suspended in connection to misdemeanor charges of retail fraud on Aug. 19 and Aug. 28. Bond allegedly stole item(s), including wine, from two separate stores. She is scheduled to have jury trials on both cases 9 a.m. April 15 before Judge Ronald Giles In 36th District Court.
The Detroit Police report that the defendant was arraigned this morning on the new charges. Bond was set at $10,000.
Officer Dana Bond, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, is accused of driving while intoxicated when she crashed her car into another vehicle at 1:05 p.m. Sunday, injuring a 19-year-old male driver and his 16-year-old female passenger.
After striking the car, officials say, the 41-year-old allegedly attempted to flee the scene, ran into a snow bank and was arrested.
The injured victims were transported to a local hospital and were listed in stable condition, according to officials.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy’s office Tuesday announced Bond is charged with High Blood Alcohol Content (180-day misdemeanor), Failure to Stop at the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident (one-year misdemeanor) and Failure to Stop at the Scene of an Accident with Property Damage (90-day Misdemeanor).
Bond was previously suspended in connection to misdemeanor charges of retail fraud on Aug. 19 and Aug. 28. Bond allegedly stole item(s), including wine, from two separate stores. She is scheduled to have jury trials on both cases 9 a.m. April 15 before Judge Ronald Giles In 36th District Court.
The Detroit Police report that the defendant was arraigned this morning on the new charges. Bond was set at $10,000.
Sgt. Matthew Downing Charged with Assault and Battery
An Oklahoma City police sergeant has been charged with a crime after his supervisors say he stepped over the line.
Robert Biegler is still passionate about how he was treated by Sgt. Matthew Downing, with the Oklahoma City Police Department, on the morning of Jan. 26 at N.W. 36th and May Ave.
Biegler said he was going to get a cup of coffee at a convenience store when he saw Downing approach a female driver, who was stopped at a green light.
Biegler said, “He jumps out of his car, runs up to the driver’s window of the little minivan and screams at the driver, ‘What in the f*** is wrong with you!’”
So, he decided to yell something at Downing.
He said, “I just yelled out the window, ‘Road rage sucks!’ and proceeded about my business.”
Moments later, Biegler said Sgt. Downing followed him into the store.
“All of a sudden, boom! He comes blasting through the door,” Biegler said. “He says ‘Hey, you think you’re pretty smart? You’re going to jail now!’”
Biegler said he called out to anyone listening, “Call the police!”
When a supervisor arrived, they decided Sgt. Downing had stepped way over the line.
“What our investigation is saying, is that we don’t believe that the officer had justification for making the arrest at all,” said Capt. Dexter Nelson, with the Oklahoma City Police Department. “Therefore, he had no justification for using force against that individual.”
Biegler was released, but says he still has numbness in his thumb from being tied up in a police car for nearly an hour.
“This guy needs to go to jail immediately,” he said. “He absolutely does not need to be on the streets with a gun. He’s crazy.”
In a report, Downing claimed Biegler seemed mentally unstable and was arrested because he failed to devote his full attention to the road while yelling out his window.
The Oklahoma County district attorney filed one misdemeanor charge of assault and battery against Sgt. Downing, who is currently on paid administration leave, pending the investigation.
Nelson said Downing has not been arrested yet, and the police chief has not decided on any disciplinary action.
Downing has been with the department for 15 years.
Robert Biegler is still passionate about how he was treated by Sgt. Matthew Downing, with the Oklahoma City Police Department, on the morning of Jan. 26 at N.W. 36th and May Ave.
Biegler said he was going to get a cup of coffee at a convenience store when he saw Downing approach a female driver, who was stopped at a green light.
Biegler said, “He jumps out of his car, runs up to the driver’s window of the little minivan and screams at the driver, ‘What in the f*** is wrong with you!’”
So, he decided to yell something at Downing.
He said, “I just yelled out the window, ‘Road rage sucks!’ and proceeded about my business.”
Moments later, Biegler said Sgt. Downing followed him into the store.
“All of a sudden, boom! He comes blasting through the door,” Biegler said. “He says ‘Hey, you think you’re pretty smart? You’re going to jail now!’”
Biegler said he called out to anyone listening, “Call the police!”
When a supervisor arrived, they decided Sgt. Downing had stepped way over the line.
“What our investigation is saying, is that we don’t believe that the officer had justification for making the arrest at all,” said Capt. Dexter Nelson, with the Oklahoma City Police Department. “Therefore, he had no justification for using force against that individual.”
Biegler was released, but says he still has numbness in his thumb from being tied up in a police car for nearly an hour.
“This guy needs to go to jail immediately,” he said. “He absolutely does not need to be on the streets with a gun. He’s crazy.”
In a report, Downing claimed Biegler seemed mentally unstable and was arrested because he failed to devote his full attention to the road while yelling out his window.
The Oklahoma County district attorney filed one misdemeanor charge of assault and battery against Sgt. Downing, who is currently on paid administration leave, pending the investigation.
Nelson said Downing has not been arrested yet, and the police chief has not decided on any disciplinary action.
Downing has been with the department for 15 years.
Animal Control Officer Eva Wise Arrested for Animal Cruelty
Former Winnfield Animal Control Officer Eva Wise was arrested Friday for the charge of animal cruelty.It all started at her former home off of Highway 1229 in Atlanta, Louisiana, a property she'd been renting since May 2013.
"She had said that she had recently gone to work for the city working as an animal control officer, so we were aware of that. She had a job so she could pay the rent," Johnson said.
The property's owner, Jennifer Johnson, said Wise had stopped paying rent by October 2013 and they were preparing to evict her when they got a call from the local humane society, the Heart of Louisiana Humane Society in Winnfield.
"They told me they had an issue for animal cruelty on our property. They had went to check it out but they needed my permission to go on our property," said Johnson.
The president of the humane society, Shonna Moss, told KTVE/KARD they received word about dying dogs from neighbors.
Moss said she personally saw 7 dogs chained with no food or water on the property.
Two others were dead.
The humane society said eight dogs and a litter of puppies were also found under another property just a mile away.
What Johnson said she saw paints an even worse picture.
"There was one laying almost dead in the yard and another puppy in equally bad shape. Out back there was an old chicken pen where the door had been fixed and shut where they couldn't get out and there was two skeletons in that pen," she said.
Johnson said she asked Wise - Why?
"She just said that she couldn't hardly afford to feed herself, much less the animals and she had said that she had told some of her husband's family they needed to come get the dogs because she had apparently up and left and this had been for several weeks," said Johnson.
Of all those dogs, only two survived.
The property was cleaned up with a new tenant living there by last December.
Wise now awaits trial, currently in jail on $100,000 bond.
The question remains: Why was Wise just arrested last Friday when the humane society said all this happened last October?
Law enforcement wouldn't tell KTVE/KARD, saying they didn't want to hurt the prosecution's case.
There is some good news about the last two surviving dogs.
Moss said one of the dogs, a german shepherd named "Kassi" currently has an adoption pending.
The other dog is also in a foster home and is available for adoption.
For more information on adoption, click here.
Officer Albert Coriat Arrested for DUI
The brotherhood of the badge could not keep an off-duty Miami-Dade Police officer out of the back of a trooper’s patrol car, despite the officer’s repeated pleas, according to dashcam videos released by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Florida Highway Patrol arrested Albert Coriat, a member of the Miami-Dade Police Department since 2002, for DUI on the Florida Turnpike near Plantation last month.
“I thought we were all brothers,” a handcuffed Coriat told the trooper arresting him.
The video shows Coriat doing all he can to avoid going to jail for DUI…
“I would tell someone to come pick me up. Why the (expletive) do you have to (unintelligible).Do you know what you’re doing to me? Do you know what you’re doing to me?” Coriat asks the trooper.
Around 3 am on February 16, a trooper pulled Coriat over for attempting to make an illegal u-turn. Troopers say Coriat made it known right away that he was a cop, flashing his badge and denying that he was drunk.
TROOPER: “How much have you had to drink tonight?”
CORIAT: “Two beers.”
TROOPER: “Two beers?”
CORIAT: “Yes.”
TROOPER: “I smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from your breath.”
Seconds later, Coriat again tries to convince the troopers that he should be let go.
CORIAT: “I’m not drunk, man. I was…”
TROOPER: “You can barely even talk. Your speech is so slurred.”
The video shows Coriat performing a roadside sobriety test. Troopers say he failed — tipping over during a standing exercise and stumbling during a walking test. When the cuffs came out, the dashcam video shows Coriat begging to be given a break because he’s a cop.
CORIAT: “I’m a cop, just like you guys.”
TROOPER: “I understand that. But you’re doing something that’s illegal.”
CORIAT: “No, I’m not.” (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
CORIAT: “It’s not gonna be good for you. Listen to me…”
TROOPER: “What’s not gonna be good for me?”
Minutes later Coriat asks to speak with an FHP supervisor then mentions an FHP higher-up who is a friend or acquaintance. Finally, the trooper making the arrest sets Coriat straight.
“Turn around,” the trooper says. “I’m not going to keep explaining. You say you’re a cop. Are you saying you’re a police officer? Then you understand how the job is. Turn around, face the vehicle. Would you like to be treated this way if it was somebody that you’re arresting. No, right? So, please. Have some respect.”
The FHP report says Coriat told troopers that “he has stopped and let people go in the past that were driving under the influence.”
FHP says Coriat refused to submit to a breath test and that once he was at a secure facility he became ill and wound up sleeping in his own vomit.
CBS 4 News tried to reach Coriat for comment but someone who answered a phone number for him hung up on us. Miami Dade PD told us that Coriat is relieved of duty with pay. Miami-Dade would not comment on the arrest or comment on Coriat’s claim that he let people go who he suspected of driving drunk.
The Florida Highway Patrol arrested Albert Coriat, a member of the Miami-Dade Police Department since 2002, for DUI on the Florida Turnpike near Plantation last month.
“I thought we were all brothers,” a handcuffed Coriat told the trooper arresting him.
The video shows Coriat doing all he can to avoid going to jail for DUI…
“I would tell someone to come pick me up. Why the (expletive) do you have to (unintelligible).Do you know what you’re doing to me? Do you know what you’re doing to me?” Coriat asks the trooper.
Around 3 am on February 16, a trooper pulled Coriat over for attempting to make an illegal u-turn. Troopers say Coriat made it known right away that he was a cop, flashing his badge and denying that he was drunk.
TROOPER: “How much have you had to drink tonight?”
CORIAT: “Two beers.”
TROOPER: “Two beers?”
CORIAT: “Yes.”
TROOPER: “I smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from your breath.”
Seconds later, Coriat again tries to convince the troopers that he should be let go.
CORIAT: “I’m not drunk, man. I was…”
TROOPER: “You can barely even talk. Your speech is so slurred.”
The video shows Coriat performing a roadside sobriety test. Troopers say he failed — tipping over during a standing exercise and stumbling during a walking test. When the cuffs came out, the dashcam video shows Coriat begging to be given a break because he’s a cop.
CORIAT: “I’m a cop, just like you guys.”
TROOPER: “I understand that. But you’re doing something that’s illegal.”
CORIAT: “No, I’m not.” (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
CORIAT: “It’s not gonna be good for you. Listen to me…”
TROOPER: “What’s not gonna be good for me?”
Minutes later Coriat asks to speak with an FHP supervisor then mentions an FHP higher-up who is a friend or acquaintance. Finally, the trooper making the arrest sets Coriat straight.
“Turn around,” the trooper says. “I’m not going to keep explaining. You say you’re a cop. Are you saying you’re a police officer? Then you understand how the job is. Turn around, face the vehicle. Would you like to be treated this way if it was somebody that you’re arresting. No, right? So, please. Have some respect.”
The FHP report says Coriat told troopers that “he has stopped and let people go in the past that were driving under the influence.”
FHP says Coriat refused to submit to a breath test and that once he was at a secure facility he became ill and wound up sleeping in his own vomit.
CBS 4 News tried to reach Coriat for comment but someone who answered a phone number for him hung up on us. Miami Dade PD told us that Coriat is relieved of duty with pay. Miami-Dade would not comment on the arrest or comment on Coriat’s claim that he let people go who he suspected of driving drunk.
Monday, March 03, 2014
Officer Dana Bond Arrested for Drunk Driving
The suspended Detroit police officer who was arrested this weekend
suspected of driving drunk has been suspended from the department after
other serious charges were brought against her last year.
Police said Officer Dana Bond was driving off-duty near Plymouth Road and Memorial Street Sunday afternoon when she turned in front of another vehicle, causing an accident. No one was seriously hurt. Police say Bond tried to leave the scene.
She has been suspended from the department indefinitely and without pay since November 2013, when police say she was charged with two counts of misdemeanor retail fraud.
The day of the accident police say her blood alcohol level was a 0.26, almost three times the legal limit.
Police say she will be arraigned on charges of drunken driving and trying to flee the scene later this week, and she awaits her next retail fraud preliminary exam later this month.
Police said Officer Dana Bond was driving off-duty near Plymouth Road and Memorial Street Sunday afternoon when she turned in front of another vehicle, causing an accident. No one was seriously hurt. Police say Bond tried to leave the scene.
She has been suspended from the department indefinitely and without pay since November 2013, when police say she was charged with two counts of misdemeanor retail fraud.
The day of the accident police say her blood alcohol level was a 0.26, almost three times the legal limit.
Police say she will be arraigned on charges of drunken driving and trying to flee the scene later this week, and she awaits her next retail fraud preliminary exam later this month.
Sunday, March 02, 2014
Suspended Detroit Officer Arrested for Drunk Driving
A suspended Detroit police officer was arrested on a drunken driving charge Sunday after a collision with another motorist.
Detroit Deputy Chief Rodney Johnson said that at 12:50 p.m. Sunday, Detroit police officers responded to a 911 call of a crash on Plymouth Road near Memorial.
The officer, a woman whom police did not identify by age or number of years on the force, was westbound on Plymouth when a collision occurred with an eastbound vehicle.
Johnson said the accident was caused by the officer, who was not injured but was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired.
The driver of the other vehicle was not injured but her passenger complained of stomach pain and was evaluated, Johnson said.
Information on why and when the officer was suspended was not immediately available, Johnson said.
Detroit Deputy Chief Rodney Johnson said that at 12:50 p.m. Sunday, Detroit police officers responded to a 911 call of a crash on Plymouth Road near Memorial.
The officer, a woman whom police did not identify by age or number of years on the force, was westbound on Plymouth when a collision occurred with an eastbound vehicle.
Johnson said the accident was caused by the officer, who was not injured but was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired.
The driver of the other vehicle was not injured but her passenger complained of stomach pain and was evaluated, Johnson said.
Information on why and when the officer was suspended was not immediately available, Johnson said.
Saturday, March 01, 2014
Officer Gilbert Melendez Arrested for Domestic Violence
An El Paso police officer was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of domestic violence, officials confirmed.
Officer Gilbert Melendez was arrested on suspicion of assault against a family member, according to jail records.
Sgt. Chris Mears, a spokesman for the El Paso Police Department, confirmed Melendez is an officer with the police department and had been placed on "administrative duty pending the outcome of an internal investigation."
He was booked into the El Paso County Jail on a bond of $2,500.
Officer Gilbert Melendez was arrested on suspicion of assault against a family member, according to jail records.
Sgt. Chris Mears, a spokesman for the El Paso Police Department, confirmed Melendez is an officer with the police department and had been placed on "administrative duty pending the outcome of an internal investigation."
He was booked into the El Paso County Jail on a bond of $2,500.
Officer Demetrius Kendrick Arrested for Planting Drugs
A DeKalb County police officer turned himself in Friday on accusations he illegally charged a man with having marijuana during a 2012 arrest.
Officer Demetrius A. Kendrick was indicted Thursday by a DeKalb grand jury on the charge of violation of oath by public officer, authorities said.
The man Kendrick arrested, Alphonso Eleby, says video footage showed Kendrick planting drugs before the arrest.
A DeKalb Superior Court judge set a $10,000 bond for Kendrick, who was given 24 hours to turn himself in to the DeKalb County Jail, authorities said.
Kendrick, 33, was booked into the jail Friday around 9:30 a.m., and released on bond just after 10:15 a.m., according to jail records.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison, prosecutors say.
In March 2013, Kendrick was placed on restrictive duty, which means he was off the streets, police said. He is now on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation, police said.
Prosecutors say Kendrick, a five-year DeKalb cop, wrongfully arrested Eleby on July 6, 2012, and charged him with marijuana possession even though the officer knew Eleby didn’t have drugs on him.
Eleby’s attorney says Kendrick was caught on videotape planting drugs on Eleby.
On July 6, 2012, Eleby stopped to talk to someone inside a black SUV parked at the Chevron gas station on North Hairston Road.
Police officers claimed they smelled marijuana and arrested the person in the vehicle, according to police reports obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Eleby’s attorney Mark Bullman said his client was detained and strip-searched, but no drugs were found.
Video of the incident shows a female officer stand over Eleby and watch him while other officers search the SUV.
The video shows a male officer Bullman identified as Kendrick call the female officer over to the SUV. While she searches the vehicle, the video shows the male officer circle back to Eleby and toss marijuana next to him.
The video shows Eleby protesting what he sees the officer do and the officer puts him in a choke-hold while other officers look on.
In his report, Kendrick said that while arresting the driver of the SUV, “I observed Mr. Eleby throw a small piece of a green leafy substance behind him.”
Bullman argued that Eleby had no way to throw anything.
“My client had his hands on his knees as he was instructed and all of his pockets were rabbit-eared,” Bullman said. “They’d searched in his crotch and reached inside his underwear and found nothing. Where was he going to hide drugs?”
The DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s office dropped the charges against Eleby in March 2013, but not because of anything on the video.
According to court records, police couldn’t find the marijuana Eleby was accused of having in time to be tested and used at trial.
Police said an internal investigation into Kendrick’s conduct was started early this month.
Bullman lamented what he sees as a delay.
“It is disturbing, at best, that it took almost two years after the clearly unconstitutional and illegal actions of Officer Kendrick for the DeKalb County Police Department to initiate an internal investigation into this matter,” he said. “They have had clear, independent evidence of Kendrick’s crimes for the balance of this time, during which Mr. Eleby was under threat of criminal charges the county knew to be false.
“Nevertheless, we were pleased to learn (DeKalb County Public Safety Director Cedric) Alexander directed that an investigation be initiated.”
Friday, February 28, 2014
Officer Simon Elizondo Arrestred for Theft
A Big Spring Police officer has been arrested on a state jail felony of theft by a public servant.
According to a report from BSPD, the department officials were told about allegations involving misconduct by an officer identified as Simon Elizondo.
The report states that BSPD began an internal investigation and that the preliminary findings led officers to believe criminal activity had taken place and the investigation was turned over to the Texas Rangers. The report also states that BSPD assisted with both investigations and Elizondo was placed on administrative leave.
On Friday, an arrest warrant was issued for Elizondo on a charge of theft by a public servant, the report stated.
According to the report, Elizondo was arrested and charged with theft by a public servant and placed in the Howard County Law Enforcement Center. What Elizondo had taken was not specified.
BSPD also stated in the report that because of Elizondo’s “liberty interest” and that the investigation was currently ongoing, no further information would be provided.
Deputy Sheriff Charles Fuller Charged with Possession of Cocaine
Charles Fuller, 46, from Corinth was charged on Friday with attempting to aid and abet the possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. If convicted, Fuller faces a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000 fine.
According to the complaint, the FBI, along with a confidential source arranged to buy a kilo of cocaine from Fuller while he was off duty.
"The allegations against Fuller are an affront to and undermine the integrity of the hardworking men and women of the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office. We will not tolerate corruption among our ranks. Our promise to the people of Saratoga County is that we will continue to work diligently to ensure that every member of this office deserves the respect and trust of our community," says Saratoga County Sheriff Michal Zurlo.
Dectective Julio Cerpa Arrested for Theft
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrested one of its own on petite theft charges.
Narcotics detective Julio Cerpa is accused of stealing a $49 jar of cream from Bailey's Gym on Merrill Road.
Cerpa has been with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office since 2006.
Narcotics detective Julio Cerpa is accused of stealing a $49 jar of cream from Bailey's Gym on Merrill Road.
Cerpa has been with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office since 2006.
Former Officer Sergio Alvareza Found Guilty of 18 Counts of Kidnapping and Rape
A former Northern California police officer was convicted of sexually assaulting five women while authorities said he was on patrol.
A Yolo County jury found Sergio Alvarez guilty on Thursday of 18 counts of kidnapping, rape and forced oral copulation, the Sacramento Bee reported. The jury could not reach a decision on 10 other counts, including charges related to Alvarez's alleged attack on a sixth woman.
Prosecutors said Alvarez, while serving as a West Sacramento police officer in 2011 and 2012, targeted drug addicts and prostitutes. He allegedly forced them to perform sex acts in his cruiser, back alleys and wooded lots.
Alvarez showed no reaction as the verdicts were read, the Bee reported. His attorney, J. Toney, had accused the women of lying to authorities and said one of them had a months-long sexual relationship with the officer.
"I hope that our verdict reaffirms the dignity and worth of these women who spoke," juror Linda Bond told the Bee after the verdict.
Alvarez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4 and is facing the possibility of multiple life sentences.
District Attorney Jeff Reisig called the case a "horrific betrayal of trust" and said that his office wanted Alvarez to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
A Yolo County jury found Sergio Alvarez guilty on Thursday of 18 counts of kidnapping, rape and forced oral copulation, the Sacramento Bee reported. The jury could not reach a decision on 10 other counts, including charges related to Alvarez's alleged attack on a sixth woman.
Prosecutors said Alvarez, while serving as a West Sacramento police officer in 2011 and 2012, targeted drug addicts and prostitutes. He allegedly forced them to perform sex acts in his cruiser, back alleys and wooded lots.
Alvarez showed no reaction as the verdicts were read, the Bee reported. His attorney, J. Toney, had accused the women of lying to authorities and said one of them had a months-long sexual relationship with the officer.
"I hope that our verdict reaffirms the dignity and worth of these women who spoke," juror Linda Bond told the Bee after the verdict.
Alvarez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4 and is facing the possibility of multiple life sentences.
District Attorney Jeff Reisig called the case a "horrific betrayal of trust" and said that his office wanted Alvarez to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Former Sergeant Edward Wise Charged with Indecency with Child
A former San Antonio police sergeant, who was fired last October for
indecency with a child, hid a previous out-of-state arrest from the
department, according to internal affairs paperwork.
Edward Wise, 45, was arrested last week and charged with indecency with a child by contact, connected to an April 2013 incident at a San Antonio apartment complex.
Wise is accused of groping a 12-year-old, after taking the young girl and her mother home from a west-side restaurant.
Chief William McManus fired Wise in October 2013, following a month-long investigation into the allegations.
The personnel move appeared on a city Civil Service Commission agenda as a 'double indefinite suspension.'
The internal affairs paperwork indicates Wise received the second indefinite suspension for failing to disclose a May 2008 arrest in Las Vegas, Nevada, for solicitation of prostitution.
San Antonio Police Department investigators said Wise took steps to have the misdemeanor charge dismissed and then even paid to have the record sealed by the Clark County District Attorney.
SAPD rules require officers to disclose any arrests, including the name of the arresting agency, the nature of the charges and court information related to the charge or the indictment.
Two attorneys listed in Wise's internal affairs paperwork told KENS 5 they are no longer representing Wise.
SAPD spokesman Sgt. Javier Salazar released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
Edward Wise is no longer an SAPD employee. We conducted a thorough Internal Affairs investigation which was concluded. Our criminal investigation remains active and we continue to work with the prosecutors with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office to assist in their processing of the case.
Wise is the second SAPD officer to be criminally charged and fired for allegations of sexual assault since November 2013.
Officer Jackie Neal was fired February 2014, after he was indicted on three felony charges connected to a traffic stop in southeast San Antonio. Neal is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in the back of his patrol cruiser while in full uniform.
Edward Wise, 45, was arrested last week and charged with indecency with a child by contact, connected to an April 2013 incident at a San Antonio apartment complex.
Wise is accused of groping a 12-year-old, after taking the young girl and her mother home from a west-side restaurant.
Chief William McManus fired Wise in October 2013, following a month-long investigation into the allegations.
The personnel move appeared on a city Civil Service Commission agenda as a 'double indefinite suspension.'
The internal affairs paperwork indicates Wise received the second indefinite suspension for failing to disclose a May 2008 arrest in Las Vegas, Nevada, for solicitation of prostitution.
San Antonio Police Department investigators said Wise took steps to have the misdemeanor charge dismissed and then even paid to have the record sealed by the Clark County District Attorney.
SAPD rules require officers to disclose any arrests, including the name of the arresting agency, the nature of the charges and court information related to the charge or the indictment.
Two attorneys listed in Wise's internal affairs paperwork told KENS 5 they are no longer representing Wise.
SAPD spokesman Sgt. Javier Salazar released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
Edward Wise is no longer an SAPD employee. We conducted a thorough Internal Affairs investigation which was concluded. Our criminal investigation remains active and we continue to work with the prosecutors with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office to assist in their processing of the case.
Wise is the second SAPD officer to be criminally charged and fired for allegations of sexual assault since November 2013.
Officer Jackie Neal was fired February 2014, after he was indicted on three felony charges connected to a traffic stop in southeast San Antonio. Neal is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in the back of his patrol cruiser while in full uniform.
Officer James Ferguson Arrested for DWI
Officer James Ferguson was reportedly arrested by San Marcos police on Wednesday night.
A spokesman for the Hays County Sheriff’s Office said Ferguson was released from jail Thursday on a $3,000 bond.
Ferguson has been with the San Antonio Police Department since 2007, according to state records.
Former Officer Daniel Lanious Charged with Corruption of Minor
A former Carroll Valley Police officer has been accused of sending "flirtatious and sexual" text messages to a 13-year-old girl, police state in charging documents.
Daniel Lanious, 50, of South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, was charged with corruption of a minor, according to a police criminal complaint filed at District Justice Susan Day's office in Mount Holly Springs.
The teenager's mother told police that Lanious met her daughter in July 2013, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
The girl received a text message from Lanious out of nowhere, the affidavit states. The messages quickly became "flirtatious and sexual," the affidavit continues.
The girl said she believed Lanious obtained her cellphone number from her Facebook page, the affidavit states.
The girl told police Lanious often mentioned wanting to have sex with her, according to the affidavit. She said she played along to an extent, but was not as graphic as he was, the affidavit continues.
The messages reportedly stopped on Aug. 13, when the girl's mother caught the last text, which read, "I wish you were home. I wish you were on birth control. I have a condom," according to the affidavit.
The mother replied to the message and told Lanious she hoped he was not over 18 because her daughter is only 13, according to the affidavit.
A day or two later the mother was visited by Lanious' son, who asked the mother if she would be contacting police, the affidavit states.
During an interview with state police Trooper Matthew Johnston from the Carlisle barracks, Lanious admitted to sending sexual text messages to the 13-year-old girl, the affidavit states.
Lanious apologized repeatedly for his actions and admitted what he did was "very stupid," according to the affidavit.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Lanious on April 2 in front of Day. He is being represented by Gettysburg attorney Steve Rice. Rice declined to comment on the case until he has spoken further with his client.
"As a well respected law enforcement officer, it would be nice if people could give him the benefit of the doubt," Rice said.
Daniel Lanious, 50, of South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, was charged with corruption of a minor, according to a police criminal complaint filed at District Justice Susan Day's office in Mount Holly Springs.
The teenager's mother told police that Lanious met her daughter in July 2013, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
The girl received a text message from Lanious out of nowhere, the affidavit states. The messages quickly became "flirtatious and sexual," the affidavit continues.
The girl said she believed Lanious obtained her cellphone number from her Facebook page, the affidavit states.
The girl told police Lanious often mentioned wanting to have sex with her, according to the affidavit. She said she played along to an extent, but was not as graphic as he was, the affidavit continues.
The messages reportedly stopped on Aug. 13, when the girl's mother caught the last text, which read, "I wish you were home. I wish you were on birth control. I have a condom," according to the affidavit.
The mother replied to the message and told Lanious she hoped he was not over 18 because her daughter is only 13, according to the affidavit.
A day or two later the mother was visited by Lanious' son, who asked the mother if she would be contacting police, the affidavit states.
During an interview with state police Trooper Matthew Johnston from the Carlisle barracks, Lanious admitted to sending sexual text messages to the 13-year-old girl, the affidavit states.
Lanious apologized repeatedly for his actions and admitted what he did was "very stupid," according to the affidavit.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Lanious on April 2 in front of Day. He is being represented by Gettysburg attorney Steve Rice. Rice declined to comment on the case until he has spoken further with his client.
"As a well respected law enforcement officer, it would be nice if people could give him the benefit of the doubt," Rice said.
Six Officers in California Arrested in Scheme to Impound Vehicles
More than a third of the police officers in this Northern California town of 13,000 have been arrested, variously accused of bribery, embezzlement and threats charges.
Four are accused of developing a scheme to impound vehicles belonging to poor families, said Dean Flippo, Monterey County district attorney. After 30 days, those cars were turned over to King City police officers when the owners were unable to pay the impound fees.
The probe revealed that the scheme focused on poor Hispanic residents — including many who don't speak English. Census numbers show nearly 2 in 5 residents here are Hispanic.
"These people said, 'They are taking our property, they're taking our cars, they're taking our money and we can do nothing about that,' " Flippo said Tuesday. More than 200 vehicles were impounded, and 87% had been taken in by the same towing company.
Arrested were the following officials:
• Former police Chief Nick Baldiviez, charged with embezzlement by a public officer.
• Current acting Chief Bruce Miller, charged with accepting a bribe.
• Sgt. Bobby Carrillo, charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, accepting a bribe and bribing an executive officer.
• Sgt. Mark Baker, charged with criminal threats against a resident.
• Officer Mario Mottu, charged with embezzlement by a public officer.
• And Officer Jaime Andrade, charged with possession of an assault weapon and illegal storage of a firearm at his stepson's residence unrelated to the car scheme.
Also arrested was Brian Albert Miller, owner of a towing company and the acting police chief's brother. He was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and bribing an executive officer.
All of those arrested were out of jail within hours. Bail amounts ranged from $10,000 to $60,000.
"There has been a significant breakdown in the internal leadership of the King City Police Department," Flippo said. "It also appears to me that some officers have dishonored their badge."
Carrillo was accused of receiving a free vehicle for every 10 to 15 vehicles he had impounded. Ultimately, Carrillo allegedly got five vehicles to keep or sell and gave one to Bruce Miller, then a police captain.
In 2011, prosecutors believe Baldiviez gave Mottu a free 2001 Ford Crown Victoria patrol car belonging to either King City or the King City Police Explorers, a nonprofit group that is part of the Boy Scouts of America. Baldiviez remains on the city's payroll in spite of his September retirement, Flippo said.
"I'm not sure we know all the cars that were taken," the district attorney said. He couldn't put a value on the vehicles handed out in the scheme.
None of Tuesday's arrests, part of a six-month investigation of complaints going back 3½ years, are related to accusations posted on the Internet that King City police officers skimmed money from recovered bank robbery funds, Flippo said. He wouldn't specify whether any of the officers arrested were implicated in that accusation.
"As we began to talk to individuals over the years, we were beginning to hear this constant theme that had been there for years prior, and that was a lack of trust and faith in the King City Police Department," he said.
King City criminal cases in which any one of the six accused was the arresting officer are under scrutiny, the prosecutor said.
So far three cases that cannot proceed without the arresting officer's testimony have been dismissed, said Terry Spitz, chief assistant district attorney. Other cases also may be dismissed.
"My reputation is soiled," Bruce Miller said. "There's no coming back from this even if I'm found innocent. People are always going to look poorly upon me."
He said he knew his department was being investigated but had no idea he was a suspect. He denied that he had accepted any bribes.
Almost all of the police force's upper management has been arrested, Monterey County Sheriff Scott Miller said. His office is offering help in the interim as King City officials figure out how to continue policing the town about 135 miles southeast of San Francisco and 200 miles northwest of Los Angeles along U.S. 101.
"We have no plans to just go into the city and take over services, but our offer to the city is we're available from this point on to provide whatever level of law enforcement services the city requires," he said.
The King City Police Department has come under fire in recent years. In 2010, Baldiviez was placed on administrative leave after officers claimed he arrived intoxicated at crime scenes. The next year, Baldiviez came under scrutiny for allegedly placing overweight officers on a weight-loss program, claiming they were unfit to work.
Baldiviez officially retired in September after a four-month vacation. Bruce Miller has filled the chief's position on an interim basis since May 2013.
At the time, Bruce Miller said he would be interested in applying for the chief's position when it became officially available.
Baldiviez is also listed as one of several defendants in a November lawsuit clai
Four are accused of developing a scheme to impound vehicles belonging to poor families, said Dean Flippo, Monterey County district attorney. After 30 days, those cars were turned over to King City police officers when the owners were unable to pay the impound fees.
The probe revealed that the scheme focused on poor Hispanic residents — including many who don't speak English. Census numbers show nearly 2 in 5 residents here are Hispanic.
"These people said, 'They are taking our property, they're taking our cars, they're taking our money and we can do nothing about that,' " Flippo said Tuesday. More than 200 vehicles were impounded, and 87% had been taken in by the same towing company.
Arrested were the following officials:
• Former police Chief Nick Baldiviez, charged with embezzlement by a public officer.
• Current acting Chief Bruce Miller, charged with accepting a bribe.
• Sgt. Bobby Carrillo, charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, accepting a bribe and bribing an executive officer.
• Sgt. Mark Baker, charged with criminal threats against a resident.
• Officer Mario Mottu, charged with embezzlement by a public officer.
• And Officer Jaime Andrade, charged with possession of an assault weapon and illegal storage of a firearm at his stepson's residence unrelated to the car scheme.
Also arrested was Brian Albert Miller, owner of a towing company and the acting police chief's brother. He was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and bribing an executive officer.
All of those arrested were out of jail within hours. Bail amounts ranged from $10,000 to $60,000.
"There has been a significant breakdown in the internal leadership of the King City Police Department," Flippo said. "It also appears to me that some officers have dishonored their badge."
Carrillo was accused of receiving a free vehicle for every 10 to 15 vehicles he had impounded. Ultimately, Carrillo allegedly got five vehicles to keep or sell and gave one to Bruce Miller, then a police captain.
In 2011, prosecutors believe Baldiviez gave Mottu a free 2001 Ford Crown Victoria patrol car belonging to either King City or the King City Police Explorers, a nonprofit group that is part of the Boy Scouts of America. Baldiviez remains on the city's payroll in spite of his September retirement, Flippo said.
"I'm not sure we know all the cars that were taken," the district attorney said. He couldn't put a value on the vehicles handed out in the scheme.
None of Tuesday's arrests, part of a six-month investigation of complaints going back 3½ years, are related to accusations posted on the Internet that King City police officers skimmed money from recovered bank robbery funds, Flippo said. He wouldn't specify whether any of the officers arrested were implicated in that accusation.
"As we began to talk to individuals over the years, we were beginning to hear this constant theme that had been there for years prior, and that was a lack of trust and faith in the King City Police Department," he said.
King City criminal cases in which any one of the six accused was the arresting officer are under scrutiny, the prosecutor said.
So far three cases that cannot proceed without the arresting officer's testimony have been dismissed, said Terry Spitz, chief assistant district attorney. Other cases also may be dismissed.
"My reputation is soiled," Bruce Miller said. "There's no coming back from this even if I'm found innocent. People are always going to look poorly upon me."
He said he knew his department was being investigated but had no idea he was a suspect. He denied that he had accepted any bribes.
Almost all of the police force's upper management has been arrested, Monterey County Sheriff Scott Miller said. His office is offering help in the interim as King City officials figure out how to continue policing the town about 135 miles southeast of San Francisco and 200 miles northwest of Los Angeles along U.S. 101.
"We have no plans to just go into the city and take over services, but our offer to the city is we're available from this point on to provide whatever level of law enforcement services the city requires," he said.
The King City Police Department has come under fire in recent years. In 2010, Baldiviez was placed on administrative leave after officers claimed he arrived intoxicated at crime scenes. The next year, Baldiviez came under scrutiny for allegedly placing overweight officers on a weight-loss program, claiming they were unfit to work.
Baldiviez officially retired in September after a four-month vacation. Bruce Miller has filled the chief's position on an interim basis since May 2013.
At the time, Bruce Miller said he would be interested in applying for the chief's position when it became officially available.
Baldiviez is also listed as one of several defendants in a November lawsuit clai
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Sergeamt Timothy Williams Fired for Insubordination
Sergeant Timothy Williams was terminated Wednesday, after exhausting his final appeal.
Williams was placed on administrative duty last month, following a complaint from the woman.
He was then placed on administrative leave, according to the sheriff's office, after Williams contacted the woman again.
A sheriff's office spokesman said Sgt. Williams was fired for insubordination and conduct unbecoming a deputy sheriff.
Williams had been with the sheriff's office since 1991.
Officer Clinton Montalbetti Charged with Possessing Child Porn
A former police officer in northern Missouri is charged with possessing
child pornography. Officers arrested Clinton Montalbetti, 23, on
Tuesday in Linn County on an outstanding warrant from Putnam County.
A judge issued the warrant after suspected pornographic images were found on a flash drive used by Montalbetti while he worked as a Unionville officer in late 2013.
Montalbetti's bond is $10,000. Kirksville police say additional charges are possible after a review of items retrieved from a search of his home near Brookfield.
A judge issued the warrant after suspected pornographic images were found on a flash drive used by Montalbetti while he worked as a Unionville officer in late 2013.
Montalbetti's bond is $10,000. Kirksville police say additional charges are possible after a review of items retrieved from a search of his home near Brookfield.
Detective Karen Almos Arrested for Drunk Driving
A San Diego police detective was arrested Saturday on suspicion of drunken driving when she was found sleeping in her parked car at Balboa Park, authorities said Tuesday.
Detective Karen Almos, 47, a 16-year department veteran, has been assigned to administrative duties as an investigation continues, police Detective Gary Hassen said.
Hassen said paramedics found her in a parked vehicle about 3:25 p.m. on Pan America Plaza. She later was identified as a police detective, and San Diego police arrested her, Hassen said.
Almos was booked into Las Colinas jail in Santee, then released on bail set at $2,500, a jail record shows.
San Diego police Lt. Kevin Mayer said the state Vehicle Code section on drunken driving “gives officers a lot of leeway” in making arrests.
“The officers looked at all the evidence and believed they had enough to arrest her for this offense,” Mayer said. “This case illustrates that criminal behavior by our officers, on or off duty, is not tolerated. The chief has made this clear.”
The Vehicle Code says a DUI arrest may be made if the person is “in or about a vehicle” that obstructs a road, or if the person might cause injury or damage if not immediately arrested.
“What if we walked away, knowing the person could potentially hurt somebody?” California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said. “You can’t assume someone’s going to sleep off their intoxication.”
CHP Officer Kevin Pearlstein said an officer’s arrest report would note certain facts, such as seeing the person in the driver’s seat with a key in the ignition, and ask how the person got there and whether they had been drinking.
A fundraising event involving police, the Kiwanis Club and the public had been held earlier in the day at the location of Almos’ arrest outside the Balboa Park Club.
The 11th annual Guacamole Bowl, with teams preparing guacamole dip recipes for judging, raised more than $14,500 for the Sports for Exceptional Athletes program for developmentally disabled children and adults, said Clara Downes, the program’s associate director.
Downes said Tuesday that no alcohol is served at the fundraiser.
Four law enforcement teams were among the 26 teams that prepared and served guacamole samples. Members of the public paid $5 to taste the samples and vote for their favorites, Downes said.
No information was immediately available about whether Almos attended or participated in the Guacamole Bowl. Mayer said he has not confirmed whether she was there.
The event was open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but teams started at 8 a.m. to fix their recipes, Downes said. She estimated that more than 2,000 people attended, including some of the athletes in the program.
The National Latino Peace Officers Association took first place in the law enforcement division, while a team fielded by the San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union winning the overall top prize, Downes said.
Last April, San Diego police Detective Jeffrey Blackford pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken-driving charges related to a December incident in which he crashed his unmarked police car into a roadside utility box.
Detective Karen Almos, 47, a 16-year department veteran, has been assigned to administrative duties as an investigation continues, police Detective Gary Hassen said.
Hassen said paramedics found her in a parked vehicle about 3:25 p.m. on Pan America Plaza. She later was identified as a police detective, and San Diego police arrested her, Hassen said.
Almos was booked into Las Colinas jail in Santee, then released on bail set at $2,500, a jail record shows.
San Diego police Lt. Kevin Mayer said the state Vehicle Code section on drunken driving “gives officers a lot of leeway” in making arrests.
“The officers looked at all the evidence and believed they had enough to arrest her for this offense,” Mayer said. “This case illustrates that criminal behavior by our officers, on or off duty, is not tolerated. The chief has made this clear.”
The Vehicle Code says a DUI arrest may be made if the person is “in or about a vehicle” that obstructs a road, or if the person might cause injury or damage if not immediately arrested.
“What if we walked away, knowing the person could potentially hurt somebody?” California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said. “You can’t assume someone’s going to sleep off their intoxication.”
CHP Officer Kevin Pearlstein said an officer’s arrest report would note certain facts, such as seeing the person in the driver’s seat with a key in the ignition, and ask how the person got there and whether they had been drinking.
A fundraising event involving police, the Kiwanis Club and the public had been held earlier in the day at the location of Almos’ arrest outside the Balboa Park Club.
The 11th annual Guacamole Bowl, with teams preparing guacamole dip recipes for judging, raised more than $14,500 for the Sports for Exceptional Athletes program for developmentally disabled children and adults, said Clara Downes, the program’s associate director.
Downes said Tuesday that no alcohol is served at the fundraiser.
Four law enforcement teams were among the 26 teams that prepared and served guacamole samples. Members of the public paid $5 to taste the samples and vote for their favorites, Downes said.
No information was immediately available about whether Almos attended or participated in the Guacamole Bowl. Mayer said he has not confirmed whether she was there.
The event was open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but teams started at 8 a.m. to fix their recipes, Downes said. She estimated that more than 2,000 people attended, including some of the athletes in the program.
The National Latino Peace Officers Association took first place in the law enforcement division, while a team fielded by the San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union winning the overall top prize, Downes said.
Last April, San Diego police Detective Jeffrey Blackford pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken-driving charges related to a December incident in which he crashed his unmarked police car into a roadside utility box.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Officer Maurice Hopkins Arrested for Rape
Police spokesman Lt. David Price said in a news release Officer Maurice Hopkins, who has been with the department for two years and nine months, was charged with one count of rape by Prosecuting Attorney S. Kyle Hunter after the investigation was forwarded to him.
The alleged incident occurred Sunday, according to a news release from Price on Monday. He also said the alleged victim was an adult female. Hopkins was placed on administrative leave with pay at that time.
A warrant was issued for Hopkins arrest and bond was set at $100,000 secured. He was also ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.
Hopkins turned himself in Tuesday, Police Chief Jeff Hubanks said. He was booked into the adult detention center at 5:09 p.m. and was released on bond at 6:02 p.m., according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office website.
Price said in the news release Tuesday that the department will not release any further information until the conclusion of an internal investigation.
Officer William Ruscoe Arrested for Sexual Assault
A veteran Trumbull Police officer was arrested Monday night by Connecticut State Police in Bridgeport on sexual assault charges.
Details of the assault are not clear, but William Ruscoe, 44, was charged with second-degree sex assault, third-degree sex assault and fourth-degree sex assault, as well as tampering with a witness.
Multiple reports says he’s a 20-year veteran and sexually assaulted a member of the police department’s explorer program, where he served as an adviser for several years.
Cash bond was set at $50,000 and he’s due in Bridgeport Superior Court either Feb. 25 or March 5.
Details of the assault are not clear, but William Ruscoe, 44, was charged with second-degree sex assault, third-degree sex assault and fourth-degree sex assault, as well as tampering with a witness.
Multiple reports says he’s a 20-year veteran and sexually assaulted a member of the police department’s explorer program, where he served as an adviser for several years.
Cash bond was set at $50,000 and he’s due in Bridgeport Superior Court either Feb. 25 or March 5.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Officer Sean Gilhuly Arrested After Drunk Driving
An Orlando police officer was arrested Tuesday for the second time in a
month.
Sean Gilhuly, 30, was arrested in Orange County on a charge of
aggravated assault with a deadly weapon — a motor vehicle, according to a
police spokesman.
Orlando officers would not give details other than to say they are
investigating Gilhuly on suspicion of leaving the scene of an off-duty
crash.
They would not say whether Tuesday's arrest was related to Gilhuly's DUI
arrest Jan. 19 in Oviedo. Police there said they found an open bottle
of peach vodka in the passenger seat of his sport utility vehicle.
A passer-by told a dispatcher that Gilhuly had sat through two green
lights and appeared unfit to drive.
Gilhuly was charged with criminal mischief because investigators say he
kicked out the back window of a patrol car after his arrest, a police
report shows.
He also was ticketed on charges of improper stopping or standing and
having an open container of alcohol.
Gilhuly remains suspended with pay while an internal investigation is
conducted. He was hired Sept. 12, 2011.
month.
Sean Gilhuly, 30, was arrested in Orange County on a charge of
aggravated assault with a deadly weapon — a motor vehicle, according to a
police spokesman.
Orlando officers would not give details other than to say they are
investigating Gilhuly on suspicion of leaving the scene of an off-duty
crash.
They would not say whether Tuesday's arrest was related to Gilhuly's DUI
arrest Jan. 19 in Oviedo. Police there said they found an open bottle
of peach vodka in the passenger seat of his sport utility vehicle.
A passer-by told a dispatcher that Gilhuly had sat through two green
lights and appeared unfit to drive.
Gilhuly was charged with criminal mischief because investigators say he
kicked out the back window of a patrol car after his arrest, a police
report shows.
He also was ticketed on charges of improper stopping or standing and
having an open container of alcohol.
Gilhuly remains suspended with pay while an internal investigation is
conducted. He was hired Sept. 12, 2011.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Officer Mark Ridley Jr Released on Bond
A Muskogee police officer who is facing several felony charges was released from jail Friday after a $50,000 bond was set.
Mark Vernon Ridley Jr., 39, of Oktaha had been held without bond in the Muskogee County/City Detention Facility since his arrest last month.
Ridley was arrested after he allegedly crashed his truck into his wife’s car and kidnapped her at gunpoint.
On Jan. 31, he was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, forcible sodomy and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.
Ridley was placed on paid administrative leave in December after allegations of assault, abuse, stalking and harassment surfaced.
Muskogee County District Attorney Larry Moore said Ridley had tried to commit suicide while in custody at the jail.
Larry Langley, special district judge for Sequoyah County District Court, set Ridley’s bond at $50,000 and ordered Ridley to be under 24-hour supervision with the understanding that the person providing supervision will insure that Ridley takes his prescribed medication. The judge also ruled that Ridley could not have access to firearms and was ordered to not have contact with his wife or witnesses in the case.
Langley was assigned to the case after Muskogee County’s Special District Judge Robin Adair recused himself.
In requesting a reduction in bond Friday, defense attorney Donn Baker told the judge that Ridley was unstable initially, but no longer poses a risk.
Baker said a Feb. 17 letter from a nurse practitioner at a local health facility who had evaluated Ridley proved “he is much more stable and doing a lot better.” Ridley was “not in danger to himself or anyone else,” Baker said.
In the Feb. 17 letter, Michael S. Smith, a Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) with Muskogee Family Care, states, “Though he was quite unstable, and even suicidal, initially upon his entry into the jail, he has now become much more stable and, in my opinion, does not represent any danger to himself or others.”
The letter continues, “Additionally, I have discussed his case with the mental health provider from Green Country Behavioral Health, who interviewed Officer Ridley, who likewise believes that he does not represent any threat to himself.”
Ridley’s father and other individuals were willing to provide 24-hour supervision if Ridley was free on bond, Baker said.
The office of Eddie Wyant, district attorney for Delaware and Ottawa counties, was named to prosecute the case after Muskogee County District Moore recused himself.
Jennifer Ellis, an assistant district attorney in Ottawa County, said the state objected to the bond for Ridley.
“Our position is one of safety” for Ridley and Ridley’s wife, she said.
If Ridley was released on bond, then the only benefit would be a “reactive situation” if Ridley violated the conditions of bond and that Ridley could harm himself or others.
“We feel the risk is just too high,” she said.
She added that the state believes that Ridley should remain incarcerated in jail or be placed in a mental health facility until the preliminary hearing.
A status hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 28, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 9 a.m. May 16. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, a judge will determine if Ridley should stand trial.
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Mark Vernon Ridley Jr., 39, of Oktaha had been held without bond in the Muskogee County/City Detention Facility since his arrest last month.
Ridley was arrested after he allegedly crashed his truck into his wife’s car and kidnapped her at gunpoint.
On Jan. 31, he was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, forcible sodomy and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.
Ridley was placed on paid administrative leave in December after allegations of assault, abuse, stalking and harassment surfaced.
Muskogee County District Attorney Larry Moore said Ridley had tried to commit suicide while in custody at the jail.
Larry Langley, special district judge for Sequoyah County District Court, set Ridley’s bond at $50,000 and ordered Ridley to be under 24-hour supervision with the understanding that the person providing supervision will insure that Ridley takes his prescribed medication. The judge also ruled that Ridley could not have access to firearms and was ordered to not have contact with his wife or witnesses in the case.
Langley was assigned to the case after Muskogee County’s Special District Judge Robin Adair recused himself.
In requesting a reduction in bond Friday, defense attorney Donn Baker told the judge that Ridley was unstable initially, but no longer poses a risk.
Baker said a Feb. 17 letter from a nurse practitioner at a local health facility who had evaluated Ridley proved “he is much more stable and doing a lot better.” Ridley was “not in danger to himself or anyone else,” Baker said.
In the Feb. 17 letter, Michael S. Smith, a Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) with Muskogee Family Care, states, “Though he was quite unstable, and even suicidal, initially upon his entry into the jail, he has now become much more stable and, in my opinion, does not represent any danger to himself or others.”
The letter continues, “Additionally, I have discussed his case with the mental health provider from Green Country Behavioral Health, who interviewed Officer Ridley, who likewise believes that he does not represent any threat to himself.”
Ridley’s father and other individuals were willing to provide 24-hour supervision if Ridley was free on bond, Baker said.
The office of Eddie Wyant, district attorney for Delaware and Ottawa counties, was named to prosecute the case after Muskogee County District Moore recused himself.
Jennifer Ellis, an assistant district attorney in Ottawa County, said the state objected to the bond for Ridley.
“Our position is one of safety” for Ridley and Ridley’s wife, she said.
If Ridley was released on bond, then the only benefit would be a “reactive situation” if Ridley violated the conditions of bond and that Ridley could harm himself or others.
“We feel the risk is just too high,” she said.
She added that the state believes that Ridley should remain incarcerated in jail or be placed in a mental health facility until the preliminary hearing.
A status hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 28, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 9 a.m. May 16. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, a judge will determine if Ridley should stand trial.
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Former Officer David Banks Charged with Sexual Misconduct with Child
A former Unionville Police officer was charged with sexual misconduct involving a child after Kirksville Police received and investigated claims he was exchanging inappropriate text messages with a juvenile.
David Banks, 25, was arrested at a residence in Stewartsville after being terminated from the Unionville Police Department over allegations of sexual misconduct.
According to the Kirksville Police Department, the suspect had been exchanging sexual explicit text messages and had sent at least one image to a 14-year-old female in Unionville. KPD began its investigation Thursday.
Following his termination with the police department Thursday, Banks is alleged to have left Unionville and was located at a residence in DeKalb County, where a search warrant was executed for his arrest early Friday morning.
Banks was being held in the Daviess/Dekalb Regional Jail as of Friday morning on a $10,000 cash-only bond. He was charged with the class D felony of sexual misconduct involving a child.
The investigation is ongoing and other charges are pending, according to KPD.
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