A San Diego police officer who was arrested last month on accusations he beat his wife has been arrested a second time on similar charges.
A San Diego police officer who was arrested last month on accusations he beat his wife has been arrested a second time on similar charges.
Thirty-one-year-old Gilbert Anthony Lorenzo was taken into custody late Monday night and booked into the San Diego Jail just before 11:30 p.m. on charges of inflicting corporal injury on spouse/cohabitant. His bail was set at $50,000. The circumstances of the arrest were not confirmed.
Lorenzo was initially arrested April 23 at his Le Mesa home on suspicion of felony domestic battery. He was immediately suspended without pay by San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman.
At the time, his wife, Tanya Lorenzo, told 10News that the incident was blown out of proportion. She said the police department "mutilated my husband in public."
"It was a situation that got out of control," she said last month. "It was just an argument that got a little bit more out of control than it should have."
Now, she is no longer defending her husband. She told 10News she was dropping their children off at the Spring Valley home where Lorenzo is staying when he attacked her.
She said her husband was drunk when he "went off." She claims the suspended San Diego police officer bit her and tried to strangle her.
"I could feel my neck cracking," she recounted, saying it was the first time she had ever felt that he was putting her life in danger. "I think if someone didn't come forward to pull him off me I would have been dead."
It is a totally different story than the one her twin sister, Jody Klemme, told 10News. Klemme said she spoke to Officer Lorenzo after he bailed out of jail. She said he claimed his wife was the aggressor who forced her way into his house attacking his groin area.
"I've been around their arguments when they've fought," said Klemme. "My sister, she is the type of person that you get in an argument with her, she will keep pushing and pushing the limit. So I don't personally think that he would lay his hands on her. He is not that type of person. He's a good guy."
Tanya Lorenzo said her sister is a liar, who does not know what really happened.
She also admitted that she did not tell the truth when she claimed her husband did not beat her in April, when he was arrested for domestic violence. She now says the bruise mark on her cheek was the result of that incident.
"I lied to save my family and help him keep his job," Mrs. Lorenzo said. "That's over now."
Lorenzo posted bail and was released just before 6 a.m. When asked for comment on the charges, he only responded, "The system sucks."
Lorenzo is a seven-year veteran of the police department. His first court hearing on the new charges is scheduled for May 13 in San Diego County Superior Court in El Cajon.
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Monday, May 05, 2014
Officer Jamarie Flowers Arrested for Firing Weapon in Air
An off-duty NYPD officer is the second officer in less than a week to get in trouble for allegedly firing his weapon in Westchester.
New Rochelle police say Officer Jamarie Flowers, 25, was involved in an argument in front of the Carrington Arms apartment complex at 33 Lincoln Ave. just after 1 a.m. Investigators say Flowers fired several rounds from his handgun into the air during the argument.
New Rochelle Police Capt. Joseph Schaller says Flowers used a semi-automatic personal handgun that was not his service weapon.
"As the dispute concluded, he pulled out a gun and let several rounds go into the air," says Schaller.
Flowers was arrested in his apartment at the complex and was charged with reckless endangerment.
No one was injured and there was no property damage.
Flowers was released on $10,000 bail. He has also been suspended from the NYPD without pay.
He is due back in court June 2.
Last Tuesday, Officer Brendan Cronin, 27, allegedly fired shots from his parked car and hit a man at a stoplight with six bullets.
The victim is recovering and Cronin was charged with felony assault.
New Rochelle police say Officer Jamarie Flowers, 25, was involved in an argument in front of the Carrington Arms apartment complex at 33 Lincoln Ave. just after 1 a.m. Investigators say Flowers fired several rounds from his handgun into the air during the argument.
New Rochelle Police Capt. Joseph Schaller says Flowers used a semi-automatic personal handgun that was not his service weapon.
"As the dispute concluded, he pulled out a gun and let several rounds go into the air," says Schaller.
Flowers was arrested in his apartment at the complex and was charged with reckless endangerment.
No one was injured and there was no property damage.
Flowers was released on $10,000 bail. He has also been suspended from the NYPD without pay.
He is due back in court June 2.
Last Tuesday, Officer Brendan Cronin, 27, allegedly fired shots from his parked car and hit a man at a stoplight with six bullets.
The victim is recovering and Cronin was charged with felony assault.
Officer Bryan Horowitz Charged with DUI
A Broadway police officer arrested a Harrisonburg police officer on Saturday and charged him with driving under the influence.
Officer Bryan Horowitz, 36, is charged with misdemeanor DUI and misdemeanor refusing a Breathalyzer test. Horowitz is the leader of the CHARGE Gang Task Force.
According to the criminal complaint, the deputy was traveling west on Lee Street in Broadway when an eastbound vehicle drove by going 52 mph in a 35 mph zone.
The officer, according to the complaint, turned around and saw the car turn right on Main Street and pull into the Backstage Video parking lot.
"I could see the male driver was getting out of the driver side and a female getting out of the passenger set and attempting to switch places," the officer wrote.
After approaching the pair, the officer alleged, he smelled alcohol on Horowitz. He also alleged that Horowitz slurred his speech.
"I asked him if he had anything to drink and he did not answer me," the complaint states.
The officer noted in the complaint that an open Corona beer bottle was in the front cup holder.
Horowitz refused to take field sobriety tests, the criminal complaint alleges.
The complaint did not say what time the officer arrested Horowitz.
Former Officer Michael Setiawan Arrested for Vandalism
A former New York City police officer was arrested over the weekend for allegedly spray-painting anti-Semitic messages on buildings and cars in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.
A school building and 20 private homes and vehicles were splattered with red paint and messages of hate Saturday in what the Jewish Forward dubbed a “vandalism spree.”
Michael Setiawan, 36, a former police officer for New York City’s 69th precinct, was reportedly arrested Sunday and accused of posting the graffiti.
An individual alleged to be Setiawan was caught on a surveillance camera painting the door of the Bnos Zion Bobov School. See footage below:
http://youtu.be/Pk4KbugH410
The messages left on the buildings reportedly included swastikas and terms including “F*** you Jew” and “Jew cheap s***.”
The community was rattled over the incident, with locals and officials decrying the acts.
“Hate is not a Brooklyn value, and I repudiate any lowlife individual who would spread their prejudiced invective,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said.
Setiawan, who was reportedly sent for a mental evaluation following his arrest, is being charged with hate crimes, including 19 counts of criminal mischief and aggravated harassment, according to the New York Daily News.
A young boy reported the suspect after he said he saw him spray-painting a car and took down his license plate as he drove away.
Setiawan’s father, Thomas, told media that his son suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts after leaving the NYPD in 2007, though he said the family is unsure why he left the force
A school building and 20 private homes and vehicles were splattered with red paint and messages of hate Saturday in what the Jewish Forward dubbed a “vandalism spree.”
Michael Setiawan, 36, a former police officer for New York City’s 69th precinct, was reportedly arrested Sunday and accused of posting the graffiti.
An individual alleged to be Setiawan was caught on a surveillance camera painting the door of the Bnos Zion Bobov School. See footage below:
http://youtu.be/Pk4KbugH410
The messages left on the buildings reportedly included swastikas and terms including “F*** you Jew” and “Jew cheap s***.”
The community was rattled over the incident, with locals and officials decrying the acts.
“Hate is not a Brooklyn value, and I repudiate any lowlife individual who would spread their prejudiced invective,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said.
Setiawan, who was reportedly sent for a mental evaluation following his arrest, is being charged with hate crimes, including 19 counts of criminal mischief and aggravated harassment, according to the New York Daily News.
A young boy reported the suspect after he said he saw him spray-painting a car and took down his license plate as he drove away.
Setiawan’s father, Thomas, told media that his son suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts after leaving the NYPD in 2007, though he said the family is unsure why he left the force
Officer Sean Ulitin Arrested for DUI
An off-duty Napa police officer was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and hit and run Saturday night, after he allegedly lost control of his Ford F250 truck on Monticello Road, struck a large tree, rolled his vehicle over and hit a parked car that was pushed into a home.
According to the California Highway Patrol, driver Sean Ulitin, 37, of Napa, registered more than three times the legal blood alcohol limit on two breathalyzer tests that were administered by the CHP at the scene.
CHP Sgt. William Bradshaw said Ulitin blew a 0.26 and a 0.28 blood alcohol level shortly after the crash. The legal limit is 0.08.
Ulitin reportedly sustained minor injuries at the scene and was arrested on charges of hit and run and DUI. No one else was injured in the crash.
According to the CHP collision report, Ulitin was traveling southbound at an unknown rate of speed at about 9:40 p.m. Saturday, when he made what CHP officers described as an “unsafe turning movement.” Because of the movement, Ulitin's truck reportedly traveled off the west edge of Monticello Road, struck a large tree and then rolled over.
Ulitin’s upside down white Ford truck continued to slide after rolling over, crashing into a Volkswagen that was parked in the driveway of a residence on Monticello Road, before coming to rest. According to officers, the force of Ulitin’s truck pushed the Volkswagen into the southeast corner of the owner’s Monticello Road home.
Ulitin was then reportedly helped out of his truck by residents who witnessed the crash. While they attempted to check on Ulitin’s welfare, he allegedly refused to stay until authorities arrived, fleeing northbound on Monticello Road on foot. One of the residents followed Ulitin and alerted officers to his location, just north of the scene, said the CHP. Upon finding Ulitin, officers took him into custody and arrested him for DUI and hit and run.
According to a Monticello Road resident who witnessed others trying to detain Ulitin, he was visibly intoxicated and obviously trying to flee the scene.
“A couple of guys were trying to stop him from leaving after they helped him out of the car,” said the neighbor, who asked not to be named. “They told him he needed to sit down because he could be hurt, but he refused to listen. The neighbors eventually let him go and he ran northbound on Monticello.”
Napa Police Capt. Jeff Troendly confirmed that a Napa police officer was involved in an alleged DUI collision on Saturday, but refused to discuss the incident further, citing personnel and privacy constraints. He referred further questions to the CHP.
Bradshaw said the investigation is ongoing and that the final incident report has yet to be completed. He declined to comment further on the case until the final report is completed.
Napa Mayor Jill Techel said Monday afternoon that while she couldn't comment on the specifics of the incident -- also citing personnel matters -- she wondered if the city could do more to educate people on how to keep themselves safe.
"Knowing the signs of when you need to stay home and not go out is something we need to educate people on," she said.
The Register attempted to determine Ulitin's status as a city employee. Police Chief Rich Melton could not be reached for comment.
According to the California Highway Patrol, driver Sean Ulitin, 37, of Napa, registered more than three times the legal blood alcohol limit on two breathalyzer tests that were administered by the CHP at the scene.
CHP Sgt. William Bradshaw said Ulitin blew a 0.26 and a 0.28 blood alcohol level shortly after the crash. The legal limit is 0.08.
Ulitin reportedly sustained minor injuries at the scene and was arrested on charges of hit and run and DUI. No one else was injured in the crash.
According to the CHP collision report, Ulitin was traveling southbound at an unknown rate of speed at about 9:40 p.m. Saturday, when he made what CHP officers described as an “unsafe turning movement.” Because of the movement, Ulitin's truck reportedly traveled off the west edge of Monticello Road, struck a large tree and then rolled over.
Ulitin’s upside down white Ford truck continued to slide after rolling over, crashing into a Volkswagen that was parked in the driveway of a residence on Monticello Road, before coming to rest. According to officers, the force of Ulitin’s truck pushed the Volkswagen into the southeast corner of the owner’s Monticello Road home.
Ulitin was then reportedly helped out of his truck by residents who witnessed the crash. While they attempted to check on Ulitin’s welfare, he allegedly refused to stay until authorities arrived, fleeing northbound on Monticello Road on foot. One of the residents followed Ulitin and alerted officers to his location, just north of the scene, said the CHP. Upon finding Ulitin, officers took him into custody and arrested him for DUI and hit and run.
According to a Monticello Road resident who witnessed others trying to detain Ulitin, he was visibly intoxicated and obviously trying to flee the scene.
“A couple of guys were trying to stop him from leaving after they helped him out of the car,” said the neighbor, who asked not to be named. “They told him he needed to sit down because he could be hurt, but he refused to listen. The neighbors eventually let him go and he ran northbound on Monticello.”
Napa Police Capt. Jeff Troendly confirmed that a Napa police officer was involved in an alleged DUI collision on Saturday, but refused to discuss the incident further, citing personnel and privacy constraints. He referred further questions to the CHP.
Bradshaw said the investigation is ongoing and that the final incident report has yet to be completed. He declined to comment further on the case until the final report is completed.
Napa Mayor Jill Techel said Monday afternoon that while she couldn't comment on the specifics of the incident -- also citing personnel matters -- she wondered if the city could do more to educate people on how to keep themselves safe.
"Knowing the signs of when you need to stay home and not go out is something we need to educate people on," she said.
The Register attempted to determine Ulitin's status as a city employee. Police Chief Rich Melton could not be reached for comment.
Sunday, May 04, 2014
Officer Jamarie Flowers Arrested for Firing Gun into the Air
An off-duty NYPD cop was arrested early Saturday after he allegedly fired several shots into the air in New Rochelle.
Police said Jamarie Flowers, 25, fired his gun after getting into a verbal dispute outside the Carrington Arms apartment building on Lincoln Avenue.
No one was injured, but Flowers was charged with first degree reckless endangerment.
This is just the latest NYPD officer to be arrested for acting recklessly.
Earlier in the week officer Brendan Cronin was arrested, accused of shooting a man six times in Pelham.
He allegedly fired more than a dozen bullets.
Cronin reportedly was at an NYPD shooting range earlier that day before going to a bar.
He refused to take a breathalyzer test.
In late April, an NYPD detective accidentally shot his partner in the wrist.
He was charged with driving while intoxicated.
Police said Jamarie Flowers, 25, fired his gun after getting into a verbal dispute outside the Carrington Arms apartment building on Lincoln Avenue.
No one was injured, but Flowers was charged with first degree reckless endangerment.
This is just the latest NYPD officer to be arrested for acting recklessly.
Earlier in the week officer Brendan Cronin was arrested, accused of shooting a man six times in Pelham.
He allegedly fired more than a dozen bullets.
Cronin reportedly was at an NYPD shooting range earlier that day before going to a bar.
He refused to take a breathalyzer test.
In late April, an NYPD detective accidentally shot his partner in the wrist.
He was charged with driving while intoxicated.
Officer John McCavitt Arrested for Child Porn
A Peoria police officer faces child pornography charges less than two months after a jury acquitted him of sexually assaulting an adult woman.
John McCavitt, 32, 1710 W. Westaire Ave., already has been released from the Peoria County Jail after posting $5,000 bond on seven counts of aggravated child pornography and three counts of possession of child porn. Illicit images allegedly were found while Peoria police were investigating an alleged sexual assault last July.
The charges were handed down April 23 but sealed until Monday, when McCavitt turned himself in to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office.
Kevin Sullivan, who represents McCavitt, said his client denies the charges.
“My client denies he’s ever downloaded, received or viewed child pornography,” he said.
State’s Attorney Jerry Brady declined to comment, saying the matter was a pending case and a pending investigation.
According to the charges, McCavitt had possession of some or all of the images from April 2011 until January 2013. An affidavit for a search warrant, which was filed in the Peoria County Circuit Clerk’s Office on Monday, indicated two images involved girls ages 6 and 10. In all, the search warrant stated, 53 images allegedly were found to be in McCavitt’s possession.
Investigators also allegedly found evidence of McCavitt using search engines to find child porn as well as him visiting child porn Web sites.
It’s the third time McCavitt, a veteran of the Peoria Police Department since 2007, has faced charges. He initially was charged with sexual assault but was acquitted in March.
In that case, he was accused of assaulting a woman he had been out drinking with last July. The victim told jurors she went to sleep and woke up in restraints. She then told jurors she was assaulted by McCavitt, who said the sex was consensual.
Then, last month, he was accused of unauthorized videotaping for allegedly recording a different woman in March 2013.
Those charges as well as the child pornography counts came about through an internal department investigation which began after McCavitt was acquitted. That’s standard procedure for the Police Department, which waits until a criminal case has concluded before conducting its own internal investigation.
The affidavit also alleged that investigators found images of partially naked women as well as men and women using a bathroom; facts that appear to go with the unauthorized videotaping counts.
A grand jury has not met to hear the allegations against McCavitt on the videotaping charges, which carry a possible three-year prison term.
The child porn charges are more serious and could send McCavitt to prison for up to seven years. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the counts on May 22.
McCavitt was moved from paid to unpaid leave on Monday, pending the outcome of the criminal cases and any subsequent internal investigation, said Sullivan.
Previous Arrest
John McCavitt, 32, 1710 W. Westaire Ave., already has been released from the Peoria County Jail after posting $5,000 bond on seven counts of aggravated child pornography and three counts of possession of child porn. Illicit images allegedly were found while Peoria police were investigating an alleged sexual assault last July.
The charges were handed down April 23 but sealed until Monday, when McCavitt turned himself in to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office.
Kevin Sullivan, who represents McCavitt, said his client denies the charges.
“My client denies he’s ever downloaded, received or viewed child pornography,” he said.
State’s Attorney Jerry Brady declined to comment, saying the matter was a pending case and a pending investigation.
According to the charges, McCavitt had possession of some or all of the images from April 2011 until January 2013. An affidavit for a search warrant, which was filed in the Peoria County Circuit Clerk’s Office on Monday, indicated two images involved girls ages 6 and 10. In all, the search warrant stated, 53 images allegedly were found to be in McCavitt’s possession.
Investigators also allegedly found evidence of McCavitt using search engines to find child porn as well as him visiting child porn Web sites.
It’s the third time McCavitt, a veteran of the Peoria Police Department since 2007, has faced charges. He initially was charged with sexual assault but was acquitted in March.
In that case, he was accused of assaulting a woman he had been out drinking with last July. The victim told jurors she went to sleep and woke up in restraints. She then told jurors she was assaulted by McCavitt, who said the sex was consensual.
Then, last month, he was accused of unauthorized videotaping for allegedly recording a different woman in March 2013.
Those charges as well as the child pornography counts came about through an internal department investigation which began after McCavitt was acquitted. That’s standard procedure for the Police Department, which waits until a criminal case has concluded before conducting its own internal investigation.
The affidavit also alleged that investigators found images of partially naked women as well as men and women using a bathroom; facts that appear to go with the unauthorized videotaping counts.
A grand jury has not met to hear the allegations against McCavitt on the videotaping charges, which carry a possible three-year prison term.
The child porn charges are more serious and could send McCavitt to prison for up to seven years. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the counts on May 22.
McCavitt was moved from paid to unpaid leave on Monday, pending the outcome of the criminal cases and any subsequent internal investigation, said Sullivan.
Previous Arrest
Saturday, May 03, 2014
Deputy Sheriff Joseph Quiles' Arrest SOBER Woman After He Crashes Into Her Car
Tanya Weyker’s Camry was allegedly struck by Milwaukee County Deputy Sheriff Joseph Quiles’ patrol car last February and she suffered a broken neck in the collision.
Since she was unable to blow into a breathalyzer due to her injuries, Quiles charged Weyker with OWI despite causing the crash himself.
“She was in traction and just sitting there. She was crying and said they accused her, they arrested her and accused her of something she didn’t do,” Weyker’s mother told WITI-TV.
Blood tests later revealed that Weyker had no alcohol or drugs in her system at the time of the crash and the district attorney declined to file charges.
Weyker has filed a complaint against Quiles and is trying to get her medical bills paid. A civil suit against the county is also a possibility.
Quiles has since admitted he was at fault and was suspended for nine days.
Hammond Cop Abuses k9
A Hammond, Indiana police officer was placed on administrative leave this week after video surfaced on YouTube allegedly showing the cop abusing his K-9 partner.
The man shooting the video of the alleged abuse could not believe what he was seeing.
“Look at him…” said the man shooting the video.
His reaction, so filled with profanity, FOX 32 News had to mute the sound.
The director of the local humane society was also troubled, especially with the abuser being a cop.
“It was pretty hard to watch. I was trying to think of some reason why this would happen and there wasn't one that has come to mind still, so it was pretty hard to watch,” said Rachel Delaney, the Executive Director of the Humane Society Calumet area.
The man with the cell phone, who was watching a traffic stop outside his friend's window, did not want to comment. He was afraid of police retaliation.
The video has blown up on social media, from 850 views early this afternoon to more than 35,000 five hours later.
Hammond Police did not respond to FOX 32 News requests for a response, but the mayor acted quickly after seeing the video himself.
Tom McDermott said in a statement that the officer in question was put on administrative leave immediately and his K-9 partner had been taken away from him pending further police investigation.
“Anybody who loves dogs as much as I do is always saddened and shocked anytime you hear of a dog's abuse. When you find out it happened with an employee of yours, it makes it that much more shocking and disturbing,” McDermott added.
Many people in the neighborhood were also alarmed by the video, including a young man who saw it for the first time when FOX 32 showed it to him right near where it happened.
“It's not something someone should be doing to a dog because sometimes people look at dogs like their humans, and that's almost like seeing one of your family members get beat up or something like that,” said neighbor Montarey Harris.
The man shooting the video of the alleged abuse could not believe what he was seeing.
“Look at him…” said the man shooting the video.
His reaction, so filled with profanity, FOX 32 News had to mute the sound.
The director of the local humane society was also troubled, especially with the abuser being a cop.
“It was pretty hard to watch. I was trying to think of some reason why this would happen and there wasn't one that has come to mind still, so it was pretty hard to watch,” said Rachel Delaney, the Executive Director of the Humane Society Calumet area.
The man with the cell phone, who was watching a traffic stop outside his friend's window, did not want to comment. He was afraid of police retaliation.
The video has blown up on social media, from 850 views early this afternoon to more than 35,000 five hours later.
Hammond Police did not respond to FOX 32 News requests for a response, but the mayor acted quickly after seeing the video himself.
Tom McDermott said in a statement that the officer in question was put on administrative leave immediately and his K-9 partner had been taken away from him pending further police investigation.
“Anybody who loves dogs as much as I do is always saddened and shocked anytime you hear of a dog's abuse. When you find out it happened with an employee of yours, it makes it that much more shocking and disturbing,” McDermott added.
Many people in the neighborhood were also alarmed by the video, including a young man who saw it for the first time when FOX 32 showed it to him right near where it happened.
“It's not something someone should be doing to a dog because sometimes people look at dogs like their humans, and that's almost like seeing one of your family members get beat up or something like that,” said neighbor Montarey Harris.
Friday, May 02, 2014
Former Officer Daniel Barber Charged with Sexually Assaulting Child
Authorities say 46-year-old Daniel Barber preyed on children in his care, sometimes using Craigslist and Facebook to connect with parents in need of baby sitters. St. Croix County Sheriff John Shilts says Barber appeared to be "a knight in shining armor," sometimes stepping in to care for children of single parents experiencing financial difficulties.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press says the North Hudson man was charged in February with sexually assaulting a 6-year-old boy and possessing child pornography. The new charges filed this week date back to 2004 and allege the abuse of seven more boys, including two toddlers.
Barber's attorney, Mark Gherty, declined to comment on the additional charges.
Judge Seals Ex-Police Officer John Marra Conviction in 2008 teen-sex case
John L. Marra, 37, had made the request to seal the conviction on the dereliction of duty charge, a second-degree misdemeanor.
Marra, who now is police chief of Brady Lake in Portage County, had pleaded no contest to the charge. He was sentenced to probation for two years and ordered to resign as a Uniontown police officer.
Marra served as a part-time/auxiliary Uniontown officer. He was hired July 11, 2005, and resigned May 28, 2008.
According to the complaint, while on duty, Marra kissed and fondled a teenage girl. He also engaged in inappropriate text messages, the court record said.
In addition, Marra “failed to perform his duties by going to Subway restaurant while on duty, to engage in a sexual relationship with (the girl).”
The girl was 16 and 17 during that time, records said.
At Thursday’s court hearing, Judge John Poulos said it appeared that Marra’s conviction qualified to be sealed under state law. The conditions include the time since the conviction occurred, the level of crime and the offender’s criminal record.
Poulos’ ruling means the conviction will be sealed and no longer appears in public court records.
Following the brief hearing, Marra declined comment.
The city prosecutor’s office had objected to Marra’s request.
The prosecutor’s office cited multiple reasons for the objection, including that Marra should be held to a higher standard as a police officer.
Marra has been interim police chief of Brady Lake since March, court records said.
The prosecutor’s office also said that state law prevents the sealing of convictions where the victim of the offense was a minor under age 18 and the charge is a first-degree misdemeanor.
“Although (Marra) is not charged with a misdemeanor of the first degree, the court should still treat this offense as such because the facts of this case make it substantially similar to other serious crimes such as importuning and sexual battery,” the court filing reads.
A judge has sealed the record of a former Uniontown police officer who was convicted in 2008 of a misdemeanor stemming from having sex with a teenage girl while he was on duty.
Correctional Officer Curtis Godard Arrested for Exposing Himself to Co-Workers
Police said detectives began investigating allegations of a man exposing himself and committing lewd acts to female co-workers at the Anne Arundel County Ordnance Road Correctional Facility at 600 E. Ordnance Road in Glen Burnie on Thursday.
Detectives interviewed women employees at the facility, who were victims. They said over the past several months a correctional officer had been exposing himself to them. On one occasion, the correctional officer also kissed one of the employees against her will, police said.
The investigation led detectives to obtaining an arrest warrant for Curtis Sylvester Godard, 51, of Severn.
Godard was taken into custody without incident on Thursday evening.
He was charged with two counts of indecent exposure, one count of second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sex offense.
As the investigation continues, police are urging any other potential victims or anyone with information on the incidents to contact Detective Juan Honesto of the Sex Crimes Unit at 410-222-3457 or Metro Crime Stoppers.
Thursday, May 01, 2014
Officer Brendan Cronin Arrested for Shooting
An NYPD officer who works in the Bronx has found himself on the other side of the law for his alleged role in a Westchester County shooting.
According to authorities, Officer Brendan Cronin fired his gun at least 13 times at a car sitting at a stoplight in Pelham Bay Tuesday night.
They say a 47-year-old man was wounded, but is in stable condition at the hospital.
Cronin, a five-year NYPD veteran, is being charged with first-degree assault. He has been suspended without pay.
It remains unclear what led to the shooting.
According to authorities, Officer Brendan Cronin fired his gun at least 13 times at a car sitting at a stoplight in Pelham Bay Tuesday night.
They say a 47-year-old man was wounded, but is in stable condition at the hospital.
Cronin, a five-year NYPD veteran, is being charged with first-degree assault. He has been suspended without pay.
It remains unclear what led to the shooting.
Former Officer Paul Manganelli Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Porn
Paul Manganelli, 47, of Waltham, pleaded guilty to the charge before U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz’ office.
Manganelli faces up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine, authorities said.
According to the release, from December 2011 to March 2013, Manganelli traded child pornography via email. He resigned from his position at the Waltham Police Department after his arrest in March 2013.
At the time of his arrest, federal agents found Manganelli in possession of more than 850 images and 40 videos containing child pornography. He traded the material with at least 53 email accounts, according to the release. During these email exchanges, Manganelli discussed his sexual interest in children and asked others how to groom a child to engage in sexual activity with him, authorities said.
Manganelli initially claimed that he was attempting to identify online sexual predators. However, he was never assigned nor authorized by the Waltham Police Department to conduct such purported investigations, nor did he ever report any criminal conduct he observed, authorities said.
Officer Timothy Merrill Arrested for Assault, Vandalism
An Arizona police officer was arrested on multiple charges in downtown Nashville on Wednesday night.
Timothy Reed Merrill, age 32, was charged with assault, vandalism and public intoxication.
A police affidavit said Merrill, who was in town for training, had caused issues at Dixieland Delights on Broadway and then allegedly punched the front window of the store. The employee told officers that Merrill had been asked to leave the store because he was harassing a cashier and became disorderly.
He was detained outside a bar along Broadway after security there came to help. The affidavit said Merrill tried to run from a security officer and fell down. While the security officer tried to handcuff him, Merrill allegedly kicked the man in the head.
Once police took him into custody, they smelled alcohol and noticed he had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
Merrill’s bond was set at $8,000.
Timothy Reed Merrill, age 32, was charged with assault, vandalism and public intoxication.
A police affidavit said Merrill, who was in town for training, had caused issues at Dixieland Delights on Broadway and then allegedly punched the front window of the store. The employee told officers that Merrill had been asked to leave the store because he was harassing a cashier and became disorderly.
He was detained outside a bar along Broadway after security there came to help. The affidavit said Merrill tried to run from a security officer and fell down. While the security officer tried to handcuff him, Merrill allegedly kicked the man in the head.
Once police took him into custody, they smelled alcohol and noticed he had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
Merrill’s bond was set at $8,000.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Former Duputy Huey "Eddie" Nichols Jr Found Guilty of Indecency with Child
Former Harrison County sheriff’s deputy and ordained minister Huey “Eddie” Nichols Jr. was found guilty on Monday for two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact.
The victims in his case are his stepdaughters, who were ages 11 and 14 at the time they informed officials that Nichols had inappropriately touched their breasts, applying Udder Butter and giving them home breast exams.
The punishment phase in the trial begins today at 9 a.m.
“I can’t think of anything more damaging in our community; in our society than a police officer that chooses to break the law,” Shawn Connally, co-counsel for the state, said in closing remarks. “It’s a betrayal.”
Following the verdict, Nichols stood in the courtroom gallery embracing his wife and mother of the victims, Sharon Nichols.
Connally told jurors, despite Nichols calling the oldest victim a liar, she never changed her story.
“From the beginning of this case, back in 2011, she (the oldest) never changed her story — not once — (she says) ‘This is what goes on in this house, and I’m old enough to know, it’s wrong,’” Connally reminded them.
“She has the courage - despite the embarrassment, despite the alienation, despite everything — to come forward,” said Connally.
“Think about how this case begins,” Connally instructed jurors. “(She) comes forward, tells the school counselor, there’s some things going on in that house that’s not supposed to be going on. You heard her testify. What did she say? The defendant touched her breasts while he’s rubbing her belly on the couch, and conducts these home breast exams on a 14-year-old child…and the Udder Butter, which is what we’re asking you to convict him on.”
The assistant district attorney said to prove Nichols did it all for sexual gratification, they presented evidence of Internet searches for “hot stepdaughter” and “young, sexy daughter” found on Nichols’ computer; the searches were all conducted on his day off.
“What kind of man is going to do that kind of an Internet search?” Connally asked. “It kind of ties everything together. It shows you what’s in his state of mind. While he’s rubbing Udder Budder on his stepdaughters’ breasts, an 11 and 14 year old girl, he’s doing it for his sexual desire.”
Connally said the state presented the photos Nichols took of the victims in various states of undress to show the relationship between him and his stepdaughters.
“He developed an unnatural relationship with these little girls,” said Connally.
He asked the jury to ask themselves what was more reasonable — the defendant lying or three different girls, including the two victims and a third alleged victim in a separate case, lying about the same thing.
“When I was a kid, I remember a sermon a preacher gave, ‘Beware of false preachers, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. That is Eddie Nichols,” said Connally, quoting a biblical scripture in Matthew. “You’ve got to decide what kind of behavior we’re going to condone and what kind of behavior we’re going to condemn.
“He was never going to confess because he’s a cop and he’s a preacher, and if there’s one unforgivable sin in those professions, it’s touching a child.
“This is a about right and wrong,” said Connally.
In his closing arguments, defense attorney Vernard Solomon contended that the older step-daughter, the first to make an outcry, never liked Nichols from the beginning; thus, she concocted a story.
Regarding the photos of undress taken by Nichols, Solomon said the one with the mother and two stepdaughters mooning the camera “wasn’t done for anything other than to be funny.”
“I think that when you analyze this evidence, you might find there was some inappropriate behavior to some degree with Eddie and Sharon’s lifestyle, but the state just haven’t proved (their case),” said Solomon. “It’s just not there.
The defense attorney said the case is a misinterpretation by the authorities of what occurred. He said the victims requested the Udder Budder for a legitimate purpose, and didn’t apply it right; therefore, Nichols responded.
“Is that for sexual purposes? I don’t think so,” Solomon argued.
“They’re asking you to find him guilty of a criminal violation, but not inappropriate behavior,” he told jurors. “I’d ask you to find him not guilty, and then walk out of the courtroom with your head held high, proud of what you did.”
Both Connally and Tim Cariker, co-counsel for the state, reminded the jury that they’ve heard testimony from Nichols’ biological daughter, calling him a narcissistic (expletive); Connally read a note she wrote, calling him psycho, laughing about how he calls himself a pastor, and expressing how she doesn’t want him to be around her or her children.
“We ask you to look at the totality of the picture because when you put the totality of the picture together, we tend to see the truth,” said Cariker, displaying a photo Nichols took of the youngest victim in a state of undress.
Cariker argued that the younger victim, at one point, recanted her story after visiting the Nichols home, outside of court order, and being told by the couple that she would be the one to reunite the family.
“But, when the rubber hit the road, that little girl stood up before you, God and everybody, raised her right hand and said, ‘Eddie did touch me. He put Udder Butter on my chapped nipples, and checked me for breast cancer, and then (she) ran off the stage crying.”
“Is this somebody that’s a caring compassionate preacher, a caring compassionate parent? Or, a pervert?” Cariker asked.
The victims in his case are his stepdaughters, who were ages 11 and 14 at the time they informed officials that Nichols had inappropriately touched their breasts, applying Udder Butter and giving them home breast exams.
The punishment phase in the trial begins today at 9 a.m.
“I can’t think of anything more damaging in our community; in our society than a police officer that chooses to break the law,” Shawn Connally, co-counsel for the state, said in closing remarks. “It’s a betrayal.”
Following the verdict, Nichols stood in the courtroom gallery embracing his wife and mother of the victims, Sharon Nichols.
Connally told jurors, despite Nichols calling the oldest victim a liar, she never changed her story.
“From the beginning of this case, back in 2011, she (the oldest) never changed her story — not once — (she says) ‘This is what goes on in this house, and I’m old enough to know, it’s wrong,’” Connally reminded them.
“She has the courage - despite the embarrassment, despite the alienation, despite everything — to come forward,” said Connally.
“Think about how this case begins,” Connally instructed jurors. “(She) comes forward, tells the school counselor, there’s some things going on in that house that’s not supposed to be going on. You heard her testify. What did she say? The defendant touched her breasts while he’s rubbing her belly on the couch, and conducts these home breast exams on a 14-year-old child…and the Udder Butter, which is what we’re asking you to convict him on.”
The assistant district attorney said to prove Nichols did it all for sexual gratification, they presented evidence of Internet searches for “hot stepdaughter” and “young, sexy daughter” found on Nichols’ computer; the searches were all conducted on his day off.
“What kind of man is going to do that kind of an Internet search?” Connally asked. “It kind of ties everything together. It shows you what’s in his state of mind. While he’s rubbing Udder Budder on his stepdaughters’ breasts, an 11 and 14 year old girl, he’s doing it for his sexual desire.”
Connally said the state presented the photos Nichols took of the victims in various states of undress to show the relationship between him and his stepdaughters.
“He developed an unnatural relationship with these little girls,” said Connally.
He asked the jury to ask themselves what was more reasonable — the defendant lying or three different girls, including the two victims and a third alleged victim in a separate case, lying about the same thing.
“When I was a kid, I remember a sermon a preacher gave, ‘Beware of false preachers, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. That is Eddie Nichols,” said Connally, quoting a biblical scripture in Matthew. “You’ve got to decide what kind of behavior we’re going to condone and what kind of behavior we’re going to condemn.
“He was never going to confess because he’s a cop and he’s a preacher, and if there’s one unforgivable sin in those professions, it’s touching a child.
“This is a about right and wrong,” said Connally.
In his closing arguments, defense attorney Vernard Solomon contended that the older step-daughter, the first to make an outcry, never liked Nichols from the beginning; thus, she concocted a story.
Regarding the photos of undress taken by Nichols, Solomon said the one with the mother and two stepdaughters mooning the camera “wasn’t done for anything other than to be funny.”
“I think that when you analyze this evidence, you might find there was some inappropriate behavior to some degree with Eddie and Sharon’s lifestyle, but the state just haven’t proved (their case),” said Solomon. “It’s just not there.
The defense attorney said the case is a misinterpretation by the authorities of what occurred. He said the victims requested the Udder Budder for a legitimate purpose, and didn’t apply it right; therefore, Nichols responded.
“Is that for sexual purposes? I don’t think so,” Solomon argued.
“They’re asking you to find him guilty of a criminal violation, but not inappropriate behavior,” he told jurors. “I’d ask you to find him not guilty, and then walk out of the courtroom with your head held high, proud of what you did.”
Both Connally and Tim Cariker, co-counsel for the state, reminded the jury that they’ve heard testimony from Nichols’ biological daughter, calling him a narcissistic (expletive); Connally read a note she wrote, calling him psycho, laughing about how he calls himself a pastor, and expressing how she doesn’t want him to be around her or her children.
“We ask you to look at the totality of the picture because when you put the totality of the picture together, we tend to see the truth,” said Cariker, displaying a photo Nichols took of the youngest victim in a state of undress.
Cariker argued that the younger victim, at one point, recanted her story after visiting the Nichols home, outside of court order, and being told by the couple that she would be the one to reunite the family.
“But, when the rubber hit the road, that little girl stood up before you, God and everybody, raised her right hand and said, ‘Eddie did touch me. He put Udder Butter on my chapped nipples, and checked me for breast cancer, and then (she) ran off the stage crying.”
“Is this somebody that’s a caring compassionate preacher, a caring compassionate parent? Or, a pervert?” Cariker asked.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Former Officer John Phillips Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
The Brazos County District Attorney's office says 56-year-old John Phillips was sentenced to 10 years in prison - with eligibility for probation after 6 months.
Phillips pleaded guilty to five counts of child porn possession and two counts of burglary for pawning stolen items taken on campus.
Prosecutors say all counts are felonies, and Phillips will have to register as a sex offender.
Deputy Clerk William Montgomery Sentenced to JUST 18 months for Molesting Child
Montgomery, 52, resigned from his longtime job as a deputy clerk for Lorain County Clerk of Courts Ron Nabakowski earlier this month under public pressure after pleading guilty to gross sexual imposition charges in March. His plea was part of a deal that saw prosecutors drop additional charges of rape and sexual battery.
Montgomery also was labeled a sexually oriented offender and will have to register for 10 years after his release from prison.
Although the victim, who now is an adult, wasn’t in court Monday, Assistant County Prosecutor Chris Pierre read a letter she wrote urging county Common Pleas Judge Mark Betleski to impose a prison sentence.
The victim wrote that Montgomery had molested her for a decade and she endured it because she was afraid she was going to get in trouble herself or suffer other consequences if she told anyone.
“I locked all the bad stuff away in a separate little box in my brain,” the letter said.
She wrote that the abuse made her feel terrible and that “rotten became my normal.”
The victim said that in her mind justice for Montgomery would see him serving time in prison, where he could feel some of what she felt while he was sexually abusing her.
“I want him to live locked away in a little box,” the letter said. “I want him to live in fear.”
Montgomery apologized in court for his actions.
“I’m truly sorry for what I have done,” he said. “Through the course of my life I have never wanted to hurt anybody.”
Defense attorney Jack Bradley said Montgomery also had apologized to the girl’s family about four years ago. Montgomery was indicted in August 2013, shortly before the statute of limitations in the case would have run out.
He said his client still has the backing of his church and several co-workers and supporters who wrote letters to Betleski urging leniency.
But Pierre countered that those supporting Montgomery weren’t around when he was molesting the victim and couldn’t attest to who he truly was.
“Character is who you are and what you do when no one else is around, and the state would submit that (the victim) knows what the defendant is like when no one else is around,” he said.
Betleski said he was imposing the sentence based on the charges Montgomery had pleaded guilty to, not the allegations that had been leveled.
He also was critical of the direction the public discourse surrounding Montgomery’s employment took.
Although Nabakowski had said he would wait until after sentencing to decide what to do with Mongtomery, he also said that he was unlikely to fire him if he received probation. That brought complaints from the public and county Commissioner Tom Williams, who pushed for Montgomery to be barred from county property if he wasn’t fired.
Betleski said the debate failed to take into account the low recidivism rates of sex offenders and that those who had called for Montgomery to be fired didn’t appear to know that. He also said that those who believe felons shouldn’t be allowed to have jobs should avoid most of the restaurants in the county.
Williams, who didn’t attend the hearing, said he was disappointed to learn of Betleski’s comments.
“If that’s the way the judge feels, he’s out of touch with the way the majority of people feel,” he said.
Former Officer Christopher Fox Accused of Allowing Underaged Teens to Drink
Christopher Fox, 49, who was fired by the department on Nov. 21, faces 31 charges of liquor offenses involving underage persons stemming from a New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day party at his Barton Road home.
North Olmsted Law Director Michael Gareau and Anthony Manning, an attorney representing Fox, did not immediately return voicemails seeking comment.
Manning has filed a motion to have some of the charges against Fox dismissed, court records show.
An oral hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, and a jury trial is scheduled to begin on May 27, although a jury trial was scheduled and then postponed in March, court records said.
Shortly after Fox was fired, Gareau told the Northeast Ohio Media Group that his dismissal was unrelated to the charges against him.
Fox was let go for abuse of sick leave, according to his personnel file, which North Olmsted provided to the Northeast Ohio Media Group in December.
The 23-year veteran of the North Olmsted police force was first disciplined for improperly using sick leave in 1998 when he was suspended for five days for sick leave abuse, his file said.
His file shows a pattern of abusing sick leave during his tenure with the North Olmsted police department. In 2012 he was suspended for another sick leave violation and disciplined for failing to report for duty because of off-duty alcohol consumption.
Corrections Officer Kelvin Grisales Charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault
Hartford police said they have obtained another arrest warrant for a Hartford correction officer who was arrested last month after a sexual assault was reported on Huyshope Street in Hartford.
Officials from the state Department of Correction said Kelvin Grisales was placed on administrative leave after being arrested in March and charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, first-degree threatening, weapons in a motor vehicle and facsimile firearm.
Hartford police said they have obtained another arrest warrant for Grisales in connection with a case in March 2012. Police said it is the result of an investigation of several sexual assaults in Hartford and New Britain.
"The circumstances of this investigation are consistent with a serial pattern evident in Hartford and New Britain," a news release from police states.
Police said Grisales has been charged with first-degree assault, first-degree sexual assault, patronizing a prostitute from a motor vehicle, first-degree kidnapping, impersonation of a police officer and second-degree threatening. Bond was set at $100,000.
During a bond hearing held earlier this month, prosecutors said three more sexual assault cases might be brought against him. Police said there is one possible sexual assault case in New Britain and another in Hartford.
The incident that led to the original charges happened on March 27 and that case, along with evidence from the scene, led police to suspect Grisales in a several other sexual assaults they were investigating.
Police said they responded to a report of sexual assault with a firearm displayed just after 12:30 a.m.
At first, the victim told police that she was walking on Wethersfield Avenue to go buy cigarettes when Grisales drove up in a blue SUV, pulled a gun on her and ordered her to get in the car.
He brought her to a “quick mart,” ordered her to buy a condom, then ordered her to get back in the car and sexually assaulted her, she said, according to police.
When police asked the victim why she did not ask for help in the store, she said she was scared and feared Grisales would but her.
Police located a car matching the description the woman gave police, took Grisales into custody and the victim identified him as the person who assaulted her.
When the victim went to the police station, she gave a written statement with a different account of what happened, police said.
She said he had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend and said she was going out to make money when Grisales approached her on Wethersfield Avenue and asked where she was going, the woman told police.
She told him she had no particular destination and her told her to get into his car.
They went to the store to buy a condom and discussed a price for sex. She said $40, but Grisales said he’d give her $60, according police. When they got back into the car, Grisales pulled out a gun and demanded a sex act, according to police.
After the assault, she got out of the car, ran toward a vehicle that was running and that is when police arrived, according to police.
When police questioned Grisales, he said the victim flagged him down on Wethersfield Avenue, said it was cold out and asked for a ride to the quick mart, so he brought her to the store. He also told authorities that she had a black eye and he felt bad for her.
Grisales told police the victim talked to him about her downfalls with heroin, a falling out with her father, getting kicked out of her apartment and said her boyfriend was mean and would not kiss her, so Grisales kissed her on the cheek, according to the court documents.
He then went on to say that the victim bought the condom and the sexual acts were consensual.
Then, the woman asked Grisales for $60 for the sex and said she had to buy heroin, he said.
He went on to say she threatened him and began reaching in his pockets, so he grabbed his son’s BB gun from under the passenger seat and put it in his lap because he was in fear, according to court paperwork.
Then he told the victim to get out of the car or he could drive her home, but she became more aggressive and he ordered her out of the car, he told investigators.
After ordering her from the car, he felt bad and drove back, but saw her speaking with police, he told officers.
Grisales has worked at Hartford Correctional since September 2008.
Court records state that Grisales pleaded not guilty to the March case and he is being held on $750,000 bond.
Hartford police are asking any other victims to call police at 860-757-4041.
Officials from the state Department of Correction said Kelvin Grisales was placed on administrative leave after being arrested in March and charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, first-degree threatening, weapons in a motor vehicle and facsimile firearm.
Hartford police said they have obtained another arrest warrant for Grisales in connection with a case in March 2012. Police said it is the result of an investigation of several sexual assaults in Hartford and New Britain.
"The circumstances of this investigation are consistent with a serial pattern evident in Hartford and New Britain," a news release from police states.
Police said Grisales has been charged with first-degree assault, first-degree sexual assault, patronizing a prostitute from a motor vehicle, first-degree kidnapping, impersonation of a police officer and second-degree threatening. Bond was set at $100,000.
During a bond hearing held earlier this month, prosecutors said three more sexual assault cases might be brought against him. Police said there is one possible sexual assault case in New Britain and another in Hartford.
The incident that led to the original charges happened on March 27 and that case, along with evidence from the scene, led police to suspect Grisales in a several other sexual assaults they were investigating.
Police said they responded to a report of sexual assault with a firearm displayed just after 12:30 a.m.
At first, the victim told police that she was walking on Wethersfield Avenue to go buy cigarettes when Grisales drove up in a blue SUV, pulled a gun on her and ordered her to get in the car.
He brought her to a “quick mart,” ordered her to buy a condom, then ordered her to get back in the car and sexually assaulted her, she said, according to police.
When police asked the victim why she did not ask for help in the store, she said she was scared and feared Grisales would but her.
Police located a car matching the description the woman gave police, took Grisales into custody and the victim identified him as the person who assaulted her.
When the victim went to the police station, she gave a written statement with a different account of what happened, police said.
She said he had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend and said she was going out to make money when Grisales approached her on Wethersfield Avenue and asked where she was going, the woman told police.
She told him she had no particular destination and her told her to get into his car.
They went to the store to buy a condom and discussed a price for sex. She said $40, but Grisales said he’d give her $60, according police. When they got back into the car, Grisales pulled out a gun and demanded a sex act, according to police.
After the assault, she got out of the car, ran toward a vehicle that was running and that is when police arrived, according to police.
When police questioned Grisales, he said the victim flagged him down on Wethersfield Avenue, said it was cold out and asked for a ride to the quick mart, so he brought her to the store. He also told authorities that she had a black eye and he felt bad for her.
Grisales told police the victim talked to him about her downfalls with heroin, a falling out with her father, getting kicked out of her apartment and said her boyfriend was mean and would not kiss her, so Grisales kissed her on the cheek, according to the court documents.
He then went on to say that the victim bought the condom and the sexual acts were consensual.
Then, the woman asked Grisales for $60 for the sex and said she had to buy heroin, he said.
He went on to say she threatened him and began reaching in his pockets, so he grabbed his son’s BB gun from under the passenger seat and put it in his lap because he was in fear, according to court paperwork.
Then he told the victim to get out of the car or he could drive her home, but she became more aggressive and he ordered her out of the car, he told investigators.
After ordering her from the car, he felt bad and drove back, but saw her speaking with police, he told officers.
Grisales has worked at Hartford Correctional since September 2008.
Court records state that Grisales pleaded not guilty to the March case and he is being held on $750,000 bond.
Hartford police are asking any other victims to call police at 860-757-4041.
Corrections Officer Bradley Adams Arrested for Stealing Insulin
“A nurse noticed the insulin missing from the medical clinic at the jail and reported it,” Hughes said. “We reviewed surveillance video and determined that Adams took the drug.” The sheriff said Adams confessed to the crime when confronted. Hughes said the officer, who had been working at the jail for about a year, was terminated. No motive was revealed.
“I will not tolerate any abuse of the law,” said Hughes. “There is no room in this department for dishonesty.”
Officer Michael Valdez Arrest Man for Filming Another Arrest
A Florida man is facing criminal charges after an officer arrested him – all for taping the officer as he attempted to detain another individual.
The incident began on St. Patrick’s Day, when Miami-Dade Officer Michael Valdez arrived at a store in Cutler Bay in order to arrest the owner on misdemeanor traffic charges. Freelance disc jockey Lazaro Estrada was performing a promotional event at the time Valdez arrived, and started recording the arrest on his smartphone.
According to CBS Miami, Estrada said he started taping the incident when the officer threw the handcuffed owner down onto the sidewalk. Valdez can be seen signaling to Estrada to move away, and the disc jockey can be seen stepping back into the store, though he continues recording.
“I backed off into the building and I stayed behind the glass doors,” Estrada said to CBS 4. “Obviously, all I had was my phone in my hands in clear sight…and he only told me once. I did what he told me.”
When more officers arrived at the scene, they told Estrada they needed his information. Estrada asked what he did wrong, and later Valdez criticized Estrada for not listening to his orders.
“The guy’s armed, three times my size, I’m telling you to back off,” Valdez told Estrada. When the officer says Estrada will be arrested, the disc jockey asks what for and the officer’s reply can’t really be heard.
Ultiamtely, Valdez charged Estrada with misdemeanors: obstruction of justice and resisting arrest without violence.
According to CBS Miami, the police report on the incident states Valdez gave “verbal commands to back away and he refused to do so.” Valdez also wrote that he “felt threatened” by Estrada’s presence.
Lawyers for Estrada -- Frank Gaviria and Jonathan Perazzo – claim their client did nothing wrong.
“At no point did he interfere, impede or obstruct the officer in the performance of his duties,” Gaviria told CBS 4. “The video clearly shows Mr. Estrada was a very safe distance away from the officer.”
“Just like police officers have their dash cams, private citizens have their cell phones. There’s no difference,” Perazzo added.
This isn’t the first time police have reacted to being filmed with arrests. Earlier this year, a Massachusetts man was detained and charged with violating the state’s wiretapping rules when he took out his cell phone and recorded an officer cursing while he worked a street detail. The officer stated the resident was “secretly audio taping,” but the man claimed his phone was out in full view.
In a particularly dramatic case last year, California police arrested a man for allegedly disturbing a crime scene with loud music and video recording them. As they attempted to arrest the man, his dog jumped out from the car and was shot dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, police in Dallas, Texas, came out earlier this month and asked citizens to stop filming police, since the behavior was creating “major safety issues.” As RT reported, police argue that it’s not clear who is following them many times and why they are filming their actions.
A 2012 ruling by the Supreme Court, however, upheld the citizen’s right to record on-duty police officers.
The incident began on St. Patrick’s Day, when Miami-Dade Officer Michael Valdez arrived at a store in Cutler Bay in order to arrest the owner on misdemeanor traffic charges. Freelance disc jockey Lazaro Estrada was performing a promotional event at the time Valdez arrived, and started recording the arrest on his smartphone.
According to CBS Miami, Estrada said he started taping the incident when the officer threw the handcuffed owner down onto the sidewalk. Valdez can be seen signaling to Estrada to move away, and the disc jockey can be seen stepping back into the store, though he continues recording.
“I backed off into the building and I stayed behind the glass doors,” Estrada said to CBS 4. “Obviously, all I had was my phone in my hands in clear sight…and he only told me once. I did what he told me.”
When more officers arrived at the scene, they told Estrada they needed his information. Estrada asked what he did wrong, and later Valdez criticized Estrada for not listening to his orders.
“The guy’s armed, three times my size, I’m telling you to back off,” Valdez told Estrada. When the officer says Estrada will be arrested, the disc jockey asks what for and the officer’s reply can’t really be heard.
Ultiamtely, Valdez charged Estrada with misdemeanors: obstruction of justice and resisting arrest without violence.
According to CBS Miami, the police report on the incident states Valdez gave “verbal commands to back away and he refused to do so.” Valdez also wrote that he “felt threatened” by Estrada’s presence.
Lawyers for Estrada -- Frank Gaviria and Jonathan Perazzo – claim their client did nothing wrong.
“At no point did he interfere, impede or obstruct the officer in the performance of his duties,” Gaviria told CBS 4. “The video clearly shows Mr. Estrada was a very safe distance away from the officer.”
“Just like police officers have their dash cams, private citizens have their cell phones. There’s no difference,” Perazzo added.
This isn’t the first time police have reacted to being filmed with arrests. Earlier this year, a Massachusetts man was detained and charged with violating the state’s wiretapping rules when he took out his cell phone and recorded an officer cursing while he worked a street detail. The officer stated the resident was “secretly audio taping,” but the man claimed his phone was out in full view.
In a particularly dramatic case last year, California police arrested a man for allegedly disturbing a crime scene with loud music and video recording them. As they attempted to arrest the man, his dog jumped out from the car and was shot dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, police in Dallas, Texas, came out earlier this month and asked citizens to stop filming police, since the behavior was creating “major safety issues.” As RT reported, police argue that it’s not clear who is following them many times and why they are filming their actions.
A 2012 ruling by the Supreme Court, however, upheld the citizen’s right to record on-duty police officers.
Officer Yong Wu Charged with Possession of Child Porn
Yong Wu, 34,
downloaded to his computer at his home in Ozone Park, Queens, videos of
underage girls performing sex acts, and he also shared the videos with
others, police said Tuesday.
Officer Jennifer Gautier Arrested for Doctor Shopping
Officer John Torres Arrested in Connection with Shooting
A Baltimore city police officer has been arrested in connection with a shooting outside a central Pennsylvania apartment complex.
Police said officers responding to the York Apartments around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday found a man who had been shot multiple times in the abdomen and arm while sitting in his vehicle. He was identified as David Hohman, Sr.
York Area Regional Police Sgt. Jeff Dunbar said the Baltimore officer is in custody and cooperating with authorities. Dunbar said the officer was among those who called 911 and waited for police to arrive. That officer was identified as John Torres, who was off duty at the time of the incident.
Police believe the incident was the result of a dispute between Torres and Hohman.
The victim was conscious and talking to authorities before being taken to a hospital for treatment.
Police said officers responding to the York Apartments around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday found a man who had been shot multiple times in the abdomen and arm while sitting in his vehicle. He was identified as David Hohman, Sr.
York Area Regional Police Sgt. Jeff Dunbar said the Baltimore officer is in custody and cooperating with authorities. Dunbar said the officer was among those who called 911 and waited for police to arrive. That officer was identified as John Torres, who was off duty at the time of the incident.
Police believe the incident was the result of a dispute between Torres and Hohman.
The victim was conscious and talking to authorities before being taken to a hospital for treatment.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Officer Frank Phillips Charged with Police Brutality
Frank Phillips, a Knox County Sheriff’s officer, was fired Sunday night after a series of pictures taken by photographer John Messner were published in the Daily Mail in Britain. They showed an officer identified by the Sheriff’s Office as Phillips grabbing 21-year-old college student Jarod Dotson around the neck and squeezing him until he fell to his knees.
An officer identified by the Sheriff’s office as Frank Phillips is seen choking college student Jarod Dotson while he was being arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest.
WBIR reports that law enforcement responded to a “disturbance” near the University of Tennessee where a house party with about 800 people had reportedly become unruly and spilled out into the street.
According to a police report, Dotson ignored repeated instructions to go inside, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported. Deputy Brandon Gilliam wrote in the official report that Dotson “began to physically resist officers’ instructions to place his hands behind his back, and at one point grabbed on to an officer’s leg.”
Messner, a freelance photographer who documented the incident, told The Washington Post that Dotson showed no signs of resisting arrest.
Messner’s still pictures, arranged by The Post in the GIF show two officers cuffing Dotson’s hands behind his back when Phillips came over and choked Dotson until he collapsed to his knees. Messner said that as Dotson was being pulled up he was smacked in the back of the head, “a snap-out-of-it kinda smack under the circumstances.”
Jarod Dotson was charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest. He was released from jail on a $500 bond Sunday morning.
In a press release on Sunday night, Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones said:
“In my 34 years of law enforcement experience, excessive force has never been tolerated. After an investigation by the Office of Professional Standards, I believe excessive force was used in this incident. The investigation will now be turned over to the Knox County Attorney General’s Office to determine any further action.”
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Officer Aaron Henson Arrested for Stealing Money
Aaron E. Henson, 36, of N1155 Walworth St., Genoa City, was arrested April 16 at his home on suspicion of theft and misconduct in public office, Walworth County Sheriff's Office Captain of Investigations Dana Nigbor said.
Henson was filmed stealing $2,128.30 from the police department's bond box in April, according to a search warrant affidavit.
Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel will decide if charges should be filed, Walworth County District Attorney Daniel Necci said.
Henson worked as a Bloomfield police officer for five years while working part-time as a Genoa City police officer, according to a Bloomfield Police Department news release.
Henson resigned from the Bloomfield Police Department on April 17, the release states.
Genoa City Police Chief Joseph Balog was told by administrative assistant Maria Mayer on April 7 that money was missing from the department's bond box, the affidavit states.
Over the next several days, the Mayer monitored the bond box by photographing cash and writing down the serial numbers of bills put into the box. She also installed a video camera in “the area of the bond box," according to the affidavit.
On April 15, Mayer checked the box and found money missing. She checked the video recording and found that it shows Henson removing bond envelopes and money, according to the affidavit.
The police department brought the case to the Walworth County Sheriff's Office, Nigbor said, and a search warrant was executed as part of the investigation.
Henson was “very cooperative” when arrested, and $400 was recovered, Nigbor said.
Necci said theft by a police officer is “awfully uncommon” for the county.
The Walworth County District Attorney's Office is reviewing all open cases involving Henson to see if and how the former officer's actions could affect other cases.
Henson was released on a signature bond April 17.
He is scheduled to appear in court 1:15 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at the Walworth County Judicial Center.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Former Officer Donald Glunt Arrested for Child Porn
Detectives arrested 57-year-old Donald Glunt, who was taken into custody without incident.
According to investigators, Glunt had recently resigned his position with the Lynden Police Department.
Detectives said the investigation originated after officials with the Lynden Police Department discovered images on Glunt’s city-owned cellphone while conducting an internal administrative investigation.
On Wednesday, Lynden Police Department’s Chief Jack Foster asked the Washington State Patrol to conduct a criminal investigation.
Detectives reviewed digital evidence and interviewed Glunt, which led to his arrest.
According to investigators, Glunt was trading images with a 16-year-old girl in Texas. Authorities in Texas assisted detectives by interviewing the victim.
The incident remains as an ongoing investigation.
Glunt was booked into the Skagit County Jail on charges of dealing and possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and viewing of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Detective Stevie Billups Sentenced For Drug Crimes
Former Columbus Police Detective Stevie Billups, 48, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison for crimes he committed through his involvement with a local drug dealer.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kevin Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office (FBI); Karen Huey, Director of Enforcement for the Ohio Casino Control Commission; and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
Judge Graham also fined Billups $10,000 and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
Billups pleaded guilty on November 22, 2013, to one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to a document the government filed with the court prior to today’s sentencing, in 2013 Billups provided armed protection for two transactions involving drugs while he was a Columbus Police officer.
Billups began his relationship with a drug dealer when Billups began laundering money for the drug dealer by cashing in chips which helped the drug dealer avoid transaction reporting requirements at the Hollywood Casino in Columbus.
According to court documents, Billups asked the drug dealer to “get him in the game.” Billups’ query led to the June 28th and July 17th drug stings by the FBI, whereby Billups protected the drug dealer in the pickup of purported drug money. He later provided protection for the drug dealer during a transaction which Billups believed involved the distribution of heroin. Billups provided protection during the second transaction while he was on duty, armed with his service weapon, and in a Columbus Division of Police unmarked detective vehicle. Billups received a total of $5,000 in exchange for providing protection to the drug dealer during these transactions.
“Public confidence in our police to ‘do the right thing’ is undermined with each case of police corruption,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Squires told the court. “It is a police officer’s duty to uphold the law and protect the public....Billups’ intent to aid and further the problems that heroin has brought to our communities for his own profit indicates the serious nature of this offense.”
“Using a police officer’s badge and gun to commit crime is a particularly disturbing threat to the community,” stated SAC Kevin Cornelius. “This case highlights the fact that local, state, and federal agencies are working together to root out corruption and bring to justice those who betray the public’s trust.”
“Ohio Casino Control Commission and its gaming agents are committed to working with our federal and local law enforcement partners to investigate criminal activity occurring at the casinos,” said Karen Huey. “The Commission will not tolerate money laundering or drug dealing at any of Ohio’s casinos.”
U.S. Attorney Stewart praised the cooperative investigation by the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the FBI’s Central Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes agents from the FBI and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
Mr. Stewart commended the Columbus Division of Police and Police Chief Kim Jacobs for the cooperation they provided during the course of this investigation and thanked the Homeland Security Investigations Bulk Cash Smuggling Task Force for helping initiate this investigation. The Bulk Cash Smuggling Task Force includes agents with Homeland Security Investigations and detectives with the Columbus Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Stewart also acknowledged Assistant United States Attorneys Doug Squires and David DeVillers, who prosecuted the case.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kevin Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office (FBI); Karen Huey, Director of Enforcement for the Ohio Casino Control Commission; and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
Judge Graham also fined Billups $10,000 and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
Billups pleaded guilty on November 22, 2013, to one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to a document the government filed with the court prior to today’s sentencing, in 2013 Billups provided armed protection for two transactions involving drugs while he was a Columbus Police officer.
Billups began his relationship with a drug dealer when Billups began laundering money for the drug dealer by cashing in chips which helped the drug dealer avoid transaction reporting requirements at the Hollywood Casino in Columbus.
According to court documents, Billups asked the drug dealer to “get him in the game.” Billups’ query led to the June 28th and July 17th drug stings by the FBI, whereby Billups protected the drug dealer in the pickup of purported drug money. He later provided protection for the drug dealer during a transaction which Billups believed involved the distribution of heroin. Billups provided protection during the second transaction while he was on duty, armed with his service weapon, and in a Columbus Division of Police unmarked detective vehicle. Billups received a total of $5,000 in exchange for providing protection to the drug dealer during these transactions.
“Public confidence in our police to ‘do the right thing’ is undermined with each case of police corruption,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Squires told the court. “It is a police officer’s duty to uphold the law and protect the public....Billups’ intent to aid and further the problems that heroin has brought to our communities for his own profit indicates the serious nature of this offense.”
“Using a police officer’s badge and gun to commit crime is a particularly disturbing threat to the community,” stated SAC Kevin Cornelius. “This case highlights the fact that local, state, and federal agencies are working together to root out corruption and bring to justice those who betray the public’s trust.”
“Ohio Casino Control Commission and its gaming agents are committed to working with our federal and local law enforcement partners to investigate criminal activity occurring at the casinos,” said Karen Huey. “The Commission will not tolerate money laundering or drug dealing at any of Ohio’s casinos.”
U.S. Attorney Stewart praised the cooperative investigation by the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the FBI’s Central Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes agents from the FBI and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
Mr. Stewart commended the Columbus Division of Police and Police Chief Kim Jacobs for the cooperation they provided during the course of this investigation and thanked the Homeland Security Investigations Bulk Cash Smuggling Task Force for helping initiate this investigation. The Bulk Cash Smuggling Task Force includes agents with Homeland Security Investigations and detectives with the Columbus Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Stewart also acknowledged Assistant United States Attorneys Doug Squires and David DeVillers, who prosecuted the case.
Two Broward County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Charged with Conspiracy in Connection with Rothstein Investigation
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and Scott Israel, Sheriff, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), announce the filing of charges against David Benjamin, 48, of Boca Raton, and Jeff Alan Poole, 47, of Weston, for conspiring to commit crimes in connection with the operation of the former Fort Lauderdale law firm of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler P.A. (RRA).
In a criminal information filed earlier today, Benjamin was charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and to violate civil rights, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In a separate criminal information also filed today, Poole was charged with conspiracy to violate civil rights, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 241. The charges allege that, during the relevant time period, both defendants were employed by the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Benjamin was a lieutenant and served as executive officer to then Sheriff Al Lamberti. Poole was a detective assigned to the Strategic Investigations Division.
The charging documents allege that both defendants agreed to utilize their respective positions within BSO unlawfully to further the interests of RRA, its chairman and CEO Scott W. Rothstein, and other persons associated with Rothstein. Specifically, the charging documents allege that Benjamin received approximately $185,000 in money and other things of value from Rothstein and RRA in return for providing his assistance when needed, including arranging with Poole to arrest the ex-wife of an attorney who was engaged in a child custody dispute with her, arranging to use force and threats of force against the boyfriend of an escort who was threatening to expose the illicit relationship that existed between the escort and one of the partners at RRA, and assisting Rothstein in loading cash and jewelry onto a private airplane that was used by Rothstein to flee to Morocco on October 27, 2009, as the Ponzi scheme being conducted through RRA was beginning to unravel.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “David Benjamin and Jeff Poole used their official positions as law enforcement officers to commit civil rights abuses to further the interests of Scott Rothstein and others associated with Rothstein. When law enforcement officers betray the trust of the people, it strikes at the very core of our democracy. The informations filed today charging Benjamin and Poole should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law. When law enforcement officers violate the public’s trust, they will be held accountable. Benjamin and Poole are the 19th and 20th accomplices, respectively, to be held accountable in Rothstein’s $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme.”
“When David Benjamin and Jeff Alan Poole began to use their official positions to further the illegal schemes of Rothstein and his cronies, they crossed a very bright line,” said William J. Maddalena, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Their criminal misconduct undermined the public’s trust in law enforcement. As such, the FBI will continue to work with our partners to remove those law enforcement officers who violate the law. The FBI, in particular, would like to thank BSO for their close partnership investigating this matter.”
IRS-CI SAC José A. Gonzalez stated, “Law enforcement officers and individuals in positions of our citizens’ trust are held to an even higher standard than the general public. It’s a sad day when a lieutenant and a detective of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office who are sworn to uphold the law, allegedly misuse their positions by engaging in criminal acts. IRS-CI, together with its law enforcement partners, will continue to ensure that no one operates above the law and are held accountable for their actions.”
BSO Sheriff Scott Israel stated, “Every time a law enforcement officer is implicated in a crime, it’s a blow to our profession. This indictment tarnishes the image of honest, hard-working law enforcement officers everywhere. My immediate action after taking office was to suspend Deputy Poole and Lieutenant Benjamin based on an ongoing federal investigation. I applaud the diligence and professionalism displayed by our federal partners, and we will continue working closely with them to ensure justice is served.”
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI, and BSO. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence D. LaVecchio, Paul F. Schwartz, and Jeffrey N. Kaplan.
In a criminal information filed earlier today, Benjamin was charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and to violate civil rights, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In a separate criminal information also filed today, Poole was charged with conspiracy to violate civil rights, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 241. The charges allege that, during the relevant time period, both defendants were employed by the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Benjamin was a lieutenant and served as executive officer to then Sheriff Al Lamberti. Poole was a detective assigned to the Strategic Investigations Division.
The charging documents allege that both defendants agreed to utilize their respective positions within BSO unlawfully to further the interests of RRA, its chairman and CEO Scott W. Rothstein, and other persons associated with Rothstein. Specifically, the charging documents allege that Benjamin received approximately $185,000 in money and other things of value from Rothstein and RRA in return for providing his assistance when needed, including arranging with Poole to arrest the ex-wife of an attorney who was engaged in a child custody dispute with her, arranging to use force and threats of force against the boyfriend of an escort who was threatening to expose the illicit relationship that existed between the escort and one of the partners at RRA, and assisting Rothstein in loading cash and jewelry onto a private airplane that was used by Rothstein to flee to Morocco on October 27, 2009, as the Ponzi scheme being conducted through RRA was beginning to unravel.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “David Benjamin and Jeff Poole used their official positions as law enforcement officers to commit civil rights abuses to further the interests of Scott Rothstein and others associated with Rothstein. When law enforcement officers betray the trust of the people, it strikes at the very core of our democracy. The informations filed today charging Benjamin and Poole should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law. When law enforcement officers violate the public’s trust, they will be held accountable. Benjamin and Poole are the 19th and 20th accomplices, respectively, to be held accountable in Rothstein’s $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme.”
“When David Benjamin and Jeff Alan Poole began to use their official positions to further the illegal schemes of Rothstein and his cronies, they crossed a very bright line,” said William J. Maddalena, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Their criminal misconduct undermined the public’s trust in law enforcement. As such, the FBI will continue to work with our partners to remove those law enforcement officers who violate the law. The FBI, in particular, would like to thank BSO for their close partnership investigating this matter.”
IRS-CI SAC José A. Gonzalez stated, “Law enforcement officers and individuals in positions of our citizens’ trust are held to an even higher standard than the general public. It’s a sad day when a lieutenant and a detective of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office who are sworn to uphold the law, allegedly misuse their positions by engaging in criminal acts. IRS-CI, together with its law enforcement partners, will continue to ensure that no one operates above the law and are held accountable for their actions.”
BSO Sheriff Scott Israel stated, “Every time a law enforcement officer is implicated in a crime, it’s a blow to our profession. This indictment tarnishes the image of honest, hard-working law enforcement officers everywhere. My immediate action after taking office was to suspend Deputy Poole and Lieutenant Benjamin based on an ongoing federal investigation. I applaud the diligence and professionalism displayed by our federal partners, and we will continue working closely with them to ensure justice is served.”
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI, and BSO. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence D. LaVecchio, Paul F. Schwartz, and Jeffrey N. Kaplan.
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