Two South Carolina Officers Charged with Using Excessive Force

The Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury in Florence, South Carolina returned a two-count indictment today charging Eric Walters and Franklin Brown, both former police officers with the city of Marion Police Department, with using unreasonable force against a female citizen.

Walters and Brown have each been charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, specifically alleging that, while acting as police officers, each defendant used unreasonable force on the victim, resulting in bodily injury. The indictment alleges that on April 2, 2013, Walters and Brown each used their respective tasers multiple times on the victim.

If convicted, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

This case is being investigated by the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Resident Agency of the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Nicholas Murphy and Henry Leventis for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potterfield for the District of South Carolina.

Officer George Bermudez On Leave After Tripping and Pushing Students

Georgetown police have placed an officer on paid administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation into his actions following a state championship soccer game held in the city over the weekend.

The move to put Officer George Bermudez on leave came after an incident following Vandegrift High School’s win in the University Interscholastic League championship game on Saturday. In video taken from the game broadcast, as well as from fans, you can see what appears to be a uniformed Georgetown police officer tripping and pushing students as they rush onto the field after the win.

Bermudez has been with the department since 2005.

A spokesman for the Georgetown Police Department said parents began emailing the department early Sunday morning, alerting them of the video.

“After personally watching the videos, the actions of my officer are very concerning to me as well,” said Georgetown Police Chief Wayne Nero.

As you see students rush the field after the win, a uniformed Georgetown police officer can be seen sticking his leg out to trip a high school student. He then tries to trip another student.

Then, YouTube video shot by a student at the game shows one of them limping off the field.

Cell phone video sent to ReportIt@KXAN.com also shows the officer pushing two girls off the field.

KXAN spoke to the 16-year-old student who watched all of this unfold while shooting the video on his phone.

“He should’ve used better judgement,” Rohan Gupta said. “We’re high schoolers just trying to have some fun after our team won.”

The Georgetown Police Department issued a statement Sunday evening.

“Georgetown administrators have taken the information and will be forwarding it to internal affairs for review and investigation,” GPD Captain Roland Waits said.

Officer Michelle Coffey Arrested for Drunk Driving

A Coon Rapids police officer is scheduled to appear in court next month on suspicion of driving drunk while off duty two weeks ago.

Michelle Coffey, 43, was arrested April 10 after the vehicle she was driving was involved in a property damage accident in Ramsey and the responding officer detected a strong smell of alcohol on Coffey's breath, according to an incident report provided Tuesday by Ramsey police.

Coffey, a patrol officer, has been employed with the Coon Rapids Police Department for at least 15 years, according to Police Chief Brad Wise.

"She is taking this very seriously and will be taking proactive steps to address it," said Mike Brandt, Coffey's attorney.

The incident took place at 4:42 a.m. at the intersection of Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Nowthen Boulevard.

Coffey was reportedly traveling on Sunfish Lake Boulevard with a male passenger when she went to turn onto Nowthen Boulevard and pulled out in front of another car, the incident report said.

The other vehicle ended up hitting Coffey on the driver's side, causing heavy damage to both vehicles. Nobody was hurt.

Coffey, who initially told the investigating officer that she had not been driving, failed sobriety tests at the scene.

She recorded a 0.19 blood-alcohol concentration at the Ramsey police station.

She faces two misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and is scheduled to be arraigned May 9 in Anoka County District Court.

Wise described Coffey as a "good person and a great cop" who has no sustained complaints in her personnel file.

She will remain on active duty as her case makes its way through the court system.

"She will respond to the citation and the courts will deal with it and, once that happens, obviously as an employer we will deal with it, also," Wise said. "She made a mistake and she needs to answer for that, but I hope she gets treated just like everybody else."

Former Reserve Officer Raymond McCann Person of Interest in Death of 11-year-old

FOX 17 obtained the probable cause affidavit in the case of Raymond McCann, a former Constantine reserve officer, who is now being called a person of interest in connection to the killing of 11-year-old Jodi Parrack, a cold case from 2007.

On November 8, 2007, Parrack’s body was found in the Constantine Township Cemetery after she disappeared while walking home from a friend’s house a few blocks away.

McCann was arrested over the weekend and charged with perjury in connection to the case.

According to a four-page affidavit, over the course of an hour and a half, McCann suggested officers search the Constantine Township Cemetery where Parrack’s body was eventually found. Officers became increasingly suspicious because McCann, himself, did not take it upon himself to search the area.

“Furthermore, I am aware that the victim’s body contained injuries to both of her wrists, consistent with the application of handcuffs. Given the fact the McCann was a reserve police office at the time of this incident, he would have access to handcuffs,” stated the affidavit.

Former Officer Edmond Burke Accused of Selling Cocaine

The former Prichard police officer accused of selling cocaine and using his badge as a shield job has been indicted by a grand jury on drug charges.

Edmond Kennies Burke, 34, was arrested late Wednesday after being indicted on charges of trafficking and possessing cocaine, as well as possession of marijuana, stemming from an Aug. 2 sting operation.

According to an affidavit filed last year by a Homeland Security Investigations agent, Burke obtained 5 kilograms of cocaine and had marijuana and drug paraphernalia during a subsequent search of his house. It was alleged he made regular drug runs, carrying cocaine in his squad car.

He and another man, Raymond “Roc” Williams, were planning on selling the cocaine, obtained from a drug dealer cooperating with authorities.

The dealer told Williams he would receive $15,000 once the cocaine had been delivered, according to previous reports. Williams and Burke had done similar deals in the past, they said.

Court records alleged the pair had previously received $3,000 per kilogram and would only deliver larger amounts because they needed to split the payment.

The sting operation was a joint effort by federal agents and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Last year, Burke was subsequently charged in federal court, but was not indicted.

Burke will be arraigned before Mobile County Presiding Judge Charles Graddick on May 20. His bail was set at $20,000 on the trafficking charge, $7,500 for possession of cocaine and $500 for possession of marijuana.

Officer Josh George Arrested for Internet Stalking of Child

The Guy Police Department has fired a part-time police officer after he was arrested last week on suspicion of Internet stalking of a child.

Chief Dave Martini says the department terminated Josh George's employment. Martini says he will ask the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training to decertify George as a police officer.

Faulkner County authorities say George was arrested after he allegedly tried to meet two children for sex. Police say it was a sting arranged by investigators and no children were involved.

George was also fired from the Arkansas Community Correction Department, where he was undergoing training as a correctional officer.

George remains jailed and is due in court April 21. Authorities did not know if he had an attorney.

Officer Meekos Evans Accused of Sexual Assault

Meekos Evans is out of jail after posting a $10,000 bond. He still is due in court Monday, April 21.

Memphis police officer Meekos Evans, the focus of an internal affairs investigation into an alleged traffic stop sexual assault of a female motorist in Whitehaven in February, was arrested Thursday afternoon.

Officer Evans is facing one charge of sexual battery. He joined the Memphis Police in 2011 and was assigned to the Raines Station.

Officer Evans has been on non-enforcement duty since the complaint against him was made. He is due in Shelby County General Sessions Court on Monday, April 21.

The female victim said she was driving down Raines Road in February and the officer pulled her over. He told her he couldn't see her license plate, took her identification, and told her he would have to give her a citation unless she did something for him.

She said the officer told her to drive behind some apartments. She did and when they got there, she said he told her to get into the back of his patrol car and show her breasts.

The female victim said she didn't want to expose herself but eventually gave in. She said the officer touched her and then he told her to leave. She said her three-year-old son was alone in her car when it happened.

"Unfortunate situation and my heart goes out to the victim," said Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong, who reacted to the arrest.

The police director said Evans has been placed on paid leave and there will be an administrative hearing to determine whether he'll be fired.

"In this particular incident this officer clearly demonstrated that he probably had no business ever wearing a badge in the first place and that's something we'll deal with down the line," Director Armstrong said.

Mayor A C Wharton had not heard about the arrest when FOX13 News caught up with him Thursday evening. The mayor said he's reviewing MPD disciplinary procedures.

Officer Evans was the subject of at least two other internal affairs investigations before the latest incident.

"We are looking at trying to find a way to see if there are factors that would predict when a person might become a bad officer," Mayor Wharton said. "That's a priority for Director Armstrong and still a priority for me."

The victim said she was driving down Raines Road when she was pulled over by Officer Evans. She said she was targeted and now she says she's lost faith in law enforcement.

"No citizen should ever have to fear when you see a police officer behind you, especially a police officer on duty," Director Armstrong said.

Former Officer Christopher Whitfield Arrested for Domestic Violence

A former police officer has been arrested and charged with criminal domestic violence, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Former Williamston police officer, Christopher Whitfield was arrested Friday, said SLED spokesman Thom Berry.

According to Berry, CDV is a misdemeanor with penalties upon conviction of up to 30 days in jail or a fine of up to $2,500.

Whitfield was booked at the Anderson County Detention Center, said Berry.

According to Berry, Whitfield was terminated from the Williamston Police Office on Thursday.

Former Trooper David Morikiawa Takes Plea Deal in Child Sexual Abuse Case

A former Michigan State Police trooper will not have a retrial next week after taking a plea deal in a child sexual abuse case.

David Morikawa, 40, was convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2011. The charges involved a victim under the age of 13. At the time the charges were filed, Morikawa was a trooper at the Iron River Post, which has since closed.

He was sentenced to two concurrent terms of 20 months to 15 years in prison, and he completed his sentence last year. After he was released on parole, the Michigan Court of Appeals granted him a new trial. Morikawa claimed he received ineffective assistance from counsel at his original trial. The retrial was scheduled to begin this coming Tuesday, the 22nd.

He has instead pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree child abuse. Morikawa will be sentenced on May 27th in the Iron County Trial Court. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he will receive credit for the time he’s already served. Morikawa also will not have to register as a sex offender and he won’t be subject to any further prison time, probation or fines.

Lt Dennis Miller Jr Arrested for Child Rape

The Knox County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant arrested on child rape charges was out on bond Thursday night.

Police say they arrested Dennis Mills Jr., 43, on April 9 and indicted him on a number of charges, including rape of a child and statutory rape by an authority figure.

Mills was arrested without incident following a month-long investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations and Knox County Sheriff's Office.

He was originally being held in the Knox County Detention Facility, but Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones decided to move Mills to the Blount County Jail to avoid any appearance of favoritism. He was being held there on a $250,000 bond.

According to Knox County court records, the girl approached her mother just before midnight on March 3, crying. She told her mother Mills had been forcing her to have sex with him for over a year.

According to court records she also told her mother the defendant told her she would be taken away from her mother if she told and no one would believe her.

TBI was then contacted and the investigation began.

According to his personnel file, Mills was hired by the Knox County Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer in 1994.

He became a certified law enforcement officer in 1996. He was promoted to a patrol lieutenant in 2000.

All reviews were positive until the investigation began on March 4.

The Knox County Sheriff's Office assisted in the investigation and placed him on administrative leave without pay at that point.

KCSO says they terminated Mills Tuesday.

Former Officer Heriberto Calles Accused of Destroying Evidence

Police have arrested a former Greenville officer accused of destroying evidence.

According to the Greenville Police Department, they arrested former officer Heriberto Calles, 40, of Winterville, Wednesday morning and charged him with obstruction of justice, altering, destroying or stealing evidence of criminal conduct, and willfully failing to discharge duties.

Police said when Calles was a Greenville police officer. He "destroyed photographic evidence and obstructed justice to minimize a domestic disturbance case he was responding to."

Greenville Police Sergeant Joe Friday said as far as police know Calles does not have any relationship to the two people involved in the domestic dispute case. According to Sgt. Friday the day after Calles responded to the disturbance someone came in with more evidence. He said the evidence didn't match up with Calle's report, and that fact sparked and internal affairs investigation.

“He just basically destroyed or deleted evidence of that should be included in a report,” Sgt. Friday said.

The GPD doesn't think he was covering up a crime but just cutting corners.

“That type of behavior is unacceptable and it actually is criminal in nature,” Sgt. Friday said.

According to the warrant, Calles told the two parties involved in the domestic dispute that, “this never happened and that we the police were never here... You need to settle this on your own."

Investigators said when they developed information about Calles' alleged actions, they presented the case to the State Bureau of Investigation in early March. Calles police powers were removed and he was suspended. He then resigned from the police force, according to GPD.

Calles was arrested Wednesday morning at the Pitt County Magistrate's Office and was given a $10,000 unsecured bond, police said. Calles was hired by the Greenville Police Department in January 2010.

Chief of Police Hassan Aden released the following statement:

"The arrest of Officer Calles serves as reminder that the law enforcement community in our city is not above the law and that the investigative process is intact and unbiased.

"I want our community to know that the Greenville Police Department holds itself accountable to the highest ethical standards and all laws that govern our society. This case was self-discovered and pursued by the Internal Affairs Division of the Greenville Police Department.

"I want to reaffirm that maintaining the public's trust is a top priority of my administration.  I want to thank the State Bureau of Investigation and the Pitt County District Attorney's Office for assisting us in the proactive pursuit of justice-even when the offender is a law enforcement officer."

Former Officer Darryl Hayes Indicted for Rape of Child

Dinwiddie sheriff's deputies arrested a former colleague Tuesday afternoon, after a grand jury indicted Darryl Earl Hayes with five charges ranging from rape to forcible sodomy.

According to Dinwiddie Circuit Court records, Hayes, 49, is charged with two counts of incest with own child, two counts of rape, and one count of forcible sodomy.

All of the offense dates are listed as March 1, 2012, with all charges class five felonies.

According to the former lieutenant's Facebook page, Hayes worked with the Dinwiddie Sheriff's Office from Feb. 1999 to Oct. 2013

Hayes has a court appearance scheduled for Thursday morning to appoint counsel. He is being held without bond at Meherrin River Regional Jail in Alberta, Va.

In am email statement, Maj. W. B. Knott of the Dinwiddie Sheriff's Office said there would be no further comment because of the ongoing investigation.

Officer George Hall Charged with Violation of Oath of Office

The Sylvester Police Department arrested one of their own officers today around 3 p.m. and took him into custody at the Worth County Sheriff’s office.

Officer George Hall was arrested and charged with violation of oath of office, making false statements, and tampering with evidence.


The release of information regarding this arrest was sent out to media organizations just 20 minutes after Officer Hall was taken into custody.

This case is still under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations and no other info is being released at this time.

Trooper Kelly Cruz Acquitted of Stomping Handcuffed Man

(No Protect and Serve going on here.)

A Pennsylvania state trooper accused of stomping a handcuffed man in the head during a botched 2009 drug raid was acquitted Monday of a federal civil rights violation charge.

Cheers and applause erupted in the courtroom from more than two dozen of Kelly Cruz's law enforcement colleagues as the jury delivered its verdict to U.S. District Judge Mary A. McLaughlin. It took less than two hours for the panel of five men and seven women to come to its decision.

A visibly relieved Cruz declined to comment. His lawyer, Christian J. Hoey, described the verdict as "a good decision."

"Nobody celebrates the fact someone was injured," he said. "But he's a heck of a law enforcement officer and an asset to the United States."

Cruz, 44, of Oxford, never denied that he caused the injuries sustained by 22-year-old Zachary Bare during an August raid on the man's home in Chester County. He testified Friday that he did not realize Bare was handcuffed at the time and thought he was trying to stand to attack him.

He told jurors that he pinned Bare's shoulder with his foot in an attempt to keep him on the ground - all while Bare was screaming obscenities and rolling on the floor.

"I responded the way I was trained to respond," he testified Friday. "I reacted to what I saw. If I fail, I don't come home to my family."

Prosecutors described a vastly different incident - involving a kick to the back of Bare's head, witnessed by at least one police officer, as the man lay handcuffed and prone on his kitchen floor.

The impact left Bare with shattered teeth, a broken nose, and two facial fractures.

Cruz was working as a liaison to a Chester County drug task force and assisting the West Whiteland Police Department on what was to be a surprise assault on a suspected meth lab in an Exton house. When officers arrived, the men inside spotted them and tried to escape.

Officer Jeffrey McCloskey told jurors last week he saw Bare running nearby and followed him to a house five doors down. He ordered Bare to the floor as another officer handcuffed him. Another West Whiteland officer, Glenn Cockerham, testified he witnessed Cruz kick Bare - a use of force he later described in an investigative report as "totally unnecessary."

Investigators eventually determined that Bare was not at the drug house at the time of the raid and he was never charged in the case.

Hoey contended throughout the six-day trial that the West Whiteland officers sought to shift blame for Bare's botched arrest onto Cruz.

"We're obviously disappointed," Linwood C. Wright Jr., one of the assistant U.S. attorneys who tried the case, said Monday. "We believe in the West Whiteland Police Department."

Monday's verdict came three years after a Chester County grand jury declined to indict Cruz over the same incident and two years after the Pennsylvania State Police settled a lawsuit from Bare for $125,000.

Cruz was suspended without pay shortly after a federal grand jury indicted him in August 2013. He is expected to return to his job as a corporal in the state police's Avondale barracks, Hoey said.

Officer Michael Vagnini Forced Dozens of Anal Cavity Searches Gets only 2 Years in Prison

A disgusting scandal involving police officers performing illegal anal cavity searches with the intent to “degrade and humiliate” dozens and dozens of victims has come to an apparent conclusion, which some feel amounts to little more than a slap on the wrists for those involved.

Between February 2010 and February 2012, a small group of Milwaukee officers took part in a string of serial assaults on subjects pulled off the streets.  In many cases, the officers demanded the subjects produce the drugs they assumed were being hidden somewhere on their person.  When they were not satisfied with the cooperation from the subjects, an officer would jam his hand into the subject’s underpants, touch his genitals, and insert a finger into his anus on the side of the road.  Some of the complaints stated that drugs were planted during these searches.  At least one complainant was a juvenile, and one stated that he was fingered so hard that his anus bled afterwards.

The group’s ringleader was Milwaukee Officer Michael Vagnini, assisted primarily by three other officers; Jeffrey Dollhopf, Brian Kozelek and Jacob Knight.  Although 7 officers and one supervisor were originally suspended, the four officers mentioned above were the men the district attorney felt had enough involvement to pursue legal actions against.

Officer Vagnini was the the one who directly performed the searches with his hand; the others were present and assisted with detaining the victims, holding them down, provided Vagnini cover while molested them, and then failed to report the crimes to superiors in the department.

A Pattern of Abuse

For two years the complaints piled up from the victims, with the knowledge of department superiors, including Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn.  The chief stated that the department had been aware of the behavior of his officers for “a couple of years,” but waited to investigate until the department recognized a pattern.  One complainant said he notified the department of Vagnini’s abusive tactics as early as 2008.

Vagnini and his cohorts were assigned to Milwaukee’s District 5, and regularly pulled over drivers on a pretense of not wearing a seatbelt or of having darkly tinted windows, followed by searches without a legal reason, according to prosecutors.

Finally, in October 2012, city officials felt charged the officers, and the public began to become aware of the stories.  One case was described by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

In one case, a man had gone to check on his aunt’s house in the 3500 block of N. 10th St. When he came outside, his vehicle was surrounded by squad cars. Vagnini put his bare hand down the man’s pants, touched his scrotum and inserted fingers into his anus, the complaint says. When the man pulled away, Vagnini put him in a choke hold that caused him to slobber onto Vagnini’s arm. Vagnini repeatedly told him to “stop resisting” as he pulled back so hard on his neck his feet almost left the ground, the man said. Two other officers held his arms and one put a gun to his head, the complaint says.

Vagnini claimed he found crack cocaine inside the man’s anus, but the man insisted it “was not on him prior to the search,” the complaint says.

“When I got the cuffs on, he patted me down,” he told WISN-12 News. “But he rushed his hand. He rushed his hand up my butt.”

Another complaint describes a man being fingered so forcefully that his anus bled. 
From JSonline:

In another search, Vagnini conducted a traffic stop near N. 12th and W. Locust streets, the complaint says. Vagnini handcuffed the driver and asked him for “the drugs.” The defendant denied having drugs but actually had hidden drugs inside his anal cavity, according to the complaint.

Vagnini put the suspect in a choke-hold from behind, released him and then stuck his gloved hand inside the defendant’s underwear, “shoving his fingers deeply into the defendant’s butt crack and possibly into the defendant’s anus,” the complaint says.

The man was screaming, and as a result of Vagnini’s actions the man was bleeding from the anal area for several days, the complaint says.

And the stories kept coming forward.

Robert Mann, 55, contends that Police Officer Michael Vagnini stopped him as he was walking near N. 31st St. and Atkinson Ave. in June 2011 and without probable cause, pulled down Mann’s pants and put his hand in Mann’s rectum “in an unsafe, unhygienic, and intentionally humiliating fashion.”  No drugs were recovered from Mann.

[A] juveinile, identified as K.F., was 15 when he was riding in a friend’s car that was stopped by police on N. 26th St. in December 2011.  According to the suit, he was ordered out of the car before Vagnini reached into the teen’s pants, touching his genitalia and his anus while Police Officer Jacob Knight watched.

In July 2009, Chavies Hoskin, 28, was stopped while driving on N. 13th St.   Vagnini reached into Hoskin’s pants and pulled a bag of cocaine from Hoskin’s anal area, while Sgt. Jason Mucha and Officer Thomas Maglio watched.  Hoskin was charged with the delivery of cocaine.  His suit contends that the officers lied in reports, and that Vagnini also falsely testified under oath about how and where he found the cocaine.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analyzed the cases of at least 13 victims as of August 2013.

Keon Canada was pulled over five times during the summer of 2011 and subjected to butt-cheek searches four times, and that officers opened the front of his pants another time. No drugs were found during any of the stops.

A plaintiff identified only as R.P. contends he was twice subjected to improper searches of his anal areas by former officer Michael Vagnini without probable cause, and the during one of stops Vagnini took his watch, despite another officer’s warning  “you can’t do that.”  R.P. said that when he went to the District Five  station immediately following the incident to reclaim his watch and file a complaint, he was denied a complaint form and his watch and warned that police would report him to the FBI.

Someone identified only as M.C.claims he was stopped and illegally searched three times in 24 hours during the summer of 2011. No drugs were found.  In December 2011 and January 2012, M.C. contends he was again stopped by Vagnini and other officers and on both occasions was struck in the face by Vagnini before being pulled out of a car, held on the ground and subjected to a forceful penetration of his anus.

The suit lists three stops of Walter Coleman and buttock searches by Vagnini, including one where Vagnini first put on rubber gloves. In most of the cases, victims said Vagnini used his his bare hands or would pull their underwear up tight, as if doing a wedgie, then use the underwear as a shield between his hand and the anal area.   The lawsuit says during the gloved incident, Coleman asked Vagnini if he had a search warrant, and the officer laughed.

James Ashford claims he was subjected to six illegal searches over a six month period starting in the summer of 2011. At one point, he, his mother and other relatives met with a District Five lieutenant to complain that Ashford was being harassed.  According to the lawsuit, the lieutenant told Ashford he should stay out of certain neighborhoods, and never acknowledged that the officers’ actions, including the warrant-less, public rectal searches, were inappropriate, or that the officers would be investigated or disciplined.
The Charges

After the long official silence, Police Chief Ed Flynn made public condemnations of the charged officers.  “Quite frankly, I’m disgusted by the willful actions by some of the officers in our Police Department.  And I’m appalled by the willful inaction of some other officers in our police department in failing to stop egregious conduct,” said Flynn.

In October 2012, the following charges were levied:

    against Michael Vagnini, 25 charges including a sexual assault charge;
    against Jeffrey Dollhopf, 3 felony counts of misconduct in public office, 1 felony count of false imprisonment, 1 count of being a party to an illegal cavity search, and 1 count of being a party to an illegal strip search;
    against Jacob Knight, 1 count of misconduct in public office and 1 count of being a party to the crime of an illegal cavity search;
    against Brian Kozelek, 2 count of misconduct in public office, 1 count of false imprisonment, and 1 count of being a party to the crime of an illegal strip search.

“Everybody involved has been on the force long enough to know better.  There’s no way you can justify it as some kind of inadvertent mistake.  The allegations are proven beyond a reasonable doubt and show inexcusable conduct,” Chief Flynn stated in a press conference.

Wisconsin law prohibits police officers from ever being involved in body cavity searches, regardless of probable cause.  This kind of abuse is delegated to professionals like doctors and nurses, according to Wisconsin Statute § 968.255 (3).  And they may be only performed after a search warrant has been obtained.

Officer James Stewart Arrested for DUI

 Springfield police officer James Stewart, a 15-year-veteran of the force, was arrested for driving under the influence early Saturday morning while off duty, according to a press release issued by the city Monday.

    Officers responded to a disabled vehicle in the 1600 block of Stevenson Drive where they saw Stewart behind the wheel of a vehicle.

    Stewart was arrested for DUI and taken to Sangamon County Jail. He is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of both the criminal and internal investigation, the press release stated.

    “The police department takes these allegations seriously, and it is an unfortunate situation,” Chief Kenny Winslow said in a statement. “As officers we are held to a higher standard. I remind you that Stewart, like everyone else, is entitled to his rights under the law.”

    Stewart’s lawyer, Dan Fultz, said Monday his client is concerned about the allegations and asks the public to let the investigation run its course.

    Stewart works in the field operations division.

Former Detention Officer Lauren Sandefer Arrested for Giving Vodka to Inmate

A former Harris County Sheriff's Office detention officer faces charges after authorities say she gave vodka and tobacco to a jail inmate.

Lauren Sandefer, 25, is charged with bringing a prohibited item into a correctional facility. She was arrested on Monday and bail was set at $5,000.

The sheriff's office says Sandefer was hired in April of 2013 and fired in February 2014 for smuggling contraband into the jail last September. Officials say she also let an inmate use her cell phone.

Authorities say Sandefer is the third former Harris County Jail detention officer charged with a crime this year for delivering contraband to inmates.

"My message has been clear all along. Anyone who commits a crime while guarding others accused of crimes will face the same brand of justice as the inmates," Sheriff Adrian Garcia said. "That is one of the many ways we run the nation’s third largest jail as a public safety facility accountable to the taxpayers and other law-abiding members of the public."

The department's Office of Internal Affairs is continuing to search for any evidence of delivery of jail contraband or other illegal conduct by staff.

"Fortunately more than 99 percent of our employees are honest, diligent and hard-working," Garcia continued. "It’s just a shame that the actions of a miniscule number of people put their co-workers' hard-earned, positive reputation at risk."

The sheriff's office says jail employees are no longer allowed to bring personal phones into the jail without special permission, nor can they bring in heavy bags such as backpacks.

Cpl Justin Cherry Charged with Misconduct

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced the arrest of Cpl. Justin Cherry of the Tuckerton Borough Police Department.  Cherry is charged with official misconduct, a second degree crime, and aggravated assault, a third degree crime. He surrendered in the presence of his attorney, Robert W. Rosenberg on Wednesday.

The charges stem from Cherry’s involvement in the arrest of a 57 year-old Barnegat Township resident in Barnegat on January 29, 2014.  The woman allegedly failed to stop after Cherry activated his police vehicle’s emergency lights while the woman was driving in Tuckerton.  The woman drove from Tuckerton to the parking lot of the Barnegat Township Municipal Complex where she was taken into custody by two officers from the Barnegat Police Department.  It is alleged that Cherry was present in Barnegat at the scene of her arrest and unjustifiably allowed his K-9 to attack and bite the woman. It is also alleged that Cherry falsified his police reports in an effort to conceal or justify his improper actions.

Cherry’s bail was set at $15,000 no 10% by the Honorable Francis R. Hodgson, Jr., J.S.C.  Cherry posted bail and was released pending further court proceedings.

Former Officer George Edward Hopper Charged with Stealing from FOP

 A former Muncie police officer has been charged with stealing more than $26,000 from a Fraternal Order of Police lodge while he served as treasurer.

The Star Press reports 40-year-old George Edward Hopper turned himself in at the Delaware County jail on Friday and was released after posting a $5,000 bond.

Hopper could not be reached for comment because the telephone listing for him had been disconnected. It was not known if he has hired an attorney.

Hopper resigned the Muncie Police Department in March 2013, after FOP officials launched an investigation into missing funds. He had been a police officer for nearly 15 years.

Court documents show Hopper previously repaid $12,000, and Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold said the former officer paid an additional $14,000 in restitution Friday.

Officer David Reece Charged with Residential Entry and Battery

An IMPD officer was arrested Friday night on charges of residential entry and battery, police officials have confirmed.

Indianapolis Police Officer David Reece was taken into custody Friday night after a disturbance on the 8800 block of William Penn Circle, near the intersection of 75th Street and Sargent Road just north of Lawrence.

According to a statement issued Saturday, witness accounts and observations made by IMPD detectives led to the arrest of Reece, 45, on two counts of battery and one count of residential entry.

Police said Reece was taken into custody without incident.

IMPD spokesman Officer Christopher Wilburn said Reece has been suspended without pay pending the results of an internal investigation.

In September, Reece and his partner Officer Jason Scott were lauded after they purchased new bikes for two young children who'd had theirs stolen.

Former Chief David Phillips & Officer Carrie Ann Murray Charged with Theft

A former police chief and police officer were arrested and charged with theft in office, the Lake County Prosecuting Attorney said today.

Former Timberlake Police Chief David Phillips and former Timberlake Police Officer Carrie Ann Murray are in the Lake County jail, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Both have been charged with two counts of theft from office, and Phillips was also charged with two counts of tampering with records. The indictment charges that the thefts occurred in October of last year.

Officer Josh George Arrested for Stalking Child

The Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) arrested Josh D. George, 30, earlier today for Internet stalking of a child in the Kroger parking lot on Salem Rd in Conway.

The investigation started this week when Mr. George and an undercover investigator acting as a mother of two children ages 9 and 12 started chatting online.

After a couple of days of chatting, Mr. George asked to meet up with the mother and her children for sexual purposes.

The undercover investigator met with Mr. George at the Kroger on Salem Rd where he was arrested.

Mr. George is currently employed with The Department of Community Corrections in Little Rock as a Correctional Officer and a part time Patrol Officer at Guy Police Department. 

He was also employed at the Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in 2007 until he was later terminated May, 2013.

He was rehired in 2013 as a Detention Officer and quit one month later in October, 2013.

The Investigation is ongoing and Mr. George is being held with No Bond until his first appearance on Monday 04/14/14.

Trooper Sgt. Ricky Vitte Jr Indicted for Masturbating With Pre-Teen Boy

An Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper accused of masturbating with a pre-teen boy while the pair watched pornography was indicted this week by a Sandusky County grand jury, months after officials dropped the investigation and said they would not pursue charges.

Sgt. Ricky Vitte Jr., 34, of the 900 block of County Road 42 in Helena, was charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles — one felony count and one misdemeanor.

If convicted of the fourth-degree felony, he could serve six to 18 months in prison and pay a $5,000 fine. If convicted on the misdemeanor, he could see up to 180 days behind bars and a $1,000 fine.

The Highway Patrol placed Vitte on paid administrative leave Wednesday morning, after they learned of the indictment. They have also launched an administrative investigation into the alleged sex acts, said Sgt. Vincent Shirey, an assistant Patrol spokesman.

The goal of the investigation: “Just to do a thorough investigation on the allegations and see what’s true and what’s false and what exactly happened,” Shirey said.

Sandusky County assistant prosecutor Norman Solze offered few additional details on the decision to pursue charges, other than saying Sandusky County prosecutor Tom Stierwalt was the prosecutor assigned to the case.

Solze added, however, that the decision to present the case to a grand jury was made collaboratively by employees in the prosecutor’s office, and not by Stierwalt himself.

The indictment comes after about three months of conflicting information presented by public officials associated with the case.

In January, Stierwalt said he declined to charge the trooper because Vitte could argue he was teaching the boy about sex. In a police report, however, Sandusky County detective Sean O’Connell said Stierwalt’s reasoning for not charging Vitte was due to the length of time that had elapsed since the alleged incident, and the lack of physical evidence.

Ohio State Highway Patrol employees had also offered murky answers about the overall case, as well as the Patrol’s stance on Vitte’s employment and the status of an administrative investigation.

In late February, Ohio Department of Public Safety spokesman Joseph Andrews said there was nothing the Patrol could do in Vitte’s case, unless charges were filed.

— RECENT ALLEGATIONS

Sandusky County deputies began investigating Vitte late last year, after the boy and his mother spoke to Erie County Job and Family Services.

On two occasions about five years ago, Vitte allegedly showed the child porn videos while he and the boy masturbated in the same room, the boy, now a teen, told social workers. When confronted with the allegations, Vitte told the boy’s mother he was teaching him about alternatives to sexual intercourse, according to O’Connell’s report.

A brief criminal investigation ensued, during which O’Connell never interviewed Vitte.

O’Connell did, however, go to Vitte’s home in an attempt to interview him, but when Vitte arrived in his Patrol cruiser and spotted the deputy’s cruiser parked outside, he sped off, the report said.

Vitte allegedly led O’Connell on a mile-long chase before pulling over and saying he needed to talk with his attorney, Dean Henry, the report said.

For his part, Henry has been working with O’Connell and Stierwalt for more than a year as a special prosecutor for the Sandusky County prosecutor’s office.

— RAP SHEET

This recent indictment is not Vitte’s first run-in with the law outside of his duties as a trooper.

In 2003 he was charged with domestic violence after he allegedly beat a 5-year-old boy until his buttocks were bruised and bleeding, then head-butted the boy’s mother when she became upset, according to a police report.

Henry successfully defended Vitte in that case, pleading down his domestic violence charge to a lesser charge of child endangering.

Word of Vitte’s violent tendencies resurfaced late last year when social workers spoke with his children. The children told investigators they saw their father punch holes in walls and doors during violent fits of rage. At other times, they watched Vitte drag their mother into another room by her arm and yell at her, the report stated.

Deputy Henry Ford Arrested for Child Abuse

An Adams County sheriff’s deputy arrested on child abuse charges appeared in court on Tuesday to be formally charged.

Henry Ford, 37, is accused of sexually assaulting a child. The alleged incident happened in an unincorporated part of Adams County. Ford worked in the jail division and had been with the sheriff’s office for eight years.

Police do not believe there are any other victims.

Officer Christopher Hancock Arrested for Threating to Burn Down his Home

A Newport News Police officer facing felony charges after police say he threatened to burn down his home has been arrested again for violating a protective order

30-year old Christopher B. Hancock was originally arrested on Tuesday, April 8th at Newport News Police Headquarters after a five day investigation.

Detectives say it stemmed from a domestic incident that occurred with his wife at their Denbigh area home. Police say during an argument, Hancock threatened to burn their house down. A Newport News Police spokesperson said the department was notified of the incident after his wife filed a protective order with the court magistrate.

Police say Hancock was arrested at police headquarters Tuesday afternoon, charged with felony threats to burn. He was released later that day.

He was arrested again on Thursday at Police Headquarters in reference to violating a protective order. He was placed in the custody of the Newport News City Jail.

The circumstances surrounding the second arrest were not released.

NewsChannel 3 spoke to neighbors who live nearby, they say they felt safe knowing a police officer lived just across the street, that was, until they heard the news.

“You depend on the police and I was just kind of secure,” said neighbor Regina Pugh. “You depend you can go over there and I hate to think that I couldn’t for whatever reason.”

Hancock joined the Newport News Police Department on July 16, 2011 and was assigned as a patrol officer. He is presently on unpaid administrative leave.

Corrections Officer John Padgett Charged with Impregnating Teen Cousin

A corrections officer in Baker County was arrested Wednesday for allegedly impregnating his 15-year-old cousin.

John Wesley Padgett, 30, was charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a person under 16 years old, a second-degree felony, according to the Baker County Sheriff's Office.

The crime was reported by the victim's mother in January, according to BCSO.

The victim, now 16 years old, was a 10th grade student when the alleged encounter occurred in August 2013.

Padgett, who is married, works at the Baker Correctional Institute Department of Corrections in Sanderson.

The alleged victim told investigators with the BCSO that she had sex with a stranger who gave her a ride home from school.

During a call recorded by BCSO, Padgett admitted to the victim's mother that he had sex with the victim, according to the offense report.

When interviewed by investigators, Padgett denied any inappropriate sexual relations, according to the report.

A DNA oral swab was taken from Padgett and placed into evidence. A test will be conducted on the child once it is born in May, according to BCSO.

After his arrest Padgett was booked in the Baker County Detention Center.

Detention Officer Pete Gomez Arrested for Asking Inmate to Expose Herself

A detention officer at Coconino County Detention Facility was arrested Wednesday after allegedly acting inappropriately with a female inmate.

Flagstaff police say 50-year-old Pete Gomez asked a female inmate to expose herself to him.

The woman told a staff member about the incident and Coconino County Sheriff's deputies began an investigation.

Gomez was arrested on one count of unlawful sexual conduct in a correctional facility.

Police say Gomez has worked at the detention center for five years and is on administrative leave.

Officer Ryan Robinson Arrested for Drunk Driving

A Miami-Dade Police officer has been arrested after allegedly driving drunk and crashing into a parked car, striking a shopping cart with two children inside and attempting to flee.

According to Miami-Dade Police, last Saturday, at around 8:22 p.m., 41-year-old Miami-Dade Police officer Ryan Robinson was off-duty when he was driving his 1997 GMC truck inside a shopping plaza in Cutler Bay. He struck the grocery store shopping cart with two children sitting inside after he had hit a parked car. "He hit the cart, and he still kept going," said the father of the children, Manny Garcia. "He was trying to get away from the accident."

Robinson hit the shopping cart the father was pushing with his two small girls, ages 3 and 6, inside of it. The father said the shopping cart fell to its side and the two small girls fell out and suffered minor injuries. "My whole world stopped right there," said Garcia. "I see my two kids on the floor."

Patricia Menzies prevented the officer from leaving scene. "I saw the girls on the floor, and I heard the screaming," she said.

She said she was determined to not let him leave the parking lot and blocked his car in, just as he tried to accelerate from the scene.

The mother of the two girls said the whole ordeal was very frightening. "It was her leg, and my other daughter who is in school right now, it was her head and on her cheek and nose, but they are both fine."

Garcia said he could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from Robinson. He could also see his red, bloodshot, watery eyes. "He was so drunk that he just fell on the floor, so I was like, yo, sit down. He was like, 'Oh, I'm sorry.' I just told him, yo, sit down."

When police arrived on the scene they arrested Robinson for driving under the influence. In the arrest affidavit, police wrote they noticed an "odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath and bloodshot watery eyes."

Garcia recorded cell phone video of the driver, as he took a sobriety test. "Look, he can't even lift his leg," a voice could be heard saying on the video.

Garcia said his daughters now have a fear of police. "I couldn't believe it, the people that are supposed to protect us are the ones that are hurting us."

In 2007, Robinson was part of a police-involved shooting where two unarmed men were killed in Miami after they were pulled over for speeding. He was exonerated by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office in that case.

In 2013, he was temporarily relieved of duty after a bottle of vodka was found in his patrol car. In this case, he has been relieved of duty with pay and faces DUI charges.

Former Officer Michael South Arrested for Burglary

A former officer with the Grover Beach and Atascadero police departments was arrested on burglary, elder abuse and possession of stolen property charges on March 31.

Michael Glen South, 57, is accused of using his position as the security director of the University Village senior living community in Thousand Oaks to burglarize homes. Because of possible emergency issues with seniors, South had key access to each residence.

Following up on a tip, officers served a search warrant at South’s home where they discovered multiple items believed to be stolen including guns, jewelry and medications.

In 2007, Atascadero fired South for sexual harassment and lying during a background check. Prior to working for Atascadero, South had been employed as a Grover Beach police officer from 1995 to 2002.

Officer Ralph Mata Arrested For Murder for Hire Plot

A Miami-Dade police officer responsible for investigating police misconduct has been busted for allegedly organizing a murder-for-hire plot and cross-country drug trafficking.

Ralph Mata, an internal affairs officer known as "The Milk Man," was arrested in Miami Gardens on Tuesday after authorities say they uncovered his role in trafficking cocaine from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey.

According to the criminal complaint the 45-year-old’s associated drug traffickers were moving narcotics when rival dealers threatened to kill Mata's co-conspirators.

Those members, whom he had outfitted with firearms, were paying Mata thousands of dollars in cash for his help, in addition to giving him a Rolex watch valued at $10,000, according to the complaint.

Mata allegedly went to work by orchestrating a Hollywood style murder plot involving assassins disguised in uniforms and badges.

When his two targets were pulled over by what they'd think were law enforcement officers, they'd instead be shot.

"Mata arranged to pay two assassins $150,000 per target. Ultimately, the [drug trafficking organization] decided not to move forward with the murder plot, but Mata still received a payment for setting up the meetings," according to the complaint.

Mata's long rap includes aiding in the distribution of cocaine, organizing a murder-for-hire plot, providing firearms and sensitive law enforcement information to drug traffickers, and facilitating the transport of drug proceeds, according to New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

He's charged with one count each of aiding and abetting a conspiracy to distribute cocaine; conspiring to distribute cocaine; and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity-specifically, drug proceeds.

Each of the narcotics charges face him with a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.

The transaction involving drug proceeds carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.