Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher says an officer used excessive force when tasing a city councilman's daughter over the weekend.
Cincinnati Councilman Cecil Thomas says Chief Streicher has apologized for the incident.
Chief Streicher released video of the incident that led up to the early Sunday morning tasing of 26-year-old Celeste Thomas.
Investigators say 33-year-old Demetri Washington was driving at the time of the incident in Clifton Heights.
Officers pulled the vehicle over after Washington allegedly struck a garbage truck along West McMillan Street around 1:10 a.m.
A female officer asked Washington for his driver's license several times. He could be heard on the tape offering his social security information. The officer eventually had him step out of the car where he was taken into custody for an earlier felony warrant of burglary as well as resisting arrest.
During the arrest, Thomas gets out of the vehicle. She asks what's going on and officers order her back into the vehicle.
You can see a third police officer, identified as Anthony Plummer, arrive on the scene.
The two other officers ask him to keep Thomas away from them and Washington.
That's when you can hear Officer Plummer ask Thomas to get on the ground.
Thomas says my father is a councilman. What did I do wrong?
She's ordered to the ground again and warned she would be tased.
Chief Streicher says a preliminary investigation shows Thomas fell to her knees and put her hands in the air but was then tased by Officer Plummer.
Streicher says the tasing was excessive force.
Officer Plummer's police powers have been suspended until an internal investigation is complete. Plummer was investigated by the Cincinnati’s Citizen Complaint Authority in a 2006 complaint stemming from another Tasing incident in which use of excessive force was alleged. In that incident, Plummer was found to have used excessive force.
Thomas was processed at the Hamilton County Justice Center and then released. Washington remains jailed on a $53,000 bond.
Streicher says he wants the internal investigation to be completed by the end of the week.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Officer Suspended After Man Found Dead in Police Cruiser
Punxsutawney's police chief says an officer is on paid leave until authorities finish their investigation of how a man died in police custody more than a week ago.
Chief Tom Fedigan isn't releasing the name of the officer suspended in connection with the death of 48-year-old Stephen Obbish on Aug. 15.
Obbish had been picked up on suspicion of public drunkenness about 9:50 a.m. and was found dead in the same police cruiser about five hours later. Authorities aren't saying if the man was in the car the entire time, on a day when temperatures were in the 80s.
State police are trying to determine if a crime was committed and are awaiting autopsy results to determine if Obbish was drunk or suffering from a diabetic condition instead.
Punxsutawney is about 60 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
Chief Tom Fedigan isn't releasing the name of the officer suspended in connection with the death of 48-year-old Stephen Obbish on Aug. 15.
Obbish had been picked up on suspicion of public drunkenness about 9:50 a.m. and was found dead in the same police cruiser about five hours later. Authorities aren't saying if the man was in the car the entire time, on a day when temperatures were in the 80s.
State police are trying to determine if a crime was committed and are awaiting autopsy results to determine if Obbish was drunk or suffering from a diabetic condition instead.
Punxsutawney is about 60 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
Officer Davy Jones Arrested for Choking 15-year-old
An Abbeville police officer has found himself on the opposite side of the law, arrested for allegedly choking a juvenile until he passed out.
The incident took place in the early morning hours of Saturday according to the Henry County Sheriff's office.
Investigators say Davy Jones, 22, was off duty when he assaulted the 15-year-old boy.
The victim's mother signed a warrant Monday morning and Jones turned himself in to authorities.
Jones was charged with reckless endangerment and posted a $500.00 bond.
Abbeville Police Chief Mike Jones placed the officer on administrative leave without pay until further notice. He said the city would continue to seek updates from the Sheriff's Department and would make futher decisions when the investigation is completed.
Jones faces up to one year in jail and a $6,000 fine.
Officer Jonnie Hicks Arrested for Assaulting Woman
A Newport News police officer was arrested early Friday morning and charged with assaulting a woman in her home.
Johnnie Hicks, 30, assigned to the South Precinct High Impact Patrol Unit, is charged with assault and battery and brandishing a firearm. He has been with the Newport News police almost two years.
Hicks has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal and criminal investigation.
Police spokeswoman Holly McPherson said Hicks was arrested about 1:48 a.m. on Youngs Mill Lane.
She said officers responded to the address after receiving reports of a person with a gun.
She said investigators determined that, while off duty, Hicks got into "a confrontation" with a 30-year-old Newport News woman, described as "a neighbor," in her residence.
During the incident, he assaulted her and brandished a firearm, McPherson said.
Johnnie Hicks, 30, assigned to the South Precinct High Impact Patrol Unit, is charged with assault and battery and brandishing a firearm. He has been with the Newport News police almost two years.
Hicks has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal and criminal investigation.
Police spokeswoman Holly McPherson said Hicks was arrested about 1:48 a.m. on Youngs Mill Lane.
She said officers responded to the address after receiving reports of a person with a gun.
She said investigators determined that, while off duty, Hicks got into "a confrontation" with a 30-year-old Newport News woman, described as "a neighbor," in her residence.
During the incident, he assaulted her and brandished a firearm, McPherson said.
Officer Joseph Mellon Wanted for Stealing Car
A McKeesport police officer was on the wrong side of the law after he allegedly stole a car.
Port Vue police are searching for Joseph Mellon, 64. Police said Mellon was helping a woman pay off a car that she could no longer afford.
When the woman didn't pay him back, police said Mellon took the car.
Police said the woman got the car back and called police, but they were unable to find Mellon to arrest him.
Port Vue police said Mellon will be charged with theft by unlawful taking.
Port Vue police are searching for Joseph Mellon, 64. Police said Mellon was helping a woman pay off a car that she could no longer afford.
When the woman didn't pay him back, police said Mellon took the car.
Police said the woman got the car back and called police, but they were unable to find Mellon to arrest him.
Port Vue police said Mellon will be charged with theft by unlawful taking.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Deputy Paul Wagner Arrested for Sexual Misconduct
Marion County Sheriff's deputies arrested one of their own after an undercover operation. Now, a deputy who worked as a guard at the jail, is himself behind bars.
"You know there is 775 deputy sheriff's in this department full time police officers and when one gets out of line the other 774 don't care for it," Col. John Layton with the Marion Co. Sheriff's Department said,
When women complained about that one sheriff's deputy, Paul Wagner, fellow deputies began a month long investigation.
Wagner worked part-time security at a Speedway gas station on the city's east side. Investigators say female Speedway customers complained Wagner tried to solicit them for sex on several occassions. Detectives worked with one of the women who complained.
"He had known her from being in there before actually she was the complainant to the Sheriff's department, one of the main complainants and upon the two of them having conversation he offered goods for sexual favors," explained Col. Layton.
Those goods were a pack of cigarettes and a soft drink.
"Its very unfortunate because he was in the sheriff's uniform which that is the reason there is a charge of official misconduct besides the patronizing a prostitute," Col. Layton said.
Paul Wagner is now suspended without pay. Next week he faces a court appearance and an internal investigation.
"You know there is 775 deputy sheriff's in this department full time police officers and when one gets out of line the other 774 don't care for it," Col. John Layton with the Marion Co. Sheriff's Department said,
When women complained about that one sheriff's deputy, Paul Wagner, fellow deputies began a month long investigation.
Wagner worked part-time security at a Speedway gas station on the city's east side. Investigators say female Speedway customers complained Wagner tried to solicit them for sex on several occassions. Detectives worked with one of the women who complained.
"He had known her from being in there before actually she was the complainant to the Sheriff's department, one of the main complainants and upon the two of them having conversation he offered goods for sexual favors," explained Col. Layton.
Those goods were a pack of cigarettes and a soft drink.
"Its very unfortunate because he was in the sheriff's uniform which that is the reason there is a charge of official misconduct besides the patronizing a prostitute," Col. Layton said.
Paul Wagner is now suspended without pay. Next week he faces a court appearance and an internal investigation.
Officer William Robert Queen Resigns After Arrest for Arson
The Bullhead City police officer who was arrested in July by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police has turned in his resignation, officials confirmed.
William Robert Queen, 36, turned in his resignation to Police Chief Rodney Head on Aug. 4.
Queen was placed on administrative leave by Head on July 20, prior to his arrest by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said Bullhead City Police Department spokeswoman Emily Montague.
Queen was arrested July 21 by Las Vegas Metropolitan police on suspicion of arson for insurance fraud, said spokeswoman Barbara Morgan.
“On July 17, firefighters responded to a vehicle fire in a vacant lot in the 13000 block of South Western,” Morgan said.
Crews responded to a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe on fire. Morgan said there was nothing missing on the vehicle.
“The auto theft unit conducted an investigation and determined the vehicle fire was for the purposes of insurance fraud,” Morgan said. Police allege Queen hired 26-year-old Gary Miller to burn the vehicle. Miller was arrested Aug. 10 on suspicion of arson for insurance fraud, Morgan said.
The case has been turned over to the state attorney general's office, she said.
Queen joined the Bullhead City Police Department on Jan. 10, 2000.
William Robert Queen, 36, turned in his resignation to Police Chief Rodney Head on Aug. 4.
Queen was placed on administrative leave by Head on July 20, prior to his arrest by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said Bullhead City Police Department spokeswoman Emily Montague.
Queen was arrested July 21 by Las Vegas Metropolitan police on suspicion of arson for insurance fraud, said spokeswoman Barbara Morgan.
“On July 17, firefighters responded to a vehicle fire in a vacant lot in the 13000 block of South Western,” Morgan said.
Crews responded to a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe on fire. Morgan said there was nothing missing on the vehicle.
“The auto theft unit conducted an investigation and determined the vehicle fire was for the purposes of insurance fraud,” Morgan said. Police allege Queen hired 26-year-old Gary Miller to burn the vehicle. Miller was arrested Aug. 10 on suspicion of arson for insurance fraud, Morgan said.
The case has been turned over to the state attorney general's office, she said.
Queen joined the Bullhead City Police Department on Jan. 10, 2000.
Trooper Anthony Scott Under Investigation
The State Highway Patrol has launched an internal investigation into a state trooper assigned to Chatham County.
Trooper Anthony E. Scott, 38, was placed on administrative leave Aug. 19, four days after the Patrol began an internal investigation, spokesman Capt. Everett Clendenin said.
Scott, a 15-year veteran of the force, is assigned to Siler City.
Clendenin did not release details of the investigation, citing state personnel law.
He did confirm that a trooper – whose identity hasn't been released – was on the property of a Pittsboro home at the approximate time of an Aug. 14 incident.
Then, real estate broker Eric Andrews, 40, was arrested after his estranged wife, Jennifer Andrews, told authorities he pointed a gun at her, choked her and threatened her life, according to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. Deputies recovered a Smith & Wesson revolver.
Andrews, of 7324 Silk Hope-Gum Springs Road, was being held in the Chatham County Jail Saturday under a $1 million bond.
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http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news&id=6978337
Trooper Anthony E. Scott, 38, was placed on administrative leave Aug. 19, four days after the Patrol began an internal investigation, spokesman Capt. Everett Clendenin said.
Scott, a 15-year veteran of the force, is assigned to Siler City.
Clendenin did not release details of the investigation, citing state personnel law.
He did confirm that a trooper – whose identity hasn't been released – was on the property of a Pittsboro home at the approximate time of an Aug. 14 incident.
Then, real estate broker Eric Andrews, 40, was arrested after his estranged wife, Jennifer Andrews, told authorities he pointed a gun at her, choked her and threatened her life, according to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. Deputies recovered a Smith & Wesson revolver.
Andrews, of 7324 Silk Hope-Gum Springs Road, was being held in the Chatham County Jail Saturday under a $1 million bond.
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http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news&id=6978337
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Officer Anthony Rollins Will Get Public Defender
An Anchorage police officer accused of sexually assaulting women while on duty will get a public defender despite his $100,000 annual salary.
Superior Court Judge Phillip Volland on Friday said the case would be very expensive and Anthony Rollins cannot afford a lawyer to defend himself.
Prosecutors had asked the judge to revisit his initial decision granting Rollins, a 13-year officer, a state-paid attorney.
The Anchorage Daily News reports Rollins was paid $142,892 by the Anchorage police department in 2008.
Rollins, 41, was indicted last month on multiple charges of sexual assault and other offenses. He pleaded not guilty to 14 felonies and six misdemeanors.
___
Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com/
Superior Court Judge Phillip Volland on Friday said the case would be very expensive and Anthony Rollins cannot afford a lawyer to defend himself.
Prosecutors had asked the judge to revisit his initial decision granting Rollins, a 13-year officer, a state-paid attorney.
The Anchorage Daily News reports Rollins was paid $142,892 by the Anchorage police department in 2008.
Rollins, 41, was indicted last month on multiple charges of sexual assault and other offenses. He pleaded not guilty to 14 felonies and six misdemeanors.
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Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com/
More Information: http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10973217
Correctional Officer Brandon Goodson Arrested for Child Molestation
A 33-year-old Clovis man turned himself in to Clovis Police Saturday morning, after detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest for child molestation. Brandon Goodson is currently free on bond.
Clovis Police learned of the molestation last Thursday. The incident allegedly took place on Aug. 12, in the 3200 block of Bellaire. The investigation led to the arrest of Goodson for child molestation, penetration with a foreign object on a victim under 16 years of age and oral copulation on a victim under 16 years of age. Clovis Police detectives are not looking for any additional victims.
The suspect and the confidential victim had recently met each other and corresponded via text messaging. The alleged victim's name was not released.
Goodson’s employer is Avenal State Prison, where he works as a correctional officer. The status of his employment is unknown.
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http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/54206162.html
Clovis Police learned of the molestation last Thursday. The incident allegedly took place on Aug. 12, in the 3200 block of Bellaire. The investigation led to the arrest of Goodson for child molestation, penetration with a foreign object on a victim under 16 years of age and oral copulation on a victim under 16 years of age. Clovis Police detectives are not looking for any additional victims.
The suspect and the confidential victim had recently met each other and corresponded via text messaging. The alleged victim's name was not released.
Goodson’s employer is Avenal State Prison, where he works as a correctional officer. The status of his employment is unknown.
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http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/54206162.html
Officer Hikeen Crampton Charged with Insurance Fraud
A Baltimore police officer who overcame the odds growing up in West Baltimore to patrol his old neighborhood, was indicted Friday on charges of insurance fraud and attempted felony theft, the state attorney general said.
Hikeen D. Crampton Sr., 30, of Rosedale, is accused of fraudulently claiming in late 2008 that his Cadillac Escalade had been stolen when he had traded it in for another vehicle. The indictment follows an investigation by the Regional Auto Theft Task Force, the insurance fraud division of the Maryland Insurance Administration and the attorney general's office.
The charges were filed in Frederick County, where the claim was filed, said Shanetta J. Paskel, an official with the attorney general's office.
Crampton was profiled in a front-page article in The Baltimore Sun in 2001 after he graduated from the Baltimore Police Academy and requested a patrol assignment in his old neighborhood, a notorious drug zone. The youngest of 10 children, he graduated from Douglass High School and managed a McDonald's before joining the police academy.
"Some people ask me, 'Why do you want to come back?' " Crampton said at the time. "I want to help my community."
He received an award from Baltimore County last year after he observed the robbery of an armored car while off duty and caught the suspect, holding him until county officers arrived. In 2005, while working plainclothes in the Western District, he also arrested one of the stars of the infamous "Stop Snitching" video.
Anthony Guglielmi, a city police spokesman, said the Police Department learned of the allegations in June, when Crampton was suspended with pay.
"The allegations are concerning, but we have an obligation to see the system through and we're going to reserve comment until this is over," Guglielmi said.
Attempts to reach Crampton for comment were unsuccessful.
An arraignment has been scheduled for Sept. 25.
Hikeen D. Crampton Sr., 30, of Rosedale, is accused of fraudulently claiming in late 2008 that his Cadillac Escalade had been stolen when he had traded it in for another vehicle. The indictment follows an investigation by the Regional Auto Theft Task Force, the insurance fraud division of the Maryland Insurance Administration and the attorney general's office.
The charges were filed in Frederick County, where the claim was filed, said Shanetta J. Paskel, an official with the attorney general's office.
Crampton was profiled in a front-page article in The Baltimore Sun in 2001 after he graduated from the Baltimore Police Academy and requested a patrol assignment in his old neighborhood, a notorious drug zone. The youngest of 10 children, he graduated from Douglass High School and managed a McDonald's before joining the police academy.
"Some people ask me, 'Why do you want to come back?' " Crampton said at the time. "I want to help my community."
He received an award from Baltimore County last year after he observed the robbery of an armored car while off duty and caught the suspect, holding him until county officers arrived. In 2005, while working plainclothes in the Western District, he also arrested one of the stars of the infamous "Stop Snitching" video.
Anthony Guglielmi, a city police spokesman, said the Police Department learned of the allegations in June, when Crampton was suspended with pay.
"The allegations are concerning, but we have an obligation to see the system through and we're going to reserve comment until this is over," Guglielmi said.
Attempts to reach Crampton for comment were unsuccessful.
An arraignment has been scheduled for Sept. 25.
Sheriff Fires Deputy After Waitress Poses with Weapons on Patrol Car
An embarrassed Sheriff Gary Painter fired one Midland County deputy and suspended three others without pay after a scantily dressed waitress holding a rifle posed for photographs on the trunk of a patrol vehicle.
Round Rock officers were dispatched to the restaurant after someone reported the waitress with the weapon, which had been given to her by one of the deputies who had been attending a training session near Austin.
The incident occurred last week in the parking lot of a Twin Peaks restaurant, which promotes its "fun, friendly and sometimes flirty atmosphere!"
The deputies told Painter that they had about three to five beers each.
A fifth deputy who remained inside the eatery got a letter of reprimand.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Cody Crews Harp Arrested for Trying to Hir Hit Man
A 30-year-old Eureka Springs firefighter, medic and reserve police officer, Cody Crews Harp, has been arrested for conspiracy to commit murder for trying to hire a hit man to kill his wife, police say.
The Eureka Springs High School graduate, who is well known in the community, reportedly passed money and information about his wife to an undercover FBI agent in the parking lot of a Eureka Springs lodging facility Tuesday evening.
He and his wife, Latisha Harp, were reportedly embroiled in a custody battle and divorce.
According to a press release issued by the Eureka Springs Police Department, Officer Brian Williams received information on Aug. 11 from a local man who said Harp was trying to hire a hit man to kill Latisha.
An investigation was initiated, and "over the course of a week, Harp made clear his intention to hire someone to kill his wife," the press release stated.
Eureka police said they contacted FBI Special Agent Dave Blakely and requested assistance with additional manpower, equipment and a certified undercover officer.
"The FBI gave their complete support and assisted Detective (Joe) Barbalance with the investigation," police said.
According to the press release issued by police, on Tuesday afternoon, Harp was contacted by an undercover officer posing as the hit man and agreed to meet him at a city motel, the Inn of the Ozarks parking lot.
Harp reportedly told the officer that he would have to go home to get a picture of his wife, the press release stated.
"Just after 5 p.m., Harp arrived and got into the undercover officer's vehicle. He provided a photograph and address of his wife, and paid money to the officer while under surveillance from Eureka Springs officers and FBI agents," police said in their report.
Once the money was paid and the deal was set, Harp reportedly exited the undercover vehicle and began walking back to his vehicle, where officers arrested him without incident.
Harp was transported to the Eureka Springs Police Department for questioning and processing, police say, and later taken to the Carroll County Detention Center, where he was booked on the conspiracy charge.
Authorities say he was a paramedic firefighter for the Eureka Springs Fire Department, and a reserve police officer with the ESPD serving as a medic on the Tri-City Special Response Team.
Officer Johnnie Hicks Arrested for Assault on Neighbor
A Newport News police officer has been arrested for assault and for pulling a gun on his neighbor.
Triesha Elderkin says her neighbor stormed over to her townhouse early this morning, yelling and screaming.
"I don't want to stay here any more. I don't feel safe. He's the cops. He can do anything. He showed his gun and said I will shoot every one of you, all this stuff. I told him to get out of my house. You can't do that. Get out of my house. Get out of my house."
Elderkin's neighbor is a police officer, Johnnie Hicks. She says Hicks was mad his fiance and daughter were at a party at her home. The screaming up outside where Elderkin says she confronted the officer, angry he brought a gun into her house.
"I went towards him and he pulled out his gun, and chocked me. My boyfriend pulled me off and said, baby, he's got a gun. He's the cops. You can't do that. He's the cops. He'll shoot us. He'll shoot us all."
When NewsChannel 3's Mike Mather walked into the townhouse neighborhood, he saw the officer duck into his home. He wouldn't answer the door. Elderkin says officers told her the neighbor would be gone through the weekend, but that hasn't happened.
Court papers show that police first wrote that Hicks pulled his gun. Then they scratched it out and wrote "grasped."
And when a magistrate wrote about the victims, he put "victims" in quotes.
The police report says when officers showed up at Triesha Elderkin's home everyone was drunk, except of course the accused officer. But Elderkin says that's just not true.
Elkerkin says it happened just like she said. And she's not convinced police are taking this seriously because the man she accused came right back home.
"How do I know that, when everybody else is gone, he's not going to come to my back door and try to get payback for getting him in trouble?"
Triesha Elderkin says her neighbor stormed over to her townhouse early this morning, yelling and screaming.
"I don't want to stay here any more. I don't feel safe. He's the cops. He can do anything. He showed his gun and said I will shoot every one of you, all this stuff. I told him to get out of my house. You can't do that. Get out of my house. Get out of my house."
Elderkin's neighbor is a police officer, Johnnie Hicks. She says Hicks was mad his fiance and daughter were at a party at her home. The screaming up outside where Elderkin says she confronted the officer, angry he brought a gun into her house.
"I went towards him and he pulled out his gun, and chocked me. My boyfriend pulled me off and said, baby, he's got a gun. He's the cops. You can't do that. He's the cops. He'll shoot us. He'll shoot us all."
When NewsChannel 3's Mike Mather walked into the townhouse neighborhood, he saw the officer duck into his home. He wouldn't answer the door. Elderkin says officers told her the neighbor would be gone through the weekend, but that hasn't happened.
Court papers show that police first wrote that Hicks pulled his gun. Then they scratched it out and wrote "grasped."
And when a magistrate wrote about the victims, he put "victims" in quotes.
The police report says when officers showed up at Triesha Elderkin's home everyone was drunk, except of course the accused officer. But Elderkin says that's just not true.
Elkerkin says it happened just like she said. And she's not convinced police are taking this seriously because the man she accused came right back home.
"How do I know that, when everybody else is gone, he's not going to come to my back door and try to get payback for getting him in trouble?"
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Officer Jared Rohrig Accused of Sexual Assault
MILFORD, Conn.
An Orange police officer is accused of pretending to be his twin brother in order to engage in a sexual encounter with a woman.
Officer Jared Rohrig, of Milford, was arrested Friday in connection with the sexual assault.
Police said a woman told police that she went to meet Rohrig's twin brother, Joe, whom she was in a relationship with. The woman got into a hot tub with Jared Rohrig, thinking it was his brother, police said.
Police said the hot tub activity moved into one of the home's bedrooms, where the two began having sex.
"During the sexual intercourse, she realized the male she was with did not have a tattoo on his left buttocks. The female victim said she immediately began to cry and asked where his tattoo went," according to the arrest affidavit.
The woman said Joe, whom she had been having a sexual relationship with since March 2009, has a tattoo of a cowboy, according to the affidavit.
Police said when the woman tried to leave, Jared Rohrig pushed her down onto the bed, covered her face with a pillow and continued having sex.
Rohrig was charged with sexual assault in the first degree and criminal impersonation. His bond was set at $50,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 8.
He was put on paid leave from the Orange Police Department.
An Orange police officer is accused of pretending to be his twin brother in order to engage in a sexual encounter with a woman.
Officer Jared Rohrig, of Milford, was arrested Friday in connection with the sexual assault.
Police said a woman told police that she went to meet Rohrig's twin brother, Joe, whom she was in a relationship with. The woman got into a hot tub with Jared Rohrig, thinking it was his brother, police said.
Police said the hot tub activity moved into one of the home's bedrooms, where the two began having sex.
"During the sexual intercourse, she realized the male she was with did not have a tattoo on his left buttocks. The female victim said she immediately began to cry and asked where his tattoo went," according to the arrest affidavit.
The woman said Joe, whom she had been having a sexual relationship with since March 2009, has a tattoo of a cowboy, according to the affidavit.
Police said when the woman tried to leave, Jared Rohrig pushed her down onto the bed, covered her face with a pillow and continued having sex.
Rohrig was charged with sexual assault in the first degree and criminal impersonation. His bond was set at $50,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 8.
He was put on paid leave from the Orange Police Department.
Officer Evangelin Carr Charged with DWI
A Fort Worth police officer has been placed on restricted duty after his arrest this week in Keller on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Evangelin G. Carr, 28, was charged Thursday with DWI, according to Tarrant County records.
Keller police Lt. Brenda Slovak said Carr was pulled over in the 300 block of Bear Creek Parkway shortly after 3 a.m. Monday because his Chevrolet pickup had a defective tail light and he failed to use his turn signal.
Slovak said Carr was given a field sobriety test after the officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol and Carr acknowledged having had two drinks. She said that in addition to failing the test, Breathalyzer results showed that Carr was over the legal limit for driving.
Sgt. Pedro Criado, a Fort Worth police spokesman, said an internal investigation is under way into the DWI allegations against Carr, as well as allegations of neglect of duty and causing unfavorable criticism to the department.
"As a Keller officer approached, he did indicate he was a police officer and he did not want to lose his job," Criado said.
He said Carr, who was hired in October 2007, also briefly struggled with officers as they tried to handcuff him.
While on restricted duty, Carr is prohibited from wearing a uniform or carrying a gun or badge.
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Video at star-telegram.com/extras
Officer Dina Hoffman Charged with Perjury
ROCKVILLE, Md.
Montgomery County police say an officer is facing perjury charges.
The Howard County State's Attorney's Office announced the indictment of Officer Dina Hoffman on Friday, charging her with one count of perjury and one count of misconduct in office.
Hoffman is accused of testifying in court in April that a driver, who was cited for drunken driving in May 2008, had been behind the wheel of the vehicle when she first encountered him. But surveillance video from a building shows the driver was in the back seat of the car when she arrived.
Police say Hoffman, a three-year veteran of the Montgomery County force, is now on administrative leave. Officials asked Howard County to handle the case because two Montgomery County state prosecutors were witnesses to Hoffman's testimony.
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http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/082109_police_officer_charged_with_perjury_in_dui_case
Montgomery County police say an officer is facing perjury charges.
The Howard County State's Attorney's Office announced the indictment of Officer Dina Hoffman on Friday, charging her with one count of perjury and one count of misconduct in office.
Hoffman is accused of testifying in court in April that a driver, who was cited for drunken driving in May 2008, had been behind the wheel of the vehicle when she first encountered him. But surveillance video from a building shows the driver was in the back seat of the car when she arrived.
Police say Hoffman, a three-year veteran of the Montgomery County force, is now on administrative leave. Officials asked Howard County to handle the case because two Montgomery County state prosecutors were witnesses to Hoffman's testimony.
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http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/082109_police_officer_charged_with_perjury_in_dui_case
Former Officer Humberto Delgado Jr Shoots Officer
"I shot a police officer," Humberto Delgado Jr. told his uncle by cell phone. "I think I killed him."
Those words, related by Tampa police Thursday, were spoken just before police arrested Delgado and charged him with killing Cpl. Mike Roberts.
It stunned those who knew he had mental health issues but never saw him display violent tendencies.
Told Thursday that the father of her 2-year-old son has been accused of killing the officer, Shayla Evans asked, "Are you serious? Oh, my lord. Oh, lord."
Delgado, a former police officer and U.S. Army private, may have mental health issues, but he wasn't the type of man who would shoot a cop, Evans and his friends said. Delgado was arrested late Wednesday and charged with murder of a law enforcement officer.
Delgado is confined in Orient Road Jail on suicide watch, with a deputy keeping an eye on him 24 hours a day. He is being held in the highest security level, meaning any time he leaves his cell, he will be in handcuffs and box chains, Hillsborough County sheriff's Col. Jim Previtera said. Delgado only will be allowed to leave the cell one hour a day, and during that time he can shower or walk around inside his jail pod.
Evans said Delgado, who served as a police officer in the Virgin Islands from April 1996 to October 2000, had been staying with family in Oldsmar since April but had become "basically homeless." He declined to get real help for his health issues, she said.
Family at the Oldsmar home declined to comment. But Evans said he had been clinically diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
"I knew something was wrong, because I hadn't heard from him," she said.
She said he has a temper and doesn't know what he's doing, and that he had been medically discharged from the Army because of an injured back and the mental health issue.
According to Army spokesman Lt. Col. Richard McNorton, Delgado was a former private first class for the Army, joining in August 2004 and serving until December 2005. McNorton said for privacy reasons he could not say why Delgado left, but that his character of service was "honorable."
Delgado was a petroleum supply specialist, fueling vehicles or aircraft. He earned the National Defense Service Medal, given to soldiers who serve honorably during a time of national emergency, McNorton said. He did not serve in Iraq or Afghanistan during his time of service.
He worked at Fort Lee in Virginia and had his last duty station with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, according to his separation records from the Army. He then was sent to Company C, Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, N.C., a base hospital. Separation papers don't indicate whether he worked at the hospital or received treatment there.
Delgado has three children, including two who live in the Virgin Islands, Evans said.
Glenda Cruz, who has known Delgado since she was 15 and they grew up in St. Croix, said his life has been filed with trials and tribulation but that she always considered him a sweet person and a good father.
In their last conversations, which occurred via email months ago, Cruz said Delgado told her he felt lonely. She said he told her a lot of bad things happen to him but he keeps hopeful in God's name.
"I did not invent a lot of stuff to happen, but I'm still trying to overcome all the evil and trying to keep it real," she said he wrote.
She said she always knew he had a mental health issue, but that when she spent time with him years ago, he didn't display violent tendencies. "He's a very, very smart, very bright kid, very artistic. I'm just surprised. I'm surprised."
Asked whether there was anything else to say about what had happened, she said, "There's nothing really right to say at this moment. The only thing is that we'll pray for him. Pray for him and pray for the family that lost their dad or their husband or whatever that police officer was."
Tampa Police Chief Steve Hogue said the fact that Delgado himself had been a police officer "makes it even more difficult to understand how somebody with a law enforcement background could do something like this."
But in the years after leaving the police force, Delgado's mental health deteriorated, said Gabriel Reyes, who also attended St. Croix Central High School with Delgado. Still, Reyes said he had never known Delgado to be a violent person. In fact, in school, Delgado protected Reyes from bullying.
Wednesday's arrest wasn't Delgado's first encounter with local law enforcement this week.
About 1 a.m. Monday, Pinellas County Deputy Russell Klar saw Delgado, who "appeared to be living at the Veterans Memorial Park in the city of Oldsmar," a report states. Delgado was sleeping near a restroom in the picnic pavilion at the park's northeast corner. Delgado had been seen walking east on Lafayette Boulevard with a large tan desert camouflage backpack.
"Delgado stated that he is a disabled veteran who is trying to gain additional financial assistance from the government in order to obtain or arrange some housing," the report states. "Delgado does have family in Oldsmar to whom he is currently not talking."
Delgado told the deputy he had a nearby storage locker.
The deputy warned Delgado about the park's hours and that Monday would be his last morning to spend there. He told Delgado to make other arrangements. Delgado said he understood he could be issued a trespass warning or be cited for violating an ordinance if he continued living in the park, the report states.
Nearly three days later, he was arrested for Roberts' death. He is scheduled to have an initial court appearance this morning before Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich.
Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said her office would oppose any bail for Delgado.
Prosecutors have 45 days from the time a suspect is arraigned to decide whether to seek the death penalty.
Legal experts said that decision is based on the nature of the crime and the personal and criminal history of the accused.
In March 2007, while living in Fayetteville, Delgado and Shayla Evans had a son – Gadieloh Delgado.
On Facebook, Delgado said he believes in a higher power. He said he loves his children, that his activities include dominoes, fishing and real estate.
On his MySpace profile, Delgado wrote: "Hi people of the world I am here just chilling in my own meditation. Enjoying life without any judgment because we all got the same blessings, we just have to wait patiently and we receive, One Love. In this world of transgression we go through our differences and disagreements a whole lot more than we really notice but that's why we survive. We survive through realness."
Naked Man Dies After Being Tasered
A naked man who reportedly was running around a convenience store parking lot Thursday died hours after Mesa police used a Taser to restrain him.
At approximately 1:45 p.m. Thursday, Mesa police officers were dispatched to the QuikTrip convenience store at Southern Avenue and Country Club Drive after a report of a disturbance.
When the first officer arrived, he found the suspect near the front door of the store. Prior to the officer's arrival, witnesses had reported the man was naked and running around the parking lot jumping on parked vehicles.
According to the Mesa Police Department, back-up officers arrived and were able to restrain the suspect with a Taser.
The officers noticed that the suspect stopped breathing. Paramedics were called and were able to revive the man, who was transported to a local hospital.
The suspect's condition continued to deteriorate and he was pronounced dead just before 9 p.m.
The Mesa Police Department is investigating the case. Police are awaiting autopsy results in order to determine the cause of death.
At approximately 1:45 p.m. Thursday, Mesa police officers were dispatched to the QuikTrip convenience store at Southern Avenue and Country Club Drive after a report of a disturbance.
When the first officer arrived, he found the suspect near the front door of the store. Prior to the officer's arrival, witnesses had reported the man was naked and running around the parking lot jumping on parked vehicles.
According to the Mesa Police Department, back-up officers arrived and were able to restrain the suspect with a Taser.
The officers noticed that the suspect stopped breathing. Paramedics were called and were able to revive the man, who was transported to a local hospital.
The suspect's condition continued to deteriorate and he was pronounced dead just before 9 p.m.
The Mesa Police Department is investigating the case. Police are awaiting autopsy results in order to determine the cause of death.
Former Officer Michael Ciancio Pleads Guilty to Extortion
A former Chicago police officer has been sentenced to two years in prison for taking cash from a tow-truck driver to help him beat rivals to accident scenes.
Prosecutors say veteran officer Michael Ciancio got $600 to $800 a week from 2005 to 2007 from a tow-truck driver who was working undercover with the FBI.
Ciancio is accused of using scare tactics, including the threat of arrest, to chase away other tow-truck drivers.
The 21-year veteran pleaded guilty in January to attempted extortion for taking cash one time in 2007.
But two tow-truck drivers who testified at his sentencing say he'd been shaking down truck operators since the 1990s.
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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com
Prosecutors say veteran officer Michael Ciancio got $600 to $800 a week from 2005 to 2007 from a tow-truck driver who was working undercover with the FBI.
Ciancio is accused of using scare tactics, including the threat of arrest, to chase away other tow-truck drivers.
The 21-year veteran pleaded guilty in January to attempted extortion for taking cash one time in 2007.
But two tow-truck drivers who testified at his sentencing say he'd been shaking down truck operators since the 1990s.
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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com
Thursday, August 20, 2009
New Details on Officer Patrick Luckett
There are new developments in the case involving a Mobile Police officer accused of beating a suspect. FOX10 first told you about the video that emerged on the Internet showing an officer throwing punches after a high speed chase. That internal investigation has now come to an end.
The incident was first reported two weeks ago, after video emerged on the internet showing the officer throwing punches after a high speed chase.
The Officer in question is Patrick Luckett. Mobile Police Chief Phillip Garrett said Luckett has been on the force for about four years, and he's never had any other disciplinary problems before.
Garrett said everything regarding the pursuit and the arrest of the suspect was fine, because he was a danger to the public. But Garrett did have an issue with the force used by Officer Luckett, after the suspect was taken from the car. Garrett called it "unnecessary."
Police pulled the suspect, David Pate, from a car. After the arrest, Officer Patrick Luckett was videotaped swinging at the suspect. Wednesday, Chief Phillip Garrett said too much force was used.
"He did come forward and admit it and it was an error," said Chief Garrett. "He was upset with Mr. Pate for the actions. We certainly don't condone unnecessary force and I think this was. I think Mr. Pate certainly deserves some part of the responsibility for the position he put a lot of people in that day."
Pate is accused of hitting his wife, kidnapping her, then leading police on a high speed chase. Police were able to surround the suspect on Hillcrest Road, where they tried to get him under control.
Garrett said he only agrees with the arrest and pursuit.
"They did right by physically taking him out and literally breaking the window out of the car and pulling him out of the car. They needed to be able to stop him from being able to leave the scene again," he added.
But it's what happened next that caused Officer Luckett to also be investigated.
"We don't condone that. We're not going to condone it. Never have, and never will," said Garrett.
Since the incident, Officer Luckett has been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of a hearing. Garrett said Luckett will have the chance to tell his side of the story in front of a panel on the trial board.
"The penalty could be minimal, it could be termination. There's a wide range. There's a lot it's based on; the officer's actions, the way he presents himself for taking responsibility for his actions," Garrett said.
The trial board will evaluate the case and present its recommendations to Chief Garrett. Garrett will then turn it over to the Mayor. That process may take a few weeks.
The incident was first reported two weeks ago, after video emerged on the internet showing the officer throwing punches after a high speed chase.
The Officer in question is Patrick Luckett. Mobile Police Chief Phillip Garrett said Luckett has been on the force for about four years, and he's never had any other disciplinary problems before.
Garrett said everything regarding the pursuit and the arrest of the suspect was fine, because he was a danger to the public. But Garrett did have an issue with the force used by Officer Luckett, after the suspect was taken from the car. Garrett called it "unnecessary."
Police pulled the suspect, David Pate, from a car. After the arrest, Officer Patrick Luckett was videotaped swinging at the suspect. Wednesday, Chief Phillip Garrett said too much force was used.
"He did come forward and admit it and it was an error," said Chief Garrett. "He was upset with Mr. Pate for the actions. We certainly don't condone unnecessary force and I think this was. I think Mr. Pate certainly deserves some part of the responsibility for the position he put a lot of people in that day."
Pate is accused of hitting his wife, kidnapping her, then leading police on a high speed chase. Police were able to surround the suspect on Hillcrest Road, where they tried to get him under control.
Garrett said he only agrees with the arrest and pursuit.
"They did right by physically taking him out and literally breaking the window out of the car and pulling him out of the car. They needed to be able to stop him from being able to leave the scene again," he added.
But it's what happened next that caused Officer Luckett to also be investigated.
"We don't condone that. We're not going to condone it. Never have, and never will," said Garrett.
Since the incident, Officer Luckett has been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of a hearing. Garrett said Luckett will have the chance to tell his side of the story in front of a panel on the trial board.
"The penalty could be minimal, it could be termination. There's a wide range. There's a lot it's based on; the officer's actions, the way he presents himself for taking responsibility for his actions," Garrett said.
The trial board will evaluate the case and present its recommendations to Chief Garrett. Garrett will then turn it over to the Mayor. That process may take a few weeks.
Officer Matthew Shelton Accused of Using Excessive Force
A Shafter police officer is accused of using inappropriate force and filing a false report.
The alleged misdeeds by Officer Matthew Shelton were discovered during an internal audit on use-of-force issues and not from an outside complaint, according to the Shafter Police Department.
Shelton, 30, was arrested earlier this month but is currently free on $50,000 bail. He's on paid administrative leave pending completion of an independent investigation.
The arrest stems from a Jan. 30 burglary call at Golden Oak Elementary School. Shelton was filmed by a camera on his Taser as he beat the suspect with a baton and stepped on the suspect's head. The suspect, Immanuel Perez, was reportedly not fighting back.
Perez was left with a 3-inch laceration on his head, chipped tooth, punctured cheek and bruised jaw after the attack.
The officer is accused of then falsifying his report, claiming that Perez was not following orders and resisting arrest.
Kern County court records show Shelton will be charged Friday with three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, assault by a public officer and false report by a peace officer.
In an unrelated case, Shelton was one of two officers cleared for fatally shooting a woman in May. In that incident, 52-year-old Dora Luis, who had a history of mental illness, lunged at the officers with a knife.
Chief Charlie Fivecoat said Wednesday that it's "a sad day for the Shafter Police Department."
"I would hope that the public and certainly the officers in this organization understand that we have professional people doing a professional job every day, and occasionally things like this happen," Fivecoat said.
The alleged misdeeds by Officer Matthew Shelton were discovered during an internal audit on use-of-force issues and not from an outside complaint, according to the Shafter Police Department.
Shelton, 30, was arrested earlier this month but is currently free on $50,000 bail. He's on paid administrative leave pending completion of an independent investigation.
The arrest stems from a Jan. 30 burglary call at Golden Oak Elementary School. Shelton was filmed by a camera on his Taser as he beat the suspect with a baton and stepped on the suspect's head. The suspect, Immanuel Perez, was reportedly not fighting back.
Perez was left with a 3-inch laceration on his head, chipped tooth, punctured cheek and bruised jaw after the attack.
The officer is accused of then falsifying his report, claiming that Perez was not following orders and resisting arrest.
Kern County court records show Shelton will be charged Friday with three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, assault by a public officer and false report by a peace officer.
In an unrelated case, Shelton was one of two officers cleared for fatally shooting a woman in May. In that incident, 52-year-old Dora Luis, who had a history of mental illness, lunged at the officers with a knife.
Chief Charlie Fivecoat said Wednesday that it's "a sad day for the Shafter Police Department."
"I would hope that the public and certainly the officers in this organization understand that we have professional people doing a professional job every day, and occasionally things like this happen," Fivecoat said.
Sheriff Sue Rahr Will Decide if 2 Deputies will be Fired
King County Sheriff Sue Rahr could decide next month whether to fire two deputies accused of using excessive force , including one officer caught on video as he roughed up a 15-year-old girl.
In both cases, the officers' top-level commanders have recommended terminating them.
The most serious misconduct charges were against Deputy Paul Schene, 31, who is charged with misdemeanor assault for beating a mouthy teenager inside a holding cell. Schene is set for trial on Sept. 9 in King County Superior Court, where he could face up to a year in jail.
Another deputy, Don Griffee, was accused of slugging a handcuffed suspect in the back of his patrol car on Aug. 3, 2008. The suspect turned out to have been falsely accused of threatning a woman with a gun. Griffee, 61, was charged with misdemeanor assault in King County District Court, where a jury acquitted him. Both officers worked out of the Burien precinct.
In addition to criminal charges, both deputies were investigated for whether their conduct violated Sheriff's Office policy. The standard for proving misconduct in an internal disciplinary action is lower than the burden of proof required for a conviction in criminal court.
Schene is facing termination for a litany of policy violations, including making false or fraudulent statements, committing conduct that is criminal in nature, use of excessive or unnecessary force, inappropriate use of authority, acts in violation of Sheriff's Office rules or directives, and conduct involving discrimination, incivility and/or bigotry, according to sheriff's Sgt. John Urquhart.
Schene's law enforcement certification also would be in jeopardy if the sheriff agrees that he made dishonest statements.
Schene's conduct came to light because he alleged in a report that the teenager had resisted arrest and assaulted him inside a holding cell at a SeaTac police precinct on Nov. 29, 2008. Detectives sought video evidence from the cell's security camera and instead, found footage of Schene as he punched, kicked and tossed the girl to the floor after she had kicked her shoe at him. In his report, Schene, a training officer and 8-year veteran, said the girl's shoe struck his shin, causing "injury and pain."
Schene and a second deputy, Travis Brunner, had arrested the girl, Malika Calhoun, and her 15-year-old friend, on suspicion of auto theft. Brunner assisted Schene in handcuffing Calhoun inside the holding cell, although prosecutors did not file charges against Brunner. Later, police learned the girls were driving a car that they'd taken without permission from another friend's mother. Schene wrote that he "placed" the girl in handcuffs.
"The discipline recommended to Sheriff Rahr by Schene's precinct commander was termination from the Sheriff's Office. The Chief of Field Operations concurred with the recommendation," Urquhart said in an e-mail.
Under his union protections, Schene is entitled to present mitigating evidence in what's called a "Loudermill hearing" with the sheriff. Typically, the officer is represented by a guild representative or attorney, and can present evidence to counter the findings or argue for less severe discipline.
Seattlepi.com reported earlier this summer that prosecutors offered Schene a plea bargain that might have spared him a longer term in prison if he agreed to resign and give up his police certification. Schene, who has been on paid administrative leave since December, turned down the offer.
Griffee, 61, was found not guilty of fourth-degree assault. He'd been accused of striking Johnny R. Bradford, a 21-year-old Burien man who'd been falsely accused of threatening a woman with a gun.
During his trial, Griffee said that he never punched Bradford. He said he'd forcefully grabbed Bradford's chin to focus his attention while the man was in the back of his patrol car on Aug. 3, 2008. Jurors thought Bradford was truthful, but also felt Griffee's story was plausible enough to raise doubts about the state's case.
Internal investigators, however found Bradford more credible than the deputy. Griffee was found to have used excessive force and engaged in "conduct that is criminal in nature," according to the Sheriff's Office.
The officer's precinct commander, Maj. Jim Graddon, recommended that he be fired. Chief Deputy Tony Burtt, who oversees patrol operations, concurred with that decision, Urquhart said. The same two men also were Schene's superiors.
The sheriff is expected to hear from both officers in September, Urquhart said.
"Sheriff Rahr will review the file, listen to (Deputy) Griffee, and can change any of the sustained findings and/or the discipline," Urquhart said. "Therefore, the final outcome of the investigation and the final discipline will not be set until after the Loudermill hearing."
In both cases, the officers' top-level commanders have recommended terminating them.
The most serious misconduct charges were against Deputy Paul Schene, 31, who is charged with misdemeanor assault for beating a mouthy teenager inside a holding cell. Schene is set for trial on Sept. 9 in King County Superior Court, where he could face up to a year in jail.
Another deputy, Don Griffee, was accused of slugging a handcuffed suspect in the back of his patrol car on Aug. 3, 2008. The suspect turned out to have been falsely accused of threatning a woman with a gun. Griffee, 61, was charged with misdemeanor assault in King County District Court, where a jury acquitted him. Both officers worked out of the Burien precinct.
In addition to criminal charges, both deputies were investigated for whether their conduct violated Sheriff's Office policy. The standard for proving misconduct in an internal disciplinary action is lower than the burden of proof required for a conviction in criminal court.
Schene is facing termination for a litany of policy violations, including making false or fraudulent statements, committing conduct that is criminal in nature, use of excessive or unnecessary force, inappropriate use of authority, acts in violation of Sheriff's Office rules or directives, and conduct involving discrimination, incivility and/or bigotry, according to sheriff's Sgt. John Urquhart.
Schene's law enforcement certification also would be in jeopardy if the sheriff agrees that he made dishonest statements.
Schene's conduct came to light because he alleged in a report that the teenager had resisted arrest and assaulted him inside a holding cell at a SeaTac police precinct on Nov. 29, 2008. Detectives sought video evidence from the cell's security camera and instead, found footage of Schene as he punched, kicked and tossed the girl to the floor after she had kicked her shoe at him. In his report, Schene, a training officer and 8-year veteran, said the girl's shoe struck his shin, causing "injury and pain."
Schene and a second deputy, Travis Brunner, had arrested the girl, Malika Calhoun, and her 15-year-old friend, on suspicion of auto theft. Brunner assisted Schene in handcuffing Calhoun inside the holding cell, although prosecutors did not file charges against Brunner. Later, police learned the girls were driving a car that they'd taken without permission from another friend's mother. Schene wrote that he "placed" the girl in handcuffs.
"The discipline recommended to Sheriff Rahr by Schene's precinct commander was termination from the Sheriff's Office. The Chief of Field Operations concurred with the recommendation," Urquhart said in an e-mail.
Under his union protections, Schene is entitled to present mitigating evidence in what's called a "Loudermill hearing" with the sheriff. Typically, the officer is represented by a guild representative or attorney, and can present evidence to counter the findings or argue for less severe discipline.
Seattlepi.com reported earlier this summer that prosecutors offered Schene a plea bargain that might have spared him a longer term in prison if he agreed to resign and give up his police certification. Schene, who has been on paid administrative leave since December, turned down the offer.
Griffee, 61, was found not guilty of fourth-degree assault. He'd been accused of striking Johnny R. Bradford, a 21-year-old Burien man who'd been falsely accused of threatening a woman with a gun.
During his trial, Griffee said that he never punched Bradford. He said he'd forcefully grabbed Bradford's chin to focus his attention while the man was in the back of his patrol car on Aug. 3, 2008. Jurors thought Bradford was truthful, but also felt Griffee's story was plausible enough to raise doubts about the state's case.
Internal investigators, however found Bradford more credible than the deputy. Griffee was found to have used excessive force and engaged in "conduct that is criminal in nature," according to the Sheriff's Office.
The officer's precinct commander, Maj. Jim Graddon, recommended that he be fired. Chief Deputy Tony Burtt, who oversees patrol operations, concurred with that decision, Urquhart said. The same two men also were Schene's superiors.
The sheriff is expected to hear from both officers in September, Urquhart said.
"Sheriff Rahr will review the file, listen to (Deputy) Griffee, and can change any of the sustained findings and/or the discipline," Urquhart said. "Therefore, the final outcome of the investigation and the final discipline will not be set until after the Loudermill hearing."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Sheriff David Kinney Charged with Abuse of Power
The suspended Hockley County sheriff said he won't resign and plans on fighting civil charges of incompetence and abuse of power.
David Kinney says he was not aware of nor responsible for the behavior of two of his deputies arrested on drug trafficking charges.
Two Hockley County deputies were arrested last month on federal drug charges related to a major methamphetamine ring. About a third of the deputies are either under federal indictment or investigation or been fired, according to a petition for Sheriff David Kinney's removal.
Speaking to supporters Monday on the Hockley County Courthouse lawn, Kinney said for him to "take responsibility for others is crazy."
District Judge Blair Cherry signed an order Thursday temporarily ousting Kinney as sheriff.
_____
Some information from:
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, http://www.lubbockonline.com
David Kinney says he was not aware of nor responsible for the behavior of two of his deputies arrested on drug trafficking charges.
Two Hockley County deputies were arrested last month on federal drug charges related to a major methamphetamine ring. About a third of the deputies are either under federal indictment or investigation or been fired, according to a petition for Sheriff David Kinney's removal.
Speaking to supporters Monday on the Hockley County Courthouse lawn, Kinney said for him to "take responsibility for others is crazy."
District Judge Blair Cherry signed an order Thursday temporarily ousting Kinney as sheriff.
_____
Some information from:
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, http://www.lubbockonline.com
Cpl David Aguilar Charged with Leaving the Scene of Accident
A Dallas police officer was arrested early Wednesday in Plano on suspicion of leaving the scene of a wreck in which a person in another vehicle was hurt, police said.
Senior Cpl. David Aguilar, 35, faces charges of driving while intoxicated and failing to stop and render aid, according to a Plano police report.
The wreck happened at 12:53 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Custer Road and Plano Parkway, the report stated.
The other driver received minor injuries in the wreck, said Lt. Andy Harvey, Dallas police spokesman.
About an hour later, Plano police stopped Aguilar, who was driving a 2008 Toyota Tacoma pickup near the intersection of Parkhaven Drive and Independence Parkway. That location is about five miles northwest of the wreck.
Aguilar is a 12-year DPD veteran who is assigned to the Northeast Patrol Division, Harvey said. He added that Aguilar has been placed on administration leave, pending the outcome of the case.
The officer was still in the Plano jail at 1:30 p.m., but bail had not yet been set, said Heather Bowden, Plano police spokeswoman.
Officer Donald Silcott Free on Bond
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
A Jacksonville police officer arrested on sexual battery charges is now out on bond.
Donald Silcott, an evidence technician, was arrested on Aug. 8 and went before a judge after his arrest.
He was initially held on $600,000 bond, but it was reduced to $150,000.
He's since posted bail.
Police said Silcott sexually battered a girl over the age of 12.
Previous Stories: August 11, 2009: Officer Arrested Had Complaints In Past
August 10, 2009: JSO Officer Accused Of Sex With Minor
August 9, 2009: JSO Officer Arrested On Sex Charges
A Jacksonville police officer arrested on sexual battery charges is now out on bond.
Donald Silcott, an evidence technician, was arrested on Aug. 8 and went before a judge after his arrest.
He was initially held on $600,000 bond, but it was reduced to $150,000.
He's since posted bail.
Police said Silcott sexually battered a girl over the age of 12.
Previous Stories: August 11, 2009: Officer Arrested Had Complaints In Past
August 10, 2009: JSO Officer Accused Of Sex With Minor
August 9, 2009: JSO Officer Arrested On Sex Charges
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Derryl Jenkins Beat by Officers for Speeding
The police chief in Minneapolis says he will ask the FBI to investigate the beating of a man who was stopped for speeding by officers.
The beating was captured on a squad car dash camera and shows six officers punching and kicking the 42-year-old man. Derryl Jenkins was stopped Feb. 19 for allegedly going 15 miles per hour over the speed limit.
Chief Tim Dolan says "the public will want an investigation" into the incident.
Officers said in their police reports that Jenkins resisted arrest so they had to subdue him before placing him in two sets of handcuffs.
Jenkins ended up at North Memorial Medical Center where he had seven stitches above his eye. He was charged with assault and with refusing to submit to alcohol tests, but those charges have been dropped.
Officer Christopher Hughes Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Sacramento police officer has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, the California Highway Patrol said Tuesday.
Officer Christopher Hughes, 39, was booked over the weekend, CHP Officer Lizz Dutton said.
Dutton said the case was reported as a medical emergency Saturday afternoon at Hazel Avenue and Piedra Way.
Hughes' vehicle was spotted in a lane of the road and he slumped over the steering wheel, Dutton said.
When CHP officers responded, they found Hughes was found to be intoxicated, the CHP said.
Sacramento police Sgt. Norm Leong confirmed the arrest and said the department is conducting an administrative investigation.
Officer Christopher Hughes, 39, was booked over the weekend, CHP Officer Lizz Dutton said.
Dutton said the case was reported as a medical emergency Saturday afternoon at Hazel Avenue and Piedra Way.
Hughes' vehicle was spotted in a lane of the road and he slumped over the steering wheel, Dutton said.
When CHP officers responded, they found Hughes was found to be intoxicated, the CHP said.
Sacramento police Sgt. Norm Leong confirmed the arrest and said the department is conducting an administrative investigation.
Officer Finess Brown Accused of Hitting Wife for the Third Time
No charges were placed against a Murfreesboro Police officer accused by his wife for the third time of hitting her during an argument Thursday at their home, a supervisor reported.
Wife Catina D. Brown, 36, accused husband, Officer Finess Brown, 37, of hitting her in her right eye during an argument over the car keys, a cellular telephone and her reference to a man about 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Sgt. Garry Carter reported.
The wife didn’t have any visible injuries, Carter reported.
She accused him in June 2007 and in February of domestic assault. She agreed in court in February to attend counseling sessions with her husband with a minister. She has an order of protection against her husband but agreed to let him live with her.
Circuit Court Judge J. Mark Rogers told Officer Brown in February he didn’t want a pattern to develop.
“Mr. Brown, if things fall through, you should remove yourself from the process,” Rogers said. “If something develops — and I’m not going to order it — you remove yourself from the situation.”
Mrs. Brown told Carter Thursday she was trying to leave the home but her husband would not give her the keys. They argued earlier because she said he would not let her see the phone numbers on his cell phone.
The wife told her husband, “The man was right. I can make it on my own,” Carter reported.
She accused her husband of going into a rage and demanded to know who the man was. She reported he hit her in the eye between 8 and 8:30 a.m. She also told Carter her husband told her she deserved what she got when he hit her in the temple and spit on her.
The wife said she replied, “OK, you finally admit that,” Carter reported.
She told Carter her husband threatened her if she called police. She did not want to prosecute him.
Police spokesman Kyle Evans said Detective Jennifer West is investigating.
Officer Brown didn’t want to comment, except to say he worked during the weekend and no one from the police department has questioned him about his wife’s report.
Wife Catina D. Brown, 36, accused husband, Officer Finess Brown, 37, of hitting her in her right eye during an argument over the car keys, a cellular telephone and her reference to a man about 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Sgt. Garry Carter reported.
The wife didn’t have any visible injuries, Carter reported.
She accused him in June 2007 and in February of domestic assault. She agreed in court in February to attend counseling sessions with her husband with a minister. She has an order of protection against her husband but agreed to let him live with her.
Circuit Court Judge J. Mark Rogers told Officer Brown in February he didn’t want a pattern to develop.
“Mr. Brown, if things fall through, you should remove yourself from the process,” Rogers said. “If something develops — and I’m not going to order it — you remove yourself from the situation.”
Mrs. Brown told Carter Thursday she was trying to leave the home but her husband would not give her the keys. They argued earlier because she said he would not let her see the phone numbers on his cell phone.
The wife told her husband, “The man was right. I can make it on my own,” Carter reported.
She accused her husband of going into a rage and demanded to know who the man was. She reported he hit her in the eye between 8 and 8:30 a.m. She also told Carter her husband told her she deserved what she got when he hit her in the temple and spit on her.
The wife said she replied, “OK, you finally admit that,” Carter reported.
She told Carter her husband threatened her if she called police. She did not want to prosecute him.
Police spokesman Kyle Evans said Detective Jennifer West is investigating.
Officer Brown didn’t want to comment, except to say he worked during the weekend and no one from the police department has questioned him about his wife’s report.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Officer Anthony Miller Sentenced to Prison for Child Porn
A police officer, who lives in western Wisconsin, is sentenced to serve time in prison for possessing child pornography.
Monday, Anthony T. Miller was sentenced to five years in prison. He lives in New Richmond, but works in Minnesota. He has been a police officer with the city of Hastings for 11 years.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice says Miller admitted downloading and trading child pornography for the past two years.
Press Release:
NEW RICHMOND - Anthony Miller, who told investigators he was a Hastings Minnesota police officer, was sentenced by Judge Vlack today on two counts of Possession of Child Pornography. He received 14 years on the first count with 4 years of initial confinement and 10 years of extended supervision. On count two Miller received 15 years with 5 years of initial confinement and 10 years extended supervision to be served concurrently.
In addition, Miller must provide a DNA sample, register as a Sex Offender, not use a computer or access the Internet without prior written approval, not possess pornography and may not have contact with any child under 18 without prior written approval.
Miller was originally charged on December 18, 2008 with Possession of Child Pornography and Sexual Exploitation of a Child.
"Sadly, a man sworn to protect society has committed a crime victimizing our most vulnerable," said Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, whose office investigated the crime with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the New Richmond Police Department. "Today's sentence sends a strong message: download and distribute child pornography and you will go to prison for a long time."
Audra Harmon Sues Sheriff's Department for Tasering
A mother who was zapped with a stun gun in front of her children during a New York traffic stop has filed notice she’ll sue the sheriff’s department.
A police video captured by a dashboard camera shows Deputy Sean Andrews yanking Audra Harmon out of her minivan by the arm and knocking her down with two Taser shots in January.
Harmon was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and speeding. Her lawyer says prosecutors dismissed the charges after watching the videotape.
Harmon claims Andrews was improperly trained. She says a Taser isn’t supposed to be used against people who pose no threat.
In a notice of claim filed Thursday with the Onondaga (ahn-uhn-DAH’-guh) County clerk, Harmon accuses Andrews of wrongful conduct. She’s seeking unspecified monetary damages.
You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dik-mgCDcg
A police video captured by a dashboard camera shows Deputy Sean Andrews yanking Audra Harmon out of her minivan by the arm and knocking her down with two Taser shots in January.
Harmon was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and speeding. Her lawyer says prosecutors dismissed the charges after watching the videotape.
Harmon claims Andrews was improperly trained. She says a Taser isn’t supposed to be used against people who pose no threat.
In a notice of claim filed Thursday with the Onondaga (ahn-uhn-DAH’-guh) County clerk, Harmon accuses Andrews of wrongful conduct. She’s seeking unspecified monetary damages.
You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dik-mgCDcg
Officers Kevin Fujioka & Shayne Souza Arrested
Two Honolulu law enforcers in Las Vegas to play in a softball tournament for police and firefighters were arrested on marijuana charges after leading authorities on a short chase.
Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said officers Kevin Fujioka, 37, and Shayne Souza, 47, were arrested Saturday night near Desert Breeze Park, about six miles west of the Las Vegas Strip.
Scott Wilson, a 38-year-old social worker from Honolulu, also was arrested, Welling said Monday.
Park police approached the men in a white van because it was parked sideways across two spots in the parking lot, Welling said. As officers approached, the van drove off.
After a short pursuit, Souza and Fujioka got out of the van and ran from police, authorities said. Welling said officers pepper-sprayed Souza when he resisted arrest.
All three men were charged with marijuana possession, Welling said. Fujioka also was charged with driving under the influence of a narcotic, and Souza was charged with drug paraphernalia possession, resisting a police officer and obstruction of justice. Wilson was charged with having an open alcohol container in a vehicle, Welling said.
Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department, confirmed that the agency has two officers with the same names as Fujioka and Souza, but she said the department had not heard about the arrests and could not immediately comment.
Yu said Fujioka is a patrol officer who has worked at the department 13 years, while Souza is a SWAT officer who has been with the department 20 years.
Welling said the men identified themselves as police officers from the Hawaii city.
Tom Wagner, president of the Nevada Police Athletic Federation, said the arrests happened during a men's softball tournament that was part of the 2009 Nevada Police & Fire Games. The five-day event of various sports and games involves about 2,000 police and firefighters from across the country, Wagner said.
He called the arrests "shocking" and said it's possible that the players and their team would not be invited to return to the games.
"It's unfortunate but we definitely are going to be speaking to that coach and that police department and getting the story and deciding what our action will be as a federation," Wagner said.
Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said officers Kevin Fujioka, 37, and Shayne Souza, 47, were arrested Saturday night near Desert Breeze Park, about six miles west of the Las Vegas Strip.
Scott Wilson, a 38-year-old social worker from Honolulu, also was arrested, Welling said Monday.
Park police approached the men in a white van because it was parked sideways across two spots in the parking lot, Welling said. As officers approached, the van drove off.
After a short pursuit, Souza and Fujioka got out of the van and ran from police, authorities said. Welling said officers pepper-sprayed Souza when he resisted arrest.
All three men were charged with marijuana possession, Welling said. Fujioka also was charged with driving under the influence of a narcotic, and Souza was charged with drug paraphernalia possession, resisting a police officer and obstruction of justice. Wilson was charged with having an open alcohol container in a vehicle, Welling said.
Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department, confirmed that the agency has two officers with the same names as Fujioka and Souza, but she said the department had not heard about the arrests and could not immediately comment.
Yu said Fujioka is a patrol officer who has worked at the department 13 years, while Souza is a SWAT officer who has been with the department 20 years.
Welling said the men identified themselves as police officers from the Hawaii city.
Tom Wagner, president of the Nevada Police Athletic Federation, said the arrests happened during a men's softball tournament that was part of the 2009 Nevada Police & Fire Games. The five-day event of various sports and games involves about 2,000 police and firefighters from across the country, Wagner said.
He called the arrests "shocking" and said it's possible that the players and their team would not be invited to return to the games.
"It's unfortunate but we definitely are going to be speaking to that coach and that police department and getting the story and deciding what our action will be as a federation," Wagner said.
Andron Reed Dies After Beating At County Jail
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is supposedly conducting an investigation into the death and possible murder of an 18-year-old boy who was taken to the Rutherford County jail in Tennessee.
It seems things went a little bit too far. Young Andron Reed died or was killed soon after he was handed over to County Sheriff’s deputies late Friday night. He had been arrested after leading state troopers on a high-speed chase down Interstate 24, which ended in a slight accident. Luckily for all no one was injured according to the highway patrol officers who took Andron and his brother Octavius into custody at the scene. Of course Andron was arrested on a variety of charges ranging from evading arrest to driving under the influence and even assault, but how many times have we heard about people being falsely charged with assault by the police to justify or cover their actions.
After Andron was booked at the Rutherford County jail, they immediately took him to a cell, apparently within ear shot of his brother Octavius, who was able to hear Andron's screams as he was being beaten by Sheriff’s deputies. The TBI said Andron Reed was found unconscious and not moving by the jail house nurse who had him taken by ambulance to the Middle Tennessee Medical Center, where he later died.
TBI agents only have the information provided by the same jailers who may have murdered Andron. They claim that he was combative during the arrest and booking process. Since Andron Reed is dead he can't dispute the claim. If The TBI really is investigating the tragic death of this eighteen year old boy it will all hinge on the the autopsy. If it is a real autopsy and not another cover up, the results should tell us how Andron Reed died, or was murdered. If it is determined that he was murdered, one of the 'untouchable' police could actually be charged with the murder, something which almost never happens in the US unless the police are actually careless enough to be video recorded by witnesses while shooting an unarmed person in the back.
Bush is no longer the president and yet the corrupt police state he turned America into continues. Obama promised change, but has changed nothing about the egregious cruelty and abuse of authority by the police. Hundreds die in police custody each year, when will the American people rise up and say no more, no more tazer torture deaths, no more stripping naked and molesting of our wives, sons, and daughters, no more permanently disfiguring and disabling beatings. When will America start screening police applicants to weed out the sublimated sadists and killers? When will the legal system start punishing the police instead of consistently finding them innocent?
It seems things went a little bit too far. Young Andron Reed died or was killed soon after he was handed over to County Sheriff’s deputies late Friday night. He had been arrested after leading state troopers on a high-speed chase down Interstate 24, which ended in a slight accident. Luckily for all no one was injured according to the highway patrol officers who took Andron and his brother Octavius into custody at the scene. Of course Andron was arrested on a variety of charges ranging from evading arrest to driving under the influence and even assault, but how many times have we heard about people being falsely charged with assault by the police to justify or cover their actions.
After Andron was booked at the Rutherford County jail, they immediately took him to a cell, apparently within ear shot of his brother Octavius, who was able to hear Andron's screams as he was being beaten by Sheriff’s deputies. The TBI said Andron Reed was found unconscious and not moving by the jail house nurse who had him taken by ambulance to the Middle Tennessee Medical Center, where he later died.
TBI agents only have the information provided by the same jailers who may have murdered Andron. They claim that he was combative during the arrest and booking process. Since Andron Reed is dead he can't dispute the claim. If The TBI really is investigating the tragic death of this eighteen year old boy it will all hinge on the the autopsy. If it is a real autopsy and not another cover up, the results should tell us how Andron Reed died, or was murdered. If it is determined that he was murdered, one of the 'untouchable' police could actually be charged with the murder, something which almost never happens in the US unless the police are actually careless enough to be video recorded by witnesses while shooting an unarmed person in the back.
Bush is no longer the president and yet the corrupt police state he turned America into continues. Obama promised change, but has changed nothing about the egregious cruelty and abuse of authority by the police. Hundreds die in police custody each year, when will the American people rise up and say no more, no more tazer torture deaths, no more stripping naked and molesting of our wives, sons, and daughters, no more permanently disfiguring and disabling beatings. When will America start screening police applicants to weed out the sublimated sadists and killers? When will the legal system start punishing the police instead of consistently finding them innocent?
Cst. Sheldon Cook Accused of Stealing Fake Cocaine
A Peel Regional Police officer accused of stealing bogus bricks of cocaine from a delivery truck in Mississauga testified today that he saw his immediate boss take a box containing the unknown substance from the vehicle and walk away with it.
Cst. Sheldon Cook, 40, told court he didn't know why Det. Marty Rykhoff removed the box from inside the truck on the night of Nov. 16, 2005. But he suspected Rykhoff had a good reason because of his morality experience.
Cook, one of several officers working under Rykhoff that night, is accused of stealing 15 of 102 bricks of the "cocaine" seized hours earlier from a courier cargo truck at the force's Lakeshore community station in Mississauga.
Cook has pleaded not guilty to seven criminal charges.
The drugs turned out to be flour, part of a botched RCMP controlled delivery from Peru to Canada that went missing 12 hours earlier after arriving at Mississauga's Pearson International Airport.
Cook, a 14-year veteran, said he never thought the drugs he's accused of stealing were real.
Having some street crime experience with drugs, Cook rubbed a bit of the white, chalky, powdery substance found in a football-sized beige package between his fingers to see if he could tell what it was.
"Usually cocaine has a crystal look and it breaks down into an oily substance when it's rubbed between your fingers," Cook said. "This was dull. It remained chalky. There was also no odour usually associated with cocaine or heroin ..."
In February, Rykhoff denied taking any of the boxes with the cocaine-like substance when he testified as a federal Crown witness in the trial that began last November.
He also denied framing Cook by stealing what he thought were bricks of cocaine and then placing them in the trunk of the accused man's police cruiser.
Rykhoff, a 24-year-veteran officer, also denied telling Cook to “secure” the box - and that he would return it to morality the following day.
Defence lawyer Pat Ducharme has suggested this trial that Cook didn’t take any of the suspected drugs and didn’t know anything about them until he opened the trunk of his cruiser at the end of his shift.
He suggested Cook took the box home and put it in his garage under Rykhoff’s orders, believing his immediate boss would pick it up the next day. But Rykhoff didn’t show up. Instead, he went to Halifax with friends for a college football game, faking illness and phoning in sick.
Rykhoff was subsequently convicted of Police Act offences and docked five days pay. He was also suspended until mid-January 2006.
Two days later, RCMP investigators used a GPS signal hidden in the missing box to locate the 15 bricks in a compartment in a Sea-Do in the garage at Cook’s Cambridge home. Officers executing a search warrant also found marijuana and several MP3 players allegedly taken from an un-related investigation.
Federal prosecutors David Rowcliffe and Ania Weiler say Cook took the fake bricks of cocaine, which he believed were real, during his involvement as part of Rykhoff’s crew.
Cook is charged with attempting to possess a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property (MP3 players) from a police investigation and breach of trust as a police officer. He remains suspended with pay.
The trial continues this afternoon.
Cst. Sheldon Cook, 40, told court he didn't know why Det. Marty Rykhoff removed the box from inside the truck on the night of Nov. 16, 2005. But he suspected Rykhoff had a good reason because of his morality experience.
Cook, one of several officers working under Rykhoff that night, is accused of stealing 15 of 102 bricks of the "cocaine" seized hours earlier from a courier cargo truck at the force's Lakeshore community station in Mississauga.
Cook has pleaded not guilty to seven criminal charges.
The drugs turned out to be flour, part of a botched RCMP controlled delivery from Peru to Canada that went missing 12 hours earlier after arriving at Mississauga's Pearson International Airport.
Cook, a 14-year veteran, said he never thought the drugs he's accused of stealing were real.
Having some street crime experience with drugs, Cook rubbed a bit of the white, chalky, powdery substance found in a football-sized beige package between his fingers to see if he could tell what it was.
"Usually cocaine has a crystal look and it breaks down into an oily substance when it's rubbed between your fingers," Cook said. "This was dull. It remained chalky. There was also no odour usually associated with cocaine or heroin ..."
In February, Rykhoff denied taking any of the boxes with the cocaine-like substance when he testified as a federal Crown witness in the trial that began last November.
He also denied framing Cook by stealing what he thought were bricks of cocaine and then placing them in the trunk of the accused man's police cruiser.
Rykhoff, a 24-year-veteran officer, also denied telling Cook to “secure” the box - and that he would return it to morality the following day.
Defence lawyer Pat Ducharme has suggested this trial that Cook didn’t take any of the suspected drugs and didn’t know anything about them until he opened the trunk of his cruiser at the end of his shift.
He suggested Cook took the box home and put it in his garage under Rykhoff’s orders, believing his immediate boss would pick it up the next day. But Rykhoff didn’t show up. Instead, he went to Halifax with friends for a college football game, faking illness and phoning in sick.
Rykhoff was subsequently convicted of Police Act offences and docked five days pay. He was also suspended until mid-January 2006.
Two days later, RCMP investigators used a GPS signal hidden in the missing box to locate the 15 bricks in a compartment in a Sea-Do in the garage at Cook’s Cambridge home. Officers executing a search warrant also found marijuana and several MP3 players allegedly taken from an un-related investigation.
Federal prosecutors David Rowcliffe and Ania Weiler say Cook took the fake bricks of cocaine, which he believed were real, during his involvement as part of Rykhoff’s crew.
Cook is charged with attempting to possess a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property (MP3 players) from a police investigation and breach of trust as a police officer. He remains suspended with pay.
The trial continues this afternoon.
Corrections Officer Accuses Superiors of Sexual Harassment
OMAHA, Neb.
A former Dakota County corrections officer has sued the county, its sheriff and other superiors alleging they pressured female employees into sexual relationships and those who refused their advances were treated as outcasts.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Omaha last week on behalf of Toni Duncan, calls the work environment she chose to leave in 2007 a "cesspool" in which superiors misused their power for their own sexual gratification. It seeks unspecified damages.
Attorneys for the Sioux City, Iowa, woman say she's not the first and won't be the last to raise issues with the problems in the northeastern Nebraska county.
The county investigated related claims in 2007, but its findings were never made public, according to Duncan's lawsuit, which alleges a cover-up.
"This is a genuine mess. The more we get into it, the more messy it gets," said attorney Dewey Sloan, who along with Brian Buckmeier represents both Duncan and Williams.
An attorney for the county called Duncan's allegations mystifying and suspicious.
"I have no clue where these allegations are coming from," attorney Vince Valentino said Monday.
Sloan also represents Charvette Williams, another corrections officer who sued the county in June alleging unfair pay and harassment. The Sioux City woman alleged the hostile work environment left her feeling trapped in a sexual relationship with a chief deputy.
Sloan said he and Buckmeier are working to file several other lawsuits in coming weeks making similar claims.
Valentino said neither Duncan nor Williams took their sexual harassment allegations to the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission or its federal counterpart to investigate. He said that's always the first step for anyone serious about such claims.
Dewey said Williams did file a claim with the state commission, although it didn't address sexual harassment. It wasn't until later, when Williams became less fearful, that she felt willing to talk about the additional allegations.
In Duncan's case, she waited too long to take the claim to the state commission, Dewey said.
Duncan quit in November 2007, after a little over a year with the county, according to her lawsuit.
The Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission can investigate employment claims within 300 days of when the alleged harassment happened.
The report completed by a private law firm in 2007 was recently sealed by the Dakota County Board to protect people who offered confidential information, board Chairman Bill McLarty said.
McLarty said he never read the report and couldn't discuss its findings.
The report was shared with Attorney General Jon Bruning's office, which found that the allegations did not rise to the level of a criminal matter, according to a letter dated July 30, 2007.
A spokeswoman for Bruning couldn't immediately comment on the report or the attorney general's conclusions.
A former Dakota County corrections officer has sued the county, its sheriff and other superiors alleging they pressured female employees into sexual relationships and those who refused their advances were treated as outcasts.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Omaha last week on behalf of Toni Duncan, calls the work environment she chose to leave in 2007 a "cesspool" in which superiors misused their power for their own sexual gratification. It seeks unspecified damages.
Attorneys for the Sioux City, Iowa, woman say she's not the first and won't be the last to raise issues with the problems in the northeastern Nebraska county.
The county investigated related claims in 2007, but its findings were never made public, according to Duncan's lawsuit, which alleges a cover-up.
"This is a genuine mess. The more we get into it, the more messy it gets," said attorney Dewey Sloan, who along with Brian Buckmeier represents both Duncan and Williams.
An attorney for the county called Duncan's allegations mystifying and suspicious.
"I have no clue where these allegations are coming from," attorney Vince Valentino said Monday.
Sloan also represents Charvette Williams, another corrections officer who sued the county in June alleging unfair pay and harassment. The Sioux City woman alleged the hostile work environment left her feeling trapped in a sexual relationship with a chief deputy.
Sloan said he and Buckmeier are working to file several other lawsuits in coming weeks making similar claims.
Valentino said neither Duncan nor Williams took their sexual harassment allegations to the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission or its federal counterpart to investigate. He said that's always the first step for anyone serious about such claims.
Dewey said Williams did file a claim with the state commission, although it didn't address sexual harassment. It wasn't until later, when Williams became less fearful, that she felt willing to talk about the additional allegations.
In Duncan's case, she waited too long to take the claim to the state commission, Dewey said.
Duncan quit in November 2007, after a little over a year with the county, according to her lawsuit.
The Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission can investigate employment claims within 300 days of when the alleged harassment happened.
The report completed by a private law firm in 2007 was recently sealed by the Dakota County Board to protect people who offered confidential information, board Chairman Bill McLarty said.
McLarty said he never read the report and couldn't discuss its findings.
The report was shared with Attorney General Jon Bruning's office, which found that the allegations did not rise to the level of a criminal matter, according to a letter dated July 30, 2007.
A spokeswoman for Bruning couldn't immediately comment on the report or the attorney general's conclusions.
Captain William Frontz Arrested for DWI
A Myrtle Beach police officer is on personal leave after being arrested for DWI in North Carolina over the weekend.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department says Captain William Frontz was arrested in Guilford County, that's in the Greensboro area. Fontz was off-duty at the time.
He's been with the department since 1987.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department is conducting an internal investigation.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department says Captain William Frontz was arrested in Guilford County, that's in the Greensboro area. Fontz was off-duty at the time.
He's been with the department since 1987.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department is conducting an internal investigation.
Rookie Officer Christine Thurston Arrested for Brandishing Weapon
A 23-year-old rookie San Diego police officer has been placed on administrative leave after being cited by Carlsbad police on suspicion of being drunk in public, officials said Monday.
The patrol officer, Christine Thurston, was at Hennessey's Tavern on Roosevelt Street, near Grand Avenue, Friday evening. About 10 p.m., a restaurant manager called police to report that someone was brandishing a weapon inside the tavern, said Carlsbad police spokeswoman Lynn Diamond.
When officers arrived, they found Thurston waiting outside with some bouncers. The weapon that had been in her purse was being held for police inside, Diamond said.
“Someone in the bar did take it away from her when the 911 call was made,” Diamond said. “The weapon had been taken away and she was outside with the bouncers awaiting our arrival.”
Officers determined that Thurston took her gun out of her purse at some point while inside the bar, but she did not display it in a threatening manner, Diamond said.
“The elements of brandishing a weapon were not felt to be met based on the interviews at the scene,” Diamond said. The weapon was removed from the purse, but never drawn, she said.
Thurston was taken by officers to Carlsbad police headquarters, where she was released to a family member about 1 a.m. Saturday. San Diego police officers were sent to Carlsbad to retrieve the officer's gun, which was issued to her by the department, Diamond said.
Thurston is scheduled to appear in Vista court on the misdemeanor charge.
The patrol officer, Christine Thurston, was at Hennessey's Tavern on Roosevelt Street, near Grand Avenue, Friday evening. About 10 p.m., a restaurant manager called police to report that someone was brandishing a weapon inside the tavern, said Carlsbad police spokeswoman Lynn Diamond.
When officers arrived, they found Thurston waiting outside with some bouncers. The weapon that had been in her purse was being held for police inside, Diamond said.
“Someone in the bar did take it away from her when the 911 call was made,” Diamond said. “The weapon had been taken away and she was outside with the bouncers awaiting our arrival.”
Officers determined that Thurston took her gun out of her purse at some point while inside the bar, but she did not display it in a threatening manner, Diamond said.
“The elements of brandishing a weapon were not felt to be met based on the interviews at the scene,” Diamond said. The weapon was removed from the purse, but never drawn, she said.
Thurston was taken by officers to Carlsbad police headquarters, where she was released to a family member about 1 a.m. Saturday. San Diego police officers were sent to Carlsbad to retrieve the officer's gun, which was issued to her by the department, Diamond said.
Thurston is scheduled to appear in Vista court on the misdemeanor charge.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Deputy Cornelius Flowers Charged with Theft
A Peach County sheriff’s deputy and a Fort Valley contractor are accused of selling stolen lawn tractors, authorities said.
Cornelius Flowers was charged with one count of theft by taking, three counts of theft by receiving stolen property and three counts of theft by deception, said Craig Rotter, assistant special agent in charge of the GBI’s Perry office.
deputy
Flowers, 41, who headed the shared Peach County drug unit, has been under investigation for several months, Rotter said.
Darreyl Bryant, 43, a Fort Valley contractor, also was charged with one count of theft by taking, three counts of theft by receiving stolen property and three counts of theft by deception, Rotter said.
Flowers allegedly helped Bryant sell stolen Kubota and John Deere lawn tractors, including a Kubota lawn tractor stolen March 23 from Walker Rhodes Tractor Co. in Perry. That lawn tractor was recovered in Taylor County, and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Perry Police Department, which was investigating the theft. The agencies contacted the GBI for assistance.
Peach County Sheriff Terry Deese said he was notified by the GBI about the investigation about four months ago.
“It was really hard to believe. I’ve known him (Flowers) all those years and he’s been a really good employee all those years,” Deese said.
After his arrest Aug. 4 by the GBI, Flowers was suspended without pay pending his expected termination, Deese said.
Flowers, who has worked for the sheriff’s office for 19 years, had no prior disciplinary action, the sheriff said. “He’s always been one of our best,” Deese said. “It just goes to show you that even good people make poor decisions.”
Flowers is free on a $62,500 bond, and Bryant is free on a $22,500 bond, Rotter said.
Anyone who may have purchased equipment from Flowers or Bryant is asked to contact the GBI at 987-4545.
Otherwise, should the GBI recover more stolen equipment, the person who has possession of it may be charged with theft by receiving stolen property, Rotter said.
Judge Will Decide if Drew Peterson's Murder Trial Should be Moved
A Will County judge says he'll decide Oct. 2 if Drew Peterson's murder trial should be moved because of pretrial publicity.
Judge Stephen White listened Friday to arguments from both sides. Peterson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.
Peterson's attorneys say much of the intense publicity surrounding the case has been negative and inflammatory and would prevent Peterson from getting to get a fair trial in Will County.
They also say Peterson may have arrested or ticketed potential jurors or their family members during his three decades as a police officer.
State's Attorney James Glasgow says a fair trial is possible, but if it became clear during jury questioning that it wasn't, he'd agree to a move.
Judge Stephen White listened Friday to arguments from both sides. Peterson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.
Peterson's attorneys say much of the intense publicity surrounding the case has been negative and inflammatory and would prevent Peterson from getting to get a fair trial in Will County.
They also say Peterson may have arrested or ticketed potential jurors or their family members during his three decades as a police officer.
State's Attorney James Glasgow says a fair trial is possible, but if it became clear during jury questioning that it wasn't, he'd agree to a move.
Aaron James Joseph Accused of Pointing Weapon at Wife's Head
A Tacoma police officer accused of pointing a gun at his wife’s head and threatening to kill one of his colleagues pleaded not guilty Friday to two felonies.
Aaron James Joseph, 27, was allowed to remain free on the $15,000 bail he posted following his arrest Thursday by Puyallup police. Joseph is charged with second-degree assault and felony harassment.
The Tacoma Police Department put Joseph on paid administrative leave Aug. 5 after learning that he reportedly had committed an act of domestic violence against his wife and also had threatened a fellow officer, the department said in a statement released Friday afternoon.
The department launched an internal investigation and asked Puyallup police to investigate the case for possible criminal charges, according to the statement.
Joseph works as a night-shift patrol officer and has been on the force for nearly three years, Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum said.
Puyallup police Lt. Dave McDonald said Friday his department established probable cause to arrest Joseph and took him into custody Thursday without incident.
“We got to a point where we needed to arrest him for the safety of all involved,” McDonald said.
Joseph’s wife has accused her husband of pointing a gun at her and threatening to kill her on June 16 during “an argument surrounding her alleged infidelity,” Puyallup police said in a news release.
McDonald said Joseph later threatened to kill the Tacoma police officer he suspects was having an affair with his wife.
Joseph’s wife, Lindsey Joseph, sought a protection order against her husband on Tuesday.
In it, she accuses him of putting a gun to her head “for no more than 5 seconds” and of threatening to kill her and then himself.
Her husband allegedly told her, “It will be like Braim (sic). I will do you and then me,” she wrote in her petition. A Superior Court commissioner granted her a temporary protection order based on her statements.
Tacoma police chief David Brame fatally shot his wife, Crystal, then himself in 2003.
Joseph is expected to hire an attorney and return to court Sept. 1 for a pre-trial hearing.
Aaron James Joseph, 27, was allowed to remain free on the $15,000 bail he posted following his arrest Thursday by Puyallup police. Joseph is charged with second-degree assault and felony harassment.
The Tacoma Police Department put Joseph on paid administrative leave Aug. 5 after learning that he reportedly had committed an act of domestic violence against his wife and also had threatened a fellow officer, the department said in a statement released Friday afternoon.
The department launched an internal investigation and asked Puyallup police to investigate the case for possible criminal charges, according to the statement.
Joseph works as a night-shift patrol officer and has been on the force for nearly three years, Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum said.
Puyallup police Lt. Dave McDonald said Friday his department established probable cause to arrest Joseph and took him into custody Thursday without incident.
“We got to a point where we needed to arrest him for the safety of all involved,” McDonald said.
Joseph’s wife has accused her husband of pointing a gun at her and threatening to kill her on June 16 during “an argument surrounding her alleged infidelity,” Puyallup police said in a news release.
McDonald said Joseph later threatened to kill the Tacoma police officer he suspects was having an affair with his wife.
Joseph’s wife, Lindsey Joseph, sought a protection order against her husband on Tuesday.
In it, she accuses him of putting a gun to her head “for no more than 5 seconds” and of threatening to kill her and then himself.
Her husband allegedly told her, “It will be like Braim (sic). I will do you and then me,” she wrote in her petition. A Superior Court commissioner granted her a temporary protection order based on her statements.
Tacoma police chief David Brame fatally shot his wife, Crystal, then himself in 2003.
Joseph is expected to hire an attorney and return to court Sept. 1 for a pre-trial hearing.
Undercover Officer Charged with Street Racing
An undercover Durham Regional Police officer had his cover blown Wednesday by an unlikely suspect: the Ontario Provincial Police, who charged him with street racing and impounded his unmarked police car.
The incident was No. 3 in a curious summer string of embarrassing driving-related arrests involving GTA emergency personnel. In late June, a Toronto deputy fire chief was charged with street racing. In July, a Toronto paramedic and union leader was charged with stealing an ambulance.
The 34-year-old male Durham officer, a 10-year veteran of the force, was accused of driving 150 km/h or faster on Highway 115 in Peterborough County on Wednesday afternoon. The OPP would not release his name for fear the disclosure would compromise his work.
In addition to losing his police car, the officer's driver's licence was suspended for a week. He could face professional discipline, depending on the facts and outcome of the case, said Durham Insp. Bruce Townley. He said the incident was "extremely disappointing," given the force's focus on road safety.
Toronto deputy fire chief Daryl Fuglerud's driver's licence was suspended and his department SUV was impounded when he was charged for driving faster than 150 km/h on June 26. He said he was late for a funeral.
Glenn Fontaine, a paramedic and the ambulance unit chair of Local 416 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, was charged with theft and mischief after an ambulance with a union poster on it was abandoned with its lights flashing outside city hall early on June 22, the first day of the city workers' strike.
The incident was No. 3 in a curious summer string of embarrassing driving-related arrests involving GTA emergency personnel. In late June, a Toronto deputy fire chief was charged with street racing. In July, a Toronto paramedic and union leader was charged with stealing an ambulance.
The 34-year-old male Durham officer, a 10-year veteran of the force, was accused of driving 150 km/h or faster on Highway 115 in Peterborough County on Wednesday afternoon. The OPP would not release his name for fear the disclosure would compromise his work.
In addition to losing his police car, the officer's driver's licence was suspended for a week. He could face professional discipline, depending on the facts and outcome of the case, said Durham Insp. Bruce Townley. He said the incident was "extremely disappointing," given the force's focus on road safety.
Toronto deputy fire chief Daryl Fuglerud's driver's licence was suspended and his department SUV was impounded when he was charged for driving faster than 150 km/h on June 26. He said he was late for a funeral.
Glenn Fontaine, a paramedic and the ambulance unit chair of Local 416 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, was charged with theft and mischief after an ambulance with a union poster on it was abandoned with its lights flashing outside city hall early on June 22, the first day of the city workers' strike.
Friday, August 14, 2009
David Burke & James Guedry Indicted for Beating & Tasering Man
Two Beaumont police officers indicted Thursday on charges they improperly beat and Tasered a man during a routine traffic stop have been placed on administrative leave until the case is resolved, department officials said.
Officers David Todd Burke and James Cody Guedry were indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury on misdemeanor charges of official oppression in the Aug. 24, 2007, arrest of Beaumont resident Derrick Newman.
The charges carry punishment of as much as a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.
The officers, who were not available for comment Thursday, will be paid while they are on administrative leave.
Attorney Mitch Adams of the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas said his group will represent the officers.
The indictments disappointed the officers, Adams said.
Newman said the officers not only should receive the maximum punishment, but no longer should be allowed to continue their careers in law enforcement.
"The actions that the police officers made wasn't right. Their actions were unnecessary and uncalled for," Newman said Thursday after learning of the indictments.
"I feel vindicated now that the grand jury felt that I was right. They believed me," Newman said.
Officers David Todd Burke and James Cody Guedry were indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury on misdemeanor charges of official oppression in the Aug. 24, 2007, arrest of Beaumont resident Derrick Newman.
The charges carry punishment of as much as a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.
The officers, who were not available for comment Thursday, will be paid while they are on administrative leave.
Attorney Mitch Adams of the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas said his group will represent the officers.
The indictments disappointed the officers, Adams said.
Newman said the officers not only should receive the maximum punishment, but no longer should be allowed to continue their careers in law enforcement.
"The actions that the police officers made wasn't right. Their actions were unnecessary and uncalled for," Newman said Thursday after learning of the indictments.
"I feel vindicated now that the grand jury felt that I was right. They believed me," Newman said.
Former Chief David Baker Pleads Guilty to DUI
Former Alexandria police chief David P. Baker pleaded guilty Friday to driving under the influence and is expected to turn himself in to the Arlington County jail to serve a five-day sentence.
Baker's plea before Arlington General District Court Chief Judge Dorothy H. Clarke brought to a swift end an embarrassing episode that began last month for the popular chief. Baker was arrested July 25 after his city-issued Ford Explorer collided with another vehicle in Arlington County and he failed a series of sobriety tests. Arlington records indicate that he had a blood alcohol level of 0.19, more than twice the 0.08 legal limit in Virginia. Baker acknowledged with his guilty plea Friday that his blood alcohol content was between 0.15 and 0.20.
Baker retired from the Alexandria Police Department three days after the incident, ending a 40-year career that many have called exemplary with a remorseful letter to the officers he supervised. Baker has not said publicly what he did that Saturday night before the crash. Instead of enduring an internal police investigation, Baker instead accepted responsibility for his actions.
"He is supposed to be a role model, an example," said James Clark, Baker's attorney. "He believes he made a mistake and he should pay the appropriate price for it. . . . He used bad judgment; he drank too much, and he got behind the wheel of a car."
Clarke accepted the plea without comment during a brief hearing, sentencing Baker to 180 days in jail and imposing a fine of $1,500. The judge suspended 175 days of the sentence, meaning Baker will have to serve the mandatory five-day minimum sentence for driving at such a high level of intoxication. Clarke also suspended all but $300 of the fine and ordered Baker to attend the county's Alcohol Safety Action Program for DUI offenders. Baker will also lose his driver's license for the next year.
Baker said little in court other than to answer the judge's questions in a soft voice. When asked whether he was pleading guilty because he was driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 to 0.20, he answered: "Yes, your honor."
In a written statement released after the hearing, Baker apologized to the woman whose car he ran into as he merged onto Interstate 66 from North Fairfax Drive, and he praised Arlington officials for treating him fairly and with dignity during his arrest and detention. He also noted that drinking and driving is dangerous and against the law and that as police chief he "had an even higher responsibility not to engage in such behavior."
"As much as it pained me, resigning from my post as Chief was the appropriate decision given my actions," Baker said in the statement, saying he let down the community he has loved and served for 19 years. "I offer no excuses for my bad decisions and behavior because there are none. And I am, and will be, forever haunted by the personal embarrassment and humiliation I caused to those who have supported, mentored and guided me through my personal life and long and rewarding public safety career."
Clark said that Baker did not have to retire from police service but that he decided that as the public face of the police department, it would be "impossible to overcome" the repercussions of his arrest. By retiring, Baker will collect his city pension.
Arlington Sheriff Beth Arthur, who runs the county jail, said Friday that she considers Baker a "high-profile, high-security-risk inmate" and will keep him separated from the approximately 515 other inmates there during his brief jail term.
"Because of his history in law enforcement in the area and his high-profile job over the past few years, I'm concerned about his safety and well-being while incarcerated," Arthur said, adding that Baker will not be in the general population and will have his own cell, although he will not enjoy any special privileges. "We understand the possibility that he has crossed paths with some of the people here."
Also Friday, Arlington police announced the department's participation in an intensive national campaign against drunken driving that runs from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7, known as "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest." Police announced a focus on drunken driving during high-risk nighttime hours, which coincidentally was when Baker was caught.
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Previous post:
http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/07/chief-david-baker-ends-40-year-career.html
Baker's plea before Arlington General District Court Chief Judge Dorothy H. Clarke brought to a swift end an embarrassing episode that began last month for the popular chief. Baker was arrested July 25 after his city-issued Ford Explorer collided with another vehicle in Arlington County and he failed a series of sobriety tests. Arlington records indicate that he had a blood alcohol level of 0.19, more than twice the 0.08 legal limit in Virginia. Baker acknowledged with his guilty plea Friday that his blood alcohol content was between 0.15 and 0.20.
Baker retired from the Alexandria Police Department three days after the incident, ending a 40-year career that many have called exemplary with a remorseful letter to the officers he supervised. Baker has not said publicly what he did that Saturday night before the crash. Instead of enduring an internal police investigation, Baker instead accepted responsibility for his actions.
"He is supposed to be a role model, an example," said James Clark, Baker's attorney. "He believes he made a mistake and he should pay the appropriate price for it. . . . He used bad judgment; he drank too much, and he got behind the wheel of a car."
Clarke accepted the plea without comment during a brief hearing, sentencing Baker to 180 days in jail and imposing a fine of $1,500. The judge suspended 175 days of the sentence, meaning Baker will have to serve the mandatory five-day minimum sentence for driving at such a high level of intoxication. Clarke also suspended all but $300 of the fine and ordered Baker to attend the county's Alcohol Safety Action Program for DUI offenders. Baker will also lose his driver's license for the next year.
Baker said little in court other than to answer the judge's questions in a soft voice. When asked whether he was pleading guilty because he was driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 to 0.20, he answered: "Yes, your honor."
In a written statement released after the hearing, Baker apologized to the woman whose car he ran into as he merged onto Interstate 66 from North Fairfax Drive, and he praised Arlington officials for treating him fairly and with dignity during his arrest and detention. He also noted that drinking and driving is dangerous and against the law and that as police chief he "had an even higher responsibility not to engage in such behavior."
"As much as it pained me, resigning from my post as Chief was the appropriate decision given my actions," Baker said in the statement, saying he let down the community he has loved and served for 19 years. "I offer no excuses for my bad decisions and behavior because there are none. And I am, and will be, forever haunted by the personal embarrassment and humiliation I caused to those who have supported, mentored and guided me through my personal life and long and rewarding public safety career."
Clark said that Baker did not have to retire from police service but that he decided that as the public face of the police department, it would be "impossible to overcome" the repercussions of his arrest. By retiring, Baker will collect his city pension.
Arlington Sheriff Beth Arthur, who runs the county jail, said Friday that she considers Baker a "high-profile, high-security-risk inmate" and will keep him separated from the approximately 515 other inmates there during his brief jail term.
"Because of his history in law enforcement in the area and his high-profile job over the past few years, I'm concerned about his safety and well-being while incarcerated," Arthur said, adding that Baker will not be in the general population and will have his own cell, although he will not enjoy any special privileges. "We understand the possibility that he has crossed paths with some of the people here."
Also Friday, Arlington police announced the department's participation in an intensive national campaign against drunken driving that runs from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7, known as "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest." Police announced a focus on drunken driving during high-risk nighttime hours, which coincidentally was when Baker was caught.
----------------------------
Previous post:
http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/07/chief-david-baker-ends-40-year-career.html
Sgt Bill Arganda Accused of Using Database to Meet Women
The Westminster Police Department has given a termination notice to a sergeant accused of using law enforcement databases to meet women, investigate romantic rivals and keep tabs on ex-girlfriends.
The department announced this morning only that it has sent the District Attorney's Office a case against an unnamed sergeant for personal use of the CLETS system, which connects to DMV and state and federal law enforcement databases. The department did not disclose any details about the investigation of Sgt. Bill Arganda, 39, or other allegations against him.
Arganda has also been accused of domestic violence against two women.
The first accusation, which did not lead to criminal charges, resulted in an unpaid suspension in 2007.
Arganda has been on administrative leave since late May of this year, when the Orange Police Department went to Arganda's house on a domestic violence call.
In a follow-up interview with Orange police detectives the next day, Arganda's girlfriend "disclosed that her boyfriend placed a gun to her head on a different occasion," according to a restraining order issued by the Orange Police Department.
The Orange Police Department has finished its investigation and sent the case to the District Attorney's office for review, said Sgt. Matt Miller.
Arganda, an 18-year veteran of the Westminster Police Department, was already under investigation by his own department when he was recently suspended.
The internal investigation, which started April 4 with a citizen complaint, found that Arganda used the CLETS system to look up thousands of names and license plates for his personal use.
Among the more than 4,000 names searched are a blond Fox news correspondent, a woman from a gym class, a mother from his daughter's kindergarten class, his ex-wife and ex-girlfriends as well as the new men in their lives.
None of the people that investigators contacted had given Arganda permission to conduct the searches, according to a search warrant.
In the period of April 2007 to May 2009, Arganda ran 1,020 searches on CLETS, according to a warrant. By comparison, of the eight other sergeants the department employed during the time, five conducted no searches, and the other three averaged around 100 searches each.
The district attorney has not yet filed charges.
Arganda is still employed and paid by the Westminster Police Department; the "intent to terminate" notice he received is the start of a disciplinary procedure required by law for his dismissal.
Contacted Thursday morning, Arganda declined to comment for this report.
Arganda joined the department in January 1991 and was promoted to sergeant in April 2004, but his career started to hit the rocks late in 2006. He often argued with his wife - Cyndie Sanders-Arganda, who is the risk manager for the city of Westminster - while at work, to the point that they were told to avoid contact during work hours.
In October 2006, his sister-in-law accused him of beating his wife. Sanders-Arganda denied the claims at the time, taking her husband's side.
Then in December, Arganda abandoned his post as watch commander to drive home in the middle of the night.
That incident led to the first black mark on his resume; Arganda was denied an annual pay raise and given an unpaid week off.
Around the same time, a dispatcher that had been fired - in part because of Arganda -accused him of propositioning her for sex in exchange for giving her job back.
In Arganda's account to police officials, he writes of the accusation: "An investigation was initiated and to the best of my knowledge everything originally inquired upon has proven NOT to be true. I don't know the final outcome as of yet, but was told no violations were found on my part."
On May 14, amid a contentious divorce, Sanders-Arganda went to city officials, including the police chief, and said her sister had been telling the truth about the abuse.
The Westminster Police Department issued a restraining order against him, which states: "Family and friends have reported that Cindy (sic) has been victim of emotional and physical abuse over the past several months. Today, Cindy admitted to being victim of abuse…"
The department suspended him the next day.
Sanders-Arganda's accusation was supported by a letter sent May 19 by her doctor regarding a visit on Dec. 20, 2006: "… she had contusions on her left thoracic region, left rib region, left lateral wrist and right deltoid regions as well as her left scalp. These appeared to be caused by someone grabbing her tightly and squeezing these areas…. it was disclosed that these contusions were the result of an altercation with her husband and there had been many of these attacks."
Sanders-Arganda went to the police the day after a confrontation with Arganda on Mother's Day, 2007, when she went to pick up their two children. She gives her account in a request for a court protective order: "At that time, our children were coming down the stairs and the Respondent (Arganda) started telling our children that I had 'traded' them for other kids. He further said that 'there are other children calling me mommy, that they should not call me mommy and that I chose to be with other kids instead of them this weekend…'
"I immediately started to cry and said that I won't leave without my kids. The Respondent then went outside to his car, as though he was leaving, but returned to our home and said, 'No, I am not leaving, you need to leave.' The Respondent then told our son… that 'the reason that mommy and daddy are getting a divorce is because mommy sends naked pictures of herself to other men.' 'Do you want to see them?' He then opened his phone to show the pictures to (him). I said, 'No, no, I will leave.'"
After an argument at their daughter's school the following morning ended with Arganda chasing her in his car and throwing a can of soda at her car, she went to work in tears and told her supervisor what had been happening, according to the request for court order.
She accused Arganda of hitting, slapping, pushing, hair-pulling, threatening to rape her, threatening to kill her, and of manipulative and pyschologically abusive behavior.
Arganda denied the accusations of abuse in a court filing, saying that she and her mother were telling the children lies about him.
The department announced this morning only that it has sent the District Attorney's Office a case against an unnamed sergeant for personal use of the CLETS system, which connects to DMV and state and federal law enforcement databases. The department did not disclose any details about the investigation of Sgt. Bill Arganda, 39, or other allegations against him.
Arganda has also been accused of domestic violence against two women.
The first accusation, which did not lead to criminal charges, resulted in an unpaid suspension in 2007.
Arganda has been on administrative leave since late May of this year, when the Orange Police Department went to Arganda's house on a domestic violence call.
In a follow-up interview with Orange police detectives the next day, Arganda's girlfriend "disclosed that her boyfriend placed a gun to her head on a different occasion," according to a restraining order issued by the Orange Police Department.
The Orange Police Department has finished its investigation and sent the case to the District Attorney's office for review, said Sgt. Matt Miller.
Arganda, an 18-year veteran of the Westminster Police Department, was already under investigation by his own department when he was recently suspended.
The internal investigation, which started April 4 with a citizen complaint, found that Arganda used the CLETS system to look up thousands of names and license plates for his personal use.
Among the more than 4,000 names searched are a blond Fox news correspondent, a woman from a gym class, a mother from his daughter's kindergarten class, his ex-wife and ex-girlfriends as well as the new men in their lives.
None of the people that investigators contacted had given Arganda permission to conduct the searches, according to a search warrant.
In the period of April 2007 to May 2009, Arganda ran 1,020 searches on CLETS, according to a warrant. By comparison, of the eight other sergeants the department employed during the time, five conducted no searches, and the other three averaged around 100 searches each.
The district attorney has not yet filed charges.
Arganda is still employed and paid by the Westminster Police Department; the "intent to terminate" notice he received is the start of a disciplinary procedure required by law for his dismissal.
Contacted Thursday morning, Arganda declined to comment for this report.
Arganda joined the department in January 1991 and was promoted to sergeant in April 2004, but his career started to hit the rocks late in 2006. He often argued with his wife - Cyndie Sanders-Arganda, who is the risk manager for the city of Westminster - while at work, to the point that they were told to avoid contact during work hours.
In October 2006, his sister-in-law accused him of beating his wife. Sanders-Arganda denied the claims at the time, taking her husband's side.
Then in December, Arganda abandoned his post as watch commander to drive home in the middle of the night.
That incident led to the first black mark on his resume; Arganda was denied an annual pay raise and given an unpaid week off.
Around the same time, a dispatcher that had been fired - in part because of Arganda -accused him of propositioning her for sex in exchange for giving her job back.
In Arganda's account to police officials, he writes of the accusation: "An investigation was initiated and to the best of my knowledge everything originally inquired upon has proven NOT to be true. I don't know the final outcome as of yet, but was told no violations were found on my part."
On May 14, amid a contentious divorce, Sanders-Arganda went to city officials, including the police chief, and said her sister had been telling the truth about the abuse.
The Westminster Police Department issued a restraining order against him, which states: "Family and friends have reported that Cindy (sic) has been victim of emotional and physical abuse over the past several months. Today, Cindy admitted to being victim of abuse…"
The department suspended him the next day.
Sanders-Arganda's accusation was supported by a letter sent May 19 by her doctor regarding a visit on Dec. 20, 2006: "… she had contusions on her left thoracic region, left rib region, left lateral wrist and right deltoid regions as well as her left scalp. These appeared to be caused by someone grabbing her tightly and squeezing these areas…. it was disclosed that these contusions were the result of an altercation with her husband and there had been many of these attacks."
Sanders-Arganda went to the police the day after a confrontation with Arganda on Mother's Day, 2007, when she went to pick up their two children. She gives her account in a request for a court protective order: "At that time, our children were coming down the stairs and the Respondent (Arganda) started telling our children that I had 'traded' them for other kids. He further said that 'there are other children calling me mommy, that they should not call me mommy and that I chose to be with other kids instead of them this weekend…'
"I immediately started to cry and said that I won't leave without my kids. The Respondent then went outside to his car, as though he was leaving, but returned to our home and said, 'No, I am not leaving, you need to leave.' The Respondent then told our son… that 'the reason that mommy and daddy are getting a divorce is because mommy sends naked pictures of herself to other men.' 'Do you want to see them?' He then opened his phone to show the pictures to (him). I said, 'No, no, I will leave.'"
After an argument at their daughter's school the following morning ended with Arganda chasing her in his car and throwing a can of soda at her car, she went to work in tears and told her supervisor what had been happening, according to the request for court order.
She accused Arganda of hitting, slapping, pushing, hair-pulling, threatening to rape her, threatening to kill her, and of manipulative and pyschologically abusive behavior.
Arganda denied the accusations of abuse in a court filing, saying that she and her mother were telling the children lies about him.
Kyle Willaford Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges
There is a guilty plea from a retired Bartlesville Police officer to a number of drug charges.
On Thursday, 10th Judicial District Judge John Kane accepted a guilty plea to 14 counts of felony larceny of a controlled dangerous substance from Kyle Willaford.
The 48-year-old Willaford was originally charged with 18 counts of the crime, but on Wednesday, the state dropped four of the counts. The charges were the result of the alleged theft of drugs, including Lortab and Hydrocodone, from the Bartlesville Police Department's evidence room.
The thefts began in 2000 while Willaford was employed by the Bartlesville Police Department. He later retired.
Sentencing is set for September 10th.
Officer Joseph Gray Pleads Guilty to DUI
Peoria police Officer Joseph A. Gray pleaded guilty Friday to driving under the influence of alcohol and causing criminal damage to government property for breaking the window of a Metamora Police Department cruiser.
A separate charge of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident was dropped.
By pleading guilty, Gray, who appeared before Woodford County Circuit Judge John Huschen, waived his right to a jury trial.
Gray, 33, who has been with the Peoria Police Department since September 1999, has been on unpaid leave since March, after the charges were filed. On Friday, Doug Burgess, the spokesman for Peoria police, said Gray's status remains unchanged.
"Until we see the court ruling and receive all the paperwork, he is still on unpaid leave." Burgess said. "We'll address it after that."
Gray, a Metamora resident, was arrested in March for driving under the influence after a single-vehicle rollover accident on Hickory Point Road near Santa Fe Trail in Metamora.
In a statement after the incident, Woodford County State's Attorney Mike Stroh said police found Gray alone in his car after the crash and arrested him for DUI based on their observations.
While being transported to the county jail, Gray apparently began hitting and kicking the rear passenger-side window of the Metamora squad car, which resulted in a broken window and trim.
Kicking out the window of a Metamora squad car, which is government-supported property, is a Class 4 felony, which carries maximum penalties of three years in prison and a $25,000 fine. A convicted felon cannot legally carry a weapon. Gray is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 28.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/03/officer-joseph-gray-charged-with-dui.html
A separate charge of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident was dropped.
By pleading guilty, Gray, who appeared before Woodford County Circuit Judge John Huschen, waived his right to a jury trial.
Gray, 33, who has been with the Peoria Police Department since September 1999, has been on unpaid leave since March, after the charges were filed. On Friday, Doug Burgess, the spokesman for Peoria police, said Gray's status remains unchanged.
"Until we see the court ruling and receive all the paperwork, he is still on unpaid leave." Burgess said. "We'll address it after that."
Gray, a Metamora resident, was arrested in March for driving under the influence after a single-vehicle rollover accident on Hickory Point Road near Santa Fe Trail in Metamora.
In a statement after the incident, Woodford County State's Attorney Mike Stroh said police found Gray alone in his car after the crash and arrested him for DUI based on their observations.
While being transported to the county jail, Gray apparently began hitting and kicking the rear passenger-side window of the Metamora squad car, which resulted in a broken window and trim.
Kicking out the window of a Metamora squad car, which is government-supported property, is a Class 4 felony, which carries maximum penalties of three years in prison and a $25,000 fine. A convicted felon cannot legally carry a weapon. Gray is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 28.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/03/officer-joseph-gray-charged-with-dui.html
Vancouver Officer Charged with Incest & Sexual Assault
A long-serving Vancouver police officer has been charged with incest and sexual assault after being arrested by Burnaby RCMP officers Thursday afternoon.
The male officer was arrested in south Burnaby after a tip led Mounties to investigate allegations of sexual assault, said Burnaby RCMP Sgt. Jane Baptista.
Mounties started investigating the officer last week, Baptista said. The alleged sexual assault occurred between July 31 and August 1.
Charges of one count of sexual assault and one count of incest were sworn against the man on Friday morning.
Baptista said incest was a rare charge and involves sexual relations with a blood-relative.
"According to Section 155 of the Criminal Code, everyone commits incest knowing another person is by blood relationship his or her parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild, and as the case may be, has sexual intercourse with that person. Brother and sister, respectively, include half-brother and half-sister," Baptista said.
"As you can see from that, it does not pertain to any specific age group, sex or anything else," she said.
Baptista said she did not know if the officer had any previous run-ins with the law.
The Vancouver Police Department immediately suspended the officer with pay according to the Police Act. The department has the option of suspending pay after 30 days.
The department's professional standards section will be shadowing the RCMP's criminal investigation.
"The VPD considers the nature of the offense to be very serious and abhors the actions attributed to this member," said Insp. Mario Giardini from the Vancouver police department's professional standards section. Vancouver police department officials would not say how long the officer had been serving or which division he worked in.
The RCMP are not releasing any further details about the identities of anyone involved in the case due to a strict publication ban.
"At this point we are not allowed to say any names or give any information to do with the people involved," Baptista said. "That's quite common in many, many sexual assault cases. It's usually in order to protect the victims and any revictimization of anybody associated with [the case]."
The male will appear in Vancouver Provincial Court in September.
The male officer was arrested in south Burnaby after a tip led Mounties to investigate allegations of sexual assault, said Burnaby RCMP Sgt. Jane Baptista.
Mounties started investigating the officer last week, Baptista said. The alleged sexual assault occurred between July 31 and August 1.
Charges of one count of sexual assault and one count of incest were sworn against the man on Friday morning.
Baptista said incest was a rare charge and involves sexual relations with a blood-relative.
"According to Section 155 of the Criminal Code, everyone commits incest knowing another person is by blood relationship his or her parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild, and as the case may be, has sexual intercourse with that person. Brother and sister, respectively, include half-brother and half-sister," Baptista said.
"As you can see from that, it does not pertain to any specific age group, sex or anything else," she said.
Baptista said she did not know if the officer had any previous run-ins with the law.
The Vancouver Police Department immediately suspended the officer with pay according to the Police Act. The department has the option of suspending pay after 30 days.
The department's professional standards section will be shadowing the RCMP's criminal investigation.
"The VPD considers the nature of the offense to be very serious and abhors the actions attributed to this member," said Insp. Mario Giardini from the Vancouver police department's professional standards section. Vancouver police department officials would not say how long the officer had been serving or which division he worked in.
The RCMP are not releasing any further details about the identities of anyone involved in the case due to a strict publication ban.
"At this point we are not allowed to say any names or give any information to do with the people involved," Baptista said. "That's quite common in many, many sexual assault cases. It's usually in order to protect the victims and any revictimization of anybody associated with [the case]."
The male will appear in Vancouver Provincial Court in September.
Deputy Accused of Sexual Assault
A Bexar County deputy is accused of sexually assaulting a woman on the South Side on Tuesday morning while he was on duty, authorities said Wednesday.
A San Antonio police officer was called to a home for a disturbance around 11 a.m. and found the deputy naked on the woman's couch, with his uniform and gear nearby, according to an incident report.
The deputy, a 23-year veteran whose name has not been released, has not been arrested, officials said.
He has been removed from the Judicial Service Division Civil Warrants section and placed on administrative leave pending the criminal investigation, said Deputy Ino Badillo, a Sheriff's Office spokesman.
The woman told police she was walking home around 9:15 a.m. when the deputy stopped her in his patrol car. She said the deputy has approached her in the past and checked her for outstanding warrants, which he did Tuesday, the report states. He told her she had warrants and asked where she lives. The woman, thinking she was being arrested, got into the patrol car, but the deputy drove her home, according to the report.
As she was unlocking the door, the report states he moved her out of the way to get inside. He told her that he likes Hispanic women and said, “You know, we can take care of these warrants,” the report states, and she alleges he then grabbed her by the neck and sexually assaulted her.
He left the home soon after, and she then called a man for help.
According to the report, which does not identify the man the victim called, she was on the phone with that man when the deputy returned.
At that time, the deputy allegedly showed the woman a piece of paper that he claimed was her warrant. She stayed on the phone and told the deputy she was talking to a girlfriend, and according to the report, the deputy suggested that she tell her friend to come over for a threesome.
The man on the phone said the woman “sounded distraught and wouldn't make sense at times,” and he realized the alleged assailant had returned, so he called police to report the disturbance.
That's when the officer found the deputy naked on the couch, the report states.
A Police Department spokeswoman said no arrests had been made in connection with the alleged assault. Badillo said police contacted the Sheriff's Office around 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon to inform them of the allegations. He declined to further discuss the details of the incident — specifically, why it took deputies so long to learn of the investigation.
San Antonio police will continue to investigate the alleged assault, a spokeswoman said. Badillo said once police complete the criminal investigation, the Sheriff's Office will review the incident further.
A San Antonio police officer was called to a home for a disturbance around 11 a.m. and found the deputy naked on the woman's couch, with his uniform and gear nearby, according to an incident report.
The deputy, a 23-year veteran whose name has not been released, has not been arrested, officials said.
He has been removed from the Judicial Service Division Civil Warrants section and placed on administrative leave pending the criminal investigation, said Deputy Ino Badillo, a Sheriff's Office spokesman.
The woman told police she was walking home around 9:15 a.m. when the deputy stopped her in his patrol car. She said the deputy has approached her in the past and checked her for outstanding warrants, which he did Tuesday, the report states. He told her she had warrants and asked where she lives. The woman, thinking she was being arrested, got into the patrol car, but the deputy drove her home, according to the report.
As she was unlocking the door, the report states he moved her out of the way to get inside. He told her that he likes Hispanic women and said, “You know, we can take care of these warrants,” the report states, and she alleges he then grabbed her by the neck and sexually assaulted her.
He left the home soon after, and she then called a man for help.
According to the report, which does not identify the man the victim called, she was on the phone with that man when the deputy returned.
At that time, the deputy allegedly showed the woman a piece of paper that he claimed was her warrant. She stayed on the phone and told the deputy she was talking to a girlfriend, and according to the report, the deputy suggested that she tell her friend to come over for a threesome.
The man on the phone said the woman “sounded distraught and wouldn't make sense at times,” and he realized the alleged assailant had returned, so he called police to report the disturbance.
That's when the officer found the deputy naked on the couch, the report states.
A Police Department spokeswoman said no arrests had been made in connection with the alleged assault. Badillo said police contacted the Sheriff's Office around 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon to inform them of the allegations. He declined to further discuss the details of the incident — specifically, why it took deputies so long to learn of the investigation.
San Antonio police will continue to investigate the alleged assault, a spokeswoman said. Badillo said once police complete the criminal investigation, the Sheriff's Office will review the incident further.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Felony Cases Under Review Following Arrest of Jonathan Bleiweiss
The slayings of Broward sheriff's deputies Paul Rein and Brian Tephford are among the dozens of felony cases under review following last week's arrest of Deputy Jonathan Bleiweiss.
Prosecutors Wednesday released a list of 118 cases in which Bleiweiss' name is listed as either a witness or an arresting officer.
Of those cases, 56 were felonies, including first-degree murder, sexual assault and felony fraud, according to the list provided by the Broward State Attorney's Office.
Bleiweiss, 29, is accused of performing sexual acts on at least eight undocumented migrants he picked up during traffic stops in Oakland Park.
His role in each of the pending criminal cases was not immediately available. Prosecutors and defense attorneys say his involvement could be as mundane as being the deputy directing traffic at a crime scene or as significant as being the lead officer in an arrest.
Prosecutors have been reviewing each case to determine whether they would be able to move forward without Bleiweiss' testimony, said State Attorney's Office spokesman Ron Ishoy. At least one felony case has already been dismissed.
Late Tuesday, prosecutors announced to Broward Circuit Judge Dale Cohen that they were no longer seeking charges against Michael King, 53, arrested in March and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
Ishoy said Bleiweiss was the alleged victim in the case and the only witness.
The two deputy slayings are the highest-profile cases on the list. Tephford was killed in November 2006 while conducting a traffic stop in Tamarac. There are three defendants.
Michael Mazza is accused of killing Rein on Nov. 7, 2007, while en route to trial on a bank-robbery charge. He could be sentenced to death.
Among the other cases under review are two unrelated first-degree murders, two DUIs with injuries, several robberies and stalking. The rest of the cases are misdemeanors.
Bleiweiss is being held in protective custody without bail. A bond hearing is scheduled for Friday. His attorney, Eric Schwartzreich, wants to question Bleiweiss' alleged victims, whose names have not been released.
``My client has been sitting in a jail cell for weeks now based on their accusations. We want the ability to debunk and cross-examine these undocumented immigrants,'' Schwartzreich told the judge.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/08/jonathan-bleiweiss-arrested-for-sexual.html
Prosecutors Wednesday released a list of 118 cases in which Bleiweiss' name is listed as either a witness or an arresting officer.
Of those cases, 56 were felonies, including first-degree murder, sexual assault and felony fraud, according to the list provided by the Broward State Attorney's Office.
Bleiweiss, 29, is accused of performing sexual acts on at least eight undocumented migrants he picked up during traffic stops in Oakland Park.
His role in each of the pending criminal cases was not immediately available. Prosecutors and defense attorneys say his involvement could be as mundane as being the deputy directing traffic at a crime scene or as significant as being the lead officer in an arrest.
Prosecutors have been reviewing each case to determine whether they would be able to move forward without Bleiweiss' testimony, said State Attorney's Office spokesman Ron Ishoy. At least one felony case has already been dismissed.
Late Tuesday, prosecutors announced to Broward Circuit Judge Dale Cohen that they were no longer seeking charges against Michael King, 53, arrested in March and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
Ishoy said Bleiweiss was the alleged victim in the case and the only witness.
The two deputy slayings are the highest-profile cases on the list. Tephford was killed in November 2006 while conducting a traffic stop in Tamarac. There are three defendants.
Michael Mazza is accused of killing Rein on Nov. 7, 2007, while en route to trial on a bank-robbery charge. He could be sentenced to death.
Among the other cases under review are two unrelated first-degree murders, two DUIs with injuries, several robberies and stalking. The rest of the cases are misdemeanors.
Bleiweiss is being held in protective custody without bail. A bond hearing is scheduled for Friday. His attorney, Eric Schwartzreich, wants to question Bleiweiss' alleged victims, whose names have not been released.
``My client has been sitting in a jail cell for weeks now based on their accusations. We want the ability to debunk and cross-examine these undocumented immigrants,'' Schwartzreich told the judge.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/08/jonathan-bleiweiss-arrested-for-sexual.html
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