A former East Hartford police officer pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Tuesday to one count of possession of child pornography, according a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office.
Andrew W. Nielsen, 49, of South Windsor, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello, Thomas Carson stated in a news release.
According to court documents, Nielsen bought several DVDs containing child pornography from a foreign company and had them shipped to his residence. The DVDs, which included pictures of pre-pubescent minors, were purchased between November 2010 and April 2011, Carson said.
Nielsen's home was searched on Nov. 1, 2012, and he was arrested the same day, he said. He resigned from the police department after his arrest.
Nielsen is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18. He faces a maximum prison term of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
He has been free on bail and on electronic monitoring under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office since November 2012, Carson said.
The charges stem from a postal service investigation that began in October 2010 into an international company that sold videos and photos believed to contain child pornography, according to Nielsen's arrest affidavit.
Investigators found Nielsen's name and invoice information in the company's database, the affidavit says, and were able to confirm that he was still receiving mail at his Pleasant Valley Road address.
They determined that over the course of about six months, Nielsen had purchased 49 DVDs from the company's website over 15 orders totaling $1,173.55, according to the affidavit.
The DVDs containing child pornography were found during the search, and Nielsen admitted to Postal Inspector Michael J. Connelly that he had ordered them and had them shipped to his house, the warrant states.
Multiple computers were also seized during the search.
The case is being prosecuted by Neeraj N. Patel, assistant U.S. attorney.
The prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood Initiative. The program is intended to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation, the release says.
Anyone who wants more information about Project Safe Childhood is asked to visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Those who wish to report cases of child exploitation are asked to visit http://www.cybertipline.com.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Former Officer Alex Robinson Charged with Sexual Assault on Child
This morning, 51-year-old Alex Robinson made his first court appearance in Colorado Springs. He was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child in a position of trust.
The alleged crimes happened between June 1 and August 31 of 1996, while Robinson was visiting the state. The alleged victim was between 15 and 18 years old.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 25.
Last week, Robinson made his first court appearance in Sedgwick County District Court facing similar charges:
Robinson was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and three counts of aggravated indecent liberties in connection to crimes alleged to have occurred between 2000 and 2002. The victim in that case was 12 to 13 years old at the time.
He was also charged with aggravated indecent liberties with an 11-year-old that allegedly happened in June 2012.
Robinson is also facing two counts of indecent liberties with a 14-year-old, alleged to have occurred between August 2011 and September 2012.
He's scheduled to be back in court for a preliminary hearing in Sedgwick County on March 27.
Background:
Robinson was first arrested on similar charges in January of 2013 after a 24-year-old man came forward, alleging sex crimes that happened more than a decade prior when he was a juvenile. Crimes of that nature typically carry a 5-year statute of limitations, but Captain Brent Allred said last year that certain qualifiers could be met allowing charges to be filed in this case, several years after the statute expired.
He was free on bond until being arrested again this week.
Robinson was a 22-year veteran of the Wichita Police Department, retiring as a sergeant in 2006. He then took a job a security supervisor with Wichita Public Schools, but has not been back to work since his first arrest last year. A school district spokesperson said his employment is currently "under review."
Robinson was last interviewed by KAKE News in 2007 after receiving an award from then-President George W. Bush for volunteering more than 17,000 hours at the Boys and Girls Club.
Former Lt. Sarah Massa Charged with Stealing Prescription Pills
A former lieutenant with the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department was accused Tuesday of obstructing state authorities investigating her for prescription pill theft.
Sarah L. Massa, 36, was charged Tuesday, March 25, in Waukesha County Circuit Court with misdemeanor theft and obstructing an officer, both misdemeanors.
She could face 18 months in prison and $20,000 in fines if convicted.
According to the criminal complaint, Waukesha Police contacted state authorities last year about the theft of opiate medication from the McDermott residence at 1501 Pewaukee Rd., Waukesha.
Massa was suspected of stealing the medication, which was prescribed to her grandmother, Leona McDermott, to treat pain related to terminal cancer, the complaint states.
Donald McDermott, Massa’s grandfather, told investigators that about 60 pills had gone missing after a Fourth of July party was held at the residence. He discovered that another 58 pills had gone missing in September.
In both instances Massa was at the home around the time the pills went missing. He said in the complaint that his granddaughter was a “good kid,” but she suffered from back pain and “something was going on.”
Investigators places a covert camera and a bottle of placebo pills in Donald McDermott’s bedroom in October and pills again went missing on Nov. 13.
Investigators reviewed the tape, which the complaint states was “very dark,” but it showed an individual in a police uniform with a gun holster entering the room and removing the fake pills from a nightstand.
Donald McDermott told investigators that Massa was at the residence at the time in question and identified the person as his granddaughter based on her profile.
Investigators spoke with Massa on Nov. 18. She told investigators in the complaint that she suspected her aunt was stealing the medication. She later admitted to taking the pills from the room, but claimed she knew they were not Percocet. When asked what she did with the pills, she said she consumed them all at once.
Massa went to her grandparent’s house on Nov. 21 and tried to talk Donald McDermott into dropping the charges, the complaint states. He told investigators that she admitted to taking the pills at that time.
Sheriff Daniel Trawicki said in a statement that he did not wish to speak on the matter because the case is ongoing. He said that Massa was placed on administrative leave in December and resigned from the force on Wednesday, March 5.
Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Jennifer Wallschlaeger previously said that Massa had been with the department since 2001.
Her husband, Chris Massa, was an officer with the Waukesha Police Department until he resigned in late February. Police Chief Russell Jack said in a news release he was being investigated at the time for sending sexually suggestive pictures or texts to his wife while on duty.
“Based on the information available we believe that we would have been able to substantiate the charges against him, and the investigation would have resulted in discipline up to and including termination,” he said.
The evidence that initiated that internal investigation, now closed, was located on his wife’s phone.
According to court records, the case against Massa will be prosecuted by District Attorney Brad Schimel.
She is expected to make an initial appearance in court on Monday, April 7.
Sarah L. Massa, 36, was charged Tuesday, March 25, in Waukesha County Circuit Court with misdemeanor theft and obstructing an officer, both misdemeanors.
She could face 18 months in prison and $20,000 in fines if convicted.
According to the criminal complaint, Waukesha Police contacted state authorities last year about the theft of opiate medication from the McDermott residence at 1501 Pewaukee Rd., Waukesha.
Massa was suspected of stealing the medication, which was prescribed to her grandmother, Leona McDermott, to treat pain related to terminal cancer, the complaint states.
Donald McDermott, Massa’s grandfather, told investigators that about 60 pills had gone missing after a Fourth of July party was held at the residence. He discovered that another 58 pills had gone missing in September.
In both instances Massa was at the home around the time the pills went missing. He said in the complaint that his granddaughter was a “good kid,” but she suffered from back pain and “something was going on.”
Investigators places a covert camera and a bottle of placebo pills in Donald McDermott’s bedroom in October and pills again went missing on Nov. 13.
Investigators reviewed the tape, which the complaint states was “very dark,” but it showed an individual in a police uniform with a gun holster entering the room and removing the fake pills from a nightstand.
Donald McDermott told investigators that Massa was at the residence at the time in question and identified the person as his granddaughter based on her profile.
Investigators spoke with Massa on Nov. 18. She told investigators in the complaint that she suspected her aunt was stealing the medication. She later admitted to taking the pills from the room, but claimed she knew they were not Percocet. When asked what she did with the pills, she said she consumed them all at once.
Massa went to her grandparent’s house on Nov. 21 and tried to talk Donald McDermott into dropping the charges, the complaint states. He told investigators that she admitted to taking the pills at that time.
Sheriff Daniel Trawicki said in a statement that he did not wish to speak on the matter because the case is ongoing. He said that Massa was placed on administrative leave in December and resigned from the force on Wednesday, March 5.
Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Jennifer Wallschlaeger previously said that Massa had been with the department since 2001.
Her husband, Chris Massa, was an officer with the Waukesha Police Department until he resigned in late February. Police Chief Russell Jack said in a news release he was being investigated at the time for sending sexually suggestive pictures or texts to his wife while on duty.
“Based on the information available we believe that we would have been able to substantiate the charges against him, and the investigation would have resulted in discipline up to and including termination,” he said.
The evidence that initiated that internal investigation, now closed, was located on his wife’s phone.
According to court records, the case against Massa will be prosecuted by District Attorney Brad Schimel.
She is expected to make an initial appearance in court on Monday, April 7.
Former Lt. Dennis P Jenks Pleads Guilty to Repeated Sexual Assault of Child
Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will ask for no more than 15 years in prison for Dennis P. Jenks, 45, who was arrested on Feb. 13, 2013, after his relationship with the boy was discovered during the investigation of another sex assault case also involving the boy.
The plea agreement also called for the dismissal of 32 other felonies, including sexual exploitation and possession of child pornography, but Dane County Circuit Judge Ellen Berz can take those charges into consideration when she sentences Jenks on April 21.
Jenks still faces a federal charge of sexual exploitation of a child. But his lawyer, Nicholas Rifelj, told Berz that under an agreement with federal prosecutors, the federal charge would be dismissed if Jenks receives at least 15 years in prison in the state case.
A 15-year sentence is the mandatory minimum for the federal exploitation charge, but because both the state and federal charges arise from the same actions, Jenks could only be given overlapping sentences, not consecutive state and federal sentences.
Jenks resigned from his job with Mount Horeb police after he was charged with sexual assault.
According to a criminal complaint, the boy, a runaway, moved into Jenks’ apartment in October 2012 after meeting on an Internet chat website.
In the meantime, neighbors of James “Alex” Gillespie, a former church music director, complained to police about parties at Gillespie’s home in Middleton. During their investigation, police learned that the 14-year-old boy had been having sex with Gillespie, and that the boy was living with Jenks at the time.
That information led to Jenks’ arrest.
In October, Gillespie was sentenced to 15 years of probation, with one year in jail as part of his probation. He is still serving the jail portion of his sentence.
Jenks could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison with 15 years of extended supervision for the repeated sexual assault of a child conviction.
Jailer Amy Beth Minor Accused of Hitting Woman Over Head with Whiskey Bottle
A Sequoyah County jailer was arrested after she was accused of hitting a woman over the head with a whiskey bottle during an argument outside a Sallisaw business.
Amy Beth Minor, 28, was taken into custody Friday by Sallisaw police on complaints of aggravated assault and assault and battery with a sharp or dangerous weapon with intent to injure, according to an arrest report.
The report states that police were dispatched to the 2700 block of West Cherokee just before 11 p.m. Friday where Minor and other woman had been involved in an argument that began over a text message.
The woman told officers at the scene that Minor became angry, spit on her and struck her over the head with a half-gallon whiskey bottle, the report said.
Detectives noted in the report that the woman was bleeding from the head and that she had to change shirts “due to the amount of blood that she already lost.”
When contacted by police, Minor explained that “she didn’t mean to hurt anyone” and that she hit the woman with the bottle after the woman attempted to punch her, said the report.
Officer Geoffrey Graves Charged with Forcible Rape
Judge Hector Ramon ordered Geoffrey Evatt Graves to surrender any gun he has to the San Jose Police Department and issued a protective order preventing him from communicating with Graves' female accuser, Deputy District Attorney Carlos Vega said.
Graves, who is free on $100,000 bail, was formally arraigned today on a charge of forcible rape in an alleged sexual assault last Sept. 22 of a woman whom Graves had just dropped off at a hotel to separate her and her husband who had been in a domestic dispute.
The officer, a Gilroy resident who is on administrative leave from the Police Department, appeared in court dressed in a dark suit and had his attorney Darlene Bagley speak on his behalf to Ramon.
The judge set a hearing for Graves to enter a plea to the felony charge for April 14 in the Hall of Justice in San Jose.
The protective or "stay away" order prohibits Graves from being within 300 yards of the victim, who is not being identified, Vega said.
At about 2 a.m. last Sept. 22, Graves responded while on duty with a second officer to an argument between the victim and her husband, who both had been consuming alcohol, at their San Jose residence, according to police.
The woman told officers she wanted to spend the night at a hotel where she once worked and Graves drove her there at about 2:30 a.m.
But according to prosecutors, he returned about 15 minutes later, knocked on the door, went into the room, threw the woman on the bed, took off parts of his uniform and her clothing and raped her.
The officer earlier had called his position in to police and then left for about 35 minutes, according to information from gathered satellite technology, Vega said.
The woman reported the incident to police on Oct. 15 and after a five-month investigation, police developed enough evidence corroborating her story to justify issuing a warrant for Graves' arrest on suspicion of forcible rape on March 10, according to police.
Graves, was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail, posted his bail and was released later that day.
If Graves is convicted of the charge, a judge could sentence him to three, six or nine years in prison under state sentencing guidelines, Vega said.
Based on the facts in the case, the district attorney's office would have prosecuted the case to the fullest regardless of who the defendant was, Vega said.
"However, there is a public factor involved," Vega said. "You have a member of our society who has been entrusted to follow the law, to enforce the law and ever since you are born and raised you were told to always obey the police and to do what you were told and they'd be there to help you, and in this case it hasn't."
The Police Department "has been very cooperative" and professional with prosecutors but "isn't happy" about the case, Vega said.
"I know our office and I think the community isn't happy about it," he said. "But I want to assure the community that everything is going to be above board and we are going to handle this like we would any other case."
Corrections Officer Terrence Pendergrass Charged with Violating Civil Rights of Mentally Ill Inmate
A New York City correction officer was arrested on Monday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and charged with violating the civil rights of a mentally ill inmate who died after begging for medical help from his cell for hours.
The officer, Terrence Pendergrass, was supervising the Rikers Island unit where the prisoner was being held and, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday, Mr. Pendergrass ignored subordinates who warned that the prisoner, Jason Echevarria, was in distress and needed aid. Mr. Echevarria, who was 25, was found dead hours later.
The charge in the August 2012 death comes as the city faces mounting scrutiny over conditions on Rikers Island and in particular the treatment of mentally ill inmates, whose numbers have surged in recent years. Mayor Bill de Blasio, in naming his correction commissioner, Joseph Ponte, said this month that the department had “sadly lagged behind other corrections systems.” He has vowed reforms.
Last week, news reports detailed the recent death of a mentally ill inmate who was left unattended for hours in an overheated cell on Rikers, where he was being held on a misdemeanor trespassing charge. Advocates for the mentally ill say that the deaths are emblematic of the neglect and indifference that are common at Rikers, the vast city jail complex in the East River, where violent encounters between inmates and guards have been on the rise in recent years.
The Bronx district attorney’s office periodically brings charges against Rikers guards for excessive force, but the complaint filed on Monday by the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York represents the first time in at least a decade that the office has brought a civil rights prosecution in connection with Rikers.
Charged with one count of deprivation of rights under the color of law, Mr. Pendergrass appeared in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Monday afternoon and was released on $250,000 bond. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The criminal complaint filed by prosecutors paints a picture of stark official indifference, alleged to have been directed by Mr. Pendergrass, 49, who was a captain at the time but was demoted back to officer after the episode.
On Aug. 18, 2012, Mr. Echevarria swallowed a toxic packet of powdered detergent, known at Rikers as a soap ball, that had been given to inmates to clean out their cells after a leak of raw sewage from the toilets. After ingesting the soap ball, Mr. Echevarria began vomiting and complaining of severe pain.
When a correction officer alerted Captain Pendergrass to Mr. Echevarria’s condition, the captain told the officer not to bother him unless “there was a dead body,” the complaint said.
The medical examiner ruled Mr. Echevarria’s death a homicide, citing “neglect and denial of medical care.” The chemicals in the soap had sloughed off the linings of Mr. Echevarria’s tongue and throat, according to the medical examiner’s post-autopsy report.
Mr. Pendergrass, of Howard Beach, Queens, has denied that the correction officer told him Mr. Echevarria was sick, said Patrick Ferraiuolo, president of the Correction Captains Association. He said several other jail officials who were nearby did nothing to help, and noted that Mr. Echevarria had a history of acting up.
Mr. Echevarria, who suffered from bipolar disorder, had been placed in a solitary confinement unit after several suicide attempts and an attempt to swallow a battery, according to the criminal complaint. The unit where he was housed was reserved for mentally ill inmates.
Over the last five years, about 20 correction officers have been prosecuted in connection with assaults on inmates, according to the Bronx district attorney’s office, which has jurisdiction over Rikers Island.
Anthony J. Girese, counsel to the Bronx district attorney, Robert T. Johnson, said that establishing a direct line of responsibility to Mr. Pendergrass was difficult under state homicide statutes. After ruling out state charges, the Bronx district attorney worked with the United States attorney on filing the case under federal civil rights law.
After the raw sewage leak on Aug. 18, Mr. Echevarria was given a soap ball, a cleaning agent that contained, among other things, ammonium chloride, a chemical that can be life-threatening if ingested, the complaint said.
The medical examiner ruled Mr. Echevarria’s death a homicide, citing “neglect and denial of medical care.” The chemicals in the soap had sloughed off the linings of Mr. Echevarria’s tongue and throat, according to the medical examiner’s post-autopsy report.
Mr. Pendergrass, of Howard Beach, Queens, has denied that the correction officer told him Mr. Echevarria was sick, said Patrick Ferraiuolo, president of the Correction Captains Association. He said several other jail officials who were nearby did nothing to help, and noted that Mr. Echevarria had a history of acting up.
Mr. Echevarria, who suffered from bipolar disorder, had been placed in a solitary confinement unit after several suicide attempts and an attempt to swallow a battery, according to the criminal complaint. The unit where he was housed was reserved for mentally ill inmates.
Over the last five years, about 20 correction officers have been prosecuted in connection with assaults on inmates, according to the Bronx district attorney’s office, which has jurisdiction over Rikers Island.
Anthony J. Girese, counsel to the Bronx district attorney, Robert T. Johnson, said that establishing a direct line of responsibility to Mr. Pendergrass was difficult under state homicide statutes. After ruling out state charges, the Bronx district attorney worked with the United States attorney on filing the case under federal civil rights law.
After the raw sewage leak on Aug. 18, Mr. Echevarria was given a soap ball, a cleaning agent that contained, among other things, ammonium chloride, a chemical that can be life-threatening if ingested, the complaint said.
Under Department of Correction rules, correction officers must dilute the soap balls in several gallons of water before providing them to inmates. But the officer distributing them was new and not aware of the rule, according to the complaint.
About 4:30 p.m. Mr. Echevarria began banging on his cell door, telling a correction officer that he needed help after ingesting the soap ball, according to the complaint. That officer informed Captain Pendergrass of Mr. Echevarria’s condition. Captain Pendergrass told the officer that he should not be bothered “if there were live inmates in cells,” according to the complaint.
A short time later, the correction officer returned to Captain Pendergrass after seeing vomit on the window and floor of Mr. Echevarria’s cell. The captain told the officer that Mr. Echevarria should “hold it,” according to the complaint.
Captain Pendergrass’s shift ended at 11 p.m., and Mr. Echevarria had still received no medical attention, the complaint said. Several other correction officers passed through Mr. Echevarria’s unit that afternoon, evening and overnight. About 8:30 the next morning, he was found dead in his cell.
On Monday, a spokesman for the Correction Department said that immediately after the death, Mr. Pendergrass, who joined the department in 1996, was placed on modified duty. He was demoted in July 2013, and on Monday he was suspended without pay.
One correction officer, Raymond Castro, was fired after Mr. Echevarria’s death. Mr. Castro then filed a wrongful termination suit against the city and the Correction Department, claiming that he alerted Captain Pendergrass several times to Mr. Echevarria’s worsening condition and was rebuffed. In his complaint, he also claimed that he tried to call medical personnel on his own, but was stopped by Captain Pendergrass, who ordered him to return to his post.
Mr. Echevarria’s father, Ramon, filed a lawsuit in 2013 against Mr. Pendergrass and several other Rikers personnel, alleging that they violated his son’s constitutional rights.
Ramon Echevarria declined to speak to a reporter about the case on Monday.
The officer, Terrence Pendergrass, was supervising the Rikers Island unit where the prisoner was being held and, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday, Mr. Pendergrass ignored subordinates who warned that the prisoner, Jason Echevarria, was in distress and needed aid. Mr. Echevarria, who was 25, was found dead hours later.
The charge in the August 2012 death comes as the city faces mounting scrutiny over conditions on Rikers Island and in particular the treatment of mentally ill inmates, whose numbers have surged in recent years. Mayor Bill de Blasio, in naming his correction commissioner, Joseph Ponte, said this month that the department had “sadly lagged behind other corrections systems.” He has vowed reforms.
Last week, news reports detailed the recent death of a mentally ill inmate who was left unattended for hours in an overheated cell on Rikers, where he was being held on a misdemeanor trespassing charge. Advocates for the mentally ill say that the deaths are emblematic of the neglect and indifference that are common at Rikers, the vast city jail complex in the East River, where violent encounters between inmates and guards have been on the rise in recent years.
The Bronx district attorney’s office periodically brings charges against Rikers guards for excessive force, but the complaint filed on Monday by the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York represents the first time in at least a decade that the office has brought a civil rights prosecution in connection with Rikers.
Charged with one count of deprivation of rights under the color of law, Mr. Pendergrass appeared in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Monday afternoon and was released on $250,000 bond. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The criminal complaint filed by prosecutors paints a picture of stark official indifference, alleged to have been directed by Mr. Pendergrass, 49, who was a captain at the time but was demoted back to officer after the episode.
On Aug. 18, 2012, Mr. Echevarria swallowed a toxic packet of powdered detergent, known at Rikers as a soap ball, that had been given to inmates to clean out their cells after a leak of raw sewage from the toilets. After ingesting the soap ball, Mr. Echevarria began vomiting and complaining of severe pain.
When a correction officer alerted Captain Pendergrass to Mr. Echevarria’s condition, the captain told the officer not to bother him unless “there was a dead body,” the complaint said.
The medical examiner ruled Mr. Echevarria’s death a homicide, citing “neglect and denial of medical care.” The chemicals in the soap had sloughed off the linings of Mr. Echevarria’s tongue and throat, according to the medical examiner’s post-autopsy report.
Mr. Pendergrass, of Howard Beach, Queens, has denied that the correction officer told him Mr. Echevarria was sick, said Patrick Ferraiuolo, president of the Correction Captains Association. He said several other jail officials who were nearby did nothing to help, and noted that Mr. Echevarria had a history of acting up.
Mr. Echevarria, who suffered from bipolar disorder, had been placed in a solitary confinement unit after several suicide attempts and an attempt to swallow a battery, according to the criminal complaint. The unit where he was housed was reserved for mentally ill inmates.
Over the last five years, about 20 correction officers have been prosecuted in connection with assaults on inmates, according to the Bronx district attorney’s office, which has jurisdiction over Rikers Island.
Anthony J. Girese, counsel to the Bronx district attorney, Robert T. Johnson, said that establishing a direct line of responsibility to Mr. Pendergrass was difficult under state homicide statutes. After ruling out state charges, the Bronx district attorney worked with the United States attorney on filing the case under federal civil rights law.
After the raw sewage leak on Aug. 18, Mr. Echevarria was given a soap ball, a cleaning agent that contained, among other things, ammonium chloride, a chemical that can be life-threatening if ingested, the complaint said.
The medical examiner ruled Mr. Echevarria’s death a homicide, citing “neglect and denial of medical care.” The chemicals in the soap had sloughed off the linings of Mr. Echevarria’s tongue and throat, according to the medical examiner’s post-autopsy report.
Mr. Pendergrass, of Howard Beach, Queens, has denied that the correction officer told him Mr. Echevarria was sick, said Patrick Ferraiuolo, president of the Correction Captains Association. He said several other jail officials who were nearby did nothing to help, and noted that Mr. Echevarria had a history of acting up.
Mr. Echevarria, who suffered from bipolar disorder, had been placed in a solitary confinement unit after several suicide attempts and an attempt to swallow a battery, according to the criminal complaint. The unit where he was housed was reserved for mentally ill inmates.
Over the last five years, about 20 correction officers have been prosecuted in connection with assaults on inmates, according to the Bronx district attorney’s office, which has jurisdiction over Rikers Island.
Anthony J. Girese, counsel to the Bronx district attorney, Robert T. Johnson, said that establishing a direct line of responsibility to Mr. Pendergrass was difficult under state homicide statutes. After ruling out state charges, the Bronx district attorney worked with the United States attorney on filing the case under federal civil rights law.
After the raw sewage leak on Aug. 18, Mr. Echevarria was given a soap ball, a cleaning agent that contained, among other things, ammonium chloride, a chemical that can be life-threatening if ingested, the complaint said.
Under Department of Correction rules, correction officers must dilute the soap balls in several gallons of water before providing them to inmates. But the officer distributing them was new and not aware of the rule, according to the complaint.
About 4:30 p.m. Mr. Echevarria began banging on his cell door, telling a correction officer that he needed help after ingesting the soap ball, according to the complaint. That officer informed Captain Pendergrass of Mr. Echevarria’s condition. Captain Pendergrass told the officer that he should not be bothered “if there were live inmates in cells,” according to the complaint.
A short time later, the correction officer returned to Captain Pendergrass after seeing vomit on the window and floor of Mr. Echevarria’s cell. The captain told the officer that Mr. Echevarria should “hold it,” according to the complaint.
Captain Pendergrass’s shift ended at 11 p.m., and Mr. Echevarria had still received no medical attention, the complaint said. Several other correction officers passed through Mr. Echevarria’s unit that afternoon, evening and overnight. About 8:30 the next morning, he was found dead in his cell.
On Monday, a spokesman for the Correction Department said that immediately after the death, Mr. Pendergrass, who joined the department in 1996, was placed on modified duty. He was demoted in July 2013, and on Monday he was suspended without pay.
One correction officer, Raymond Castro, was fired after Mr. Echevarria’s death. Mr. Castro then filed a wrongful termination suit against the city and the Correction Department, claiming that he alerted Captain Pendergrass several times to Mr. Echevarria’s worsening condition and was rebuffed. In his complaint, he also claimed that he tried to call medical personnel on his own, but was stopped by Captain Pendergrass, who ordered him to return to his post.
Mr. Echevarria’s father, Ramon, filed a lawsuit in 2013 against Mr. Pendergrass and several other Rikers personnel, alleging that they violated his son’s constitutional rights.
Ramon Echevarria declined to speak to a reporter about the case on Monday.
Former Officer Henry Arroyo Jr Accused of Molesting Girl
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Henry Arroyo Jr., 41, turned himself in on lewd and lascivious molestation charges Monday morning.
According to the FDLE report, Arroyo sexually abused the girl when she was 10 years old and continued to do so for more than a year.
An investigation began in December after the girl, now 14, reported he had abused her.
According to the report, the girl claimed Arroyo would force her to touch his genitals.
Arroyo was being held at the Monroe County Detention Center on $100,000 bond.
Foster Teen Accuses Det. Oldy Ochoa of Sexual Abuse
A foster teen's allegations included in a search warrant the Pembroke Pines clerk’s office released Monday read like a script for porn.
The characters: A veteran Miami Beach detective and a teenage girl with a criminal record trying to graduate from high school. The dark twist: She was in foster care and was living in Miami Beach Det. Oldy Ochoa's home with his wife -- a retired Miami Beach police officer. They have three sons and two step-sons.
Pembroke Pines Police Capt. Al Xiques said the investigation is ongoing.
"We are waiting on the results of DNA tests," Xiques said. "Those usually take a few weeks."
It was a day before Valentine’s Day. The two were in an unmarked 2013 silver Ford Fusion Miami Beach police car with dark tinted windows. Ochoa was taking the teen to Florida Career College, 7891 Pines Blvd., in Pembroke Pines, when he allegedly decided to park "in a secluded alley."
They kissed "in a passionate manner," the girl said. Oral sex followed. The girl "straddled on top" of the officer who was in the driver's seat. He didn't wear a condom and used a towel to clean himself.
The girl said she and the detective, a 24-year-veteran with Miami Beach police, "were often flirtatious with each other" via e-mail and Facebook. He also used his mobile phone to take pictures of her "while she posed," a search warrant said.
There was a second time when he used a condom, but he dropped it on the floor, the girl told police March 4. Six days later, Pembroke Pines police detectives took DNA swabs and a towel from the Miami Beach police car.
"We are cooperating with the Pembroke Pines Police Department to make sure there is a thorough investigation," Miami Beach Chief Raymond Martinez said in a statement earlier this month.
The Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Paige Patterson-Hughes said in an e-mail earlier this month the abuse report and the girl's status were confidential.
The Ochoa family declined to comment. And Miami Beach police said the detective remains suspended with pay pending the results of the investigation.
The characters: A veteran Miami Beach detective and a teenage girl with a criminal record trying to graduate from high school. The dark twist: She was in foster care and was living in Miami Beach Det. Oldy Ochoa's home with his wife -- a retired Miami Beach police officer. They have three sons and two step-sons.
Pembroke Pines Police Capt. Al Xiques said the investigation is ongoing.
"We are waiting on the results of DNA tests," Xiques said. "Those usually take a few weeks."
It was a day before Valentine’s Day. The two were in an unmarked 2013 silver Ford Fusion Miami Beach police car with dark tinted windows. Ochoa was taking the teen to Florida Career College, 7891 Pines Blvd., in Pembroke Pines, when he allegedly decided to park "in a secluded alley."
They kissed "in a passionate manner," the girl said. Oral sex followed. The girl "straddled on top" of the officer who was in the driver's seat. He didn't wear a condom and used a towel to clean himself.
The girl said she and the detective, a 24-year-veteran with Miami Beach police, "were often flirtatious with each other" via e-mail and Facebook. He also used his mobile phone to take pictures of her "while she posed," a search warrant said.
There was a second time when he used a condom, but he dropped it on the floor, the girl told police March 4. Six days later, Pembroke Pines police detectives took DNA swabs and a towel from the Miami Beach police car.
"We are cooperating with the Pembroke Pines Police Department to make sure there is a thorough investigation," Miami Beach Chief Raymond Martinez said in a statement earlier this month.
The Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Paige Patterson-Hughes said in an e-mail earlier this month the abuse report and the girl's status were confidential.
The Ochoa family declined to comment. And Miami Beach police said the detective remains suspended with pay pending the results of the investigation.
Former Officer Christopher Bowersox Caught Accessing Porn
Christopher Bowersox was first arrested in February 2010, accused of possessing and distributing child pornography. The FBI stated he had child pornography images on his home computer and took part in online chats in which he discussed raping, mutilating and killing young boys.
He resigned from the Bakersfield Police Department in early 2010, a few months after the child pornography investigation was launched. Bowersox had headed up the police anti-graffiti unit for a time.
Last year, Bowersox, who was released from prison, violated his parole by accessing pornography on the Internet.
Monday, the federal judge in Fresno also re-imposed a term of supervision for 117 months, during which Bowersox will be required to register as a sex offender, and his access to minors, computers and the Internet will be restricted.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Officer Tobin Barton Charged with Domestic Violence
Sheriff Leon Lott says that Tobin Barton, 36, was arrested following an assault call around 1 a.m. Saturday near Sparkleberry Lane. Lott stays that Barton and his girlfriend were involved in a verbal alteration, and Barton assaulted the victim by grabbing her around the throat.
It was determined that Barton is a Police Officer with the City of Columbia.
Barton was arrested and transported to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
Jennifer Timmons with the Columbia Police Department says Barton has been suspended without pay.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Jeremiah Chesney Files Lawsuit Against City
A Jackson man has filed a federal lawsuit against the city and several of its police officers alleging he was assaulted, battered and arrested without cause as he openly and legally carried a pistol at the Jackson Secretary of State Office.
The officers violated Jeremiah Chesney’s constitutional rights under the First, Second and 14th amendments, according to the lawsuit, filed March 13 in U.S. District Court in Detroit. They showed “intentional, outrageous and reckless disregard” for his rights, falsely imprisoned him and seized his pistol without justification or provocation, the lawsuit states.
It asks for a $300,000 judgment against the city and the officers and $600,000 for “punitive or exemplary damages,” costs, interest, attorney’s fees and any other relief.
“He’s gone through a ton of distress and harm,” Chesney’s attorney, Steven Dulan, said Thursday when reached at his office in East Lansing.
“And he wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Jackson police Deputy Chief John Holda, the department’s public information officer, said he could not comment on the Chesney case because of the lawsuit. He deferred to the city attorney’s office. Interim City Attorney Bethany Smith said it is not the office’s policy to comment on pending litigation.
Chesney was openly carrying a pistol "on his person in plain view" about 5 p.m. May 15 at the Secretary of State Office in Jackson Crossing mall. He was doing so for both personal protection and to increase awareness that this is lawful in Michigan. The state office is not a “gun-free zone,” and Chesney has a valid concealed pistol license, which requires firearm training and a lack of criminal history, according to the lawsuit.
Officers forcibly removed him from the office, cuffed his hands and put him in the back of a squad car with a police dog.
Officer Timothy Black confiscated his weapon, which still is being held by the police department, according to the lawsuit.
Black; Sgt. Paul Gross; Officers William Mills, Peter Postma and Cary Kingston; and Matthew Heins, Jackson’s director of police and fire services, are named in the suit.
Chesney spent two days in the Jackson County jail before he was arraigned May 17 on charges of resisting or obstructing officers and carrying a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The charges were dismissed in September, court records show. The “interests of justice” were the cited reason, the lawsuit states.
Chesney did nothing wrong, Dulan said. “He was literally just in possession of his gun at this time.”
The involved officers overreacted, he said. “They pulled his hair, treated him quite roughly.”
Dulan said cameras from the Secretary of State Office and a police vehicle or police vehicles captured the incident on video and the video showed Chesney did not resist.
An effort Friday to reach Chesney was not successful.
As a result of the officers’ actions, Chesney suffered physical and emotional injury, loss of freedom and loss of other constitutionally protected rights, the lawsuit states. He was humiliated, mortified and embarrassed.
The lawsuit further alleges the police department has not properly trained its officers in Michigan firearms law. City police have repeated violated the constitutional rights of people like Chesney, the suit states.
It seems there is a lack of training in cities all around Michigan, said Dulan, who sits on the board of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, does legal instruction for concealed pistol licensees and teaches firearms issues at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. “Street officers either don’t know the law or don’t care what the law is,” he said.
Dulan also is representing a Grand Rapids man in a similar, pending case filed in December in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. Johann Deffert was walking March 3, 2013, on a public sidewalk, openly carrying a holstered pistol, when an officer approached. He drew his service pistol and aimed it at Deffert, according to the lawsuit. He ordered Deffert to the ground, handcuffed him behind his back and removed the gun from the holster. The Grand Rapids Press obtained a video of the confrontation.
“The stop, pat-down search and brief detention of plaintiff were supported by reasonable suspicion and/or other legal cause,” assistant city attorneys wrote in a response to the lawsuit.
The officers violated Jeremiah Chesney’s constitutional rights under the First, Second and 14th amendments, according to the lawsuit, filed March 13 in U.S. District Court in Detroit. They showed “intentional, outrageous and reckless disregard” for his rights, falsely imprisoned him and seized his pistol without justification or provocation, the lawsuit states.
It asks for a $300,000 judgment against the city and the officers and $600,000 for “punitive or exemplary damages,” costs, interest, attorney’s fees and any other relief.
“He’s gone through a ton of distress and harm,” Chesney’s attorney, Steven Dulan, said Thursday when reached at his office in East Lansing.
“And he wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Jackson police Deputy Chief John Holda, the department’s public information officer, said he could not comment on the Chesney case because of the lawsuit. He deferred to the city attorney’s office. Interim City Attorney Bethany Smith said it is not the office’s policy to comment on pending litigation.
Chesney was openly carrying a pistol "on his person in plain view" about 5 p.m. May 15 at the Secretary of State Office in Jackson Crossing mall. He was doing so for both personal protection and to increase awareness that this is lawful in Michigan. The state office is not a “gun-free zone,” and Chesney has a valid concealed pistol license, which requires firearm training and a lack of criminal history, according to the lawsuit.
Officers forcibly removed him from the office, cuffed his hands and put him in the back of a squad car with a police dog.
Officer Timothy Black confiscated his weapon, which still is being held by the police department, according to the lawsuit.
Black; Sgt. Paul Gross; Officers William Mills, Peter Postma and Cary Kingston; and Matthew Heins, Jackson’s director of police and fire services, are named in the suit.
Chesney spent two days in the Jackson County jail before he was arraigned May 17 on charges of resisting or obstructing officers and carrying a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The charges were dismissed in September, court records show. The “interests of justice” were the cited reason, the lawsuit states.
Chesney did nothing wrong, Dulan said. “He was literally just in possession of his gun at this time.”
The involved officers overreacted, he said. “They pulled his hair, treated him quite roughly.”
Dulan said cameras from the Secretary of State Office and a police vehicle or police vehicles captured the incident on video and the video showed Chesney did not resist.
An effort Friday to reach Chesney was not successful.
As a result of the officers’ actions, Chesney suffered physical and emotional injury, loss of freedom and loss of other constitutionally protected rights, the lawsuit states. He was humiliated, mortified and embarrassed.
The lawsuit further alleges the police department has not properly trained its officers in Michigan firearms law. City police have repeated violated the constitutional rights of people like Chesney, the suit states.
It seems there is a lack of training in cities all around Michigan, said Dulan, who sits on the board of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, does legal instruction for concealed pistol licensees and teaches firearms issues at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. “Street officers either don’t know the law or don’t care what the law is,” he said.
Dulan also is representing a Grand Rapids man in a similar, pending case filed in December in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. Johann Deffert was walking March 3, 2013, on a public sidewalk, openly carrying a holstered pistol, when an officer approached. He drew his service pistol and aimed it at Deffert, according to the lawsuit. He ordered Deffert to the ground, handcuffed him behind his back and removed the gun from the holster. The Grand Rapids Press obtained a video of the confrontation.
“The stop, pat-down search and brief detention of plaintiff were supported by reasonable suspicion and/or other legal cause,” assistant city attorneys wrote in a response to the lawsuit.
Officer Liam Donahue Arrested for DWI
A 22-year-old off-duty police officer was arrested early Saturday on charges of driving while intoxicated, according to police.
Liam Donahue was arrested just after 6 a.m. in Queens, when he crashed his vehicle into an empty parked car around the intersection of 40th Avenue and 218th Street, police said.
Donahue refused to take a breathalyzer test offered to him by members of the NYPD who questioned him at the scene, the NY Daily News reported.
He was taken to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset for further evaluation, according to the NYPD.
Donahue had joined the force in July 2013, and had been working as part of the Patrol Borough Manhattan North since, the paper wrote.
Liam Donahue was arrested just after 6 a.m. in Queens, when he crashed his vehicle into an empty parked car around the intersection of 40th Avenue and 218th Street, police said.
Donahue refused to take a breathalyzer test offered to him by members of the NYPD who questioned him at the scene, the NY Daily News reported.
He was taken to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset for further evaluation, according to the NYPD.
Donahue had joined the force in July 2013, and had been working as part of the Patrol Borough Manhattan North since, the paper wrote.
Officer Scott Pennell Charged with Aggravated Assault
Officer Scott Pennell faces two counts of aggravated assault, two counts disorderly conduct, one count of stalking and one count of kidnapping.
Pennell's live-in girlfriend tell Chandler Police that on Wednesday he held her down on the couch and tried to strangle her. According to a police report from Chandler Police, Pennell then called the victim's mother in Vermont and claimed he was going to kill his girlfriend.
His girfriend called Chandler Police on Thursday morning when he returned to the house. The victim received medical attention, and a forensic nurse confirmed there were marks on the woman's neck consistent with strangulation. Pennell surrendered to police at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Sgt. Charles Miller Arrested After High Speed Chase
A New Orleans police officer was arrested Friday morning after he allegedly refused to wait for an officer to issue him traffic citations, and instead snatched his driver’s license and documents from the officer and fled the scene.
Investigators said an officer pulled over 26-year veteran Sgt. Charles Miller Thursday about 8 p.m.
Police said Miller was speeding on US 90-B near Claiborne Avenue.
The truck Miller was driving didn't have a license plate either, police said.
Miller took the St. Charles Avenue exit, and pulled over for the officer at Calliope Street and St. Charles. He allegedly turned over his driver’s license and registration to the officer, but minutes later, snatched his items back from the officer, which injured her wrist, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
Detectives said Miller sped off in his truck and led the officer on a high-speed chase.
During the chase Miller ran a stop sign, drove through a red light, drove at speeds near 90 miles per hour and committed other traffic violations.
The officer stopped pursuing Miller because she believed the chase was a serious threat to the public’s safety, investigators said.
Miller turned himself in to authorities on Friday at the Public Integrity Bureau.
He was booked on charges of speeding, no license plate, expired driver’s license, battery on an officer, aggravated flight from an officer, disregarding a stop sign, disregarding a red light and reckless operation of a vehicle.
He was placed on emergency suspension without pay.
Investigators said an officer pulled over 26-year veteran Sgt. Charles Miller Thursday about 8 p.m.
Police said Miller was speeding on US 90-B near Claiborne Avenue.
The truck Miller was driving didn't have a license plate either, police said.
Miller took the St. Charles Avenue exit, and pulled over for the officer at Calliope Street and St. Charles. He allegedly turned over his driver’s license and registration to the officer, but minutes later, snatched his items back from the officer, which injured her wrist, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
Detectives said Miller sped off in his truck and led the officer on a high-speed chase.
During the chase Miller ran a stop sign, drove through a red light, drove at speeds near 90 miles per hour and committed other traffic violations.
The officer stopped pursuing Miller because she believed the chase was a serious threat to the public’s safety, investigators said.
Miller turned himself in to authorities on Friday at the Public Integrity Bureau.
He was booked on charges of speeding, no license plate, expired driver’s license, battery on an officer, aggravated flight from an officer, disregarding a stop sign, disregarding a red light and reckless operation of a vehicle.
He was placed on emergency suspension without pay.
Officer Michelle Turner Charged with Sexual Battery
A veteran North Port police officer was arrested Thursday night on charges of sexual battery and false imprisonment, while a fellow officer took his own life before a warrant for his arrest was served.
Police crews were at the North Port home of the late officer Ricky Urbina well into the night, investigating his death.
The veteran police officer was about to be arrested on the same charges as his fellow officer, Michelle Turner.
The investigation into their misconduct, started in early March.
"I had a feeling he was involved. Only because his police car hadn't been here for the past couple weeks. Crazy anything like this goes on in such a small town," a neighbor on Urbina's street told 10 News.
"He was a nice guy."
In the heavily redacted affidavit, the victim, (who, in accordance to our 10 News Crime Guidelines, will not be named), claims she was handcuffed by Officer Turner and taken into a bedroom at a birthday party.
That's where the alleged sexual assault involving both officers took place. The details are so graphic, 10 News has chosen not to reveal them.
Urbina was on duty at the time of the party, and Turner was not.
In a press conference today, the Sarasota Sheriff's Office explained there was an agreement in place: If either officer would be arrested, they'd be notified ahead of time. Turner complied and was taken into custody.
Urbina had one request. To be arrested at a location separate from his home, but as detectives were en route to the location, there was a shooting at his home. Urbina was found dead.
The North Port Police Chief is scheduled to hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. 10 News will have more information as it becomes available.
Police crews were at the North Port home of the late officer Ricky Urbina well into the night, investigating his death.
The veteran police officer was about to be arrested on the same charges as his fellow officer, Michelle Turner.
The investigation into their misconduct, started in early March.
"I had a feeling he was involved. Only because his police car hadn't been here for the past couple weeks. Crazy anything like this goes on in such a small town," a neighbor on Urbina's street told 10 News.
"He was a nice guy."
In the heavily redacted affidavit, the victim, (who, in accordance to our 10 News Crime Guidelines, will not be named), claims she was handcuffed by Officer Turner and taken into a bedroom at a birthday party.
That's where the alleged sexual assault involving both officers took place. The details are so graphic, 10 News has chosen not to reveal them.
Urbina was on duty at the time of the party, and Turner was not.
In a press conference today, the Sarasota Sheriff's Office explained there was an agreement in place: If either officer would be arrested, they'd be notified ahead of time. Turner complied and was taken into custody.
Urbina had one request. To be arrested at a location separate from his home, but as detectives were en route to the location, there was a shooting at his home. Urbina was found dead.
The North Port Police Chief is scheduled to hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. 10 News will have more information as it becomes available.
Officer Jonathan Chel Arrested for DUI
A Los Angeles Police Department officer was arrested Friday morning after his personal car crashed off the westbound Pomona (60) Freeway in Diamond Bar and ended up in a McDonald’s parking lot, according to authorities.
The driver lost control of the vehicle after exiting the freeway at the Brea Canyon off ramp around 1 a.m. The vehicle landed near the drive-thru lane at a McDonald’s restaurant right next to the freeway, CHP said. According to a witness, the car blocked both of the drive-thru lanes at the restaurant, located about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
The driver was identified as Officer Jonathan Chel, of Fullerton, who remained hospitalized early Friday afternoon.
LAPD officials confirmed Friday morning that the 29-year-old driver is an LAPD officer. The California Highway Patrol confirmed the driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
"I'm the first one to respond and all I hear is one person yelling like, 'Oh, there's somebody in there. Do you have anything to break the window?'" McDonald's employee Aaron Morales said. "I had keys in my hand. I sat there for about two minutes just trying to break the window, anything I could, wrap my hand up and just started banging on it."
Morales said that a employee at a nearby gas station had a tire iron that he was about to use to break the window, but then police arrived and assisted the driver.
The driver lost control of the vehicle after exiting the freeway at the Brea Canyon off ramp around 1 a.m. The vehicle landed near the drive-thru lane at a McDonald’s restaurant right next to the freeway, CHP said. According to a witness, the car blocked both of the drive-thru lanes at the restaurant, located about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
The driver was identified as Officer Jonathan Chel, of Fullerton, who remained hospitalized early Friday afternoon.
LAPD officials confirmed Friday morning that the 29-year-old driver is an LAPD officer. The California Highway Patrol confirmed the driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
"I'm the first one to respond and all I hear is one person yelling like, 'Oh, there's somebody in there. Do you have anything to break the window?'" McDonald's employee Aaron Morales said. "I had keys in my hand. I sat there for about two minutes just trying to break the window, anything I could, wrap my hand up and just started banging on it."
Morales said that a employee at a nearby gas station had a tire iron that he was about to use to break the window, but then police arrived and assisted the driver.
Former County Deputy Aaron Heuer Pleds Guilty to Four Counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct
The Otter Tail County Attorney’s Office announced that Aaron Joseph Heuer of Isle, Minn., pled guilty to four counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of second degree criminal sexual conduct with five separate victims. As part of the agreement, Heuer will also plead guilty to one count of first degree criminal sexual conduct in Mille Lacs County. The plea agreement calls for a sentence of 396 months in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 8 in Otter Tail County District Court.
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) led the investigation involving Heuer and identified incidents at two locations in June 2013. According to the criminal complaint, the first incidents took place when Heuer was volunteering as a fishing guide at Lutheran Island Camp in Henning, Minn. As part of his plea, Heuer admits that he inappropriately touched four male victims, ages 8-10, and instructed them to have sexual contact with him. Additional incidents are alleged to have taken place with two of the victims on a separate fishing trip in Aitkin County that was unrelated to the camp. Investigators believe Heuer knew all of the victims prior to the incidents.
The BCA conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Mille Lacs, Otter Tail and Aitkin County sheriff’s offices and the Otter Tail County, Aitkin County, and Stearns County Attorney’s offices.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Sgt. Jason Curry Arrested for Drug and Prostitution Charges
Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson and Interim Police Chief Paul Hudson identified the officer as Sergeant Jason Curry and say he was relieved of his duties following the arrest.
WSFA 12 News initially reported that Curry had been fired, but that is not accurate. Even though Curry has been relieved of his duties, Mayor Johnson says he must have a pre-determination hearing to determine if further disciplinary actions, including termination, are warranted.
Much of the details are still limited, as the investigation is ongoing. Officials with the ABC Board confirm they are investigating at the request of the Covington County District Attorney's office and assisted with the arrests.
Curry is charged with Distribution of Controlled Substances, Possession of Controlled Substances and Promotion of Prostitution. Curry's father, Otis "Randy" Curry, was also arrested and charged with two counts of Distribution of Controlled Substances.
Jason Curry's bond was set at $165,000. Otis Curry's bond was set at $200,000. Both have since posted bail and are currently out of jail.
Curry's pre-determination meeting could be held as early as next week.
Officer Charles Hagge Arrested for Sexual Abuse of Minor
A Baltimore police officer was arrested Wednesday in Howard County and charged with sexual abuse and solicitation of a minor, county police said.
Charles Hagge, 44 of the 8800 block of Goose Landing Circle in Columbia was arrested after police say he communicated with a 14-year-old advertising prostitution services online.
Howard County police said investigators believe the two exchanged text messages before meeting at his home and engaging in sexual activity on three occasions between January and May 2013.
Police said Hagee was taken into custody at Baltimore police headquarters on charges of third- and fourth-degree sexual offense, sexual solicitation of a minor and prostitution. Hagee was being held on $75,000 bond and did not have a lawyer listed in court records.
Howard County police said Hagee was assigned to the Special Enforcement Section, an elite unit that investigates violent crimes. Baltimore police said Hagee worked in administrative roles and would be suspended with pay if he posts bond, per department policy.
For years, Hagee had been on a list of officers deemed untrustworthy by prosecutors, known as the "do not call" list, under the administration of former Baltimore State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy. The list was a tool for prosecutors to prevent police from working on cases in which their integrity might be challenged on the stand.
The Baltimore Sun reported in 2008 that Hagee had responded to a woman's 911 call in 2004 even though he knew he was the subject of her complaint, and then attempted to misdirect other officers into chasing a fake suspect.
At a department trial board, Hagee pleaded guilty in August 2006 to two administrative charges of conduct unbecoming a police officer and received a 10-day suspension, loss of 10 days' leave and involuntary transfer from the Organized Crime Division, according to court records.
He was allowed to return to enforcement work briefly in 2008, but after prosecutors discovered the 911 case and Jessamy placed him on the do not call list, he was assigned to administrative duties, according to records and news reports.
Hagee sued the Baltimore Police Department in 2009, alleging that he suffered racial and gender discrimination as a white male. He alleged that black and female officers in similar misconduct cases received lighter punishment. The lawsuit was dismissed.
Court records show that Hagee was not a police witness in any case filed in court from the time he was placed on the list until 2011, after the election of State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein, who vowed during his campaign to abolish the list. Hagee is listed as a police witness in about a dozen cases, including a burglary case from 2013 in which a man received four years in prison.
Asked for comment on the status of the do not call list, spokesman Mark Cheshire said the state's attorney's office does not maintain such a list.
"We conduct evaluations on case-by-case basis to determine if we can go forward with the evidence we have," Cheshire said.
City records show that Hagee earned more than double his base salary in fiscal year 2013, with gross pay of $138,800 on a base salary of $65,200. In fiscal year 2012, he earned about $130,800 on $64,600 base pay.
Charles Hagge, 44 of the 8800 block of Goose Landing Circle in Columbia was arrested after police say he communicated with a 14-year-old advertising prostitution services online.
Howard County police said investigators believe the two exchanged text messages before meeting at his home and engaging in sexual activity on three occasions between January and May 2013.
Police said Hagee was taken into custody at Baltimore police headquarters on charges of third- and fourth-degree sexual offense, sexual solicitation of a minor and prostitution. Hagee was being held on $75,000 bond and did not have a lawyer listed in court records.
Howard County police said Hagee was assigned to the Special Enforcement Section, an elite unit that investigates violent crimes. Baltimore police said Hagee worked in administrative roles and would be suspended with pay if he posts bond, per department policy.
For years, Hagee had been on a list of officers deemed untrustworthy by prosecutors, known as the "do not call" list, under the administration of former Baltimore State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy. The list was a tool for prosecutors to prevent police from working on cases in which their integrity might be challenged on the stand.
The Baltimore Sun reported in 2008 that Hagee had responded to a woman's 911 call in 2004 even though he knew he was the subject of her complaint, and then attempted to misdirect other officers into chasing a fake suspect.
At a department trial board, Hagee pleaded guilty in August 2006 to two administrative charges of conduct unbecoming a police officer and received a 10-day suspension, loss of 10 days' leave and involuntary transfer from the Organized Crime Division, according to court records.
He was allowed to return to enforcement work briefly in 2008, but after prosecutors discovered the 911 case and Jessamy placed him on the do not call list, he was assigned to administrative duties, according to records and news reports.
Hagee sued the Baltimore Police Department in 2009, alleging that he suffered racial and gender discrimination as a white male. He alleged that black and female officers in similar misconduct cases received lighter punishment. The lawsuit was dismissed.
Court records show that Hagee was not a police witness in any case filed in court from the time he was placed on the list until 2011, after the election of State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein, who vowed during his campaign to abolish the list. Hagee is listed as a police witness in about a dozen cases, including a burglary case from 2013 in which a man received four years in prison.
Asked for comment on the status of the do not call list, spokesman Mark Cheshire said the state's attorney's office does not maintain such a list.
"We conduct evaluations on case-by-case basis to determine if we can go forward with the evidence we have," Cheshire said.
City records show that Hagee earned more than double his base salary in fiscal year 2013, with gross pay of $138,800 on a base salary of $65,200. In fiscal year 2012, he earned about $130,800 on $64,600 base pay.
Retired Officer Lawrence Stead Arrested for Leaving the Scene of Accident
The crash happened around 6 a.m. on Wednesday in front of the Mass. Ave. T station.
The victim, said to be a middle-aged man, was rushed to Boston Medical Center with serious injuries. Police say he may have been in the crosswalk at the time of the crash.
Within hours of the crash, police found the gray 4-door 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis with Mass. license plate 145G that fled toward Columbus Avenue after the crash. The driver, 69-year-old Lawrence Stead of Quincy, was later arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident causing personal injury.
Cambridge police confirm that Stead is a former officer in that city. He retired in 2009 after 35 years with the department. Stead was released on $10,000 bail and will be arraigned on Thursday.
The 300-block of Mass Ave. was closed through the morning commute.
Officer Jeffrey Morgan Arrested for Possession of Heroin
Documents show Jeffrey Morgan, a 13-year veteran, was arrested March 4 and resigned from the Chandler police force March 7.
"Our drug policy is very simple, you cannot have any illegal drugs in your system," said Detective Seth Tyler with the Chandler Police Department.
Early in March, Chandler police received information that Morgan was buying and using heroin. Police searched Morgan's apartment where they say they confiscated evidence including a chunk of suspected heroin and drug paraphernalia.
Tyler said it's normal procedure for them to investigate their own.
"This is not the first time, unfortunately, that we've had to investigate one of our officers for a criminal offense," Tyler said. "This had happened in the past. Unfortunately, it will happen again in the future."
Morgan was a motor officer in the traffic unit.
"They focus on two things; they focus on enforcement on the roadway, and they focus on roadway impairment," Tyler said.
But now his cases could be impacted with this felony arrest. Morgan resigned a few days after the search warrant was served.
"Our function as police in our society begins with the public trust," Tyler said. "If the public trust is compromised in any way, we will take swift action."
Morgan was processed and booked into jail. He is free pending formal charges being filed by the county attorney.
Officer Christopher Stafford Arrested for DUI
Christopher Stafford, a North Precinct Officers, was off-duty at the time of his arrest. Officers were called to an apartment complex on Edmondson Pike at 6:40 p.m. by an acquaintance of Stafford, who said he appeared to be intoxicated and involved in an argument with another motorist.
Police said the 42-year-old had driven to the apartment complex in a Dodge pickup truck with his young child.
Officers said Stafford smelled of alcohol and field sobriety tests showed he was impaired.
He also had a loaded pistol in his car at the time.
Stafford, a 13-year veteran of the department, was charged with DUI and possession of a handgun while under the influence.
He was released on $6,000 bond.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Officer Danson Cappo Charged with Domestic Violence
A Honolulu police officer is facing charges in conneciton with a domestic violence case.
Officals say 27 year old Danson Cappo was arrested for alleged family abuse on Sunday.
He was released on a $1000 bail.
Police records show Cappo has been with the force for two years.
Officals say 27 year old Danson Cappo was arrested for alleged family abuse on Sunday.
He was released on a $1000 bail.
Police records show Cappo has been with the force for two years.
A
Honolulu police officer is facing charges in connection with a domestic
violence case. Officials say 27-year-old Danson Cappo was arrested for
alleged family abuse on Sunday. He was released on
one-thousand-dollars bail. Police records show Cappo has been with the
force for two years. - See more at:
http://www.khnr.com/news/articles/honolulu-officer-arrested-on-suspicion-of-domestic-violence#sthash.OauDv9SE.dpuf
A
Honolulu police officer is facing charges in connection with a domestic
violence case. Officials say 27-year-old Danson Cappo was arrested for
alleged family abuse on Sunday. He was released on
one-thousand-dollars bail. Police records show Cappo has been with the
force for two years. - See more at:
http://www.khnr.com/news/articles/honolulu-officer-arrested-on-suspicion-of-domestic-violence#sthash.OauDv9SE.dpuf
A
Honolulu police officer is facing charges in connection with a domestic
violence case. Officials say 27-year-old Danson Cappo was arrested for
alleged family abuse on Sunday. He was released on
one-thousand-dollars bail. Police records show Cappo has been with the
force for two years. - See more at:
http://www.khnr.com/news/articles/honolulu-officer-arrested-on-suspicion-of-domestic-violence#sthash.OauDv9SE.dpuf
Officer Salvador Becerra Arrested for Groping Woman he Arrested
Obtained affidavits state officer Salvador Becerra allegedly brought at least three and likely more women back to his patrol car where he talked to them and then proceeded to put his hands under their bras and felt their breasts. During this time, he turned off audio on his unit’s recording equipment, but cameras corroborated the women’s stories.
On March 9 of this year, Becerra detained a woman who admitted to having a joint in her pocket. The affidavit on the case states that Officer Becerra told her that “if she made an exception then they would not go to jail.” It was then that the woman reluctantly allowed him to touch her breasts. She reported the incident soon after.
This resulted in investigators looking into the allegation and finding that it held merit after reviewing camera footage. Soon after more women began to make complaints about the officer.
While reviewing footage, investigators found a similar issue on February 21 in which another woman had made a similar complaint.
A third incident was then found and the affidavit states a third victim was contacted by Becerra on March 2, just a week before the incident which uncovered these abuses of power, in the parking lot of Floyd Gwenn Park in Odessa. It states that while on duty and in uniform, Becerra detained the third victim, asked her breast size, and “inserted his hand under [her] bra and shirt and fondled one of her breasts.”
So far, these three incidents have resulted in charges and three other women have come forward as well.
Becerra has since bonded out of Ector County Jail and is wearing an ankle monitor. He is charged with Improper Sexual Activity with a Person in Custody and Violations of the Civil Rights of a Person in Custody.
Odessa Police asks anyone with any information concerning such incidents to call their 24 hour number at 333-3641 or 335-4961 to speak to the acting Lt. Commander.
Officer Christopher Russo Arrested After Lying About Being Stabbed
A police officer was arrested after making up a story about being ambushed and stabbed by two black males. According to reports by WSB-TV, Clayton County Police Officer Christopher Russo filed a false report with police in McDonough, Ga.
Russo told officers he walked into a burglary in progress at an apartment complex while off duty. He said two men ambushed, punched and peppered sprayed him then cut him with a knife. In the police report, he said the two men sounded like black males.
McDonough police investigated the scene and realized that it was highly unlikely that a burglary took place. After Georgia Bureau of Investigators questioned Russo, he confessed and told them he made the story up and stabbed himself.
Without proper police work, two innocent black males could have been arrested and charged with the assault and stabbing of a police officer.
Russo was arrested on charges of false report of a crime, a misdemeanor and making false statements. He has since been released on bond.
Detective Derik Carson Kumagia Arrested on Federal Charges
Vice intelligence squad detective Derik Carson Kumagai, 40, and alleged co-conspirator Saykham Somphoune, 40, of Clovis, were booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of conspiracy, bribery and extortion, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Cullers said at a news conference in U.S. District Court in Fresno.
A criminal complaint says Somphoune, who is not a law enforcement officer, also took or agreed to accept a bribe from the suspected drug dealer.
They will be arraigned today in federal court.
"It's a sad day for the Fresno Police Department," said a solemn Police Chief Jerry Dyer, who joined Cullers and other federal law enforcement officials at the news conference.
Dyer said Kumagai has been with the Fresno Police Department since June 2000. For the past 14 months, he has been assigned to the vice intelligence unit, the chief said. The unit investigates things like prostitution and outlaw biker gangs and assists narcotics officers with major drug investigations.
Dyer said there was nothing in Kumagai's background to alert his supervisors to any potential wrongdoing. Kumagai is now on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal police investigation. Dyer said the officer has given up his badge and service weapon for the time being.
"I'm disappointed," Dyer said. "It's cases like this that erode the trust that our citizens have in the police department."
Cullers declined to discuss the relationship between Kumagai and Somphoune, but he and the criminal complaint outlined the allegations against the pair:
According to Cullers, federal agents had been investigating a marijuana operation for about two years when they learned Kumagai and Somphoune had met with a suspected drug trafficker several times last fall.
In late October, Somphoune first told the suspected drug dealer that "Kumagai and others were asking for $60,000 in return for closing the purported investigation," the complaint says. Then on Oct. 22, Somphoune and Kumagai met with the suspected drug dealer, the complaint says, and told him the federal investigation "could be dropped in return for a bribe payment."
On Nov. 6, 2013, the suspected drug dealer paid Kumagai $20,000 cash, the complaint says.
After the bribe was paid, the suspected drug dealer completed documents to become a confidential police informant.
Cullers said the suspected drug trafficker had a motive to become an informant: "He could fly under the radar" and not be suspected in investigations.
Dyer said Kumagai didn't have the authority to sign up an informant. According to department policy, Dyer said, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office must sign off on anyone who wants to become an informant for police.
The case was the result of an investigation by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant Rabenn and Kevin Rooney are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of conspiracy, the two defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Cullers said. A conviction on the bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Officer Kenneth Bielik Charged with Disorderly Conduct
A Youngstown police officer is due in court this evening on charges of disorderly conduct and failure to desist after being arrested late Monday for allegedly interfering in the investigation of a fight at a gas station.
Kenneth Bielik, 29, of Austintown, was issued a summons on the charges following an incident at Sheetz gas sation at the corner of Mahoning Avenue and Route 46.
Youngstown Police Chief Robin Lees said Bielik is not on suspension because the investigation into the officer’s behavior just began and he wants to wait to see what happens in court.
According to a police report, Austintown officers were called to the gas station just after 11:30 p.m. Monday for a large fight. When they arrived, they saw a man, later identified as James Bielik, 31, shoving another man, Andrew Irwin, against a brick wall outside the gas station.
After seeing James Bielik shove Irwin a second time, officers ordered them to separate, and they complied. Irwin told officers he was confronted by James Bielik inside the store and was pushed out the double doors into the parking lot by James Bielik, who is the YPD officer’s brother.
Officers said James Bielik was very drunk and he told officers he thought Irwin was bothering his sister, which prompted the confrontation.
While Austintown officers were trying to interview James Bielik, Kenneth Bielik kept trying to interrupt despite repeated warnings to step away, the report states.
The report states that at one point, Kenneth Bielik yelled “I work for YPD. I am a police officer. What are you going to arrest me for?” Austintown officers noted in the report that Kenneth Bielik appeared very intoxicated, smelled strongly of alcohol and had glassy and bloodshot eyes.
After being told he would be arrested for disorderly conduct and obstructing official business if he did not walk away, Bielik had to be restrained by a friend, the report states.
As officers were trying to question a woman at the scene about what happened, Bielik continued to walk over and interject his comments. After being given several warnings and continuing his aggressive behavior, Austintown officers arrested Bielik for disorderly conduct and failure to desist.
At first, Bielik refused to be handcuffed, but he later complied, the report states. Once at the Austintown police station, Bielik calmed down and said he was upset because of a comment made toward his sister and he was defending her, the report states.
James Bielik was issued a summons for disorderly conduct after Irwin refused to press charges for assault, the report states.
Kenneth Bielik, 29, of Austintown, was issued a summons on the charges following an incident at Sheetz gas sation at the corner of Mahoning Avenue and Route 46.
Youngstown Police Chief Robin Lees said Bielik is not on suspension because the investigation into the officer’s behavior just began and he wants to wait to see what happens in court.
According to a police report, Austintown officers were called to the gas station just after 11:30 p.m. Monday for a large fight. When they arrived, they saw a man, later identified as James Bielik, 31, shoving another man, Andrew Irwin, against a brick wall outside the gas station.
After seeing James Bielik shove Irwin a second time, officers ordered them to separate, and they complied. Irwin told officers he was confronted by James Bielik inside the store and was pushed out the double doors into the parking lot by James Bielik, who is the YPD officer’s brother.
Officers said James Bielik was very drunk and he told officers he thought Irwin was bothering his sister, which prompted the confrontation.
While Austintown officers were trying to interview James Bielik, Kenneth Bielik kept trying to interrupt despite repeated warnings to step away, the report states.
The report states that at one point, Kenneth Bielik yelled “I work for YPD. I am a police officer. What are you going to arrest me for?” Austintown officers noted in the report that Kenneth Bielik appeared very intoxicated, smelled strongly of alcohol and had glassy and bloodshot eyes.
After being told he would be arrested for disorderly conduct and obstructing official business if he did not walk away, Bielik had to be restrained by a friend, the report states.
As officers were trying to question a woman at the scene about what happened, Bielik continued to walk over and interject his comments. After being given several warnings and continuing his aggressive behavior, Austintown officers arrested Bielik for disorderly conduct and failure to desist.
At first, Bielik refused to be handcuffed, but he later complied, the report states. Once at the Austintown police station, Bielik calmed down and said he was upset because of a comment made toward his sister and he was defending her, the report states.
James Bielik was issued a summons for disorderly conduct after Irwin refused to press charges for assault, the report states.
Corrections Officer Mark Pronovost Arrested for Child Porn
Officials say a man surrendered peacefully after barricading himself inside an Orange City home around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning.
State and federal Internet crimes agents showed up to serve a search warrant at Mark Pronovost's home. Pronovost, 32, happens to be a corrections officer at the Volusia County Jail. Investigators said they recently learned child porn was being sent to, or from, Pronovost's computer. As they were trying to serve the search warrant, they said Pronovost was initially very cooperative.
"He became uncooperative at some point, grabbed one of the children -- the smallest one -- and barricaded himself in a room and armed himself with a firearm, said Tony Rodriguez with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Hostage crisis negotiators talked with Pronovost, convincing him to let the child go. After awhile they say Pronovost handed over his gun and surrendered.
"He made no threats toward law enforcement. He said he did not wish to hurt law enforcement, and we do not believe he would have hurt any of his children either," Rodriguez said.
Pronovost was arrested and taken to Seminole County Jail, because of his ties to the Volusia County Jail.
State and federal Internet crimes agents showed up to serve a search warrant at Mark Pronovost's home. Pronovost, 32, happens to be a corrections officer at the Volusia County Jail. Investigators said they recently learned child porn was being sent to, or from, Pronovost's computer. As they were trying to serve the search warrant, they said Pronovost was initially very cooperative.
"He became uncooperative at some point, grabbed one of the children -- the smallest one -- and barricaded himself in a room and armed himself with a firearm, said Tony Rodriguez with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Hostage crisis negotiators talked with Pronovost, convincing him to let the child go. After awhile they say Pronovost handed over his gun and surrendered.
"He made no threats toward law enforcement. He said he did not wish to hurt law enforcement, and we do not believe he would have hurt any of his children either," Rodriguez said.
Pronovost was arrested and taken to Seminole County Jail, because of his ties to the Volusia County Jail.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Officer Tamara Miliken Arrested for DUI
Officer Tamara Miliken was arrested Saturday at a checkpoint on Brandon Road.
She bonded out of jail shortly after she was booked.
Milliken was once a commander with the Jackson Police Department.
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