A D.C. police officer is facing insurance fraud and attempted theft charges related to alleged damage to police equipment.
Aisha McCrary has been indicted in Prince George's County, the office of State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks announced Monday.
According to Alsobrooks' office, McCrary is accused of filing an insurance claim that her work radio, a personal laptop and other items were damaged from a water leak in her home in July 2013.
McCrary sent a letter to the Metropolitan Police Department from a tech supervisor who an insurance adjustor later determined does not exist. She provided the same letter a second time and then tried to withdraw her claim.
An investigation found that McCrary's radio was not damaged and she had not reported any damage to the equipment.
An arraignment is scheduled for March 21.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Off-Duty Officer Tiquan Carruthers Accused of Punching Man
A New York City police officer is accused of punching a man during a pickup football game in the Bronx.
Police say the off-duty officer allegedly punched the man in the face after getting into an argument with him during a game in Van Cortlandt Park Sunday afternoon.
The victim was treated at a hospital and released.
Police say the 29-year-old officer, Tiquan Carruthers, faces assault charges. He's been placed on modified duty.
Police say the off-duty officer allegedly punched the man in the face after getting into an argument with him during a game in Van Cortlandt Park Sunday afternoon.
The victim was treated at a hospital and released.
Police say the 29-year-old officer, Tiquan Carruthers, faces assault charges. He's been placed on modified duty.
Two Officers Arrested for Drunk Driving Due in Court
Two off-duty Sheboygan Police officers who were arrested in December for drunk driving are due back in court on Friday, March 14.
Officers Ryan Walloch, 25, and Stephen Schnabel, 35, were arrested Dec. 5 after a late-night accident at the corner of Superior Avenue and North Taylor Drive.
Both were off-duty, according to information released by the Sheboygan Police Department the next day, and in their personal vehicles when one driver rear-ended the other at the blinking red light on Superior Avenue.
An arrest report showed that Walloch’s preliminary blood alcohol content was 0.10 and Schnabel’s was 0.23. A blood-alcohol content of 0.08 is considered evidence of drunken driving.
Both officers were cited for first-offense OWI and operating a motor vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration. They were placed on administrative duties briefly but have been back on duty since a couple of days after the arrest, Sheboygan Police Capt. Steve Cobb said.
They pleaded not guilty at an initial appearance in Sheboygan-Kohler Muncipal Court and will have a pretrial hearing on Friday.
Cobb said an internal investigation is ongoing and he declined to comment on what kinds of departmental discipline would be considered for both officers.
Walloch has been with the City of Sheboygan since June 2011. Schnabel has been a police officer with the City of Sheboygan since August 2005.
Details about which man was driving which vehicle and where the officers had been earlier that night have not been released.
Officers Ryan Walloch, 25, and Stephen Schnabel, 35, were arrested Dec. 5 after a late-night accident at the corner of Superior Avenue and North Taylor Drive.
Both were off-duty, according to information released by the Sheboygan Police Department the next day, and in their personal vehicles when one driver rear-ended the other at the blinking red light on Superior Avenue.
An arrest report showed that Walloch’s preliminary blood alcohol content was 0.10 and Schnabel’s was 0.23. A blood-alcohol content of 0.08 is considered evidence of drunken driving.
Both officers were cited for first-offense OWI and operating a motor vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration. They were placed on administrative duties briefly but have been back on duty since a couple of days after the arrest, Sheboygan Police Capt. Steve Cobb said.
They pleaded not guilty at an initial appearance in Sheboygan-Kohler Muncipal Court and will have a pretrial hearing on Friday.
Cobb said an internal investigation is ongoing and he declined to comment on what kinds of departmental discipline would be considered for both officers.
Walloch has been with the City of Sheboygan since June 2011. Schnabel has been a police officer with the City of Sheboygan since August 2005.
Details about which man was driving which vehicle and where the officers had been earlier that night have not been released.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Former Court Officer Alberto Yard Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Children
Prior to his arrest, Alberto Yard had worked in Brooklyn Civil Court for more than 19 years. After pleading to the felony on Thursday before Eastern District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto, he now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years incarceration. Sentencing was scheduled for July 10.
Yard, 45, was arrested in July, following a Google alert to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a user account that had uploaded 213 images of child pornography. The account was traced to Yard.
Many images depicted child pornography, but the account also contained "voyeuristic photographs of children." According to an arrest complaint, Yard told authorities he took pictures of children while on duty as an officer (NYLJ, July, 5, 2013).
After inspecting electronic equipment seized at Yard's residence, he was also charged with production of child pornography (NYLJ, July 15, 2013). Authorities ultimately determined Yard possessed thousands of images. He also has a co-defendant in the matter; her case is pending.
Yard was suspended without pay after his arrest. His attorney, Deveraux Cannick of Aiello Cannick in Queens, said his client opted to resign from his job early in the case. Cannick said Yard wanted any children connected to the case to avoid the experience of a trial and said his client, by pleading guilty, was "stepping up and acknowledging the wrong he committed."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Gandy handled the prosecution.
Fifty Police Officers in the UK Arrested for Child Porn
Fifty police officers across the UK have been arrested as part of a crackdown on suspected pedophiles who pay to access child pornography websites, detectives revealed today.
The officers were among 1,300 people arrested on suspicion of accessing or downloading indecent images of children - some as young as five - from US-based Internet sites.
Thirty-five men were arrested in London this morning as part of the investigation - codenamed Operation Ore - following raids on 45 addresses across the capital.
Of the 50 policemen identified, eight have been charged to date and the remainder bailed pending further inquiries. Scotland Yard said none of those arrested today was a policeman.
At a press conference at Scotland Yard today, Jim Gamble, assistant chief constable of the National Crime Squad, said he was not surprised at the number of police officers among the suspects.
"As police officers, we should expect to be held accountable," he said.
"Fifty police officers have been identified and we are not hiding that fact. We want you to know about that to reassure you.
"Police officers are member of the communities that they serve and there will be good people and bad people in the police."
Mr Gamble said the 50 officers were among 1,200 Britons who had been identified as "category one or two" suspects - those who posed the greatest potential risk to children.
In addition, 40 children nationwide - 28 of them in London - had been identified as being at risk of being abused and appropriate steps had been taken with other agencies to ensure that all the youngsters were safe.
Before today's arrests, the Metropolitan Police had executed 75 warrants across the capital with 65 arrests and more than 130 computers seized.
Although 7,000 suspected users of "pay-per-view" child pornography sites based in the US were identified in Britain, Mr Gamble said the actual number of offenders would probably be lower, partly due to duplicates.
The Met's Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Carole Howlett, said today's raids represented the single largest operation of its kind mounted so far by the force.
She added: "Our priority so far has been to identify those individuals on the list that pose the greatest threat to children now.
"But this process is on-going ... and it will continue after today, even though it is extremely resource intensive."
Ms Howlett also announced that the Home Office had agreed to allocate an extra £500,000 to support further action as part of Operation Ore.
She said the money would be used to provide extra training in computer forensics for officers across the country and to buy more equipment for analyzing computers seized.
Commenting on today's operation, children's charity NSPCC said it had been assisting the Met by responding to any emerging child protection matters.
Colin Turner, head of NSPCC's specialist investigation service, said: "The arrests send out a strong warning to those that think they can remain anonymous and escape the law by using the Internet to trade in child abuse images.
"Behind these indecent, abusive images are real children who will have suffered immense damage and trauma."
Operation Ore is the UK wing of a huge FBI operation which traced 250,000 pedophiles worldwide last year through credit card details used to pay for downloading child porn.
The names of British suspects were passed on by US investigators.
Suspects were traced through the Landslide web site - a gateway to an international collection of child pornography sites.
Thomas Reedy, who ran the web site and earned millions from it, is now serving several life sentences in the US.
The officers were among 1,300 people arrested on suspicion of accessing or downloading indecent images of children - some as young as five - from US-based Internet sites.
Thirty-five men were arrested in London this morning as part of the investigation - codenamed Operation Ore - following raids on 45 addresses across the capital.
Of the 50 policemen identified, eight have been charged to date and the remainder bailed pending further inquiries. Scotland Yard said none of those arrested today was a policeman.
At a press conference at Scotland Yard today, Jim Gamble, assistant chief constable of the National Crime Squad, said he was not surprised at the number of police officers among the suspects.
"As police officers, we should expect to be held accountable," he said.
"Fifty police officers have been identified and we are not hiding that fact. We want you to know about that to reassure you.
"Police officers are member of the communities that they serve and there will be good people and bad people in the police."
Mr Gamble said the 50 officers were among 1,200 Britons who had been identified as "category one or two" suspects - those who posed the greatest potential risk to children.
In addition, 40 children nationwide - 28 of them in London - had been identified as being at risk of being abused and appropriate steps had been taken with other agencies to ensure that all the youngsters were safe.
Before today's arrests, the Metropolitan Police had executed 75 warrants across the capital with 65 arrests and more than 130 computers seized.
Although 7,000 suspected users of "pay-per-view" child pornography sites based in the US were identified in Britain, Mr Gamble said the actual number of offenders would probably be lower, partly due to duplicates.
The Met's Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Carole Howlett, said today's raids represented the single largest operation of its kind mounted so far by the force.
She added: "Our priority so far has been to identify those individuals on the list that pose the greatest threat to children now.
"But this process is on-going ... and it will continue after today, even though it is extremely resource intensive."
Ms Howlett also announced that the Home Office had agreed to allocate an extra £500,000 to support further action as part of Operation Ore.
She said the money would be used to provide extra training in computer forensics for officers across the country and to buy more equipment for analyzing computers seized.
Commenting on today's operation, children's charity NSPCC said it had been assisting the Met by responding to any emerging child protection matters.
Colin Turner, head of NSPCC's specialist investigation service, said: "The arrests send out a strong warning to those that think they can remain anonymous and escape the law by using the Internet to trade in child abuse images.
"Behind these indecent, abusive images are real children who will have suffered immense damage and trauma."
Operation Ore is the UK wing of a huge FBI operation which traced 250,000 pedophiles worldwide last year through credit card details used to pay for downloading child porn.
The names of British suspects were passed on by US investigators.
Suspects were traced through the Landslide web site - a gateway to an international collection of child pornography sites.
Thomas Reedy, who ran the web site and earned millions from it, is now serving several life sentences in the US.
Former Officer Mitchel Wright Arrested for Selling Meth
Mitchel J. Wright, who joined the King County Sheriff's Department in 2002, was fired last year after being accused of stealing drug evidence while working undercover for the DEA. He was arrested on Feb. 11 after selling drugs to undercover officers on separate occasions. He reportedly bragged that he'd never be caught because knew every police tactic. His hubris was his downfall.
Wright, 33, resigned last July after a cop discovered a woman injecting herself with heroin inside of a vehicle registered to Wright. She told police that she lived with Wright and worked for him as an informant, and a subsequent search of the vehicle produced drugs and drug paraphernalia.
An internal investigation revealed that Wright was giving strippers heroin and methamphetamine to persuade them to work as drug dealers for him. His ultimate goal was to dominate the area drug trade using his authority, knowledge of the underworld and access to evidence.
After being placed on administrative leave, Wright resigned. Later that month, King County deputies discovered three baggies bearing DEA case numbers inside of his old police car. Each tested positive for heroin. It's estimated that Wright seized between $36,450 and $52,490 worth of drugs during his stint with the DEA and never turned them in as evidence.
For his most recent arrest, Wright was charged with distribution of over five grams of meth and conspiracy to distribute meth. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine.
Officer David Garcia Arrested for DUI
A veteran Lompoc police officer was arrested for DUI early Friday morning in the city.
Officer David Garcia was off-duty when he allegedly crashed his personal vehicle into a tree on a median in the 200 block of North H Street about 12:45 Friday am.
A Lompoc officer made the arrest.
Lompoc Captain Don Deming said Sunday the investigation was turned over to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office to avoid a conflict of interest.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office will determine what charges could be filed in the case.
Officer David Garcia was off-duty when he allegedly crashed his personal vehicle into a tree on a median in the 200 block of North H Street about 12:45 Friday am.
A Lompoc officer made the arrest.
Lompoc Captain Don Deming said Sunday the investigation was turned over to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office to avoid a conflict of interest.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office will determine what charges could be filed in the case.
Sunday, March 09, 2014
Corrections Officer Patrick Brown Arrested for Drunk Driving
A city Department of Correction officer was busted on charges of drunk driving early Monday morning, police said.
Cops pulled Patrick Brown, 33, over for a broken tail light at 3:44 a.m. near the intersection of Francis Lewis Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway and found he had been drinking, the NYPD said.
He had an alcohol level of .105 percent in his blood when he blew into a Breathalyzer, according to the NYPD, which is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Brown had not been charged before with a DWI, police said.
Cops pulled Patrick Brown, 33, over for a broken tail light at 3:44 a.m. near the intersection of Francis Lewis Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway and found he had been drinking, the NYPD said.
He had an alcohol level of .105 percent in his blood when he blew into a Breathalyzer, according to the NYPD, which is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Brown had not been charged before with a DWI, police said.
Saturday, March 08, 2014
Fort Hood Sgt. Gregory McQueen Faces Several Charges
A Fort Hood sergeant who was a coordinator of the post's sexual assault and harassment prevention program faces multiple charges after he was accused of setting up a prostitution ring involving cash-strapped female soldiers.
Sgt. 1st Class Gregory McQueen was charged Friday with 21 counts related to pandering, conspiracy, maltreatment of a subordinate, abusive sexual contact, and adultery and conduct of a nature to bring discredit to the armed forces, according to a Fort Hood statement.
An Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a civilian grand jury proceeding, is scheduled for March 20 and 21 at Fort Hood.
It was not clear if McQueen had an attorney Friday, Fort Hood spokesman Christopher Haug said. A home number for McQueen could not be found.
Last May, the Army said a sergeant first class was being investigated on allegations of sexual assault and possibly arranging for at least one woman to have sex for money. The Army said he was one of the coordinators of the program at Fort Hood, about 125 miles southwest of Fort Worth.
Army officials declined to release his name at the time, but two officials speaking anonymously to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case identified that soldier as McQueen, who was assigned as a coordinator of a battalion-level sexual assault prevention program at the Central Texas Army post.
U.S. officials had said he was being investigated in connection with activities involving three women, including sexually assaulting one woman. At the time, a Defense Department official in Washington said it was not clear if one of the women was forced into prostitution or participated willingly. McQueen remains suspended from his duties but is free pending trial, Haug said.
Another Fort Hood soldier was court-martialed in the case. Master Sgt. Brad Grimes was convicted in December of conspiring to patronize a prostitute and solicitation to commit adultery, reprimanded and demoted.
The Fort Hood case and others like it have increased pressure on the Pentagon and Capitol Hill to confront sexual misconduct in the armed forces.
The charges against McQueen came one day after the Senate rejected a bill that would have stripped military commanders of the authority to decide whether to prosecute serious crimes.
The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. and chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittee. In a Feb. 10 letter, she called on Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to turn over case information from four major U.S. bases, including Fort Hood.
The records would shed more light on how military commanders make decisions about courts-martial and punishments in sexual assault cases.
Sgt. 1st Class Gregory McQueen was charged Friday with 21 counts related to pandering, conspiracy, maltreatment of a subordinate, abusive sexual contact, and adultery and conduct of a nature to bring discredit to the armed forces, according to a Fort Hood statement.
An Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a civilian grand jury proceeding, is scheduled for March 20 and 21 at Fort Hood.
It was not clear if McQueen had an attorney Friday, Fort Hood spokesman Christopher Haug said. A home number for McQueen could not be found.
Last May, the Army said a sergeant first class was being investigated on allegations of sexual assault and possibly arranging for at least one woman to have sex for money. The Army said he was one of the coordinators of the program at Fort Hood, about 125 miles southwest of Fort Worth.
Army officials declined to release his name at the time, but two officials speaking anonymously to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case identified that soldier as McQueen, who was assigned as a coordinator of a battalion-level sexual assault prevention program at the Central Texas Army post.
U.S. officials had said he was being investigated in connection with activities involving three women, including sexually assaulting one woman. At the time, a Defense Department official in Washington said it was not clear if one of the women was forced into prostitution or participated willingly. McQueen remains suspended from his duties but is free pending trial, Haug said.
Another Fort Hood soldier was court-martialed in the case. Master Sgt. Brad Grimes was convicted in December of conspiring to patronize a prostitute and solicitation to commit adultery, reprimanded and demoted.
The Fort Hood case and others like it have increased pressure on the Pentagon and Capitol Hill to confront sexual misconduct in the armed forces.
The charges against McQueen came one day after the Senate rejected a bill that would have stripped military commanders of the authority to decide whether to prosecute serious crimes.
The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. and chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittee. In a Feb. 10 letter, she called on Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to turn over case information from four major U.S. bases, including Fort Hood.
The records would shed more light on how military commanders make decisions about courts-martial and punishments in sexual assault cases.
Officer Deon Nunless Charged with Sexual Assault
But while police responded to the domestic violence call, one of the officers allegedly took the woman into an upstairs bedroom and sexually assaulted her, authorities said.
Detroit Police Officer Deon Nunlee has been charged in the alleged Oct. 30 assault of a 31-year-old woman. Police said DNA connected Nunlee to the assault.
“I’m troubled,” Detroit Police Chief James Craig said at a news conference Friday. “Certainly, this is the type of criminal misconduct that should never happen by any member of this department, or any department for that matter.”
Nunlee, 40, has been charged with three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count each of assault with intent to penetrate and misconduct in office, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutors said Nunlee and his partner were dispatched to an early-morning domestic violence run on the 16000 block of Asbury Park, where the woman said she had been assaulted by her boyfriend.
According to the prosecutor’s office, Nunlee took the woman upstairs and his partner stayed with the boyfriend downstairs.
“It is alleged that when Nunlee was in an upstairs bedroom with the woman, he sexually assaulted her,” according to the prosecutor’s office. “While they were alone upstairs, Nunlee indicated he would be coming back to the house later at 7 a.m.”
Police said Nunlee did not return.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the woman reported the alleged assault to police the next day.
Craig said the other officer at the scene did nothing wrong. He said that in domestic dispute situations, officers do keep parties at safe distance, but in this case, they were in different parts of the home. For officer safety, Craig said, “an officer should never lose line of sight of their partner.”
Cmdr. Johnny Thomas of the department’s professional standards bureau said that when the woman reported the alleged assault to police on Oct. 31, Nunlee was placed on administrative duties. On. Feb. 10, after results from the rape kit came back, Nunlee was suspended without pay, Thomas said.
Asked whether Nunlee denied the allegation, Thomas said Nunlee was given his Miranda warning and took his right to remain silent.
Nunlee was arraigned Friday in Detroit’s 36th District Court. His preliminary examination is scheduled for April 17.
Nunlee, who was working in the 8th Precinct, has been on the force since 2008 and previously had minor misconducts, police said.
Craig said this incident is not a reflection of the department.
“This is an anomaly. This is not what our police officers do,” Craig said. “This officer who decided to engage in criminal misconduct does not represent the 2,500 or so sworn men and women who wear this uniform.”
Nunlee is the third Detroit police officer to face charges this month.
■ On Wednesday, Detroit Police Officer Johnny Ray Bridges, 47, was charged with unlawful imprisonment, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, domestic violence and reckless discharge of a firearm in connection with the assault of a 31-year-old woman on Monday.
According to the prosecutor’s office, Bridges was off duty when he got into an argument with the woman, fired a handgun in the air and punched and kicked her in her face and body. Prosecutors said both had been drinking.
■ Suspended Detroit Police Officer Dana Bond, 41, is facing misdemeanor charges of high blood-alcohol content, failure to stop at the scene of a personal injury accident, and failure to stop at the scene of an accident with property damage. Bond is accused of driving while intoxicated and getting into an accident on Sunday. Bond was already suspended without pay at the time of the accident because she is facing retail fraud charges for allegedly stealing wine and food from stores in Detroit.
On Friday, before the news conference, Craig said the department “will always vigorously investigate any allegations of misconduct.”
Officer Richard Irizzary Arrested by DEA
A Titusville Police Officer on administrative leave since January was taken into custody Thursday by DEA agents and the Titusville Police Internal Affairs Investigator according to Titusville Police in a statement.
Richard Irizzary, a patrol officer since March 2010, was taken into custody as he arrived at police headquarters Thursday morning for a scheduled interview.
Titusville Police said Irizzary was arrested after he was indicted on federal charges on Wednesday.
Police said Irizzary’s badge and gun were seized back in January when he was placed on administrative leave.
The Federal charges summarized include: To Aid & Abet the Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substance while armed with a Firearm; and Use of a Communication Device to Aid the Possession of Controlled Substances.
Titusville Police Chief John Lau and other members of his command staff have been working directly with the DEA since January when the department first learned of the allegations.
“We were appalled and shocked when we learned of these allegations and immediately offered our complete cooperation”, said Titusville Police Chief John Lau.
“We have been working in tandem with DEA investigators on this isolated incident that does not involve any other department member” said Lau.
“The law enforcement profession has absolutely no room for employees with no integrity and the second a police officer breaks their oath and commits a crime, they are no longer a police officer”
The department will be able to comment on the specifics of the internal investigation when it has concluded, which could take several weeks. Irizzary was taken directly to the federal courthouse in Orlando by DEA agents after his arrest. The federal charges in the indictment carry a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 10 years.
Titusville Police said they will move to suspend him without pay after a due process hearing. The agency said they cannot move to terminate Irizzary until the completion of an Internal Investigation.
Richard Irizzary, a patrol officer since March 2010, was taken into custody as he arrived at police headquarters Thursday morning for a scheduled interview.
Titusville Police said Irizzary was arrested after he was indicted on federal charges on Wednesday.
Police said Irizzary’s badge and gun were seized back in January when he was placed on administrative leave.
The Federal charges summarized include: To Aid & Abet the Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substance while armed with a Firearm; and Use of a Communication Device to Aid the Possession of Controlled Substances.
Titusville Police Chief John Lau and other members of his command staff have been working directly with the DEA since January when the department first learned of the allegations.
“We were appalled and shocked when we learned of these allegations and immediately offered our complete cooperation”, said Titusville Police Chief John Lau.
“We have been working in tandem with DEA investigators on this isolated incident that does not involve any other department member” said Lau.
“The law enforcement profession has absolutely no room for employees with no integrity and the second a police officer breaks their oath and commits a crime, they are no longer a police officer”
The department will be able to comment on the specifics of the internal investigation when it has concluded, which could take several weeks. Irizzary was taken directly to the federal courthouse in Orlando by DEA agents after his arrest. The federal charges in the indictment carry a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 10 years.
Titusville Police said they will move to suspend him without pay after a due process hearing. The agency said they cannot move to terminate Irizzary until the completion of an Internal Investigation.
Corrections Officer Yennifer Reyes Arrested for Having Sex with Minor
PCSO says Corrections Officer Yennifer Reyes was arrested on Wednesday for being sexually involved with a young female from late 2013 to early 2014.
Deputies began their investigation on Tuesday after PCSO got a report about Reyes' alleged relationship.
PCSO says they found evidence of the sexual relationship and arrested Reyes.
She was booked on one count of sexual conduct with a minor, fifteen years of age or older.
Reyes was in the process of being terminated when she resigned on Thursday; she had been with the Sheriff's Department since May 2005.
Officer Ronald Taylor Arrested for Assaulting Shoplifter
Internal affairs officers arrested a Bronx cop Thursday for pummeling a shoplifter he arrested at a Target store near Yankee Stadium, law enforcement sources said.
Officer Ronald Taylor, 44, faces misdemeanor assault and harassment charges for the August 2013 beat down, officials said.
Taylor was on duty when he was called to the Exterior St. Target to arrest Fernando Rios for shoplifting just after 9:30 p.m, officials said. During the arrest, Taylor allegedly punched Rios repeatedly on the left side of his face, rupturing the would-be thief’s eardrum and breaking his nose.
Rios was mouthing off to Taylor and may have spit on the officer before he was attacked, law enforcement sources said.
Taylor, who joined the force in 1999 and who has spent most of his career in the Bronx, works in the Property Clerk’s Division. He was released without having to post bail at his arraignment on Thursday morning and is expected to respond to the charges in April, officials said.
“After a thorough and complete investigation and after the true facts are revealed, my client will be exonerated,” Taylor’s attorney Craig Hayes said.
If convicted of the existing charges, Taylor would face up to a year in jail.
Rios was charged with shop-lifting, law enforcement sources said.
Officer Ronald Taylor, 44, faces misdemeanor assault and harassment charges for the August 2013 beat down, officials said.
Taylor was on duty when he was called to the Exterior St. Target to arrest Fernando Rios for shoplifting just after 9:30 p.m, officials said. During the arrest, Taylor allegedly punched Rios repeatedly on the left side of his face, rupturing the would-be thief’s eardrum and breaking his nose.
Rios was mouthing off to Taylor and may have spit on the officer before he was attacked, law enforcement sources said.
Taylor, who joined the force in 1999 and who has spent most of his career in the Bronx, works in the Property Clerk’s Division. He was released without having to post bail at his arraignment on Thursday morning and is expected to respond to the charges in April, officials said.
“After a thorough and complete investigation and after the true facts are revealed, my client will be exonerated,” Taylor’s attorney Craig Hayes said.
If convicted of the existing charges, Taylor would face up to a year in jail.
Rios was charged with shop-lifting, law enforcement sources said.
Man Arrested for Videotaping Police
A Fall River man says he was recording a police officer who was out of control, but instead, he was arrested and his cell phone was seized.
Now the video he recorded is gone. Police say he erased it, even though they were the ones holding the phone.
George Thompson says last January he was just sitting on his front porch, watching a Fall River police officer working a paid detail. Thompson says the officer was on his phone and was swearing very loud.
That’s when Thompson pulled out his phone. Thompson says Officer Tom Barboza then rushed him and arrested him, charging him with unlawful wiretapping.
But in Massachusetts it’s perfectly legal to record video and audio of a public official, including police, as long as they are performing their duties and the recording isn’t hidden. Barboza’s own police report shows that Thompson acknowledged he was recording the officer.
“I think we all have our basic rights and I think people should not record others secretly or surreptitiously,” Fall River Police Chief Daniel Racine told WPRI.
Thompson was released from jail, but police kept his phone and that’s where the story takes an interesting turn.
Thompson claims that two days after his arrest, his phone, which was locked up at the police station, somehow had all of the video erased.
“If a Fall River police officer erased that video, he’s fired,” Chief Racine said. “And I would suspect the district attorney would take out charges.”
George Thompson is not buying it. “They’re investigating themselves and there’s a code of blue and everybody knows that,” Thompson says.
Now the video he recorded is gone. Police say he erased it, even though they were the ones holding the phone.
George Thompson says last January he was just sitting on his front porch, watching a Fall River police officer working a paid detail. Thompson says the officer was on his phone and was swearing very loud.
That’s when Thompson pulled out his phone. Thompson says Officer Tom Barboza then rushed him and arrested him, charging him with unlawful wiretapping.
But in Massachusetts it’s perfectly legal to record video and audio of a public official, including police, as long as they are performing their duties and the recording isn’t hidden. Barboza’s own police report shows that Thompson acknowledged he was recording the officer.
“I think we all have our basic rights and I think people should not record others secretly or surreptitiously,” Fall River Police Chief Daniel Racine told WPRI.
Thompson was released from jail, but police kept his phone and that’s where the story takes an interesting turn.
Thompson claims that two days after his arrest, his phone, which was locked up at the police station, somehow had all of the video erased.
“If a Fall River police officer erased that video, he’s fired,” Chief Racine said. “And I would suspect the district attorney would take out charges.”
George Thompson is not buying it. “They’re investigating themselves and there’s a code of blue and everybody knows that,” Thompson says.
Corrections Officer Christopher L Riley Arrested for DUI
A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Corrections Officer was arrested early Friday morning for driving under the influence.
Christopher L. Riley was stopped due to a malfunctioning headlight, according to JSO.
The patrol officer believed Riley was intoxicated and investigated.
Riley was arrested for driving under the influence and cited for operating a vehicle in an unsafe condition.
According to JSO, Riley will be placed in a limited duty status while the court processes the case.
Christopher L. Riley was stopped due to a malfunctioning headlight, according to JSO.
The patrol officer believed Riley was intoxicated and investigated.
Riley was arrested for driving under the influence and cited for operating a vehicle in an unsafe condition.
According to JSO, Riley will be placed in a limited duty status while the court processes the case.
Former Officer Craig Garner Charged with Selling Firearms to Convicted Felon
Craig Allen Garner, 54, has been charged with two counts of party to a crime for selling guns, according to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.
“He acquired the firearms for the convicted felon with knowledge he was a convicted felon and he knew he shouldn’t have guns,” said Sheriff’s Maj. Rick Doyle. “They are friends.”
According to Doyle, Garner met Michael Cummings, a 44-year-old convicted felon, on two different days for the gun deal, which involved an assault rifle and 12-gauge shotgun. Both men are Forsyth County residents.
Cummings has been charged with one count of criminal solicitation and two counts of possession of a firearm, according to the sheriff’s office. His previous conviction — on charges of burglary, false imprisonment, aggravated assault and theft by taking — was from 1996 in Union County.
Cummings and Garner were booked at the Forsyth County Detention Center, from where Garner was later released after posting a bond of $22,220.
Cummings is being held without bond because he’s on active probation in Gwinnett and Union counties, Doyle said.
Garner was hired by the Alpharetta department in 1990 after working for the Kennesaw Police Department. Though he once served as a lieutenant in Alpharetta, he was an officer at the time of his arrest for unrelated reasons, said Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard.
Drinkard said Friday that Garner is “no longer an employee of the city as of [Thursday] afternoon.”
“At this time, there is no indication that any of the behaviors that led to the arrest occurred while he was on duty,” Drinkard said. “So at this point, there will not be further action from the city of Alpharetta, unless the investigation turns something up.
“His behaviors are certainly not indicative of the professionals that we have in our law enforcement agency.”
Garner is the founder of the Blue Bloods Motorcycle Club, a law enforcement group that raises funds for charities and awareness and supports the Second Amendment and U.S. Constitution, according to its website.
Reports that Cummings is also a club member could not be immediately confirmed.
Friday, March 07, 2014
Retired Officer Walter Sasse Arrested for Sexual Assault of Teen Girl
A retired Philadelphia police officer has been arrested and charged with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl.
According to Philly, Walter Sasse was charged on Wednesday with a number of crimes, including unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, sexual assault and indecent exposure. In total, he has been charged with nine crimes.
The charges stem from an alleged sexual assault that happened in 2011. However, authorities believe that the 75-year-old had a relationship with the teen for years.
WPVI has reported that Sasse met the victim when she was 15-years-old at Courtesy Stables, where she rode horses. The retired cop was employed by the stables and investigators said that the girl also began working there and that's when the alleged sexual contact started.
Police would not release any further details about the victim because of her age.
Sasse, who is a 20-year veteran of the force, was most recently assigned to the PPD’s mounted unit. He was released on $50,000 bond and is scheduled to be back in court on March 25th.
According to Philly, Walter Sasse was charged on Wednesday with a number of crimes, including unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, sexual assault and indecent exposure. In total, he has been charged with nine crimes.
The charges stem from an alleged sexual assault that happened in 2011. However, authorities believe that the 75-year-old had a relationship with the teen for years.
WPVI has reported that Sasse met the victim when she was 15-years-old at Courtesy Stables, where she rode horses. The retired cop was employed by the stables and investigators said that the girl also began working there and that's when the alleged sexual contact started.
Police would not release any further details about the victim because of her age.
Sasse, who is a 20-year veteran of the force, was most recently assigned to the PPD’s mounted unit. He was released on $50,000 bond and is scheduled to be back in court on March 25th.
Corrections Officer Christopher Brunson Charged with Violating Civil Rights
Christopher Brunson, 38, of Perry, Florida, has been indicted for violating the civil rights of a Taylor County Correctional Institution inmate. The indictment was announced by Pamela C. Marsh, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The indictment alleges that on January 30, 2013, Brunson, who was then employed as a correctional officer at the Taylor Correctional Institution, struck and assaulted an inmate resulting in bodily injury. Brunson was arraigned in federal court today and a trial date was scheduled for April 14, 2014.
If convicted, Brunson faces a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Department of Corrections, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Rhew-Miller
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment alleges that on January 30, 2013, Brunson, who was then employed as a correctional officer at the Taylor Correctional Institution, struck and assaulted an inmate resulting in bodily injury. Brunson was arraigned in federal court today and a trial date was scheduled for April 14, 2014.
If convicted, Brunson faces a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Department of Corrections, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Rhew-Miller
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Officer Clifton Gauthier Charged with Misconduct
Gauthier, 34, of Sparta, was charged Monday by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office with official misconduct, obstruction, witness tampering and hindering prosecution of another, according to court records. Gauthier was hired in the township in July 2005 and, though now suspended, was earning $108,525 annually.
Township officials would not immediately specify whether Gauthier was suspended with or without pay. Neither Gauthier nor defense lawyer Scott Krasny could immediately be reached Friday.
A male relative of Gauthier was ticketed for DWI in Rockaway Township by a state trooper identified only as N.S. Gauthier allegedly contacted the trooper on Feb. 9, 2012, and “suggested” he didn’t need to appear in township Municipal Court for trial because the charge was resolved, according to court records and officials.
Denis Driscoll, who was municipal prosecutor at the time, contacted the trooper, who stated he was told not to appear, and the investigation commenced, according to officials.
Township Mayor Michael Dachisen said that Gauthier is a good officer who served several military tours in Iraq. He said the relative who Gauthier allegedly tried to assist is either a cousin or an uncle. He declined further comment.
Police Chief Walter Ardin Jr. could not be reached. Gauthier is due to appear next week in Superior Court to receive initial discovery on the charges. They allege that he committed an act that constituted an unauthorized exercise of his position by suggesting to the trooper that he not appear on the scheduled court date so he could try to help a relative obtain a dismissal of the charge.
The most serious offense of official misconduct is a second-degree crime punishable upon conviction by up to 10 years in prison and automatic forfeiture of a public job and future public employment.
Officer Ronald Taylor Charged with Assault & Harassment
A police officer in the Bronx has been arrested and charged with an alleged assault from last summer.
According to court documents, Ronald Taylor, hit a man named Fernando Rios several times in the face back in August at an Exterior Street shopping complex.
He's facing charges of third-degree assault and second-degree harassment, and is due back in court on April 25.
According to court documents, Ronald Taylor, hit a man named Fernando Rios several times in the face back in August at an Exterior Street shopping complex.
He's facing charges of third-degree assault and second-degree harassment, and is due back in court on April 25.
Probation Officer Jeffrey Collins Charged with Groping Woman
A northwestern Pennsylvania probation officer has been suspended without pay after state police charged him with groping and sending lewd text messages to a woman he was supervising.
Online court records don’t list an attorney for 37-year-old Warren County probation officer Jeffrey Collins, of Sheffield. The Associated Press could not locate a listed telephone number for Collins.
The (Warren) Times-Observer reports Collins has been charged with indecent assault, harassment by lewd communication and other crimes by state troopers in Warren.
Police say the woman reported the incidents happened between Feb. 10 and March 2.
The woman told police that Collins threatened to revoke her probation, which would put her in jail, unless she didn’t comply with his advances.
Collins wasn’t arrested. He’s been summoned to court April 2 to answer the charges.
Online court records don’t list an attorney for 37-year-old Warren County probation officer Jeffrey Collins, of Sheffield. The Associated Press could not locate a listed telephone number for Collins.
The (Warren) Times-Observer reports Collins has been charged with indecent assault, harassment by lewd communication and other crimes by state troopers in Warren.
Police say the woman reported the incidents happened between Feb. 10 and March 2.
The woman told police that Collins threatened to revoke her probation, which would put her in jail, unless she didn’t comply with his advances.
Collins wasn’t arrested. He’s been summoned to court April 2 to answer the charges.
Officer Steven Lupo Charged with Giving False Statements
Police began investigating 36-year-old officer Steven Lupo after a complaint was made to Internal Affairs about Lupo’s testimony in court on Oct. 18, 2011. It was alleged that Lupo, who was assigned to the 14th Police District, testified falsely during a hearing about circumstances surrounding the arrest of both Amiraria Farsi on Aug. 5, 2011 and Joseph Tuabma on Sept. 25, 2010.
In the case of Tuamba, Lupo was on the 100 block of E Chelten Avenue when he and his partner encountered a 2010 Lincoln SKS parked outside a Chinese store. The officers ultimately arrested both people in the car, Tuabma and Angel Huffman, and charged them with possession of narcotics. Though Lupo testified the car’s windows were tinted, three other witnesses testified in court that they were not.
In the Farsi trial, Lupo and his partner conducted a vehicle stop of a 1998 Buick Regal driven by Farsi near Baynton and High Streets after the car failed to stop at a stop sign. Lupo frisked the men in the car and searched the vehicle, uncovering narcotics; however, Lupo claimed he waited for a search warrant before doing so. That was determined to be false.
Lupo is expected to be suspended with intent to dismiss.
Detention Officer Keenon Daniels Arrested For Delivering Contraband to Inmates
A Smith County detention officer has been arrested for delivering contraband to inmates at the Smith County Low Risk Facility.
Sheriff Larry Smith said on Friday morning around 11, 24-year-old Keenon Daniels Olison, Jr. was arrested by the Smith County Sheriff's Office. The investigation into Olison has been going on for the past six weeks when they received a tip that he was smuggling controlled substances into the low risk facility.
Sheriff Smith placed Olison under surveillance after information was received by the Special Services Unit showing that the officer was responsible for smuggling illegal contraband and controlled substances into the facility.
"We will not move a problem, we will not transfer a problem. We will not just simply terminate somebody's employment who has done something unlawful. We will conduct a criminal investigation, we will for the district attorney's office or the U.S. Attorney's Office or whichever one is applicable to prosecute that individual to whatever the statutes allow," said Sheriff Smith.
After his arrest on Friday, Olison was charged with multiple counts related to possessing a controlled substance in a detention facility with intent to deliver the controlled substance to an inmate. He was charged with delivery of contraband to inmates.
Olison's arrest affidavit says he took marijuana into the Smith County Jail on Friday. Surveillance video also showed him providing a tobacco product to an inmate. He then gave a cell phone to that same inmate.
“When I ran for this office, I said that the Smith County Sheriff's Office would clean its own house and that each employee will be held to a higher standard than the general public, and that’s exactly what we continue to do as we have exhibited today,” said Sheriff Smith.
Olison has worked at both the low risk facility and the Smith County Jail. He was originally hired on May 20, 2012. Sheriff Smith said that Olison had disciplinary actions in his personnel file related to not following protocol and direction, but nothing criminal until now.
"One of the promises was that we were going to be held, not only law enforcement officers and the detention officers of the Smith County Sheriff's Office to a higher standard than the general public, and this is just a continuation of that," added Smith.
The Sheriff’s Office has been conducting this investigation in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office.
Sheriff Larry Smith said on Friday morning around 11, 24-year-old Keenon Daniels Olison, Jr. was arrested by the Smith County Sheriff's Office. The investigation into Olison has been going on for the past six weeks when they received a tip that he was smuggling controlled substances into the low risk facility.
Sheriff Smith placed Olison under surveillance after information was received by the Special Services Unit showing that the officer was responsible for smuggling illegal contraband and controlled substances into the facility.
"We will not move a problem, we will not transfer a problem. We will not just simply terminate somebody's employment who has done something unlawful. We will conduct a criminal investigation, we will for the district attorney's office or the U.S. Attorney's Office or whichever one is applicable to prosecute that individual to whatever the statutes allow," said Sheriff Smith.
After his arrest on Friday, Olison was charged with multiple counts related to possessing a controlled substance in a detention facility with intent to deliver the controlled substance to an inmate. He was charged with delivery of contraband to inmates.
Olison's arrest affidavit says he took marijuana into the Smith County Jail on Friday. Surveillance video also showed him providing a tobacco product to an inmate. He then gave a cell phone to that same inmate.
“When I ran for this office, I said that the Smith County Sheriff's Office would clean its own house and that each employee will be held to a higher standard than the general public, and that’s exactly what we continue to do as we have exhibited today,” said Sheriff Smith.
Olison has worked at both the low risk facility and the Smith County Jail. He was originally hired on May 20, 2012. Sheriff Smith said that Olison had disciplinary actions in his personnel file related to not following protocol and direction, but nothing criminal until now.
"One of the promises was that we were going to be held, not only law enforcement officers and the detention officers of the Smith County Sheriff's Office to a higher standard than the general public, and this is just a continuation of that," added Smith.
The Sheriff’s Office has been conducting this investigation in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy Marshal Donald Richardson Arrested for Stealing Money From Evidence Locker
A suspended Worthington Deputy Marshal Donald R. Richardson was arrested Thursday night after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Richardson is accused of stealing money from the evidence locker at the Worthington Police Department.
According to the Greene County Daily World, Richardson has worked at the Worthington Police Department for twelve years, but was demoted from marshal to a deputy last year after allegations of poor work performance and other unacceptable behaviors. The town council appointed Randy Raney to serve as marshal in October.
On November 30, Raney was reorganizing the evidence room when he discovered the keys to one of the lockers, was not where it should be. He found it in an ice cube tray on top of the refrigerator and when he opened the locker he discovered a large plastic bag that contained evidence from a 2012 case had been tore open.
Raney says he was familiar with the case Richardson had investigated and that $1,300 in cash was missing from the bag.
The Indiana State Police were called to investigate.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Indiana State Police Master Trooper Detective Stacy Brown, Rainey told police he searched the evidence room several time and could not locate the missing cash and the only person that had a key to the evidence room as well as a key to the police department door was Richardson. He also told the detective that Richardson had been going through a divorce and was having financial troubles, and that the town clerk had mentioned that Richardson had tried to get advances on overtime he had not worked.
Raney also found that the case file on that case was missing from the file cabinet it was supposed to be stored in, and there was no reason for anyone to have the file because the case was no longer an active investigation.
He also found that the computer file on the case had been modified on Nov. 17, 2013. The modification was on the amount of money taken into evidence.
The original document showed the amount to be $1,289.10 and the modified document showed it to be $1,089.10.
On the date the document was changed, Raney and Richardson were the only officers working for the department, and Richardson was the only officer working that day.
Detective Stacy interviewed Richardson on December 17, and reported that when he asked Richardson about the missing money Richardson became agitated and angry. And when told about the missing money, he claimed someone was attempting to "set him up."
Richardson told the detective the money was not missing, but stored in the refrigerator in the evidence room to eliminate the odor of marijuana on it. He also says he was hoping the department could seize the money to purchase new equipment for the department.
Both Stacy and Richardson then went to the refrigerator to look for the missing money. Richardson opened the refrigerator and without looking grabbed the top envelope on the top shelf and handed it to the detective.
Stacy reported that was suspicious since, Raney had searched the refrigerator several times and didn't find the missing money.
The envelope contained a smaller heat sealed bag with the proper case number and a dollar amount of $1,089.10 on it- $200 dollars short of the total listed in the original probable cause affidavit.
Richardson reportedly told Detective Stacy the amount listed in the original probable cause affidavit was incorrect and that the bag contained the correct amount.
When asked about the missing case file, Richardson said the printer was not working on the day he finished the report so he was unable to print a copy. When Stacy asked why he didn't print a copy after the printer was fixed, Richardson became upset and did not answer.
Richardson was then showed a copy of the modified probable cause affidavit and told him that the change was made on Nov. 17 when he was the only one working, Richardson allegedly said that he did not take the money and did not make changes to the affidavit.
Again Richardson claimed he was "being set up and they (Raney, the clerk-treasurer and deputy clerk and members of the Worthington town board) were trying to make it look like he stole the money."
Richardson requested that Stacy check the computer in the evidence room to see what the dollar amount it listed for the case was, and on Dec. 20 Stacy discovered that the file on that computer had been modified on the same day as the file on the computer in the front office.
Again, the amount of money had been changed from $1,289.10 to $1,089.10.
On Dec. 20, Stacy interviewed Worthington Deputy Clerk Debbie Dyer, who told him that she did not have keys to the police department or evidence room and that she had no problems with Don and was not part of a set-up against him.
On Jan. 13 of this year, Stacy spoke with Worthington Clerk-Treasurer Gloria Klass, who said she did not have the keys, either, and that she considered Richardson to be a friend. She allegedly stated that she had recently received messages and emails from Richardson asking for $650 in Operation Pull-Over (OPO) overtime he claimed to have worked and that she had told him the policy on OPO advances had changed, at which point he asked if they could reconsider so he could give his son a good Christmas.
Klass told Stacy that she loaned Richardson $600 and he agreed that she could have his OPO check when it arrived. She added that she recently learned he never worked those hours or submitted the overtime claims, and that she was very surprised Richardson lied to her and took $600 of her money.
On Jan. 17, Stacy talked with Brad Deckard, who was employed as a deputy sheriff at the Greene County Sheriff's Department when Richardson initially worked the case involving the missing money. Deckard said he remembered the case and that he verified the amount of money taken into evidence, but that he could only recall that it was over $1,000.
Deckard also allegedly told Stacy that Richardson had recently called him to tell him that he made a mistake on the dollar amount listed on the probable cause affidavit, and had requested that Deckard be a friend and cover for him. Deckard said that when he told Richardson he could not recall the dollar amount that was seized, Richardson asked him to lie to Stacy and tell him the dollar amount was $1,089.10.
Richardson is preliminarily charged with theft and official misconduct, both class D felonies. His bond will be set at $8,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed.
Richardson is accused of stealing money from the evidence locker at the Worthington Police Department.
According to the Greene County Daily World, Richardson has worked at the Worthington Police Department for twelve years, but was demoted from marshal to a deputy last year after allegations of poor work performance and other unacceptable behaviors. The town council appointed Randy Raney to serve as marshal in October.
On November 30, Raney was reorganizing the evidence room when he discovered the keys to one of the lockers, was not where it should be. He found it in an ice cube tray on top of the refrigerator and when he opened the locker he discovered a large plastic bag that contained evidence from a 2012 case had been tore open.
Raney says he was familiar with the case Richardson had investigated and that $1,300 in cash was missing from the bag.
The Indiana State Police were called to investigate.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Indiana State Police Master Trooper Detective Stacy Brown, Rainey told police he searched the evidence room several time and could not locate the missing cash and the only person that had a key to the evidence room as well as a key to the police department door was Richardson. He also told the detective that Richardson had been going through a divorce and was having financial troubles, and that the town clerk had mentioned that Richardson had tried to get advances on overtime he had not worked.
Raney also found that the case file on that case was missing from the file cabinet it was supposed to be stored in, and there was no reason for anyone to have the file because the case was no longer an active investigation.
He also found that the computer file on the case had been modified on Nov. 17, 2013. The modification was on the amount of money taken into evidence.
The original document showed the amount to be $1,289.10 and the modified document showed it to be $1,089.10.
On the date the document was changed, Raney and Richardson were the only officers working for the department, and Richardson was the only officer working that day.
Detective Stacy interviewed Richardson on December 17, and reported that when he asked Richardson about the missing money Richardson became agitated and angry. And when told about the missing money, he claimed someone was attempting to "set him up."
Richardson told the detective the money was not missing, but stored in the refrigerator in the evidence room to eliminate the odor of marijuana on it. He also says he was hoping the department could seize the money to purchase new equipment for the department.
Both Stacy and Richardson then went to the refrigerator to look for the missing money. Richardson opened the refrigerator and without looking grabbed the top envelope on the top shelf and handed it to the detective.
Stacy reported that was suspicious since, Raney had searched the refrigerator several times and didn't find the missing money.
The envelope contained a smaller heat sealed bag with the proper case number and a dollar amount of $1,089.10 on it- $200 dollars short of the total listed in the original probable cause affidavit.
Richardson reportedly told Detective Stacy the amount listed in the original probable cause affidavit was incorrect and that the bag contained the correct amount.
When asked about the missing case file, Richardson said the printer was not working on the day he finished the report so he was unable to print a copy. When Stacy asked why he didn't print a copy after the printer was fixed, Richardson became upset and did not answer.
Richardson was then showed a copy of the modified probable cause affidavit and told him that the change was made on Nov. 17 when he was the only one working, Richardson allegedly said that he did not take the money and did not make changes to the affidavit.
Again Richardson claimed he was "being set up and they (Raney, the clerk-treasurer and deputy clerk and members of the Worthington town board) were trying to make it look like he stole the money."
Richardson requested that Stacy check the computer in the evidence room to see what the dollar amount it listed for the case was, and on Dec. 20 Stacy discovered that the file on that computer had been modified on the same day as the file on the computer in the front office.
Again, the amount of money had been changed from $1,289.10 to $1,089.10.
On Dec. 20, Stacy interviewed Worthington Deputy Clerk Debbie Dyer, who told him that she did not have keys to the police department or evidence room and that she had no problems with Don and was not part of a set-up against him.
On Jan. 13 of this year, Stacy spoke with Worthington Clerk-Treasurer Gloria Klass, who said she did not have the keys, either, and that she considered Richardson to be a friend. She allegedly stated that she had recently received messages and emails from Richardson asking for $650 in Operation Pull-Over (OPO) overtime he claimed to have worked and that she had told him the policy on OPO advances had changed, at which point he asked if they could reconsider so he could give his son a good Christmas.
Klass told Stacy that she loaned Richardson $600 and he agreed that she could have his OPO check when it arrived. She added that she recently learned he never worked those hours or submitted the overtime claims, and that she was very surprised Richardson lied to her and took $600 of her money.
On Jan. 17, Stacy talked with Brad Deckard, who was employed as a deputy sheriff at the Greene County Sheriff's Department when Richardson initially worked the case involving the missing money. Deckard said he remembered the case and that he verified the amount of money taken into evidence, but that he could only recall that it was over $1,000.
Deckard also allegedly told Stacy that Richardson had recently called him to tell him that he made a mistake on the dollar amount listed on the probable cause affidavit, and had requested that Deckard be a friend and cover for him. Deckard said that when he told Richardson he could not recall the dollar amount that was seized, Richardson asked him to lie to Stacy and tell him the dollar amount was $1,089.10.
Richardson is preliminarily charged with theft and official misconduct, both class D felonies. His bond will be set at $8,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed.
Former Officer Douglas Johnson Charged with Domestic Violence
A former Omak police officer was arrested in a domestic violence case involving his son's former girlfriend.
The Okanogan County sheriff's office says 47-year-old Douglas G. Johnson fired a rifle into the ground Thursday as the woman returned to the home near Tonasket where she had lived with her boyfriend and Johnson. She wanted to pick up her belongings.
A Tonasket woman was hit by gravel after the father of her ex-boyfriend allegedly fired a shot by her feet Thursday afternoon. Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers says 35 year old Brianna Hicks told deputies that she had broken up with her boyfriend, 23 year old Tyler Kion, earlier that day. She had been living with Kion and his father, 47 year old Douglas G. Johnson at a residence near Tonasket for several months.
Rogers says Johnson, a former Omak police officer, reportedly did not say anything to Hicks before opening fire and was uncooperative with law enforcement at the scene. He was booked into the Okanogan County Jail on a charge of 1st Degree Assault-Domestic Violence.
The Okanogan County sheriff's office says 47-year-old Douglas G. Johnson fired a rifle into the ground Thursday as the woman returned to the home near Tonasket where she had lived with her boyfriend and Johnson. She wanted to pick up her belongings.
A Tonasket woman was hit by gravel after the father of her ex-boyfriend allegedly fired a shot by her feet Thursday afternoon. Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers says 35 year old Brianna Hicks told deputies that she had broken up with her boyfriend, 23 year old Tyler Kion, earlier that day. She had been living with Kion and his father, 47 year old Douglas G. Johnson at a residence near Tonasket for several months.
Rogers says Johnson, a former Omak police officer, reportedly did not say anything to Hicks before opening fire and was uncooperative with law enforcement at the scene. He was booked into the Okanogan County Jail on a charge of 1st Degree Assault-Domestic Violence.
Thursday, March 06, 2014
Officer Shane Mosley Arrested for Sending Inappropriate Text Messages to Juvenile
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)