A woman who helped a Chicago police officer from a wrecked squad car and was later accused of stealing a weapon has been awarded $7.7 million by a federal jury for false arrest.
In November 2002, a car ran a stop sign in Rachelle Jackson's neighborhood, slamming into a squad car. According to her attorney, Jackson, who was walking nearby, found the officer behind the wheel unconscious and the passenger, Officer Kelly Brogan, dazed.
She pulled Brogan from the wreckage. Soon after, police approached Jackson and told her that the driver's weapon had been stolen.
Jackson was accused of the theft. She was charged and spent more than 10 months in the Cook County Jail awaiting trial. Her case was later thrown out by a judge and Jackson sued the city of Chicago.
Defense attorney Andrew Hale said the amount the jury awarded Jackson was "excessive."
Friday, June 13, 2008
Five Officers accused of Jail Beatings
Lexington,KY
Four Fayette County jail officers and one former officer have been indicted on charges they beat inmates and then conspired to cover it up by writing bogus reports and threatening others not to report the incidents.
Those named in the federal indictment released Thursday are Sgt. John McQueen, Cpl. Clarence McCoy, former Cpl. Scott Tyree, Sgt. Anthony Estep and Lt. Kristine Lafoe. The first count of the indictment alleges that "the five defendants conspired with each other and with other unindicted individuals to assault inmates without justification, and to cover up their conduct by filing false reports and charges."
The remaining charges are as follows: McQueen is charged with two counts of using excessive and unnecessary force on inmates, one count of falsifying reports and one count of attempting to obstruct justice in order to cover up the assaults; McCoy and Tyree are charged with one count of assaulting an inmate and one count of falsifying reports to conceal the assault; and Estep is charged with one count of obstruction of justice for filing false charges against an inmate who attempted to report the abuse of an inmate.
None of the officers could be reached for comment Thursday.
Mayor Jim Newberry released a statement Thursday night, saying the city has "implemented various measures to help ensure a safe and secure facility for both our employees and the inmates." Newberry also addressed the indictments at Thursday's Urban County Council meeting.
He said the city installed video cameras in 2007 in the intake area, one site of alleged criminal activity, and "have completely restructured staff in intake."
"We have been aware of the ongoing investigation at the jail and will continue to fully cooperate," Newberry said in the statement.
He said the employees will be suspended with pay, effective immediately, pending further investigation.
All but Tyree still work at the jail, city officials said. Tyree works at the Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant, but also will be suspended with pay, said Shaye Rabold, Newberry's chief of staff.
The indictments, filed in U.S. District Court in Covington, were not a surprise.
The jail has been under investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice for at least 20 months. Federal officers executed a search warrant at the jail in September 2006, before Newberry's election that November.
Shortly after the FBI confirmed that there was an investigation at the Fayette County Detention Center, John Vest, an officer at the jail, came forward and said he had been working with the FBI but declined to discuss specifics. Vest was running for public office at the time.
Several former inmates have sued the jail in state and federal court alleging brutality at the hand of officers.
The indictment says that the third shift officers engaged in a conspiracy to assault and then cover-up brutality at the jail.
Between January 2006 to October 2006, the five engaged in a conspiracy to "assault, injure, inflict pain upon and otherwise physically punish" detainees at the jail and then justify the use of force by writing false and misleading incident reports that would say that the detainee attacked a jail officer, provoking the use of force, the indictment alleges.
The indictment says that the five used a "code" language to describe the use of force that made the incidents sound justifiable. Third-shift supervisors in intake would review the incident reports and make sure that officers were using the appropriate "code" language.
The indictment lists incidents involving six different inmates. The inmates are only listed by their initials. But court documents and documents obtained by the Herald-Leader through a public records request show that one of the inmates -- S.H. -- Is Scott Howe, who sued the jail in July 2007.
According to Howe's lawsuit and the indictment, McQueen reportedly slammed Howe's head into a counter in the intake area on June 17, 2006, even though Howe was handcuffed and not resisting. According to the indictment, Estep and Tyree watched and failed to report it.
McQueen then instructed Estep not to write an incident report about his assault on Howe, the indictment alleges. The Herald-Leader asked for all incident reports regarding use of force in the intake area from October 2005 to December 2006; there was no report on Howe.
In another incident, McCoy and Tyree planned to assault another detainee -- B.M. -- to retaliate against B.M. for taking a sack lunch out of the intake area. Before the alleged assault on B.M., defendants McCoy and Tyree agreed that they would falsely claim that B.M. turned on McCoy. The two officers than assaulted B.M., the indictment alleges.
Lafoe, the indictment alleges, knew that officers were using unnecessary force and failed to intervene. The indictment also says that Lafoe "instructed officers known to the grand jury that if they were going to use unjustified physical force on detainees, they should do so outside the view of any fixed or hand-held video cameras."
The indictment also alleges that jail officers retaliated against an inmate who tried to report an assault using his cell phone. The officers allegedly filed a false report against the inmate.
It is unclear whether the investigation into wrongdoing at the jail is ongoing.
The remaining charges are as follows: McQueen is charged with two counts of using excessive and unnecessary force on inmates, one count of falsifying reports and one count of attempting to obstruct justice in order to cover up the assaults; McCoy and Tyree are charged with one count of assaulting an inmate and one count of falsifying reports to conceal the assault; and Estep is charged with one count of obstruction of justice for filing false charges against an inmate who attempted to report the abuse of an inmate.
None of the officers could be reached for comment Thursday.
Mayor Jim Newberry released a statement Thursday night, saying the city has "implemented various measures to help ensure a safe and secure facility for both our employees and the inmates." Newberry also addressed the indictments at Thursday's Urban County Council meeting.
He said the city installed video cameras in 2007 in the intake area, one site of alleged criminal activity, and "have completely restructured staff in intake."
"We have been aware of the ongoing investigation at the jail and will continue to fully cooperate," Newberry said in the statement.
He said the employees will be suspended with pay, effective immediately, pending further investigation.
All but Tyree still work at the jail, city officials said. Tyree works at the Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant, but also will be suspended with pay, said Shaye Rabold, Newberry's chief of staff.
The indictments, filed in U.S. District Court in Covington, were not a surprise.
The jail has been under investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice for at least 20 months. Federal officers executed a search warrant at the jail in September 2006, before Newberry's election that November.
Shortly after the FBI confirmed that there was an investigation at the Fayette County Detention Center, John Vest, an officer at the jail, came forward and said he had been working with the FBI but declined to discuss specifics. Vest was running for public office at the time.
Several former inmates have sued the jail in state and federal court alleging brutality at the hand of officers.
The indictment says that the third shift officers engaged in a conspiracy to assault and then cover-up brutality at the jail.
Between January 2006 to October 2006, the five engaged in a conspiracy to "assault, injure, inflict pain upon and otherwise physically punish" detainees at the jail and then justify the use of force by writing false and misleading incident reports that would say that the detainee attacked a jail officer, provoking the use of force, the indictment alleges.
The indictment says that the five used a "code" language to describe the use of force that made the incidents sound justifiable. Third-shift supervisors in intake would review the incident reports and make sure that officers were using the appropriate "code" language.
The indictment lists incidents involving six different inmates. The inmates are only listed by their initials. But court documents and documents obtained by the Herald-Leader through a public records request show that one of the inmates -- S.H. -- Is Scott Howe, who sued the jail in July 2007.
According to Howe's lawsuit and the indictment, McQueen reportedly slammed Howe's head into a counter in the intake area on June 17, 2006, even though Howe was handcuffed and not resisting. According to the indictment, Estep and Tyree watched and failed to report it.
McQueen then instructed Estep not to write an incident report about his assault on Howe, the indictment alleges. The Herald-Leader asked for all incident reports regarding use of force in the intake area from October 2005 to December 2006; there was no report on Howe.
In another incident, McCoy and Tyree planned to assault another detainee -- B.M. -- to retaliate against B.M. for taking a sack lunch out of the intake area. Before the alleged assault on B.M., defendants McCoy and Tyree agreed that they would falsely claim that B.M. turned on McCoy. The two officers than assaulted B.M., the indictment alleges.
Lafoe, the indictment alleges, knew that officers were using unnecessary force and failed to intervene. The indictment also says that Lafoe "instructed officers known to the grand jury that if they were going to use unjustified physical force on detainees, they should do so outside the view of any fixed or hand-held video cameras."
The indictment also alleges that jail officers retaliated against an inmate who tried to report an assault using his cell phone. The officers allegedly filed a false report against the inmate.
It is unclear whether the investigation into wrongdoing at the jail is ongoing.
Schenectady cop accused of violating wife's order of protection
Schenectady, NY
The Schenectady police officer accused last month of grabbing and pushing his wife has been arrested again, accused this time of violating an order of protection by repeatedly calling her.
John W. Lewis is accused of repeatedly contacting his estranged wife late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Lewis allegedly called her at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and said he wanted to come to her place of employment, then called her on her cell and business phones around 1:30 a.m. and finally drove past a tavern she was visiting after work.
“Apparently, it was a pretty innocuous conversation,” police spokesman Lt. Brian Kilcullen said, “but any contact is a violation of the order.”
Lewis turned himself in Thursday evening and was charged with second-degree criminal contempt, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned and released on $500 bail. He was also suspended again, without pay.
He spent 30 days suspended without pay last month after the initial incident, which resulted in a second-degree harassment charge. Lewis returned to the payroll two weeks ago, but not to work.
In the original case, Lewis is accused of grabbing and pushing his wife on Plymouth Avenue during a dispute over their child, according to papers filed in court.
The Schenectady police officer accused last month of grabbing and pushing his wife has been arrested again, accused this time of violating an order of protection by repeatedly calling her.
John W. Lewis is accused of repeatedly contacting his estranged wife late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Lewis allegedly called her at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and said he wanted to come to her place of employment, then called her on her cell and business phones around 1:30 a.m. and finally drove past a tavern she was visiting after work.
“Apparently, it was a pretty innocuous conversation,” police spokesman Lt. Brian Kilcullen said, “but any contact is a violation of the order.”
Lewis turned himself in Thursday evening and was charged with second-degree criminal contempt, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned and released on $500 bail. He was also suspended again, without pay.
He spent 30 days suspended without pay last month after the initial incident, which resulted in a second-degree harassment charge. Lewis returned to the payroll two weeks ago, but not to work.
In the original case, Lewis is accused of grabbing and pushing his wife on Plymouth Avenue during a dispute over their child, according to papers filed in court.
Atlanta Police Officer Accused Of Sexual Assault
Atlanta,GA
Atlanta police officer Wayne Longe is accused of sexually assaulting a woman he’d arrested for public drunkenness. The Fulton County Grand Jury indicted him Friday afternoon.
The case has been going on for four years -- ever since a woman claimed Longe arrested her for public drunkenness, drove her to a nearby park and raped her.
Longe's attorney said that sex did happen but that it was consensual.
The grand jury did not indict Longe on rape charges but it did indict him on charges of sexual assault on a person in custody and violation of oath of office.
Longe's attorney, Jackie Patterson, told WSB-TV Channel 2 his client would be found innocent. "We will certainly assert that sex did occur, there's no dispute on that. But she was not in custody and obviously it was not rape because he was not indicted on that charge," said Patterson.
The Atlanta Police Department released a statement that said, "The Atlanta Police Department is in full cooperation with the District Attorney's Office. We do not condone any behavior associated with these allegations. These allegations are against everything our department stands for and will be dealt with swiftly and appropriately."
Longe is currently on administrative leave. He was being held in the Fulton County Jail on $50,000 bond.
Animal Control Officer Accused of Killing Animals
LACKAWANNA, N.Y
A Lackawanna animal control officer is accused of killing at least three animals.
The SPCA's Executive Director makes it her mission to help protect helpless animals. So she finds it appalling that anyone would abuse or kill an animal.
Barbara Carr, SPCA: "I don't ever want to have to arrest another animal control officer. It is disgusting."
Barbara Carr tells us an animal cruelty investigator began looking into the actions of Fred Grasso after receiving anonymous tips from people who live in this Lackawanna neighborhood.
Tricia Cruz: "The animal control officer in this case was apparently responding to a complaint from the landlord at the apartment complex. Cats were getting into the basement."
One woman who lives in the complex tells us a cat had recently given birth to seven kittens. She urged the landlord to call animal control services so someone could help find them a home. Some of them were relocated. But the mother cat and two of her kittens were shot and killed instead.
Barbara Carr, SPCA: "This is the second animal control officer we've had to arrest in six months. Is really a sad state of affairs."
A Lackawanna animal control officer is accused of killing at least three animals.
The SPCA's Executive Director makes it her mission to help protect helpless animals. So she finds it appalling that anyone would abuse or kill an animal.
Barbara Carr, SPCA: "I don't ever want to have to arrest another animal control officer. It is disgusting."
Barbara Carr tells us an animal cruelty investigator began looking into the actions of Fred Grasso after receiving anonymous tips from people who live in this Lackawanna neighborhood.
Tricia Cruz: "The animal control officer in this case was apparently responding to a complaint from the landlord at the apartment complex. Cats were getting into the basement."
One woman who lives in the complex tells us a cat had recently given birth to seven kittens. She urged the landlord to call animal control services so someone could help find them a home. Some of them were relocated. But the mother cat and two of her kittens were shot and killed instead.
Barbara Carr, SPCA: "This is the second animal control officer we've had to arrest in six months. Is really a sad state of affairs."
Lexington Police Officer Arrested For DUI
Lexington,KY
There's more trouble for a former Lexington Police officer who was fired because of comments he made on his MySpace page.
A former Lexington police officer pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of DUI and carrying a concealed weapon — the same charges for which he arrested country singer John Michael Montgomery in 2006.
Police arrested Joshua Cromer about 1 a.m. Friday in the parking lot of the Shillito Park Luxury Apartments complex at 3500 Beaver Place Road after he blocked a vehicle driven by a possible car thief from leaving the scene of a hit-and-run. Cromer also ran afoul of police nearly two years ago after a similar incident at the same apartments while suspended from the force.
Officers early Friday morning found Cromer blocking a vehicle’s path with his SUV. The occupants of the other vehicle had fled on foot, Lt. Dwayne Holman said.
When the officers talked to Cromer, “they realized he was impaired” and performed sobriety tests that Cromer failed, Holman said. His blood-alcohol level was measured at .147, according to the report. The legal limit for driving in Kentucky is .08.
Officers searched Cromer’s Nissan Pathfinder and found a handgun under a bulletproof vest in the front seat, according to the police report. Cromer did not have a concealed carry permit for the gun.
It appears from the report, Holman said, that Cromer “took some affirmative action to stop one of the vehicles from leaving” the parking lot.
Private citizens can make citizens’ arrests, but “we would obviously prefer those people become good witnesses,” Holman said.
In August 2006, while suspended from the department, Cromer detained an individual who was sleeping in his car at the apartment complex. After another officer arrested the man for alcohol intoxication, Cromer searched the man’s vehicle. As part of his suspension, Cromer was stripped of his powers to arrest and perform other law enforcement duties, so detaining the man and then searching his vehicle violated his suspension, according to charges brought against him by police officials.
On Friday afternoon, a Shillito Park Apartments property manager declined to discuss Cromer’s arrest, but did say he is employed by the apartments. She declined to discuss his duties.
Cromer bonded out of the Fayette County jail Friday morning after posting a $2,700 bond.
He declined comment and referred questions to defense attorney Fred Peters, who entered a not-guilty plea on Cromer’s behalf during an arraignment Friday afternoon in Fayette District Court.
Peters said it “doesn’t seem fair” that Cromer was charged when he was trying to prevent a car thief from leaving the scene of an accident. Peters said he doesn’t think the gun in Cromer’s vehicle was concealed.
Cromer was asleep inside his apartment when he heard a thud in the parking lot, Peters said. He went outside and realized a driver had hit another vehicle and was trying to escape. He got in his vehicle and tried to stop it from leaving, Peters said. A neighbor later told Cromer that the vehicle was stolen.
Cromer is scheduled to return to court at 10 a.m. July 2.
Cromer arrested Montgomery in 2006 after the performer left the Austin City Saloon and ran a red light. During the traffic stop, two guns were found in Montgomery’s Dodge pickup. He was charged with two counts of having a concealed deadly weapon, DUI and possession of a controlled drug. Montgomery, of Jessamine County, eventually entered an Alford plea to a drunken-driving charge, which means he did not admit guilt but acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him.
On Cromer’s MySpace.com page, some of the postings congratulated Cromer on the high-profile arrest. One officer posted an altered photograph of Montgomery and a fan, in which Cromer’s face had been substituted for the head of the fan.
The Urban County Council unanimously approved Cromer’s firing, citing misconduct, inefficiency, insubordination and conduct unbecoming a police officer. Cromer filed a lawsuit against the city seeking reinstatement and back pay. Cromer’s attorney, Shane Sidebottom, argued that Cromer’s firing was arbitrary and unjustified.
Fayette Circuit Judge Thomas Clark ruled in March 2008 that the city was justified in firing Cromer.
Muskogee Officer Arrested for Stealing Weapons
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee Police Officer Kris Ledford is accused of impersonating a Tulsa Police Officer. Muskogee Officer Brad Holt said that an arrest warrant has been issued for Ledford. Holt said Officer Kris Ledford was placed on administrative leave by the Muskogee Police Department on May 28th.
On Friday, the Muskogee Police Department's Special Investigations Unit, with assistance from ATF, Broken Arrow Police Department and the Wagoner County DA Task Force, executed a search warrant at Ledford's Broken Arrow home.
The search warrant executed is in regard to missing weapons from the Muskogee Police Department's Evidence Room.
Officer Ledford was arrested at his home and has been transported to an undisclosed detention facility pending court proceedings on Monday. He was arrested on probable cause for multiple counts of Embezzlement by Trustee.
Officer Kris Ledford was taken into custody after a search of his home.
Top Ten Misconceptions About Police Officers
This Information Has Been Derived from a Federal Report on The State of Law Enforcement in the United States
1) Being a cop is a dangerous job.
False: Being a cop is not even on the list of the top 15 most dangerous jobs in America. Being a cab driver is 50 times more dangerous than being a cop.
2) Cops in the U.S are highly trained.
False: Cops in the U.S. only receive 9 to 12 weeks of training, sometimes a lot less, one of the lowest in the industrialized world. Cops in most other countries receive at least 104 weeks of training, (two years) and usually require an education.
3) Cops are chosen because of their superior decision making skills.
False: A report by the federal government states that over 90% of cops on duty in the U.S. barely passed high school or received a GED.
4) Cops are morally superior to regular citizens.
False: Out of 750,000 cops in the U.S. over 11,000 are indicted each year for felony crimes. That's 32.8 per day. This is only a drop in the bucket, most cop violations go unreported.
5) Cops are not civilians.
False: Cops are civilians, they are civil servants protected by the Civil Service Act. Only elected officials and military personnel are government officials. Not appointed offices such as law enforcement officers, deputies, civil servants, government contractors or government employees. The only law enforcement officer that is not a civilian is a Sheriff, because he is elected.
6) Cops are legal experts.
False False False: Cops are not experts at anything, especially law. If any cop tells you he is a legal expert, call your local Bar Associations Unlicensed Practice of Law Branch.
7) Cops can give you legal advice.
False: Only a licensed attorney can give you legal advice. If a cop suggests any legal action, report it to the State Bar.
8) Cops are under paid.
False: They are well paid for a job that requires no education, unskilled, minimally trained low risk labor, with government benefits and retirement.
9) Cops are society's best people.
False: Some departments have been found to have convicted felons in uniform and as high up as the highest ranking officers in their precincts.
10) Police do a good job of policing themselves.
False: Insider information has reported to us that it is most departments' policies to use internal affairs to cover up anything that would embarrass a departments administration. Unless it is caught on record or reported by the media. Letting cops police themselves is the same as letting the inmates run the prisons. Vote for any local change in your community to put citizen review boards in charge of police discipline matters. Remember, we are the taxpayers, the cops are our employees, Stop letting them get away with murder.
1) Being a cop is a dangerous job.
False: Being a cop is not even on the list of the top 15 most dangerous jobs in America. Being a cab driver is 50 times more dangerous than being a cop.
2) Cops in the U.S are highly trained.
False: Cops in the U.S. only receive 9 to 12 weeks of training, sometimes a lot less, one of the lowest in the industrialized world. Cops in most other countries receive at least 104 weeks of training, (two years) and usually require an education.
3) Cops are chosen because of their superior decision making skills.
False: A report by the federal government states that over 90% of cops on duty in the U.S. barely passed high school or received a GED.
4) Cops are morally superior to regular citizens.
False: Out of 750,000 cops in the U.S. over 11,000 are indicted each year for felony crimes. That's 32.8 per day. This is only a drop in the bucket, most cop violations go unreported.
5) Cops are not civilians.
False: Cops are civilians, they are civil servants protected by the Civil Service Act. Only elected officials and military personnel are government officials. Not appointed offices such as law enforcement officers, deputies, civil servants, government contractors or government employees. The only law enforcement officer that is not a civilian is a Sheriff, because he is elected.
6) Cops are legal experts.
False False False: Cops are not experts at anything, especially law. If any cop tells you he is a legal expert, call your local Bar Associations Unlicensed Practice of Law Branch.
7) Cops can give you legal advice.
False: Only a licensed attorney can give you legal advice. If a cop suggests any legal action, report it to the State Bar.
8) Cops are under paid.
False: They are well paid for a job that requires no education, unskilled, minimally trained low risk labor, with government benefits and retirement.
9) Cops are society's best people.
False: Some departments have been found to have convicted felons in uniform and as high up as the highest ranking officers in their precincts.
10) Police do a good job of policing themselves.
False: Insider information has reported to us that it is most departments' policies to use internal affairs to cover up anything that would embarrass a departments administration. Unless it is caught on record or reported by the media. Letting cops police themselves is the same as letting the inmates run the prisons. Vote for any local change in your community to put citizen review boards in charge of police discipline matters. Remember, we are the taxpayers, the cops are our employees, Stop letting them get away with murder.
Officer Pleading to Not be Sent to Jail
Australia
An ex-federal police officer who accessed child pornography over the internet is pleading not to be sent to jail.
Michael Edward Hatch, 38, has pleaded guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court to using a carriage service to access child pornography between May last year and his arrest in March.
He was caught in the global investigation codenamed Operation Centurion which has so far netted more than 100 Australians.
Hatch's lawyer, John Purnell, SC, on Thursday argued for a suspended sentence, saying the ex-cop was seeking counselling and sending him to jail would be "disastrous for his rehabilitation".
"Depression best accounts for his behavior in accessing child pornography," Mr Purnell told the court.
Evidence from two psychologists showed Hatch wasn't a pedophile, he said.
During sentencing submissions last week, Hatch told the court that working for the Australian Federal Police had contributed to his becoming depressed and withdrawing from family and friends.
He said he accessed child pornography because it was "a challenge".
But Magistrate Karen Fryar said that explanation seemed "almost unbelievable" and asked Hatch why he didn't access legal websites for a challenge.
Crown prosecutor Jon White said only a full-time jail term would be appropriate.
There was no evidence showing the stress of police work could lead to accessing child porn, he said.
Indeed, the fact he was a police officer "in a privileged position" made his crime even more serious.
Hatch had failed to acknowledge the source of his problems and his motivation for accessing the images, Mr White said, adding that a custodial sentence was necessary for "specific deterrence".
"Hatch has an unacknowledged and therefore untreated issue accessing child pornography," he said.
The former officer, who is now working for his family's cabinet-making business, will be sentenced in July.
He is living with his parents and his girlfriend.
#############
Sick Ass Pedophile!!! Take your crying ass to jail, and shut the fuck up!!
An ex-federal police officer who accessed child pornography over the internet is pleading not to be sent to jail.
Michael Edward Hatch, 38, has pleaded guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court to using a carriage service to access child pornography between May last year and his arrest in March.
He was caught in the global investigation codenamed Operation Centurion which has so far netted more than 100 Australians.
Hatch's lawyer, John Purnell, SC, on Thursday argued for a suspended sentence, saying the ex-cop was seeking counselling and sending him to jail would be "disastrous for his rehabilitation".
"Depression best accounts for his behavior in accessing child pornography," Mr Purnell told the court.
Evidence from two psychologists showed Hatch wasn't a pedophile, he said.
During sentencing submissions last week, Hatch told the court that working for the Australian Federal Police had contributed to his becoming depressed and withdrawing from family and friends.
He said he accessed child pornography because it was "a challenge".
But Magistrate Karen Fryar said that explanation seemed "almost unbelievable" and asked Hatch why he didn't access legal websites for a challenge.
Crown prosecutor Jon White said only a full-time jail term would be appropriate.
There was no evidence showing the stress of police work could lead to accessing child porn, he said.
Indeed, the fact he was a police officer "in a privileged position" made his crime even more serious.
Hatch had failed to acknowledge the source of his problems and his motivation for accessing the images, Mr White said, adding that a custodial sentence was necessary for "specific deterrence".
"Hatch has an unacknowledged and therefore untreated issue accessing child pornography," he said.
The former officer, who is now working for his family's cabinet-making business, will be sentenced in July.
He is living with his parents and his girlfriend.
#############
Sick Ass Pedophile!!! Take your crying ass to jail, and shut the fuck up!!
Judge Refuses to Lower Bond for Officer charged with Child Sex Crimes
Stating that no one is privileged to special treatment because of their occupation.
A judge Thursday refused to lower the $1.5 million bond for a Gurnee police officer charged with child sex crimes.
Jay Simon, 35, has been in the Lake County jail since his June 6 arrest on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and aggravated assault.
Simon is accused of molesting two girls under the age of 13 in thee separate attacks dating to November 2006, and pointing a handgun at a Zion man while threatening him in March.
His attorney, Torrie Newsome of Waukegan, told Associate Judge Daniel Shanes the $150,000 in cash Simon would have to post to get out of jail is beyond his reach.
Newsome asked Shanes to consider Simon's record in his six years as a patrol officer in Gurnee and the 12 years he served in the Navy.
While acknowledging the charges against his client are serious, Newsome contended his client is not a flight risk and is a good candidate for a lower bond.
Newsome suggested a bond that would require Simon to post between $20,000 and $50,000 would be more appropriate.
"There is no reason to believe that he would be a threat to any of the alleged victims," Newsome said.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Patricia Fix urged Shanes to let the original bond stand.
"The charges the defendant is facing are extraordinarily serious," Fix said. "They call for mandatory prison sentences, consecutive sentences and are mandated to be served at 85 percent."
Shanes, who set the original bond when he signed the arrest warrant for Simon, said he would not pay special attention to the fact Simon is a police officer.
"Much has been said about the defendant's employment, but the law this court follows applies equally to all who come before it," Shanes said. "Nobody starts out ahead or behind."
Shanes said if Simon is able to post bond, he must arrange for the surrender any firearms he owns to the Lake County sheriff's office prior to his release.
If convicted of predatory sexual assault of a child, Simon faces a mandatory prison sentence of six to 30 years.
Aggravated criminal sexual abuse carries a maximum of seven years in prison. Aggravated assault, a misdemeanor, is punishable by up to a year in the county jail.
Simon has been on administrative leave from the police department since mid-May, when officials were notified he was under investigation.
He is due to appear in court June 23.
*********************************************
Guess things in lock up arn't as nice as they should be officer Simon, Judge "wha wha wha" lower my bond "wha wha wha."
Simon your a disgrace to all police officers everywhere, "To serve and protect"
didn't mean anything to you, enjoy Prison. People trusted you and your brothers on the job, with your arrest, you have taken some of that trust. I hope you get the max Plus.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Paris Officer Arrested for Drug Possession
Sherman, TX
A Paris police officer has been arrested on drug possession charges. Officer James Guest is being charged with possession of less than two ounces of marijuana, a Class-B Misdemeanor.
Authorities received a call Wednesday around 12:15 a.m. about a domestic disturbance. Before police arrived at the scene, they were told Guest has taken some drug paraphernalia from previous police calls. When they searched the home, they found the merchandise.
Guest has since resigned his position with the Paris Police Department. He has been employed with the department since July of 2006.
Officer Fred Baunee Sentenced for Touching Minor
SYRACUSE, NY
The former Syracuse Police officer accused of inappropriately touching a minor and giving him alcohol has been sentenced to three years probation.
Fred Baunee was accused last May of endangering the welfare of a 14-year-old boy. Included in Wednesday's sentence was an order of protection against Baunee.
Baunee said he was innocent of charges, but a jury believed differently.
Officer Tony Lunceford Arrested for DUI
A Spanish Fork police officer has resigned after being arrested for drunken driving Sunday morning.
Officers from the Spanish Fork Police Department were dispatched around 1:30 a.m. after a car slammed into a powerbox near 3420 West Riverbottoms Road in Spanish Fork, said Utah Highway Patrol spokesman Cameron Roden.
When they spotted the car, they called troopers with the Utah Highway Patrol to avoid a conflict of interest since the driver, Tony Lunceford, was a Spanish Fork officer, said Roden.
Troopers arrested Lunceford and his wife, Janalee, on suspicion of driving under the influence, having an open container in a vehicle and having tinted windows. Janalee was also in the vehicle and admitted to driving the car after the accident, Roden said.
Lunceford was placed on paid administrative leave after his arrest, and later submitted a letter of resignation, according to assistant city manager Seth Perrins. He had been working for the Spanish Fork Police Department since July 2004.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Woman and Son Shot By Cop
Rachel Silva, whose confrontation with an off-duty San Diego police officer in Oceanside resulted in her and her son being shot, has been charged with felony child endangerment and five misdemeanors.
New information about the case, including a witness' statement and accounts of anxious 911 calls by Silva and the officer's wife, are included in court paperwork.
The misdemeanors are two drunken-driving charges, possession of marijuana, driving on a suspended license and driving on a license suspended for a previous DUI conviction. Silva faces up to six years in prison if convicted of the felony.
About 9:15 p.m. March 15, off-duty San Diego police Officer Frank White, 28, shot Silva, 27, twice in the right arm and her then-8-year-old son once in the left knee, culminating an apparent road-rage incident.
The Attorney General's Office concluded that “the circumstances surrounding Silva's car striking White's were insufficient for the filing of a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.” In April, Silva's case was taken over by the state agency. San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis' office is still handling the investigation into White's actions.
Oceanside police said that Silva's blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit and that she had marijuana in her system.
An arrest warrant declaration released yesterday describes how authorities believe the shooting occurred:
White and his wife were driving south on Old Grove Road. A woman in front of them said she noticed Silva's Honda Accord “rolling” out of a Shell gas station, making “no attempt to stop.”
White's car had to “swerve abruptly” into another lane to avoid hitting Silva's Honda. Silva followed White into a Lowe's parking lot, tailgating his car. White told his wife to call 911, “which frightened her . . . ”
In the parking lot, Silva briefly pulled in front of White's car, blocking it. Silva then drove in reverse, behind White's Mercury, and pulled next to it, so close that White couldn't open his door.
White drew his .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, pointed it at Silva, and shouted, “Police! You need to stop! Police! Stop!”
White then backed up and stopped. Silva called 911. “There's a guy who's pointing a gun at me,” she told the dispatcher.
As White began to open his door, Silva drove in reverse. Their side-view mirrors made contact, and the right front side of Silva's Accord hit the left rear of White's car.
White opened fire as the car passed, his first round shattering his closed driver's-side window and passing through Silva's passenger window, apparently striking her son. White fired four more rounds through Silva's windshield, hitting her twice.
Gunshots can be heard on a recording of Silva's 911 call, according to the arrest warrant declaration.
“I've been shot at,” she tells the dispatcher, who asks who did it. “Some guy,” Silva responds. “A policeman.”
The tapes of the 911 calls have not been released.
*****************************
Cops need to learn to keep their fucking guns put away unless they see another gun being pointed at them. There is no fucking reason to shoot at someone because they won't stop. Stay your ass in your fucking patrol car until you are able to stop the other vehicle. This cop was probably jacked up on some steriods, or Viagra. Calm your ass down and think!!! There just might be an innocence child in the car who could be caught in the cross fire.
New information about the case, including a witness' statement and accounts of anxious 911 calls by Silva and the officer's wife, are included in court paperwork.
The misdemeanors are two drunken-driving charges, possession of marijuana, driving on a suspended license and driving on a license suspended for a previous DUI conviction. Silva faces up to six years in prison if convicted of the felony.
About 9:15 p.m. March 15, off-duty San Diego police Officer Frank White, 28, shot Silva, 27, twice in the right arm and her then-8-year-old son once in the left knee, culminating an apparent road-rage incident.
The Attorney General's Office concluded that “the circumstances surrounding Silva's car striking White's were insufficient for the filing of a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.” In April, Silva's case was taken over by the state agency. San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis' office is still handling the investigation into White's actions.
Oceanside police said that Silva's blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit and that she had marijuana in her system.
An arrest warrant declaration released yesterday describes how authorities believe the shooting occurred:
White and his wife were driving south on Old Grove Road. A woman in front of them said she noticed Silva's Honda Accord “rolling” out of a Shell gas station, making “no attempt to stop.”
White's car had to “swerve abruptly” into another lane to avoid hitting Silva's Honda. Silva followed White into a Lowe's parking lot, tailgating his car. White told his wife to call 911, “which frightened her . . . ”
In the parking lot, Silva briefly pulled in front of White's car, blocking it. Silva then drove in reverse, behind White's Mercury, and pulled next to it, so close that White couldn't open his door.
White drew his .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, pointed it at Silva, and shouted, “Police! You need to stop! Police! Stop!”
White then backed up and stopped. Silva called 911. “There's a guy who's pointing a gun at me,” she told the dispatcher.
As White began to open his door, Silva drove in reverse. Their side-view mirrors made contact, and the right front side of Silva's Accord hit the left rear of White's car.
White opened fire as the car passed, his first round shattering his closed driver's-side window and passing through Silva's passenger window, apparently striking her son. White fired four more rounds through Silva's windshield, hitting her twice.
Gunshots can be heard on a recording of Silva's 911 call, according to the arrest warrant declaration.
“I've been shot at,” she tells the dispatcher, who asks who did it. “Some guy,” Silva responds. “A policeman.”
The tapes of the 911 calls have not been released.
*****************************
Cops need to learn to keep their fucking guns put away unless they see another gun being pointed at them. There is no fucking reason to shoot at someone because they won't stop. Stay your ass in your fucking patrol car until you are able to stop the other vehicle. This cop was probably jacked up on some steriods, or Viagra. Calm your ass down and think!!! There just might be an innocence child in the car who could be caught in the cross fire.
Officer David Lewis Charged with Sexual Assaulting Several Women is Free
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.
In the almost 14 months David Lewis spent in a Danville jail, he missed Christmas. He missed his 18-year-old twins' basketball and softball games, not to mention their high school graduation.
While Lewis sat behind bars, facing almost 50 felony charges alleging he used his position as a part-time police officer in Belgium to force himself on strippers, his 2 1/2 year-old son grew from infant to toddler.
"I missed fifty percent of his life," Lewis said Tuesday, a day after walking out of a Vermilion County court guilty of four misdemeanors as part of a deal with prosecutors, but a free man.
Prosecutors dropped scores of felony counts, ranging from armed violence to aggravated criminal sexual assault, after one of Lewis' accusers admitted lying to police about him. Belgium is south of Danville, just west of the Indiana border.
The deal doesn't change prosecutor Michael Vujovich's belief that Lewis was guilty as originally charged.
"Do I believe he did this stuff? Yes," Vujovich, who works for the Illinois appellate prosecutor's office, said by phone Tuesday. "I think for the sake of the community, it ought to be a comfort to them to know he will never wear a uniform again, that he will never wear a badge or carry a gun."
Under the deal, the 46-year-old Lewis pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of attempted obstruction of justice and two counts of attempted official misconduct, both Class A misdemeanors. Lewis, according to the charges, kissed one of the women while on duty and falsely wrote into his police activity log that he picked her up at her home because she was helping with a criminal investigation.
Lewis was sentenced to time served in jail plus 240 days of unsupervised probation and can never again work as a police officer.
Lewis was arrested in April 2007 and charged with 49 felony counts after the seven women, most of whom were dancers at the Play Pen strip club in Belgium, accused him of forcing himself on them. Some of the women said he was armed and on duty at the time.
The case against Lewis was substantially weakened when one of the women he was accused of abusing said she lied to police.
Amy Dow admitted that she lied about Lewis only after he was convicted last October of official misconduct and criminal sexual abuse of one of the other women. Based on Dow's change of heart, Lewis was acquitted at a second trial in April.
Dow's accusations were behind 15 of the charges against Lewis, Vujovich said.
"She comes in at the second trial saying, 'Oh, what I told the police officers was all a lie and what I told the grand jury was a lie,"' Vujovich said.
Lewis' attorney, Mark Christoff of Danville, said Vujovich called him last Friday and they negotiated a deal over the weekend, finalizing the terms Monday morning.
"I absolutely believe we would have won at trial," Christoff said. "When they offered us a plea deal that did not involve any additional jail time, that did not involve a felony conviction, it basically made it not worth the risk of going to trial."
Vujovich handled the case because of a conflict involving the Vermilion County state's attorney's office. According to court testimony, federal agents had previously contacted Lewis with questions about a member of the office's staff.
Lewis said he's now living with his family at his mother's home in Danville.
He hopes to get his old, full-time job back as at a Koch Industries fertilizer plant in Crawfordsville, Ind.
If not, he isn't sure what he will do next or what kind of luck he'll have in the job market. He isn't a felon, but he points out that his case generated a fair amount of news media attention.
"You Google my name," he said, "and I can imagine what an HR person's opinion of me is when I go to get a job."
In the almost 14 months David Lewis spent in a Danville jail, he missed Christmas. He missed his 18-year-old twins' basketball and softball games, not to mention their high school graduation.
While Lewis sat behind bars, facing almost 50 felony charges alleging he used his position as a part-time police officer in Belgium to force himself on strippers, his 2 1/2 year-old son grew from infant to toddler.
"I missed fifty percent of his life," Lewis said Tuesday, a day after walking out of a Vermilion County court guilty of four misdemeanors as part of a deal with prosecutors, but a free man.
Prosecutors dropped scores of felony counts, ranging from armed violence to aggravated criminal sexual assault, after one of Lewis' accusers admitted lying to police about him. Belgium is south of Danville, just west of the Indiana border.
The deal doesn't change prosecutor Michael Vujovich's belief that Lewis was guilty as originally charged.
"Do I believe he did this stuff? Yes," Vujovich, who works for the Illinois appellate prosecutor's office, said by phone Tuesday. "I think for the sake of the community, it ought to be a comfort to them to know he will never wear a uniform again, that he will never wear a badge or carry a gun."
Under the deal, the 46-year-old Lewis pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of attempted obstruction of justice and two counts of attempted official misconduct, both Class A misdemeanors. Lewis, according to the charges, kissed one of the women while on duty and falsely wrote into his police activity log that he picked her up at her home because she was helping with a criminal investigation.
Lewis was sentenced to time served in jail plus 240 days of unsupervised probation and can never again work as a police officer.
Lewis was arrested in April 2007 and charged with 49 felony counts after the seven women, most of whom were dancers at the Play Pen strip club in Belgium, accused him of forcing himself on them. Some of the women said he was armed and on duty at the time.
The case against Lewis was substantially weakened when one of the women he was accused of abusing said she lied to police.
Amy Dow admitted that she lied about Lewis only after he was convicted last October of official misconduct and criminal sexual abuse of one of the other women. Based on Dow's change of heart, Lewis was acquitted at a second trial in April.
Dow's accusations were behind 15 of the charges against Lewis, Vujovich said.
"She comes in at the second trial saying, 'Oh, what I told the police officers was all a lie and what I told the grand jury was a lie,"' Vujovich said.
Lewis' attorney, Mark Christoff of Danville, said Vujovich called him last Friday and they negotiated a deal over the weekend, finalizing the terms Monday morning.
"I absolutely believe we would have won at trial," Christoff said. "When they offered us a plea deal that did not involve any additional jail time, that did not involve a felony conviction, it basically made it not worth the risk of going to trial."
Vujovich handled the case because of a conflict involving the Vermilion County state's attorney's office. According to court testimony, federal agents had previously contacted Lewis with questions about a member of the office's staff.
Lewis said he's now living with his family at his mother's home in Danville.
He hopes to get his old, full-time job back as at a Koch Industries fertilizer plant in Crawfordsville, Ind.
If not, he isn't sure what he will do next or what kind of luck he'll have in the job market. He isn't a felon, but he points out that his case generated a fair amount of news media attention.
"You Google my name," he said, "and I can imagine what an HR person's opinion of me is when I go to get a job."
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Corrections Officer Accused of Stealing Money
A peace officer spent the weekend on the wrong side of jail bars after being accused of stealing a woman's Social Security money. Rick Nichols, 46, was booked into the Utah County jail on Friday on suspicion of felony theft. The jail released him Monday morning after Nichols posted bond.
Nichols is a corrections sergeant at the Utah State Prison. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Angie Welling said Nichols was not allowed to resume work, but no decision has been made about his permanent status. Saratoga Springs Police Cpl. Aaron Rosen said a woman on June 2 reported losing a day planner that carried $1,100 cash. The Social Security Administration provided the money and the woman planned to pay for a surgery with it, Rosen said.
The planner was found in a post office box in Lehi. The money was missing, Rosen said. Police reviewed a surveillance recording from a Smith's market in Saratoga Springs. Rosen said the video showed the woman placing her planner on a display stand.
Nichols, wearing his prison uniform, took the planner from the stand and walked out of the store, Rosen said. Police identified Nichols when last Friday he called police to report finding the planner and the money, Rosen said.
Rosen said police believe Nichols called because he learned he was a suspect. Nichols could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Nichols is a corrections sergeant at the Utah State Prison. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Angie Welling said Nichols was not allowed to resume work, but no decision has been made about his permanent status. Saratoga Springs Police Cpl. Aaron Rosen said a woman on June 2 reported losing a day planner that carried $1,100 cash. The Social Security Administration provided the money and the woman planned to pay for a surgery with it, Rosen said.
The planner was found in a post office box in Lehi. The money was missing, Rosen said. Police reviewed a surveillance recording from a Smith's market in Saratoga Springs. Rosen said the video showed the woman placing her planner on a display stand.
Nichols, wearing his prison uniform, took the planner from the stand and walked out of the store, Rosen said. Police identified Nichols when last Friday he called police to report finding the planner and the money, Rosen said.
Rosen said police believe Nichols called because he learned he was a suspect. Nichols could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Officer Accused Of Raping A Woman
Plymouth, England, UK
A POLICE OFFICER accused of raping a woman on four occasions was a "typical bully" who mentally and physically abused his victim, a court has heard.
Devon and Cornwall police constable Jamie Gilbert, aged 34, of Birkdale Close, Saltash, has pleaded not guilty to four charges of rape. The alleged victim cannot be named for legal reasons.
The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, started yesterday at Exeter Crown Court, when a jury was sworn in and the prosecution made its opening statement.
Gilbert, who was a serving police officer based at Callington Police Station at the time of the alleged offences, was suspended from duty in June 2007, when the allegations were first made to police.
Sarah Munroe QC, prosecuting, outlined the case against Gilbert and the details of each of the four alleged rapes.
As background, she told the jury that Gilbert was a keen bodybuilder who took anabolic steroids in order to build his muscles and at the time of the alleged rapes he weighed between 17 and 18 stone, although he was only 5ft 8in tall. Miss Munroe also told the court that Gilbert liked watching pornographic films.
The first rape happened in November 2004 when Gilbert forced himself on the victim, despite knowing she did not want any sexual contact with him, Miss Munroe told the court. She said the second rape happened in June 2005, when Gilbert again forced himself on the woman.
The third and fourth alleged rapes happened on two separate occasions, on January 14 and January 26 in 2006, the court heard.
Miss Munroe said evidence from an independent witness would show that Gilbert had shown signs of behaving like a "typical bully" who was aggressive. The jury also heard that the alleged victim had had consensual sex with Gilbert on other occasions.
The prosecution said the victim found the courage to make the allegations to police in June 2007, after seeking help from a counsellor, and that when Gilbert was first interviewed by police, he denied all the charges, saying the victim had consented to sex on each occasion.
Miss Munroe urged the jury to try the case on the evidence put before them and to avoid being swayed by "emotion on either side".
The jury was to hear evidence from the alleged victim today.
The trial continues.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
NYPD Officer Fahad Chaudhry Arrested for Menacing
A New York City police officer was arrested on a menacing charge Friday, several hours after he barreled through a security checkpoint at Hofstra University while off duty and pointed his service pistol at a man who had accompanied his former girlfriend to a Manhattan nightclub, Nassau police said.
Officer Fahad R. Chaudhry, 25, of the Bronx, faces a menacing charge in connection with an incident that began about 3:30 a.m. Friday at Sounds of Brazil and ended in a Hofstra dorm parking lot, where Chaudhry pointed the 9-mm Glock at a 23-year-old man with Chaudhry's ex-girlfriend, a Hofstra student, said Nassau police spokesman Anthony Repalone.
Hofstra police responded to the scene and defused the crisis, Repalone said. No one was hurt.Nassau police charged Officer Chaudhry with second-degree menacing, Repalone said.
Chaudhry, a three-year veteran assigned to the 40th Precinct in the Bronx, was suspended without pay for 30 days. His attorney, Jeff Groder, of Mineola, declined to comment Friday.
Repalone said the incident began when Chaudhry bumped into his ex-girlfriend and the alleged victim at the nightclub.
Soon after the alleged victim arrived on the Hofstra campus, Chaudhry drove past the security booth and headed for his former girlfriend's dormitory, prompting campus security to respond, Repalone said. Chaudhry got out of the car and pointed his gun at the 23-year-old, who pushed it away, Repalone said.
A spokesman for Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice said Chaudhry was arraigned before District Court Judge David Goodselland released on his own recognizance. Spokesman Eric Phillips said Goodsell granted orders of protection for the man and Chaudhry's ex-girlfriend. He is due in court June 15.
Officer Fahad R. Chaudhry, 25, of the Bronx, faces a menacing charge in connection with an incident that began about 3:30 a.m. Friday at Sounds of Brazil and ended in a Hofstra dorm parking lot, where Chaudhry pointed the 9-mm Glock at a 23-year-old man with Chaudhry's ex-girlfriend, a Hofstra student, said Nassau police spokesman Anthony Repalone.
Hofstra police responded to the scene and defused the crisis, Repalone said. No one was hurt.Nassau police charged Officer Chaudhry with second-degree menacing, Repalone said.
Chaudhry, a three-year veteran assigned to the 40th Precinct in the Bronx, was suspended without pay for 30 days. His attorney, Jeff Groder, of Mineola, declined to comment Friday.
Repalone said the incident began when Chaudhry bumped into his ex-girlfriend and the alleged victim at the nightclub.
Soon after the alleged victim arrived on the Hofstra campus, Chaudhry drove past the security booth and headed for his former girlfriend's dormitory, prompting campus security to respond, Repalone said. Chaudhry got out of the car and pointed his gun at the 23-year-old, who pushed it away, Repalone said.
A spokesman for Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice said Chaudhry was arraigned before District Court Judge David Goodselland released on his own recognizance. Spokesman Eric Phillips said Goodsell granted orders of protection for the man and Chaudhry's ex-girlfriend. He is due in court June 15.
Dallas Officer Arrested for Drunk Driving
A 24-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department has been placed on administrative leave after he was arrested early Saturday morning.
Wylie police arrested Sgt. Robert J. Crider II around 12:20 a.m. on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to a statement released by Dallas police.
Sgt. Crider will remain on leave pending an investigation by the internal affairs division.
Wylie police arrested Sgt. Robert J. Crider II around 12:20 a.m. on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to a statement released by Dallas police.
Sgt. Crider will remain on leave pending an investigation by the internal affairs division.
Lake Crystal Police Officer Charged with Theft
A former Lake Crystal police officer, who resigned in December after 14 years of service, is facing a felony charge for allegedly selling a van without a clean title.
James Walter Johnson Jr., 36, is scheduled to appear in court June 12 for a felony charge of selling a vehicle without revealing a creditor’s security interest and a misdemeanor theft charge. He’s accused of selling a 1997 Ford Windstar van for $200 without telling the buyer AmeriCredit Financial had a $2,027 lien on the vehicle.
Alan White and his sister, Marnee White, attempted to transfer the van’s title in December 2006. They had purchased the van from Johnson and his wife, Pamela, then. Johnson told Alan White the lien card for the title was lost and he would send it to him later.
When Alan White asked Pamela Johnson about the lien card in January 2007, she told him she had applied for a duplicate card and it would be delivered in six to eight weeks. When Pamela Johnson was contacted again in July about the title, she allegedly left a phone message saying, “Do you think I care.”
When the Whites contacted AmeriCredit that same day, they learned the Johnsons still owed more than $2,000 for the vehicle. They are not able to drive the van because they can’t get registration tabs for it, the criminal complaint said. The case is being investigated by the State Patrol.
Lake Crystal Police Chief Tony Cornish said Johnson started working for the Police Department on Nov. 1, 1993, and resigned on Dec. 20, 2007. Cornish said he could not say why Johnson resigned because it is not public information.
James Walter Johnson Jr., 36, is scheduled to appear in court June 12 for a felony charge of selling a vehicle without revealing a creditor’s security interest and a misdemeanor theft charge. He’s accused of selling a 1997 Ford Windstar van for $200 without telling the buyer AmeriCredit Financial had a $2,027 lien on the vehicle.
Alan White and his sister, Marnee White, attempted to transfer the van’s title in December 2006. They had purchased the van from Johnson and his wife, Pamela, then. Johnson told Alan White the lien card for the title was lost and he would send it to him later.
When Alan White asked Pamela Johnson about the lien card in January 2007, she told him she had applied for a duplicate card and it would be delivered in six to eight weeks. When Pamela Johnson was contacted again in July about the title, she allegedly left a phone message saying, “Do you think I care.”
When the Whites contacted AmeriCredit that same day, they learned the Johnsons still owed more than $2,000 for the vehicle. They are not able to drive the van because they can’t get registration tabs for it, the criminal complaint said. The case is being investigated by the State Patrol.
Lake Crystal Police Chief Tony Cornish said Johnson started working for the Police Department on Nov. 1, 1993, and resigned on Dec. 20, 2007. Cornish said he could not say why Johnson resigned because it is not public information.
Gurnee Officer Accused of Sexually Abusing 2 Children
Bond was set at $1.5 million Friday for a decorated Gurnee Police Department officer who was arrested and charged with three counts of sexually abusing and assaulting two children.
Lake County Sheriff's deputies arrested Officer Jay Simon, 36, of Round Lake Park, at 12:25 p.m. Friday at the Gurnee Police station.
According to the arrest warrant, Simon, the father of three, is charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony; aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony, and misdemeanor aggravated assault.
Simon faces six to 30 years in prison if convicted of the Class X felony; three to seven years if convicted of the Class 2 felony, and jail for up to a year with a $2,500 fine if convicted of the misdemeanor.
Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller said the sexual assaults involved a girl under age 13 that began between March and September 2007. Another girl under 13 was allegedly sexually abused in November 2006.
Waller said a 35-year-old adult male was assaulted by Simon in March 2007. That case was not related to the sexual assault cases.
Gurnee authorities said they were informed of the investigation of Simon in April. He was immediately placed on administrative leave, and remains on leave.
Simon was praised at a Village Board meeting last month for making 47 driving-under-the-influence arrests in 2007, giving him a career total of 397 DUI arrests. He was honored in 2005, 2006 and 2007 as the village's "top cop" and cited by the Illinois Department of Transportation for his number of DUI arrests.
Lake County Sheriff's deputies arrested Officer Jay Simon, 36, of Round Lake Park, at 12:25 p.m. Friday at the Gurnee Police station.
According to the arrest warrant, Simon, the father of three, is charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony; aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony, and misdemeanor aggravated assault.
Simon faces six to 30 years in prison if convicted of the Class X felony; three to seven years if convicted of the Class 2 felony, and jail for up to a year with a $2,500 fine if convicted of the misdemeanor.
Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller said the sexual assaults involved a girl under age 13 that began between March and September 2007. Another girl under 13 was allegedly sexually abused in November 2006.
Waller said a 35-year-old adult male was assaulted by Simon in March 2007. That case was not related to the sexual assault cases.
Gurnee authorities said they were informed of the investigation of Simon in April. He was immediately placed on administrative leave, and remains on leave.
Simon was praised at a Village Board meeting last month for making 47 driving-under-the-influence arrests in 2007, giving him a career total of 397 DUI arrests. He was honored in 2005, 2006 and 2007 as the village's "top cop" and cited by the Illinois Department of Transportation for his number of DUI arrests.
Former Officer Alfred Porro Accused of stealing Cocaine & Cannabis
Gibraltar,UK
A former Police Officer, employed as storeman at Police headquarters, has been charged with the theft of 10 kilos of cocaine and 50 kilos of cannabis resin. This follows events last year, with the storeman being arrested on 1st January this year.
The RGP has named the storeman as Alfred Porro, 42 years of age, of Governor's Street.
The arrest took place after it was discovered that cocaine had gone missing from the exhibits storeroom at New Mole House police headquarters. He was on police bail.
Subsequenly, it was reported that cannabis had gone missing from the Irish Town sub-station.
Porro has also been charged with theft of a rucksack, a portable play station and games.
Police say that following the discovery of the missing cocaine, investigations led detectives to carry out further checksof drugs stored at both police HQ and Irish Town station. Fifty kilos of cannabis resin were found missing, of which 15 kilos have been recovered.
Porro retired early from the RGP and was later employed as a civilian storeman.
A police statement says he was yesterday released from police bail and charged. "He is currently interdicted," said a spokesman. Porro is appearing in court this morning.
FULL TEXT
The full text of the Press release from the RGP yesterday reads as follows:"The storeman employed at New Mole House Police Headquarters who was arrested on 1st of January 2008, after it was disovered that 10 kilos of Cocaine was missing from the exhibits storeroom has been recalled from police bail. Alfred Porro dob 16 10 65 of 51/5 Governor’s Street has been charged with the following offences:
1. Theft of 10 Kilos of Cocaine
2. Theft of 50 Kilos of Cannabis Resin
3. Theft of a rucksack, a portable play station (PSP) and games.
"He will be appearing in court at 1000hrs 6th June 2008. The protracted investigation led detectives to carry out further checks of drugs stored at both New Mole House and Central Police Station, the latter is where the Cannabis Resin was found to have been stolen from. Of the 50 kilos of Cannabis Resin stolen from Central Police Station, 15kg were recovered during the course of the investigation. Porro is currently interdicted."
A former Police Officer, employed as storeman at Police headquarters, has been charged with the theft of 10 kilos of cocaine and 50 kilos of cannabis resin. This follows events last year, with the storeman being arrested on 1st January this year.
The RGP has named the storeman as Alfred Porro, 42 years of age, of Governor's Street.
The arrest took place after it was discovered that cocaine had gone missing from the exhibits storeroom at New Mole House police headquarters. He was on police bail.
Subsequenly, it was reported that cannabis had gone missing from the Irish Town sub-station.
Porro has also been charged with theft of a rucksack, a portable play station and games.
Police say that following the discovery of the missing cocaine, investigations led detectives to carry out further checksof drugs stored at both police HQ and Irish Town station. Fifty kilos of cannabis resin were found missing, of which 15 kilos have been recovered.
Porro retired early from the RGP and was later employed as a civilian storeman.
A police statement says he was yesterday released from police bail and charged. "He is currently interdicted," said a spokesman. Porro is appearing in court this morning.
FULL TEXT
The full text of the Press release from the RGP yesterday reads as follows:"The storeman employed at New Mole House Police Headquarters who was arrested on 1st of January 2008, after it was disovered that 10 kilos of Cocaine was missing from the exhibits storeroom has been recalled from police bail. Alfred Porro dob 16 10 65 of 51/5 Governor’s Street has been charged with the following offences:
1. Theft of 10 Kilos of Cocaine
2. Theft of 50 Kilos of Cannabis Resin
3. Theft of a rucksack, a portable play station (PSP) and games.
"He will be appearing in court at 1000hrs 6th June 2008. The protracted investigation led detectives to carry out further checks of drugs stored at both New Mole House and Central Police Station, the latter is where the Cannabis Resin was found to have been stolen from. Of the 50 kilos of Cannabis Resin stolen from Central Police Station, 15kg were recovered during the course of the investigation. Porro is currently interdicted."
Officer Charged in Insurance Scheme
A Chicago police officer, Joseph Grillo, is linked to a scheme that allegedly defrauded a car insurance company.
Grillo and an accomplice allegedly submitted false claims for stolen vehicles.
The Chicago Police Department's Internal Affairs Division worked with the FBI on the investigation of Grillo.
James Athans runs a tow company on the city's Northwest Side. His nickname is "Meatball." And he's accused of helping at least two Chicago police officers commit insurance fraud. He's charged with coordinating a chop shop operation at the behest of Grillo.
Here's how the feds say it worked: Officer Grillo allegedly helped another unnamed 25th District officer get rid of his car so he could claim insurance money.
The car in question is a 1996 Volkswagen Passat. FBI wiretaps reveal conversations between Grillo and co-defendant Athans in which they plotted for the Passat to appear to have been stolen from a parking area near the back of the police station.
Grillo is allegedly heard on recorded phone conversations telling the tow truck man that his fellow officer would "park some place and you'll just take it."
Athans responded: "Yeah, I'm thinking about just taking it by, ah, and put it behind my lot and just burn it behind my lot."
"Yeah, alright." Grillo answered.
"He's got a 13-year outstanding record of service. He's unblemished and he's an outstanding law and abiding citizen and individual," said Barry Sheppard, Grillo's attorney.
Grillo was in court Wednesday and the orange jump suit of a federal inmate.
"It's emotional, it's stressful but he'll be fine," said Sheppard.
A police spokesperson is hinting more officers may be caught up in this car insurance scam.
In a statement, police say, "The joint investigation was launched in 2006 and remains on going with additional charged expected to be filed."
Grillo and an accomplice allegedly submitted false claims for stolen vehicles.
The Chicago Police Department's Internal Affairs Division worked with the FBI on the investigation of Grillo.
James Athans runs a tow company on the city's Northwest Side. His nickname is "Meatball." And he's accused of helping at least two Chicago police officers commit insurance fraud. He's charged with coordinating a chop shop operation at the behest of Grillo.
Here's how the feds say it worked: Officer Grillo allegedly helped another unnamed 25th District officer get rid of his car so he could claim insurance money.
The car in question is a 1996 Volkswagen Passat. FBI wiretaps reveal conversations between Grillo and co-defendant Athans in which they plotted for the Passat to appear to have been stolen from a parking area near the back of the police station.
Grillo is allegedly heard on recorded phone conversations telling the tow truck man that his fellow officer would "park some place and you'll just take it."
Athans responded: "Yeah, I'm thinking about just taking it by, ah, and put it behind my lot and just burn it behind my lot."
"Yeah, alright." Grillo answered.
"He's got a 13-year outstanding record of service. He's unblemished and he's an outstanding law and abiding citizen and individual," said Barry Sheppard, Grillo's attorney.
Grillo was in court Wednesday and the orange jump suit of a federal inmate.
"It's emotional, it's stressful but he'll be fine," said Sheppard.
A police spokesperson is hinting more officers may be caught up in this car insurance scam.
In a statement, police say, "The joint investigation was launched in 2006 and remains on going with additional charged expected to be filed."
Officer Andrew Baker Convicted of Obstruction of Justice
James City, VA
A former police officer who lied about getting shot was ordered into counseling and must pay $41,115 restitution to the county and Williamsburg police departments.
That amount covered the cost of the investigation and hospital care for Officer Andrew Baker.
“There’s a lot I could say, but this is a mental health issue,” said defense attorney Rich Rizk, saying it was a family issue that snowballed.
Last December, Baker said he was breaking up a fight behind a church on Pocahontas Trail when he was hit by a bullet.
Investigators say the bullet that hit Baker's Kevlar vest matched a gun he had.
Baker was originallly charged with filing a false police report, but the judge Friday amended that to obstruction of justice. He also found Baker guilty of firing a gun within 300 feet of a business or home.
For those charges, Baker was given a two-year suspended sentence on condition he fulfills the other orders.
“There is no amount of restitution that can fix the black eye he gave to the Windy Hill Community,” said Commonwealth Attorney Nathan Green.
Baker resigned from the force on February 26, 2008.
Officer Aaron York Accused of Lying about Arrest
Austin, TX
Austin Police Officer Aaron York was suspended indefinitely Friday, in connection with an arrest Officer York made in December 2007. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said York made untrue statements about an arrest in in official government documents.
Officer York responded to a report of a man screaming in the alley off East Cesar Chavez Street on December 14. York says the man was intoxicated. York said when he tried to make the arrest, the man tried to kick him. For that, he filed a charge of resisting arrest.
In the probable cause affidavit and offense report, York stated that the suspect was violent and resisted arrest. But according to the dashboard video recorded in York's patrol car, Chief Acevedo states that there was no struggle and the suspect did not kick York as he claimed.
"One of the officer's supervisors reviewed the tape in this case and read the offense report and saw a discrepancy. What was in the report wasn't on the video," said Assistant Chief David Carter.
York told integrity officers that he did not lie in his report and wrote what he remembered. The officer is quoted in the memo saying the kick must have happened out of view of the camera. His superiors did not find the story credible. York was fired.
"When police can't be trusted and they swear to something that simply didn't happen, that violates everybody's sense of justice," Carter said.
"The officer will have to explain his actions. I don't think it was his intention at all to misrepresent anything, but we're just going to support his appeal process.
Police have asked the county court to decide whether to charge the man with resisting arrest. Officers say while the man did not show resistance during the arrest, he did during transportation to jail.
Officer York is the ninth officer to be fired under Chief Acevedo.
******************************
Good job Chief Acevedo!!
Austin Police Officer Aaron York was suspended indefinitely Friday, in connection with an arrest Officer York made in December 2007. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said York made untrue statements about an arrest in in official government documents.
Officer York responded to a report of a man screaming in the alley off East Cesar Chavez Street on December 14. York says the man was intoxicated. York said when he tried to make the arrest, the man tried to kick him. For that, he filed a charge of resisting arrest.
In the probable cause affidavit and offense report, York stated that the suspect was violent and resisted arrest. But according to the dashboard video recorded in York's patrol car, Chief Acevedo states that there was no struggle and the suspect did not kick York as he claimed.
"One of the officer's supervisors reviewed the tape in this case and read the offense report and saw a discrepancy. What was in the report wasn't on the video," said Assistant Chief David Carter.
York told integrity officers that he did not lie in his report and wrote what he remembered. The officer is quoted in the memo saying the kick must have happened out of view of the camera. His superiors did not find the story credible. York was fired.
"When police can't be trusted and they swear to something that simply didn't happen, that violates everybody's sense of justice," Carter said.
"The officer will have to explain his actions. I don't think it was his intention at all to misrepresent anything, but we're just going to support his appeal process.
Police have asked the county court to decide whether to charge the man with resisting arrest. Officers say while the man did not show resistance during the arrest, he did during transportation to jail.
Officer York is the ninth officer to be fired under Chief Acevedo.
******************************
Good job Chief Acevedo!!
Friday, June 06, 2008
Officer Anthony Maio Arrested for Sexual assault
NEW HAVEN, Conn
A 13-year veteran of the New Haven police department was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual assault and unlawful restraint.
Officer Anthony Maio was charged following an internal affairs investigation that was launched on April 19 into his conduct, police said.
Police chief Stephanie Redding refused to detail the complaint, saying she had an obligation to protect the alleged victim and the integrity of the investigation.
"We take these incidents very seriously as this type of behavior from an officer is unacceptable," she said. "Our residents count on us to be role models, to serve them and to provide them with effective community policing. We have a strong internal affairs team that works hard to make sure that we meet or exceed the expectations of our residents."
Maio turned himself in to New Haven Police and was booked on two counts of sexual assault in the fourth degree and two counts of unlawful restraint in the second degree.
City officials could not say if Maio had an attorney.
Maio, who joined the department in 1995, has been put on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.
A 13-year veteran of the New Haven police department was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual assault and unlawful restraint.
Officer Anthony Maio was charged following an internal affairs investigation that was launched on April 19 into his conduct, police said.
Police chief Stephanie Redding refused to detail the complaint, saying she had an obligation to protect the alleged victim and the integrity of the investigation.
"We take these incidents very seriously as this type of behavior from an officer is unacceptable," she said. "Our residents count on us to be role models, to serve them and to provide them with effective community policing. We have a strong internal affairs team that works hard to make sure that we meet or exceed the expectations of our residents."
Maio turned himself in to New Haven Police and was booked on two counts of sexual assault in the fourth degree and two counts of unlawful restraint in the second degree.
City officials could not say if Maio had an attorney.
Maio, who joined the department in 1995, has been put on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.
Officer Not Charged in fatal Taser case
CLAY, N.Y
An Onondaga County grand jury won't charge a Syracuse-area police officer who used a Taser on a man who later died.
Christopher Jackson went into cardiac arrest in March after Clay Police Officer Kevin Drumm stunned him with a Taser.
Authorities were called to Jackson's apartment for a domestic complaint involving his mother. While Drumm was interviewing a witness, the 37-year-old Jackson tried to grab him.
After warning that he was going to use a Taser, Drumm shot Jackson with the stun device. Within 90 seconds of handcuffing Jackson, officers noticed he was unresponsive and called for paramedics. Jackson was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
An Onondaga County grand jury won't charge a Syracuse-area police officer who used a Taser on a man who later died.
Christopher Jackson went into cardiac arrest in March after Clay Police Officer Kevin Drumm stunned him with a Taser.
Authorities were called to Jackson's apartment for a domestic complaint involving his mother. While Drumm was interviewing a witness, the 37-year-old Jackson tried to grab him.
After warning that he was going to use a Taser, Drumm shot Jackson with the stun device. Within 90 seconds of handcuffing Jackson, officers noticed he was unresponsive and called for paramedics. Jackson was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Denver Police Officer Arrested on Sex Assault Charge
Police have arrested a former officer accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile female on the 16th Street Mall.
On May 27, family members of the juvenile told police that she had been sexually assaulted at the GNC store at the Denver Pavilions. Police later identified a second juvenile victim and a possible suspect.
On Monday, police issued an arrest warrant for that suspect, former Denver Police officer Joseph Bini. The fugitive unit of the Denver Police Department arrested Bini after the warrant was issued.
Denver Police say the case was presented to the Denver District Attorney's Office, who accepted the case for child enticement and unlawful sexual contact.
It was previously reported Officer Bini was responsible for giving the Denver Police Department SWAT team the wrong address for a search warrant. The SWAT team raided the wrong house.
SWAT team members shot and killed Ishmael Mena, who threatened officers with a gun. Mena's family eventually settled with the city for $400,000. It was later found out Mena was wanted for murder in Mexico.
Officer Bini pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of misconduct and returned to the force after a three-month suspension.
On May 27, family members of the juvenile told police that she had been sexually assaulted at the GNC store at the Denver Pavilions. Police later identified a second juvenile victim and a possible suspect.
On Monday, police issued an arrest warrant for that suspect, former Denver Police officer Joseph Bini. The fugitive unit of the Denver Police Department arrested Bini after the warrant was issued.
Denver Police say the case was presented to the Denver District Attorney's Office, who accepted the case for child enticement and unlawful sexual contact.
It was previously reported Officer Bini was responsible for giving the Denver Police Department SWAT team the wrong address for a search warrant. The SWAT team raided the wrong house.
SWAT team members shot and killed Ishmael Mena, who threatened officers with a gun. Mena's family eventually settled with the city for $400,000. It was later found out Mena was wanted for murder in Mexico.
Officer Bini pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of misconduct and returned to the force after a three-month suspension.
Former Tulsa Officer is Sentenced to Federal Prison
Tulsa, Oklahoma
A former Tulsa Police officer is going to federal prison. Buddy Visser was sentenced on Friday in federal court in Tulsa to 18-months in prison for each of two counts of selling stolen police department guns on the Internet.
The 47-year-old Visser was a firearms instructor for the Tulsa Police Department.
"This case and other recent federal public corruption prosecutions in the Northern District reflect the continuing commitment of my office, the federal investigative agencies and the Tulsa Police Department to root out, expose and bring to justice corrupt public servants, including those working within law enforcement. Our citizens and communities expect and deserve to be served by only the most honest public officials and we will continue to hold them to the highest standards of conduct," said U.S. Attorney David O'Melia.
In addition to prison time, Visser has been ordered to pay $15, 988 in restitution. Also, once he completes his prison sentence, he will serve three years on supervised release.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Deputies Accused of Misconduct
Greensboro, NC
Two Forsyth County sheriff's deputies recently accused of misconduct in separate incidents are no longer with the sheriff's office, a spokesman said yesterday.
Officer Tyrone Davis, 28, is under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation after being accused of sexual misconduct at the jail, where he was a detention officer, the sheriff's office confirmed.
He stopped working at the sheriff's office on May 23, but Maj. Brad Stanley, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, would not say whether Davis was fired or resigned. Davis had been suspended with pay since April 30, the day after the allegation against him was made. The sheriff's office turned the case over to the SBI.
Davis had been a detention officer since 2004.
Also, Officer Roosevelt Mason Kellum, 40, was no longer with the sheriff's office as of Tuesday, Stanley said. He also would not say whether Kellum was fired.
Kellum is accused of putting his wife in a headlock and punching her repeatedly on May 26. He faces one count of assault on a female. Kellum was a deputy from 1995 to 2005, then he left the sheriff's office to work in the private sector. He returned to the sheriff's office last July and was a courtroom bailiff.
Two Forsyth County sheriff's deputies recently accused of misconduct in separate incidents are no longer with the sheriff's office, a spokesman said yesterday.
Officer Tyrone Davis, 28, is under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation after being accused of sexual misconduct at the jail, where he was a detention officer, the sheriff's office confirmed.
He stopped working at the sheriff's office on May 23, but Maj. Brad Stanley, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, would not say whether Davis was fired or resigned. Davis had been suspended with pay since April 30, the day after the allegation against him was made. The sheriff's office turned the case over to the SBI.
Davis had been a detention officer since 2004.
Also, Officer Roosevelt Mason Kellum, 40, was no longer with the sheriff's office as of Tuesday, Stanley said. He also would not say whether Kellum was fired.
Kellum is accused of putting his wife in a headlock and punching her repeatedly on May 26. He faces one count of assault on a female. Kellum was a deputy from 1995 to 2005, then he left the sheriff's office to work in the private sector. He returned to the sheriff's office last July and was a courtroom bailiff.
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