A former Montague (mahn-TAYG') County deputy is accused of soliciting sexual favors from a 16-year-old girl during a traffic stop.
Brian Edward Henry has been free since posting $102,000 in bonds after his arrest last month following his indictment, which initially was sealed. It's unclear if he has an attorney.
The 27-year-old Roanoke man faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of indecency with a child charge and a year in jail if convicted of official oppression.
Montague County District Attorney Jack McGaughey (mah-GOY') says Henry's arrest is unrelated to a jail scandal that rocked the county on the Red River. Earlier this year 17 people, including the former sheriff and some jailers, were indicted on charges of having sex with inmates or bringing them drugs.
Information from: Wichita Falls Times Record News, http://www.timesrecordnews.com
Friday, September 18, 2009
Former Chief Jose Cruz Arrested for Kidnapping
The former police chief in the Gulf coast port of Veracruz was among 11 people arrested for the kidnapping of Mexican customs official Francisco Serrano Aramoni, who remains missing and is feared dead.
Jose Osiris Cruz was detained Wednesday by military police, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office said.
A Veracruz state judge issued warrants for the arrest of Cruz and 10 other suspects on charges of racketeering, drug trafficking and illegal weapons possession, AG office spokesman Ricardo Celso Najera said.
Serrano, the head of the customs office in Veracruz, was driving home from work the night of June 1 when another vehicle rammed his vehicle and forced him to stop. Armed assailants then grabbed the official and drove away.
Since taking office in December 2006, President Felipe Calderon has deployed more than 50,000 soldiers and 20,000 federal police officers across Mexico in a bid to crush the country’s powerful drug cartels.
The operation has failed to put a dent in the violence due, according to experts, to the cartels’ ability to buy off police and even high-ranking prosecutors.
Jose Osiris Cruz was detained Wednesday by military police, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office said.
A Veracruz state judge issued warrants for the arrest of Cruz and 10 other suspects on charges of racketeering, drug trafficking and illegal weapons possession, AG office spokesman Ricardo Celso Najera said.
Serrano, the head of the customs office in Veracruz, was driving home from work the night of June 1 when another vehicle rammed his vehicle and forced him to stop. Armed assailants then grabbed the official and drove away.
Since taking office in December 2006, President Felipe Calderon has deployed more than 50,000 soldiers and 20,000 federal police officers across Mexico in a bid to crush the country’s powerful drug cartels.
The operation has failed to put a dent in the violence due, according to experts, to the cartels’ ability to buy off police and even high-ranking prosecutors.
Trial Date Set for Detective Rickie Durham
A former Philadelphia police officer accused of tipping off a drug kingpin about a raid will head to trial next week.
Jury selection ended Thursday in the obstruction trial of former detective Rickie Durham. Durham is accused of calling childhood friend and former NBA player Jerome "Pooh" Richardson about an upcoming raid on a suspected drug dealer. Richardson's half-sister lived with the suspect.
Authorities say Richardson the called his half-sister and spoke to her boyfriend, Alton "Ace Capone" Coles. A few hours later more than 200 officers arrested the couple and others linked to Coles.
Coles was convicted last year of running a $25 million cocaine ring and is serving a life term.
Durham, 43, is charged with obstruction of justice and other charges.
Jerome Richardson is not charged.
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Information from: Philadelphia Daily News, http://www.philly.com
Jury selection ended Thursday in the obstruction trial of former detective Rickie Durham. Durham is accused of calling childhood friend and former NBA player Jerome "Pooh" Richardson about an upcoming raid on a suspected drug dealer. Richardson's half-sister lived with the suspect.
Authorities say Richardson the called his half-sister and spoke to her boyfriend, Alton "Ace Capone" Coles. A few hours later more than 200 officers arrested the couple and others linked to Coles.
Coles was convicted last year of running a $25 million cocaine ring and is serving a life term.
Durham, 43, is charged with obstruction of justice and other charges.
Jerome Richardson is not charged.
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Information from: Philadelphia Daily News, http://www.philly.com
Former Officer Joseph Bonachita Arrested for Burglary
A former Kauai police officer has been arrested on burglary, terroristic threats and weapons charges.
Forty-one-year-old Joseph Bonachita is out on $25,000 bail after being arrested earlier this week. Authorities have provided few details about the case.
Bonachita declined to comment.
The former officer also was the subject of a temporary restraining order filed by a woman shortly before she was found dead outside her Puhi home Aug. 17.
Police initially said they believed foul play was involved in 27-year-old Lauren Kagawa’s death but later determined it was a lethal mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol. They say they’re still investigating.
Bonachita, who Kagawa alleged had sexually assaulted her, has not been named as a suspect in the case, but police say they haven’t ruled him out.
Forty-one-year-old Joseph Bonachita is out on $25,000 bail after being arrested earlier this week. Authorities have provided few details about the case.
Bonachita declined to comment.
The former officer also was the subject of a temporary restraining order filed by a woman shortly before she was found dead outside her Puhi home Aug. 17.
Police initially said they believed foul play was involved in 27-year-old Lauren Kagawa’s death but later determined it was a lethal mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol. They say they’re still investigating.
Bonachita, who Kagawa alleged had sexually assaulted her, has not been named as a suspect in the case, but police say they haven’t ruled him out.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Officer Stephen Olenchak Charged with Rape
A Davie police officer facing charges he raped a young woman while his wife slept in the same bed should be ready for trial early next year, his attorney says.
The officer, Stephen Olenchak, 35, has pleaded not guilty.
During a hearing today, attorney John Fry said Olenchak has been suspended without pay from his $74,000-a-year job with the Davie Police Department. Because Olenchak cannot afford his court costs, taxpayers will foot the bill.
Broward Circuit Judge Carlos Rodriguez granted Fry's request for a continuance. The next hearing is set for Nov. 19.
Davie officers arrested Olenchak on March 26 and charged him with two counts of sexual assault.
According to the arrest report, the victim told investigators Olenchak brought his wife a drink before going to bed on March 22. After his wife fell asleep, he brought the victim something to drink. At the time, police said they were investigating whether the drinks were spiked with drugs.
According to the report, Olenchak then fondled and had intercourse with the victim, who said she did not consent and was not coherent enough to call out to Olenchak's wife for help.
Olenchak, an 11-year veteran, was put on administrative leave without pay on May 13, town records show. He will remain on leave pending the outcome of the case.
The officer, Stephen Olenchak, 35, has pleaded not guilty.
During a hearing today, attorney John Fry said Olenchak has been suspended without pay from his $74,000-a-year job with the Davie Police Department. Because Olenchak cannot afford his court costs, taxpayers will foot the bill.
Broward Circuit Judge Carlos Rodriguez granted Fry's request for a continuance. The next hearing is set for Nov. 19.
Davie officers arrested Olenchak on March 26 and charged him with two counts of sexual assault.
According to the arrest report, the victim told investigators Olenchak brought his wife a drink before going to bed on March 22. After his wife fell asleep, he brought the victim something to drink. At the time, police said they were investigating whether the drinks were spiked with drugs.
According to the report, Olenchak then fondled and had intercourse with the victim, who said she did not consent and was not coherent enough to call out to Olenchak's wife for help.
Olenchak, an 11-year veteran, was put on administrative leave without pay on May 13, town records show. He will remain on leave pending the outcome of the case.
Officer Patricia Beardsley Arrested for Pointing Gun
An off-duty police officer was arrested Thursday afternoon after pointing a gun at a woman in her car with children inside.
Patricia Ann Beardsley, 50, was arrested. She has been with the Longboat Police Department for eight years.
Investigators say the woman in the car was picking her child up from nearby Southside Elementary School in Sarasota. After picking her daughter up, she went into Beardsley's driveway to turn her car around.
According to the Sarastota Police Department, Beardsley came out of the home with a handgun, and pointed into the passenger side of the car.
The victim and a witness called 911. Beardsley was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault with a firearm. She has been placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Patricia Ann Beardsley, 50, was arrested. She has been with the Longboat Police Department for eight years.
Investigators say the woman in the car was picking her child up from nearby Southside Elementary School in Sarasota. After picking her daughter up, she went into Beardsley's driveway to turn her car around.
According to the Sarastota Police Department, Beardsley came out of the home with a handgun, and pointed into the passenger side of the car.
The victim and a witness called 911. Beardsley was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault with a firearm. She has been placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Parole Officer Richard Riley Arrested for Sexual Assault
A Colorado Department of Corrections parole officer was arrested today on suspicion of sexual assault, Colorado Springs police said.
Richard L. Riley, 45, turned himself in at the police operations center.
Police said they had been investigating Riley for two months, but would not release details of the accusations against him.
Rilery has been a Senior Community Parole Officer for the DOC since 1998.
Richard L. Riley, 45, turned himself in at the police operations center.
Police said they had been investigating Riley for two months, but would not release details of the accusations against him.
Rilery has been a Senior Community Parole Officer for the DOC since 1998.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Former Officer Mark Anderson Accused of Stealing Patrol Car
From former acting police chief to evading arrest, a once respected McComb lawman found himself behind bars Wednesday.
The ex officer is accused of stealing a patrol car.
Nearly three weeks after abruptly retiring from the McComb Police Department, former acting chief and former Lt. Mark Anderson reported to the police station at 5:30 wednesday morning.
Authorities say he convinced an employee to let him inside the building.
"He signed up on the duty roster and reported to work and got in the patrol car and was patrolling the streets," said Chief Gregory Martin.
Martin said Anderson, who he describes as a good officer, drove away in unit 191.
He was in full uniform with his firearm and was reportedly seen at a funeral and cruising the city for 12 hours defying orders.
"He did not report to me at any time during this day. A supervisor on shift made contact with him earlier and he was instructed to return. He failed to return the vehicle," said the chief.
Investigators said they do not know why the 44 year old officer exhibited such strange behavior.
He had served with the department for 21 and a half years.
An article about Anderson appeared in tuesday's Enterprise Journal.
He had previously been at odds with McComb's city leaders filing complaints against them.
According to the chief, Anderson may have been under stress and because he was armed they wanted to work with him to get him to return the vehicle.
"I didn't issue an order at that time to make an arrest on sight, but I wanted the officer to be aware that he was in the patrol car without authorization," the chief added.
As the end of the shift approached Pike county deputies took Anderson in custody.
He was charged with unauthorized use of a government vehicle and impersonating an officer.
Both are misdemeanor charges.
For his safety Anderson was transported from the Pike County Jail to the Lincoln County facility.
He posted bond Wednesday evening and has been released from the Lincoln County jail.
----------------------------------------
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11146149
The ex officer is accused of stealing a patrol car.
Nearly three weeks after abruptly retiring from the McComb Police Department, former acting chief and former Lt. Mark Anderson reported to the police station at 5:30 wednesday morning.
Authorities say he convinced an employee to let him inside the building.
"He signed up on the duty roster and reported to work and got in the patrol car and was patrolling the streets," said Chief Gregory Martin.
Martin said Anderson, who he describes as a good officer, drove away in unit 191.
He was in full uniform with his firearm and was reportedly seen at a funeral and cruising the city for 12 hours defying orders.
"He did not report to me at any time during this day. A supervisor on shift made contact with him earlier and he was instructed to return. He failed to return the vehicle," said the chief.
Investigators said they do not know why the 44 year old officer exhibited such strange behavior.
He had served with the department for 21 and a half years.
An article about Anderson appeared in tuesday's Enterprise Journal.
He had previously been at odds with McComb's city leaders filing complaints against them.
According to the chief, Anderson may have been under stress and because he was armed they wanted to work with him to get him to return the vehicle.
"I didn't issue an order at that time to make an arrest on sight, but I wanted the officer to be aware that he was in the patrol car without authorization," the chief added.
As the end of the shift approached Pike county deputies took Anderson in custody.
He was charged with unauthorized use of a government vehicle and impersonating an officer.
Both are misdemeanor charges.
For his safety Anderson was transported from the Pike County Jail to the Lincoln County facility.
He posted bond Wednesday evening and has been released from the Lincoln County jail.
----------------------------------------
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11146149
Chicago Officer Arrested for Attacking Bus Driver
The CPDA Chicago Police officer is in hot water for allegedly attacking a CTA bus driver over the weekend after an incident of "bike rage."
According to a report, the officer - who was off-duty - was riding his bike in the Loop when he was cut off by a No.62 bus.
The officer became angered by this and apparently boarded the bus near the intersection of State and Monroe and attacked the bus driver.
The driver was treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital while two police officers who happened to be on-board the bus arrested the off-duty officer for the attack.
A spokesperson for the Independent Police Review Authority told WBBM 780 simply, “Its under investigation."
According to a report, the officer - who was off-duty - was riding his bike in the Loop when he was cut off by a No.62 bus.
The officer became angered by this and apparently boarded the bus near the intersection of State and Monroe and attacked the bus driver.
The driver was treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital while two police officers who happened to be on-board the bus arrested the off-duty officer for the attack.
A spokesperson for the Independent Police Review Authority told WBBM 780 simply, “Its under investigation."
Officer Jared Rohrig Charged with Sexual Assault Resigns
A police officer arrested last month for allegedly pretending to be his twin brother to dupe a woman into sex has resigned from the department, police said Tuesday.
Probationary Officer Jared Rohrig, 25, of 7 Flax Mill Lane, Milford, who is charged with first-degree sexual assault and criminal impersonation, had been on paid administrative leave from the Police Department since July.
Rohrig submitted his resignation and it was accepted Monday by the Board of Police Commissioners, police said.
“Jared Rohrig’s decision to resign from his position as probationary officer was in his best interest, as well as the best interests of the town of Orange,” Police Chief Robert Gagne said in a statement released Tuesday morning.
Rohrig was hired as a probationary officer July 11, 2008.
Gagne could not be reached for further comment on Rohrig’s resignation.
Rohrig’s attorney, Edward J. Gavin of Bridgeport, said his client’s resignation is “separate and distinct from the criminal case.”
“I don’t really have much to say about the resignation,” Gavin said. “It is not an admission of any wrongdoing, Jared was a probationary police officer. He exercised his judgment as a probationary officer to resign. It is not an admission of guilt in any way or form and he thought it was appropriate given the circumstances as a probationary police officer.”
As a probationary officer, Rohrig was not a member of the police union, and did not have the benefit of any collective bargaining agreements, Gavin said.
He has said his client intends to plead not guilty at his next court date Oct. 7.
The arrest warrant affidavit in the case says the woman in the case told Milford police she realized the man she believed to be Joseph Rohrig did not have a tattoo of a cowboy on his buttocks and was therefore Jared. She told police she then tried to leave, but allegedly was forced back on the bed with a pillow over her face and sexually assaulted.
The incident allegedly took place late July 18 and into early July 19 at the Flax Mill Lane home where both Jared and Joseph Rohrig live with their family. The home is owned by their mother, Milford Board of Education Minority Leader Joanne Rohrig. Joanne Rohrig announced last month that she would not seek re-election, so she could spend more time with her family.
According to the arrest affidavit, Jared and Joseph Rohrig were home when the woman arrived at the house, but Joseph had gone to his room before she left her car. The woman said Jared referred to himself as “Joe” to trick her while the two were alone in a hot tub at the house, it says.
But Jared’s sister allegedly called to him by name, asking him to turn down the music, the warrant affidavit says. The woman told police she did not hear what Jared’s sister said.
Jared Rohrig is free on $50,000 bail. His case will be transferred to the Part A docket, where more serious cases are heard.
“Obviously, Jared maintains his innocence. ... There is a presumption of innocence, and this is an innocent man,” Gavin said after Jared Rohrig’s recent appearance at Superior court in Milford.
Probationary Officer Jared Rohrig, 25, of 7 Flax Mill Lane, Milford, who is charged with first-degree sexual assault and criminal impersonation, had been on paid administrative leave from the Police Department since July.
Rohrig submitted his resignation and it was accepted Monday by the Board of Police Commissioners, police said.
“Jared Rohrig’s decision to resign from his position as probationary officer was in his best interest, as well as the best interests of the town of Orange,” Police Chief Robert Gagne said in a statement released Tuesday morning.
Rohrig was hired as a probationary officer July 11, 2008.
Gagne could not be reached for further comment on Rohrig’s resignation.
Rohrig’s attorney, Edward J. Gavin of Bridgeport, said his client’s resignation is “separate and distinct from the criminal case.”
“I don’t really have much to say about the resignation,” Gavin said. “It is not an admission of any wrongdoing, Jared was a probationary police officer. He exercised his judgment as a probationary officer to resign. It is not an admission of guilt in any way or form and he thought it was appropriate given the circumstances as a probationary police officer.”
As a probationary officer, Rohrig was not a member of the police union, and did not have the benefit of any collective bargaining agreements, Gavin said.
He has said his client intends to plead not guilty at his next court date Oct. 7.
The arrest warrant affidavit in the case says the woman in the case told Milford police she realized the man she believed to be Joseph Rohrig did not have a tattoo of a cowboy on his buttocks and was therefore Jared. She told police she then tried to leave, but allegedly was forced back on the bed with a pillow over her face and sexually assaulted.
The incident allegedly took place late July 18 and into early July 19 at the Flax Mill Lane home where both Jared and Joseph Rohrig live with their family. The home is owned by their mother, Milford Board of Education Minority Leader Joanne Rohrig. Joanne Rohrig announced last month that she would not seek re-election, so she could spend more time with her family.
According to the arrest affidavit, Jared and Joseph Rohrig were home when the woman arrived at the house, but Joseph had gone to his room before she left her car. The woman said Jared referred to himself as “Joe” to trick her while the two were alone in a hot tub at the house, it says.
But Jared’s sister allegedly called to him by name, asking him to turn down the music, the warrant affidavit says. The woman told police she did not hear what Jared’s sister said.
Jared Rohrig is free on $50,000 bail. His case will be transferred to the Part A docket, where more serious cases are heard.
“Obviously, Jared maintains his innocence. ... There is a presumption of innocence, and this is an innocent man,” Gavin said after Jared Rohrig’s recent appearance at Superior court in Milford.
Officer David Eaddy Charged with Burglary
The Florence County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Hemingway police officer over the weekend, after investigators say he entered the home of a former girlfriend, after he was told to stay away from her residence.
Booking reports show 28-year-old Hemingway officer David Eaddy was charged with second degree burglary.
Captain Mike Nunn says the incident happened Saturday afternoon, when Eaddy entered his ex-girlfriend’s home in Lake City.
Nunn says Eaddy was in uniform at the time.
Hemingway Police Chief H. Bryan Todd said Eaddy had been on the force for about ten weeks and has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation
Former Trooper Michael Scott Accused of Giving False Testimony
A former Florida Highway Patrol trooper was charged with perjury and booked into the Lee County Jail Wednesday.
Michael T. Scott is accused of giving false testimony in Lee County Traffic Court in October 2008.
Scott, 52, resigned from the FHP in November of last year, after the agency opened an internal investigation into his actions.
FHP forwarded their results to the State Attorney's Office, which filed the charge of Perjury in an Official Proceeding.
Scott faces up to five years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine.
Michael T. Scott is accused of giving false testimony in Lee County Traffic Court in October 2008.
Scott, 52, resigned from the FHP in November of last year, after the agency opened an internal investigation into his actions.
FHP forwarded their results to the State Attorney's Office, which filed the charge of Perjury in an Official Proceeding.
Scott faces up to five years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine.
Judge Ralph Dukart Arrested for Drunk Driving
MILES CITY, Mont.
A city judge in Miles City has been accused of drunken driving.
Miles City Police Department records show City Judge Ralph Dukart was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence per se at 1:40 a.m. Tuesday.
In addition, the 60-year-old Dukart was charged with failing to drive on the right side of the road.
Local Justice of the Peace Don Neese says both charges are misdemeanors and Dukart has been released on his own recognizance.
Dukart declined comment when reached by telephone at his home Tuesday.
He is scheduled to appear before Neese, but Neese says he will recuse himself and bring in a judge from outside the area to handle the case.
Dukart is serving his first four-year term as city judge and has filed to seek another term in November 2009.
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Information from: Miles City Star, http://www.milescitystar.com
A city judge in Miles City has been accused of drunken driving.
Miles City Police Department records show City Judge Ralph Dukart was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence per se at 1:40 a.m. Tuesday.
In addition, the 60-year-old Dukart was charged with failing to drive on the right side of the road.
Local Justice of the Peace Don Neese says both charges are misdemeanors and Dukart has been released on his own recognizance.
Dukart declined comment when reached by telephone at his home Tuesday.
He is scheduled to appear before Neese, but Neese says he will recuse himself and bring in a judge from outside the area to handle the case.
Dukart is serving his first four-year term as city judge and has filed to seek another term in November 2009.
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Information from: Miles City Star, http://www.milescitystar.com
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Officer David Graham Charged with Possession of Stolen Property
An Upstate officer was on the other side of the law Monday, accused of stealing from a local college.
In recent months, on the campus of Greenville Tech computers and equipment started disappearing from locked classrooms.
Some of the stuff stolen included 10 computers, two laptops, and four projectors. The missing equipment was valued at more than $10,000.
Campus police said they believe the thief was one of their own.
David Graham, who worked for the school police department for about a year, is now charged with possession of stolen property.
"What you don't want is police officers who are supposed to be above reproach and above what the average citizen is supposed to do taking care of things and securing them being the one stealing items from you," said Greenville Tech Police Chief Bobby Welborn.
Officers said they found the stolen stuff at Graham's home in Westminster.
They may have never traced the crime if it wasn't for a computer tech who lives in Dallas, Texas.
"If he'd been a nice guy I'd probably not have done anything, but he ticked me off the way he didn't want to help me return the item," said Shep Johnson.
Johnson unknowingly bought one of the stolen computers on eBay and said it wasn't what he paid for.
The listing said the computer was "acquired from a business that was shutting down."
But a lot of red flags went off including a screen that popped up on Johnson's new computer that said "Greenville Tech."
"I thought there's something wrong with this whole deal and I'm going to call this Greenville Technical College and see if they're missing a computer," Johnson said.
That information lead to Graham's arrest.
Investigators said the case is still not closed. They said they believe he didn't commit the crime alone.
According to the report, Graham told officers he had financial problems and that was his reason for the theft.
Graham has now been fired.
------------------------------------------
http://www.wyff4.com/news/20909510/detail.html
In recent months, on the campus of Greenville Tech computers and equipment started disappearing from locked classrooms.
Some of the stuff stolen included 10 computers, two laptops, and four projectors. The missing equipment was valued at more than $10,000.
Campus police said they believe the thief was one of their own.
David Graham, who worked for the school police department for about a year, is now charged with possession of stolen property.
"What you don't want is police officers who are supposed to be above reproach and above what the average citizen is supposed to do taking care of things and securing them being the one stealing items from you," said Greenville Tech Police Chief Bobby Welborn.
Officers said they found the stolen stuff at Graham's home in Westminster.
They may have never traced the crime if it wasn't for a computer tech who lives in Dallas, Texas.
"If he'd been a nice guy I'd probably not have done anything, but he ticked me off the way he didn't want to help me return the item," said Shep Johnson.
Johnson unknowingly bought one of the stolen computers on eBay and said it wasn't what he paid for.
The listing said the computer was "acquired from a business that was shutting down."
But a lot of red flags went off including a screen that popped up on Johnson's new computer that said "Greenville Tech."
"I thought there's something wrong with this whole deal and I'm going to call this Greenville Technical College and see if they're missing a computer," Johnson said.
That information lead to Graham's arrest.
Investigators said the case is still not closed. They said they believe he didn't commit the crime alone.
According to the report, Graham told officers he had financial problems and that was his reason for the theft.
Graham has now been fired.
------------------------------------------
http://www.wyff4.com/news/20909510/detail.html
Trial for Former Officer Wesley Little Begins
The trial of a former Huntsville police officer accused of allegedly planting drugs in a suspect's car begins today in Madison County Circuit Court.
Wesley Little's trial began this morning with jury selection and opening statements.
Little and fellow former officer Ryan Moore were indicted in May 2008 for attempting to possess a controlled substance, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, tampering with physical evidence and false reporting to law enforcement authorities. Little and Moore both resigned from the police force.
According to a civil lawsuit filed against Little by Quincy Turner, Little attempted to plant marijuana in Turner's car during an arrest in September 2007.
According to the lawsuit: Turner was diving a rental car in Huntsville when Little stopped him about a problem with the vehicle's license plate. Little searched the car and allegedly found marijuana.
Turner was arrested on a charge of possession of marijuana, taken to jail and prosecuted in Huntsville Municipal Court. But the city dropped the marijuana charge against Turner on June 16, 2007.
Little resigned from the police department in June 2008 after he was indicted.
According to the indictment, Little allegedly told a fellow officer during another vehicle search on Oct. 29, 2007, "there could be some marijuana inside the vehicle if it needed to be." Officers searched the car a second time and found marijuana, according to the indictment.
Little also was indicted on charges of possession of a pistol with altered or missing serial numbers, tampering with physical evidence and false reporting to a law enforcement agency.
Little, 30, had been with the department since December 2006.
Former Chief Michael Meissner Charged with 7 Felonies
A former Texas police chief is behind bars charged with seven felony counts, including possession or promotion of child pornography, promotion of prostitution and engaging in organized crime.
Michael Meissner was arrested Monday in Arlington and is being held at the Dallas County Jail under a $1.5 million bail. Attempts by The Associated Press Tuesday to reach the jail to determine if he has an attorney were not immediately successful.
Meissner is accused of committing the crimes in Dallas and Tarrant counties.
He had been police chief in Little River-Academy, located about 150 miles south of Dallas, earlier this year. Little River-Academy Mayor Ronnie White said both parties ended the job by mutual agreement.
Meissner has reportedly held more than 10 law enforcement jobs in the last 18 years.
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Other Information: http://www.kten.com/Global/story.asp?S=11137251
Michael Meissner was arrested Monday in Arlington and is being held at the Dallas County Jail under a $1.5 million bail. Attempts by The Associated Press Tuesday to reach the jail to determine if he has an attorney were not immediately successful.
Meissner is accused of committing the crimes in Dallas and Tarrant counties.
He had been police chief in Little River-Academy, located about 150 miles south of Dallas, earlier this year. Little River-Academy Mayor Ronnie White said both parties ended the job by mutual agreement.
Meissner has reportedly held more than 10 law enforcement jobs in the last 18 years.
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Other Information: http://www.kten.com/Global/story.asp?S=11137251
Suspended Trooper Manuel Moreno Arrested Again
A suspended Texas Department of Public Safety trooper has been arrested again.
Manuel Moreno was arrested today on new charges of fraud and unauthorized use of criminal history. The charges alleged that Moreno switched a price tag on a laptop computer at an Amarillo store in February of 2009.
Moreno is also charged with unauthorized disclosure of criminal history information from an incident in May.
Moreno was first arrested in June, charged with deadly conduct and four counts of assault.
No trial dates have been set, Moreno remains suspended from the DPS.
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/06/trooper-manuel-moreno-jr-arrested-for.html
Former Officer Michael Meissner Held on Numerous Felony Charges
A former police officer who worked for over a dozen departments in Texas is behind bars Tuesday, held on numerous felony charges including engaging in organized criminal activity, promotion of prostitution, solicitation of minors and two counts of attempting to possess child pornography.
Activist and filmmaker Barry Cooper, who is producing a reality show called “KopBusters,” aided officers with the Combine Police Department in drawing the man out into the open, ultimately helping wrap a three-year investigation in the process.
Until late last month, Michael Meissner, 39, was chief of police in Little River-Academy, Texas, a town so small that it only had one officer. He resigned his post after residents of the small town packed city hall with complaints about his behavior, according to local reports.
Meissner called the town “a good stepping stone for me,” reported Temple Daily News, which noted that the former officer held 18 different law enforcement jobs over the last 14 years. The “gypsy cop,” said Dallas television station WFAA, “seemed to operate under his own rules, spending much of his time working off-duty security jobs 60 miles away in Dallas.”
Prior WFAA reports “found that Meissner had used a phony college diploma for certification and failed to let his employers know that he had been arrested twice,” the network added.
Combine police were initially probing Meissner over suggestions that he had misused official information to retaliate against another man. However, when they looked at Meissner’s text messages and e-mail, they claim to have discovered something much worse.
“When the affidavits are released, the public is going to be shocked,” said Cooper, speaking to reporters outside Meissner’s home. “The conversation and the lewd conduct he’s been involved in with high school boys. As an ex-police officer, it makes me sick that we’ve got a guy running around here in a badge, that the public is supposed to trust, and he’s using that uniform to breach the trust of the younger citizens in the community. It’s horrible.”
Two of Meissner’s neighbors additionally told RAW STORY they had repeatedly seen various teenage boys entering and leaving the residence.
“Man, I’m just glad police are doing their job, they’re heroes,” said next door neighbor Brenda Lambert. “Anyone that messes with children needs to be taken care of.”
“We don’t regret hiring him or letting him go,” Little River Mayor Ronnie White told the Daily News when Meissner resigned last month. “We will find another officer.”
Tactical officers, who had set up a staging area just one street from Meissner’s Arlington, Texas home, raided the residence at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Monday, but the suspect was gone.
He was arrested later that evening after returning to his home. Meissner actually called Cooper to warn that his that his home had apparently been raided. Cooper then called police and relayed Meissner’s location.
A judge has set Meissner’s bond at $1.5 million.
Cooper says he was in this instance an undercover journalist and police informant, who had befriended Meissner under the false pretense that he wanted to use KopBusters for the purpose of clearing his name.
For the man whose living is paid for by a DVD series on how to grow, sell and smuggle marijuana without being detected by the police, he certainly seemed to have a natural rapport with the officers on-scene.
One of them even asked Cooper how his former law enforcement mentor in Odessa was doing.
“Oh man, he was a legend back in my day,” he replied. “Unfortunately, he planted meth on an innocent woman and I had to bust him.”
After officers kicked in Meissner’s door and cordoned off his home, the front yard became what seemed to be Cooper’s first campaign stop in what he says is a serious run for Texas attorney general. He even put on a suit before heading to the location with reporters and his camera crew in-tow.
“Within a short time, we hope to have a corrupt police chief in jail for seven felony warrants [for] harming kids,” he told reporters. “I acted as a undercover journalist-informant, they listed me as the informant on the arrest affidavit. I befriended this officer and made him believe that I was his friend and that I wanted to clear his name. The truth was, I was relaying all that information to the Combine police department.”
Cooper continued: “As an ex-narcotics officer, I’ve experienced corruption and seen it myself. My wife suggested that I use my experience to go and start busting corrupt police officers instead of citizens. That’s when we formed ‘KopBusters,’ a reality TV show. We’re hoping to have 13 episodes up on [...] TV very soon. I feel [passionate] about my job, and we’re using these stings so I can win Texas attorney general in 2010, because in that position I can expose police corruption even further, take their salaries and begin paying police officers six-figure incomes … The one’s that deserve it.”
Steve Allen, police chief in Combine, Texas, called Cooper’s brand of law enforcement activism an “excellent resource.”
“Police officers need all the help they can get,” he said. “There’s a lot of things, for example, [Barry] may have drawn him out of the woodwork for us — something that we couldn’t do that he did. So, I think [KopBusters] is an excellent resource and tool for us.”
In December, Cooper and his team of lawyers and investigators staged a sting on the Odessa, Texas police department, setting up a fake marijuana grow house and baiting officers to raid it without proper legal authorization. It was the first of what Cooper promises to be many future operations against allegedly dirty police.
This video was captured by a cameraman with Barry Cooper’s KopBusters on Sept. 14, 2009.
Activist and filmmaker Barry Cooper, who is producing a reality show called “KopBusters,” aided officers with the Combine Police Department in drawing the man out into the open, ultimately helping wrap a three-year investigation in the process.
Until late last month, Michael Meissner, 39, was chief of police in Little River-Academy, Texas, a town so small that it only had one officer. He resigned his post after residents of the small town packed city hall with complaints about his behavior, according to local reports.
Meissner called the town “a good stepping stone for me,” reported Temple Daily News, which noted that the former officer held 18 different law enforcement jobs over the last 14 years. The “gypsy cop,” said Dallas television station WFAA, “seemed to operate under his own rules, spending much of his time working off-duty security jobs 60 miles away in Dallas.”
Prior WFAA reports “found that Meissner had used a phony college diploma for certification and failed to let his employers know that he had been arrested twice,” the network added.
Combine police were initially probing Meissner over suggestions that he had misused official information to retaliate against another man. However, when they looked at Meissner’s text messages and e-mail, they claim to have discovered something much worse.
“When the affidavits are released, the public is going to be shocked,” said Cooper, speaking to reporters outside Meissner’s home. “The conversation and the lewd conduct he’s been involved in with high school boys. As an ex-police officer, it makes me sick that we’ve got a guy running around here in a badge, that the public is supposed to trust, and he’s using that uniform to breach the trust of the younger citizens in the community. It’s horrible.”
Two of Meissner’s neighbors additionally told RAW STORY they had repeatedly seen various teenage boys entering and leaving the residence.
“Man, I’m just glad police are doing their job, they’re heroes,” said next door neighbor Brenda Lambert. “Anyone that messes with children needs to be taken care of.”
“We don’t regret hiring him or letting him go,” Little River Mayor Ronnie White told the Daily News when Meissner resigned last month. “We will find another officer.”
Tactical officers, who had set up a staging area just one street from Meissner’s Arlington, Texas home, raided the residence at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Monday, but the suspect was gone.
He was arrested later that evening after returning to his home. Meissner actually called Cooper to warn that his that his home had apparently been raided. Cooper then called police and relayed Meissner’s location.
A judge has set Meissner’s bond at $1.5 million.
Cooper says he was in this instance an undercover journalist and police informant, who had befriended Meissner under the false pretense that he wanted to use KopBusters for the purpose of clearing his name.
For the man whose living is paid for by a DVD series on how to grow, sell and smuggle marijuana without being detected by the police, he certainly seemed to have a natural rapport with the officers on-scene.
One of them even asked Cooper how his former law enforcement mentor in Odessa was doing.
“Oh man, he was a legend back in my day,” he replied. “Unfortunately, he planted meth on an innocent woman and I had to bust him.”
After officers kicked in Meissner’s door and cordoned off his home, the front yard became what seemed to be Cooper’s first campaign stop in what he says is a serious run for Texas attorney general. He even put on a suit before heading to the location with reporters and his camera crew in-tow.
“Within a short time, we hope to have a corrupt police chief in jail for seven felony warrants [for] harming kids,” he told reporters. “I acted as a undercover journalist-informant, they listed me as the informant on the arrest affidavit. I befriended this officer and made him believe that I was his friend and that I wanted to clear his name. The truth was, I was relaying all that information to the Combine police department.”
Cooper continued: “As an ex-narcotics officer, I’ve experienced corruption and seen it myself. My wife suggested that I use my experience to go and start busting corrupt police officers instead of citizens. That’s when we formed ‘KopBusters,’ a reality TV show. We’re hoping to have 13 episodes up on [...] TV very soon. I feel [passionate] about my job, and we’re using these stings so I can win Texas attorney general in 2010, because in that position I can expose police corruption even further, take their salaries and begin paying police officers six-figure incomes … The one’s that deserve it.”
Steve Allen, police chief in Combine, Texas, called Cooper’s brand of law enforcement activism an “excellent resource.”
“Police officers need all the help they can get,” he said. “There’s a lot of things, for example, [Barry] may have drawn him out of the woodwork for us — something that we couldn’t do that he did. So, I think [KopBusters] is an excellent resource and tool for us.”
In December, Cooper and his team of lawyers and investigators staged a sting on the Odessa, Texas police department, setting up a fake marijuana grow house and baiting officers to raid it without proper legal authorization. It was the first of what Cooper promises to be many future operations against allegedly dirty police.
This video was captured by a cameraman with Barry Cooper’s KopBusters on Sept. 14, 2009.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Former Officer David Jones Arrested for Rape
A former Jeffersontown police officer is behind bars Monday after allegedly raping a woman.
And it's not the first time he's been in trouble with the law.
We are hearing from his wife now.
The suspect, David Jones, worked as a Jeffersontown police officer for 20 years before retiring back in 1994.
Now, Jones is behind bars, accused of raping a woman who he is related to by marriage.
“Defendant came up behind victim and pulled down her sweat pants. Victim asked defendant, what are you doing?”
This was Cecelia Jones' first chance to read the accusations against her husband David Jones.
“Victim screamed "no" but no one heard victim screaming...” the accusation said.
Former Jeffersontown police officer David Jones was arrested on a charge of first degree rape Saturday.
Even though Louisville Metro Police conducted the investigation, Jones' former brothers in blue from the J-town force took him into custody.
“They let him change his t-shirt, they did not handcuff him. They let him smoke. Rick Sanders also came. Of course, I was hysterical, I was hysterical,” said Jones’ wife.
The victim reported to police that she accompanied Jones to a rural farm in eastern Jefferson County.
There, Jones allegedly came up behind the woman, pulled down her sweat pants and raped her.
“I'm his best friend. It didn't happen,” said Cecelia Jones.
Jones' best friend and wife doesn't believe her story.
They say that Jones was medically unable to have committed the crime.
“She made the accusation that I didn't turn him on, but she did. Well if you see her, and you see me...” said Cecelia.
She also says the victim waited more than a day to report the crime.
“She came back Thursday and spent the night here after this happened. Now why would you come to stay in a home with the man who raped you?” said Cecelia.
Jones was already awaiting trial for allegedly kidnapping a man at gunpoint while impersonating a police officer in May.
Now, he's facing an even more serious charge.
The Jeffersontown police department had no comment about Jones' arrest, since it is LMPD's case.
--------------------------------
Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/retired-officer-david-jones-arrested.html
And it's not the first time he's been in trouble with the law.
We are hearing from his wife now.
The suspect, David Jones, worked as a Jeffersontown police officer for 20 years before retiring back in 1994.
Now, Jones is behind bars, accused of raping a woman who he is related to by marriage.
“Defendant came up behind victim and pulled down her sweat pants. Victim asked defendant, what are you doing?”
This was Cecelia Jones' first chance to read the accusations against her husband David Jones.
“Victim screamed "no" but no one heard victim screaming...” the accusation said.
Former Jeffersontown police officer David Jones was arrested on a charge of first degree rape Saturday.
Even though Louisville Metro Police conducted the investigation, Jones' former brothers in blue from the J-town force took him into custody.
“They let him change his t-shirt, they did not handcuff him. They let him smoke. Rick Sanders also came. Of course, I was hysterical, I was hysterical,” said Jones’ wife.
The victim reported to police that she accompanied Jones to a rural farm in eastern Jefferson County.
There, Jones allegedly came up behind the woman, pulled down her sweat pants and raped her.
“I'm his best friend. It didn't happen,” said Cecelia Jones.
Jones' best friend and wife doesn't believe her story.
They say that Jones was medically unable to have committed the crime.
“She made the accusation that I didn't turn him on, but she did. Well if you see her, and you see me...” said Cecelia.
She also says the victim waited more than a day to report the crime.
“She came back Thursday and spent the night here after this happened. Now why would you come to stay in a home with the man who raped you?” said Cecelia.
Jones was already awaiting trial for allegedly kidnapping a man at gunpoint while impersonating a police officer in May.
Now, he's facing an even more serious charge.
The Jeffersontown police department had no comment about Jones' arrest, since it is LMPD's case.
--------------------------------
Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/retired-officer-david-jones-arrested.html
Cpl Brett Browand & Officer Chris Prongratz Accused of Sexual Misconduct
Two Auburn police officers, each with more than a dozen years of experience, could lose their jobs after allegations surfaced that they had sexual contact on duty with the same 18-year-old woman.
Auburn police Chief Martin McCoy asked the city’s board of works Thursday to fire Cpl. Brett Browand and Officer Chris Pongratz because of the allegations against them.
Both officers have asked for formal hearings to plead their cases in front of the board.
McCoy said a police department employee reported the allegations Sept. 1. The officers were suspended with pay Tuesday after an investigation.
Browand, who is a second-shift supervisor with 15 years on the force, is accused of having sexual contact with the woman on city property. Pongratz, a third-shift patrol officer who was hired 12 1/2 years ago, allegedly had sexual contact with the woman in his squad car in the parking lot of a local business.
McCoy would not say how many times the officers had sexual contact with the woman, though it occurred in May and June while they were on duty and in uniform, according to disciplinary forms.
The woman was not a crime suspect, McCoy said, but he would not elaborate on how the officers met her. The chief also declined to say where the alleged sexual contact took place.
Auburn police Chief Martin McCoy asked the city’s board of works Thursday to fire Cpl. Brett Browand and Officer Chris Pongratz because of the allegations against them.
Both officers have asked for formal hearings to plead their cases in front of the board.
McCoy said a police department employee reported the allegations Sept. 1. The officers were suspended with pay Tuesday after an investigation.
Browand, who is a second-shift supervisor with 15 years on the force, is accused of having sexual contact with the woman on city property. Pongratz, a third-shift patrol officer who was hired 12 1/2 years ago, allegedly had sexual contact with the woman in his squad car in the parking lot of a local business.
McCoy would not say how many times the officers had sexual contact with the woman, though it occurred in May and June while they were on duty and in uniform, according to disciplinary forms.
The woman was not a crime suspect, McCoy said, but he would not elaborate on how the officers met her. The chief also declined to say where the alleged sexual contact took place.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Officer Reynaldo Smith Involved in Domestic Dispute with Girlfriend
Had a St. Petersburg police officer involved in a domestic dispute in Hillsborough County not resigned, he would have been fired, St. Petersburg police administrators say.
On Feb. 1, the officer, Reynaldo Smith, and his girlfriend, Onika Bess, were involved in a domestic dispute at their Hillsborough apartment, authorities say. A roommate of theirs heard a loud crashing in the couple's bedroom, became afraid, ran out of the apartment and called 911, according to St. Petersburg police documents released this morning.
Hillsborough sheriff's deputies arrived and tried to separate the pair, but Smith was uncooperative and belligerent during the investigation, the documents say.
Smith also refused to describe in full detail who he was, and failed to mention he worked for the St. Petersburg Police Department, the documents say. He also refused to be separated from Bess, yelled profanities and told her not to speak to deputies, the documents say.
When the deputies continued trying to separate the pair, Smith forcefully snatched his arm away from them and yelled something to the effect of "don't touch me,'' the documents say. He was arrested on a charge of resisting arrest without violence and was transported to a jail, where he was given a notice to appear in court.
Among other things, Smith lied about his being on the lease for the apartment, and he provided misleading documentation to back up his claim regarding the lease, St. Petersburg police documents say. Investigators also learned that Smith had refused to return a gun given him by the mother of his son, who is a Clearwater police officer, the documents say.
Smith was also told to stay away from Bess during the St. Petersburg investigation, but he was seen with her – a violation of an administrative order, the documents say.
Investigators also learned he had misrepresented his mileage when seeking reimbursement, the documents say.
Smith resigned July 29.
An administrative review board found Thursday he had violated a slew of policies, including one governing an employee's obligation to be truthful, another obligating an employee to do what a supervisor says and a third involving improper conduct.
--------------------------
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/st-petersburg-cop-resigns-before-he-was-fired-department-says/1035425
On Feb. 1, the officer, Reynaldo Smith, and his girlfriend, Onika Bess, were involved in a domestic dispute at their Hillsborough apartment, authorities say. A roommate of theirs heard a loud crashing in the couple's bedroom, became afraid, ran out of the apartment and called 911, according to St. Petersburg police documents released this morning.
Hillsborough sheriff's deputies arrived and tried to separate the pair, but Smith was uncooperative and belligerent during the investigation, the documents say.
Smith also refused to describe in full detail who he was, and failed to mention he worked for the St. Petersburg Police Department, the documents say. He also refused to be separated from Bess, yelled profanities and told her not to speak to deputies, the documents say.
When the deputies continued trying to separate the pair, Smith forcefully snatched his arm away from them and yelled something to the effect of "don't touch me,'' the documents say. He was arrested on a charge of resisting arrest without violence and was transported to a jail, where he was given a notice to appear in court.
Among other things, Smith lied about his being on the lease for the apartment, and he provided misleading documentation to back up his claim regarding the lease, St. Petersburg police documents say. Investigators also learned that Smith had refused to return a gun given him by the mother of his son, who is a Clearwater police officer, the documents say.
Smith was also told to stay away from Bess during the St. Petersburg investigation, but he was seen with her – a violation of an administrative order, the documents say.
Investigators also learned he had misrepresented his mileage when seeking reimbursement, the documents say.
Smith resigned July 29.
An administrative review board found Thursday he had violated a slew of policies, including one governing an employee's obligation to be truthful, another obligating an employee to do what a supervisor says and a third involving improper conduct.
--------------------------
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/st-petersburg-cop-resigns-before-he-was-fired-department-says/1035425
Officer Desmond Shorty Arrested for Taking Watch From Woman's Purse
A New Orleans police officer accused of stealing a watch while on a service call was previously cited for crimes two other times, court records revealed.
Desmond Shorty, 24, resigned from the police department after he was arrested for allegedly taking a $3,500 watch from a woman's purse while inside an apartment without a search warrant on a disturbance call, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Friday.
Court records show Shorty was issued a municipal summons for domestic battery in September 2008 and again in March for public intoxication, public intimidation and resisting an officer. Both of the alleged incidents occurred while he was a police recruit.
Police spokesman Bob Young said Shorty is attending a domestic violence intervention program as a result of last year's incident. He said the other charges, stemming from an incident outside of a nightclub in the city's French Quarter, were later dropped by prosecutors.
------------------------------
http://www.nola.com/news/?/base/news-2/125264719954580.xml&coll=1
Desmond Shorty, 24, resigned from the police department after he was arrested for allegedly taking a $3,500 watch from a woman's purse while inside an apartment without a search warrant on a disturbance call, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Friday.
Court records show Shorty was issued a municipal summons for domestic battery in September 2008 and again in March for public intoxication, public intimidation and resisting an officer. Both of the alleged incidents occurred while he was a police recruit.
Police spokesman Bob Young said Shorty is attending a domestic violence intervention program as a result of last year's incident. He said the other charges, stemming from an incident outside of a nightclub in the city's French Quarter, were later dropped by prosecutors.
------------------------------
http://www.nola.com/news/?/base/news-2/125264719954580.xml&coll=1
Trooper Jeffery Jerman Charged with Delivery of Controlled Substance
The Texas Rangers arrested a Boerne Trooper Friday on charges of delivery of a controlled substance.
Highway Patrol Trooper Jeffery Jerman, 33, a nine year veteran of the Texas Department of Public Safety, was suspended as the investigation continues.
Jerman was taken to the Kendall County jail and his bond was set at $15,000.
----------------------
More Information: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/59070237.html
Highway Patrol Trooper Jeffery Jerman, 33, a nine year veteran of the Texas Department of Public Safety, was suspended as the investigation continues.
Jerman was taken to the Kendall County jail and his bond was set at $15,000.
----------------------
More Information: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/59070237.html
Friday, September 11, 2009
Deputy Ezequiel Sauceda Arrested for Providing False Information
Special agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested a Cameron County Sheriff’s Department deputy for making false statements in the purchase of firearms, officials said Thursday.
Ezequiel Sauceda, 31, was arrested Thursday afternoon at the sheriff’s department office in Olmito, said ATF spokeswoman Franceska Perot.
"At this point the investigation is still ongoing, so we can’t release too many details," Perot said. "He was charged with three counts of providing false information in federal documents, a practice called lie and buy."
Sauceda had presented himself as the final buyer of three firearms at a local sporting goods store when in fact the firearms were destined for another person, ATF said.
Gus Reyna, chief deputy for the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department, said Sauceda was dismissed from the sheriff’s department on Thursday. However, because of county policy, Reyna said he could not discuss the reasons for Sauceda’s termination.
Ezequiel Sauceda, 31, was arrested Thursday afternoon at the sheriff’s department office in Olmito, said ATF spokeswoman Franceska Perot.
"At this point the investigation is still ongoing, so we can’t release too many details," Perot said. "He was charged with three counts of providing false information in federal documents, a practice called lie and buy."
Sauceda had presented himself as the final buyer of three firearms at a local sporting goods store when in fact the firearms were destined for another person, ATF said.
Gus Reyna, chief deputy for the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department, said Sauceda was dismissed from the sheriff’s department on Thursday. However, because of county policy, Reyna said he could not discuss the reasons for Sauceda’s termination.
Deputy Esequiel Sauceda Buying Weapons for Someone Else
A former Cameron County sheriff's deputy was arraigned Friday for allegedly straw-purchasing three pistols at a local sporting goods store.
Esequiel Sauceda, 31, pleaded not guilty to making a false statement in firearms records. He was released on $50,000 bond.
His lawyer, Robert Lerma, said he was still familiarizing himself with the case and did not yet have any comment. He said Sauceda had resigned from the sheriff's department. Some local news reports said Sauceda was terminated on Thursday. Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio did not immediately return a call for clarification.
According to the Sept. 1 federal indictment, Sauceda on Dec. 8, 2007, misrepresented himself as the final buyer of two .22-caliber pistols and one 9 mm pistol. It was unclear from court documents for whom the weapons were purchased, or if they wound up in Mexico.
“It boils down to he bought weapons for someone else,” said Franceska Perot, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
ATF special agents arrested Sauceda on Thursday.
A trial has been set to begin in November. If convicted, Sauceda faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Esequiel Sauceda, 31, pleaded not guilty to making a false statement in firearms records. He was released on $50,000 bond.
His lawyer, Robert Lerma, said he was still familiarizing himself with the case and did not yet have any comment. He said Sauceda had resigned from the sheriff's department. Some local news reports said Sauceda was terminated on Thursday. Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio did not immediately return a call for clarification.
According to the Sept. 1 federal indictment, Sauceda on Dec. 8, 2007, misrepresented himself as the final buyer of two .22-caliber pistols and one 9 mm pistol. It was unclear from court documents for whom the weapons were purchased, or if they wound up in Mexico.
“It boils down to he bought weapons for someone else,” said Franceska Perot, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
ATF special agents arrested Sauceda on Thursday.
A trial has been set to begin in November. If convicted, Sauceda faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Former Deputy J. C. Townsend Charged with Boat Crash
A former Natchitoches sheriff's deputy was arrested Tuesday after being indicted in connection with a boat crash May 24 on Cane River in which six people were injured, officials said.
J.C. Townsend, 27, of Natchitoches, is charged with three counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injury, a felony that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison on each count.
A Natchitoches grand jury also indicted his wife, Nora Townsend, 27, of Natchitoches, Patricia Hatten, 22, of Natchitoches, and Patricia Rhodes, 32, of Weatherford, Texas, on a charge of criminal mischief. The indictment accuses the three of giving false reports to a law enforcement officer, Louisiana Assistant Attorney General Cliff Strider said.
Earl Thomas Rhodes, 36, of Weatherford, Texas, has been indicted on a charge of obstruction of justice. He is accused of tampering with evidence of a crime with a special intent to distort the results of a criminal investigation. Earl Thomas Rhodes and the three women had not been arrested as of Wednesday.
The attorney general's office is handling the case, Strider said, because Natchitoches District Attorney Van Kyzar recused his office since at least one of his employees will be called as a prosecution witness.
J.C. Townsend, who was a deputy but not on duty at the time of the accident, reportedly was piloting one of the boats involved in the nearly head-on collision about 9 p.m. May 24 on Cane River Lake near the Washington boat launch. J.C. Townsend, with four passengers in his boat, is accused of running over another boat occupied by three people. He and a female passenger received minor injuries. All occupants of the second boat were hurt, two critically, according to state Wildlife and Fisheries officials.
J.C. Townsend was placed on leave May 25 and resigned June 9.
Wildlife and Fisheries agents originally charged him with two counts each of first-degree vehicular negligent injury and vehicle negligent injury, and one count each of first-offense DWI, reckless operation of a watercraft and improper running lights. Blood-alcohol tests performed at the state police crime lab indicated his intoxication level was 0.15 percent, almost double the legal limit of 0.08 percent, Wildlife and Fisheries agents said.
--------------------------
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/national-58/1252583070324150.xml&storylist=louisiana
J.C. Townsend, 27, of Natchitoches, is charged with three counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injury, a felony that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison on each count.
A Natchitoches grand jury also indicted his wife, Nora Townsend, 27, of Natchitoches, Patricia Hatten, 22, of Natchitoches, and Patricia Rhodes, 32, of Weatherford, Texas, on a charge of criminal mischief. The indictment accuses the three of giving false reports to a law enforcement officer, Louisiana Assistant Attorney General Cliff Strider said.
Earl Thomas Rhodes, 36, of Weatherford, Texas, has been indicted on a charge of obstruction of justice. He is accused of tampering with evidence of a crime with a special intent to distort the results of a criminal investigation. Earl Thomas Rhodes and the three women had not been arrested as of Wednesday.
The attorney general's office is handling the case, Strider said, because Natchitoches District Attorney Van Kyzar recused his office since at least one of his employees will be called as a prosecution witness.
J.C. Townsend, who was a deputy but not on duty at the time of the accident, reportedly was piloting one of the boats involved in the nearly head-on collision about 9 p.m. May 24 on Cane River Lake near the Washington boat launch. J.C. Townsend, with four passengers in his boat, is accused of running over another boat occupied by three people. He and a female passenger received minor injuries. All occupants of the second boat were hurt, two critically, according to state Wildlife and Fisheries officials.
J.C. Townsend was placed on leave May 25 and resigned June 9.
Wildlife and Fisheries agents originally charged him with two counts each of first-degree vehicular negligent injury and vehicle negligent injury, and one count each of first-offense DWI, reckless operation of a watercraft and improper running lights. Blood-alcohol tests performed at the state police crime lab indicated his intoxication level was 0.15 percent, almost double the legal limit of 0.08 percent, Wildlife and Fisheries agents said.
--------------------------
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/national-58/1252583070324150.xml&storylist=louisiana
Officer Joseph Seper Accused of Making False Report about Drive-by
A St. Louis police officer is accused of making a false report about a drive-by shooting.
The 29-year-old, Joseph Seper, is charged with one count of making a false declaration and one of a false report, both misdemeanors. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Friday he is scheduled for trial Dec. 14.
Seper is accused of altering a report to more directly link a suspect to a weapon, writing that another officer saw the man pull a gun out and drop it. Seper's lawyer, Michael Schaller, claims it was another officer who altered the report.
Five state cases involving Seper have been dismissed. He has been suspended without pay since February.
----------------------------------
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/58B410F2841172628625762E0003E437?OpenDocument
The 29-year-old, Joseph Seper, is charged with one count of making a false declaration and one of a false report, both misdemeanors. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Friday he is scheduled for trial Dec. 14.
Seper is accused of altering a report to more directly link a suspect to a weapon, writing that another officer saw the man pull a gun out and drop it. Seper's lawyer, Michael Schaller, claims it was another officer who altered the report.
Five state cases involving Seper have been dismissed. He has been suspended without pay since February.
----------------------------------
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/58B410F2841172628625762E0003E437?OpenDocument
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Socorro Officer Accused of Wrongfully Giving out Citations
KFOX had reported how several people claimed a Socorro police officer had wrongfully issued them traffic citations.
KFOX reporter Monica Balderrama discovered 10 other people were complaining about the same officer.
The Socorro Police Department launched an internal investigation.
Thursday, Chief Jaime Avalos said he deemed the case to be nonsustained because it's their word against the officer's.
But Avalos also said the officer resigned this week, citing personal reasons for his resignation.
The chief said he doesn't believe his resignation is connected to the claims against him.
The drivers who were cited are still trying to find out if they need to pay tickets.
KFOX reporter Monica Balderrama discovered 10 other people were complaining about the same officer.
The Socorro Police Department launched an internal investigation.
Thursday, Chief Jaime Avalos said he deemed the case to be nonsustained because it's their word against the officer's.
But Avalos also said the officer resigned this week, citing personal reasons for his resignation.
The chief said he doesn't believe his resignation is connected to the claims against him.
The drivers who were cited are still trying to find out if they need to pay tickets.
Officer Brian Kenneth Sawicki Arrested for Indecent Exposure
The Santa Barbara Police Department announced Thursday that officer Brian Kenneth Sawicki, placed on administrative leave last month after his off-duty arrest for indecent exposure at Refugio State Beach, has voluntarily resigned his position.
On Aug. 11, two teenage girls were walking along a trail when they noticed a man walking behind them, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. The girls walked back toward the campground and saw the man again, who was lying down and masturbating.
Officials said the girls alerted an on-duty state park ranger. While the girls were being interviewed, they saw the man and pointed him out to the ranger. The suspect saw the ranger approaching and ran away. After a foot pursuit, the suspect was caught and arrested.
Sheriff’s detectives arrested Sawicki, 33, on misdemeanor charges of annoying or molesting a child under 18, indecent exposure and obstructing/resisting a police officer. He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on $2,500 bail.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_13316427
On Aug. 11, two teenage girls were walking along a trail when they noticed a man walking behind them, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. The girls walked back toward the campground and saw the man again, who was lying down and masturbating.
Officials said the girls alerted an on-duty state park ranger. While the girls were being interviewed, they saw the man and pointed him out to the ranger. The suspect saw the ranger approaching and ran away. After a foot pursuit, the suspect was caught and arrested.
Sheriff’s detectives arrested Sawicki, 33, on misdemeanor charges of annoying or molesting a child under 18, indecent exposure and obstructing/resisting a police officer. He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on $2,500 bail.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_13316427
Former Officer Wilson Lee Newman on Trial for Stealing Beer
Witnesses testified Wednesday in the trial of a former Mineral Wells police officer accused of abuse of official capacity and official oppression for allegedly stealing a 12-pack of beer during a traffic stop.
Wilson Lee Newman, 32, of Graford, retired from his position as a corporal in the patrol division in December after nearly five years with the Mineral Wells Police Department.
During the trial, Newman admitted to removing the beer from a vehicle while making two arrests on Dec. 6, placing it in his own vehicle when he got off his shift and later throwing it away in front of the officer who reported him. Newman said he never decided to steal the beer.
“I had no intention of taking his beer for my personal use,” Newman said.
Because Newman was acting as a police officer when the beer was taken, he is charged with the class A misdemeanors involving official conduct rather than theft.
According to testimony at the trial, Newman was responding to a disturbance call at a gas station on South Oak just after midnight on a Saturday morning when he pulled over a pickup matching the description of the vehicle involved.
A passenger who initially got out of the vehicle was arrested for public intoxication and the driver, who admitted to drinking but passed a field sobriety test, was arrested for driving without a license.
The vehicle was released by the driver to another passenger who, according to Newman, did not seem impaired from alcohol.
An in-dash recording of the stop appears to show Newman retrieving the pack of beer from the vehicle just before releasing the vehicle to the driver’s friend.
“I hate to ruin your night, but you’re not getting this back,” Newman appears to tell him.
Detective Neal Davis said the value of the sealed pack of Bud Light was believed to be less than $10.
Michael Guzman, a resident of Mineral Wells and driver of the truck that night, testified that he gave money to his friend go into the gas station and purchase the beer so they would have drinks when they got home.
Guzman said he did not give any officer permission to take his beer and did not get the beer back.
Newman told the jury he went back to the police station to help book the men and write the arrest and incident reports but forgot about the beer in the back of the patrol vehicle.
Police Chief Mike McAllester said proper procedure for dealing with evidence is to determine if the property has evidenciary value, note seized property in the report, log the property in the computer system, tag the object with a number and place the item in the evidence room.
McAllester told the jury there would usually not be an occasion to take a sealed pack of beer during an arrest for driving while intoxicated.
Newman told the jury that he did not want the man, who had admitted to drinking earlier in the evening, to have the beer in the car when he drove off and he wanted to use the beer as evidence in the public intoxication arrest.
Any seized property is also required to be noted in the report but was not on the reports signed by Newman, McAllester said.
The beer remained in the bed of the patrol pickup until he got off work, according to Newman.
Patrol officer Kody Acuff said Newman asked to borrow his collapsible baton around 6 a.m. during shift change that morning move the beer from the middle of the truck.
“[He] said ‘I got to get my beer out of the truck,’” Acuff said.
Acuff said he initially assumed Newman had purchased beer while on duty, a violation of department policy.
“During conversation it was mentioned that he dealt with intoxicated subjects during the night,” Acuff said.
Acuff said he then reported the incident to his immediate supervisor.
When asked why he placed the drinks in his own truck, Newman said, “You know I’ve been thinking about it for nine months and I still don’t have an answer.”
Newman said he did not call the beer his own during his interaction with Acuff.
“I was on my way home … when it popped into my head that I put that beer in the back of my truck,” Newman said. “I decided to come back early and take care of the beer.”
“I was almost to Graford and was tired,” Newman said. “I should have [turned around and dealt with it], yes.”
When he returned for work that evening, Newman said he met a supervisor in the hall, who Newman claimed initially tried to cover for him by saying loudly, “‘If anyone asks, I bought the beer for Newman.’”
“[He] said, ‘Look, Kody’s throwing a fit about that beer,’” Newman said. “I was trying to act surprised but I wasn’t because I know Kody.”
Newman then met Acuff, who was coming off his shift.
“He said ‘Hey, can I talk to you for a second,’” Acuff said.
Acuff said Newman told him if he had a problem with something, he wouldn’t do it around him.
“‘I’m not going to go out on a limb and say we’ve all done it, but most of us have,’” Acuff quoted Newman as saying to him during their second conversation.
Newman then threw the beer in a trash can in front of him.
“It kind of infuriated me because I’d never done anything like that and I’d never seen anyone do that,” Acuff said.
Both Burns and Newman’s attorney, Jim Lane, rested after presenting evidence and are expected to continue with closing remarks Thursday morning.
Wilson Lee Newman, 32, of Graford, retired from his position as a corporal in the patrol division in December after nearly five years with the Mineral Wells Police Department.
During the trial, Newman admitted to removing the beer from a vehicle while making two arrests on Dec. 6, placing it in his own vehicle when he got off his shift and later throwing it away in front of the officer who reported him. Newman said he never decided to steal the beer.
“I had no intention of taking his beer for my personal use,” Newman said.
Because Newman was acting as a police officer when the beer was taken, he is charged with the class A misdemeanors involving official conduct rather than theft.
According to testimony at the trial, Newman was responding to a disturbance call at a gas station on South Oak just after midnight on a Saturday morning when he pulled over a pickup matching the description of the vehicle involved.
A passenger who initially got out of the vehicle was arrested for public intoxication and the driver, who admitted to drinking but passed a field sobriety test, was arrested for driving without a license.
The vehicle was released by the driver to another passenger who, according to Newman, did not seem impaired from alcohol.
An in-dash recording of the stop appears to show Newman retrieving the pack of beer from the vehicle just before releasing the vehicle to the driver’s friend.
“I hate to ruin your night, but you’re not getting this back,” Newman appears to tell him.
Detective Neal Davis said the value of the sealed pack of Bud Light was believed to be less than $10.
Michael Guzman, a resident of Mineral Wells and driver of the truck that night, testified that he gave money to his friend go into the gas station and purchase the beer so they would have drinks when they got home.
Guzman said he did not give any officer permission to take his beer and did not get the beer back.
Newman told the jury he went back to the police station to help book the men and write the arrest and incident reports but forgot about the beer in the back of the patrol vehicle.
Police Chief Mike McAllester said proper procedure for dealing with evidence is to determine if the property has evidenciary value, note seized property in the report, log the property in the computer system, tag the object with a number and place the item in the evidence room.
McAllester told the jury there would usually not be an occasion to take a sealed pack of beer during an arrest for driving while intoxicated.
Newman told the jury that he did not want the man, who had admitted to drinking earlier in the evening, to have the beer in the car when he drove off and he wanted to use the beer as evidence in the public intoxication arrest.
Any seized property is also required to be noted in the report but was not on the reports signed by Newman, McAllester said.
The beer remained in the bed of the patrol pickup until he got off work, according to Newman.
Patrol officer Kody Acuff said Newman asked to borrow his collapsible baton around 6 a.m. during shift change that morning move the beer from the middle of the truck.
“[He] said ‘I got to get my beer out of the truck,’” Acuff said.
Acuff said he initially assumed Newman had purchased beer while on duty, a violation of department policy.
“During conversation it was mentioned that he dealt with intoxicated subjects during the night,” Acuff said.
Acuff said he then reported the incident to his immediate supervisor.
When asked why he placed the drinks in his own truck, Newman said, “You know I’ve been thinking about it for nine months and I still don’t have an answer.”
Newman said he did not call the beer his own during his interaction with Acuff.
“I was on my way home … when it popped into my head that I put that beer in the back of my truck,” Newman said. “I decided to come back early and take care of the beer.”
“I was almost to Graford and was tired,” Newman said. “I should have [turned around and dealt with it], yes.”
When he returned for work that evening, Newman said he met a supervisor in the hall, who Newman claimed initially tried to cover for him by saying loudly, “‘If anyone asks, I bought the beer for Newman.’”
“[He] said, ‘Look, Kody’s throwing a fit about that beer,’” Newman said. “I was trying to act surprised but I wasn’t because I know Kody.”
Newman then met Acuff, who was coming off his shift.
“He said ‘Hey, can I talk to you for a second,’” Acuff said.
Acuff said Newman told him if he had a problem with something, he wouldn’t do it around him.
“‘I’m not going to go out on a limb and say we’ve all done it, but most of us have,’” Acuff quoted Newman as saying to him during their second conversation.
Newman then threw the beer in a trash can in front of him.
“It kind of infuriated me because I’d never done anything like that and I’d never seen anyone do that,” Acuff said.
Both Burns and Newman’s attorney, Jim Lane, rested after presenting evidence and are expected to continue with closing remarks Thursday morning.
Officer Walter Finley Jr Arrested for Rape
A former North Carolina police officer has been charged with four sexual offenses, and authorities say some of the events occurred while he was still on the force.
Walter Finley Jr. was arrested Thursday on one count of first-degree rape and three counts of first-degree sexual offenses. The Goldsboro Police Department said the events occurred from 1995 through 2000. Finley worked at the police department from 1993 until he resigned in 1999.
Authorities said all of Finley's victims are acquaintances and there's no sign he committed the acts while on duty. Finley was being held on $1 million bond. Jail officials declined to say whether he had an attorney.
Walter Finley Jr. was arrested Thursday on one count of first-degree rape and three counts of first-degree sexual offenses. The Goldsboro Police Department said the events occurred from 1995 through 2000. Finley worked at the police department from 1993 until he resigned in 1999.
Authorities said all of Finley's victims are acquaintances and there's no sign he committed the acts while on duty. Finley was being held on $1 million bond. Jail officials declined to say whether he had an attorney.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Former Deputy Accused of Forcing Inmate to Rub his Genitals on Another Inmates Sandwich Pleads Guilty
A former deputy accused of forcing an inmate to rub his genitals in a sandwich and then watch another inmate eat it pleaded guilty to two counts Wednesday.
Former deputy Joseph Cantwell, 38, pleaded guilty to two health-code violation counts Wednesday.
He originally was charged with four counts: dereliction of duty, operating without a license, disorderly conduct and health-code violation. The other charges were dropped as a part of the plea deal.
He was given a 90-day sentence, which was suspended, five years of probation and a fine of $500 plus court costs.
Cantwell told the court he was sorry for the shame and embarrassment he caused.
Todd Tripplett, who is in jail on a theft charge, was forced to rub his genitals on another inmate’s sandwich, according to Columbus attorney Byron Potts.
Former deputy Phillip Barnett, 26, also was accused in the incident. Barnett was not charged with a crime.
Both Cantwell and Barnett were dismissed from their duties at the Franklin County Jail in May. They were reassigned to the Franklin County Control Center during the investigation and then both were later fired.
Potts alleged the deputies took cell pictures of the other inmate as he unknowingly ate the alleged sandwich.
Former Officer Mike Rodrigues Accused of Raping Four Women
The ex-wife of a former San Benito County deputy testified Wednesday and said she was raped by her former husband.
The ex-wife of Mike Rodrigues, who is accused of raping four women, was the first person to take the stand during the former sheriff deputy's trial.
Rodrigues has been charged with eight felonies, including three counts of forcible rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration and one count of attempted rape, domestic violence and spousal rape.
In his opening statement, Rodrigues' attorney, Art Cantu, said the allegations are false and the alleged victims cried rape only after falling in love with Rodriguez.
Prosecutors, however, said Rodrigues was a predator who preyed on vulnerable women.
The three other alleged victims are expected to take the witness stand. It is unclear whether Rodrigues will take the stand during the trial.
Rodrigues faces life in prison if convicted of all charges.
The ex-wife of Mike Rodrigues, who is accused of raping four women, was the first person to take the stand during the former sheriff deputy's trial.
Rodrigues has been charged with eight felonies, including three counts of forcible rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration and one count of attempted rape, domestic violence and spousal rape.
In his opening statement, Rodrigues' attorney, Art Cantu, said the allegations are false and the alleged victims cried rape only after falling in love with Rodriguez.
Prosecutors, however, said Rodrigues was a predator who preyed on vulnerable women.
The three other alleged victims are expected to take the witness stand. It is unclear whether Rodrigues will take the stand during the trial.
Rodrigues faces life in prison if convicted of all charges.
Former Sheriff Bryan Hill & Wife Charged with Domestic Violence
The former sheriff of Lawrence County has been arrested on a domestic violence charge along with his wife.
Bryan Keith Hill and his wife Angela were both charged for Domestic Violence Third Degree.
Deputies were called to the Hill's home in Moulton where the former sheriff and his wife were involved in a verbal altercation.
Deputies say Hill and wife wife continued their altercation despite commands for them to calm down.
Investigators believe alcohol was a factor in the altercation.
Hill was taken to the Franklin County jail while his wife was locked up in Lawrence County.
Both spend 12 hours in custody to observe a cool-down period.
Bond was set at $1,000 for both.
Bryan Keith Hill and his wife Angela were both charged for Domestic Violence Third Degree.
Deputies were called to the Hill's home in Moulton where the former sheriff and his wife were involved in a verbal altercation.
Deputies say Hill and wife wife continued their altercation despite commands for them to calm down.
Investigators believe alcohol was a factor in the altercation.
Hill was taken to the Franklin County jail while his wife was locked up in Lawrence County.
Both spend 12 hours in custody to observe a cool-down period.
Bond was set at $1,000 for both.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Shane Ledbetter Dies After Being Tasered
The man who was hospitalized after a violent struggle with Aurora police officers last week has died.
Shane Ledbetter, 38, ran from police on Thursday as they were arresting another man who was wanted on several arrest warrants including a felony, statewide extradition warrant.
Ledbetter ran through Mission Viejo Park and into a creek bed, where officers caught up with him.
Police said he was combative and resisted arrest so an officer shocked him with a Taser gun to subdue him. After he was shocked, Ledbetter became unresponsive and officers performed CPR while paramedics were called, said Aurora police spokeswoman Shannon Youngquist Lucy.
Ledbetter died early Sunday morning.
Ledbetter was wanted on several felony warrants including an escape warrant issued in Jefferson County in 2004.
The Arapahoe County Coroner's Office will perform an autopsy on Ledbetter early this week, but a final determination on his cause of death may take several weeks due to the amount of time it takes to get toxicology reports back, Lucy said.
As per policy in such an incident, detectives with the major crimes/homicide unit have been actively investigating the incident.
An Aurora patrol officer who was injured during the foot chase and arrest remains on medical leave. Investigators are uncertain when he will be well enough to speak with them, but hope to complete an interview later this week.
Detectives will turn over their report to the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office when it is completed.
Shane Ledbetter, 38, ran from police on Thursday as they were arresting another man who was wanted on several arrest warrants including a felony, statewide extradition warrant.
Ledbetter ran through Mission Viejo Park and into a creek bed, where officers caught up with him.
Police said he was combative and resisted arrest so an officer shocked him with a Taser gun to subdue him. After he was shocked, Ledbetter became unresponsive and officers performed CPR while paramedics were called, said Aurora police spokeswoman Shannon Youngquist Lucy.
Ledbetter died early Sunday morning.
Ledbetter was wanted on several felony warrants including an escape warrant issued in Jefferson County in 2004.
The Arapahoe County Coroner's Office will perform an autopsy on Ledbetter early this week, but a final determination on his cause of death may take several weeks due to the amount of time it takes to get toxicology reports back, Lucy said.
As per policy in such an incident, detectives with the major crimes/homicide unit have been actively investigating the incident.
An Aurora patrol officer who was injured during the foot chase and arrest remains on medical leave. Investigators are uncertain when he will be well enough to speak with them, but hope to complete an interview later this week.
Detectives will turn over their report to the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office when it is completed.
Officer Steven Barringer Arrested for Drunk Driving
Two off-duty Hurst officers are on administrative leave after they were pulled over, and one was accused of drunken driving in downtown Fort Worth.
According to a Fort Worth police report, Steven Barringer, 27, was pulled over by an officer after he had swerved between two lanes and then almost hit a stopped car at a red light in the 100 block of E. Seventh Street on Friday. He had been given a sobriety test but refused a breathalyzer test.
Barringer was taken to Mansfield jail on suspicion of drunken driving and released Friday on $500 bail, the Associated Press reported.
Barringer had denied drinking but later admitted that he and a second officer, Jacob Eubank, had been out celebrating Eubank’s promotion to corporal at the Library Bar, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
According to a Fort Worth police report, Steven Barringer, 27, was pulled over by an officer after he had swerved between two lanes and then almost hit a stopped car at a red light in the 100 block of E. Seventh Street on Friday. He had been given a sobriety test but refused a breathalyzer test.
Barringer was taken to Mansfield jail on suspicion of drunken driving and released Friday on $500 bail, the Associated Press reported.
Barringer had denied drinking but later admitted that he and a second officer, Jacob Eubank, had been out celebrating Eubank’s promotion to corporal at the Library Bar, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Officer David Eaddy Charged with Burglary
A Williamsburg County police officer accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home has bonded out of jail.
Deputies say he was in uniform when he committed the crime.
Sunday, The Florence County Sheriff's Office charged 28-year-old David Eaddy with burglary.
He is an officer with the Hemingway Police Department.
Deputies say he broke into his former girlfriend's home in Lake City on Sunday afternoon.
The Hemingway police chief says Eaddy has been with the department for two months, and has now been put on administrative leave without pay.
Deputies say he was in uniform when he committed the crime.
Sunday, The Florence County Sheriff's Office charged 28-year-old David Eaddy with burglary.
He is an officer with the Hemingway Police Department.
Deputies say he broke into his former girlfriend's home in Lake City on Sunday afternoon.
The Hemingway police chief says Eaddy has been with the department for two months, and has now been put on administrative leave without pay.
Probation Officer Joe Williams Arrested for Domestic Battery
North Port Police have arrested a man for domestic battery and preventing the victim from calling 911.
Officers arrested 45-year-old Joe Williams at his home Sunday night. A report says he is a probation officer for the state of Florida.
According to his wife, Williams was intoxicated and threw one of their children into the pool to teach him how to swim. When Williams' wife threw his beer away, he became violent according to the report -- threatening to kill her.
He took the phone, keeping her from calling 911. She was able to get their 2 children to a nearby business safely and call authorities.
Williams is charged with domestic battery and prevent access to emergency services. He has since bonded out of the Sarasota County Jail.
Officers arrested 45-year-old Joe Williams at his home Sunday night. A report says he is a probation officer for the state of Florida.
According to his wife, Williams was intoxicated and threw one of their children into the pool to teach him how to swim. When Williams' wife threw his beer away, he became violent according to the report -- threatening to kill her.
He took the phone, keeping her from calling 911. She was able to get their 2 children to a nearby business safely and call authorities.
Williams is charged with domestic battery and prevent access to emergency services. He has since bonded out of the Sarasota County Jail.
Probation Officer Robert Justin Jones Arrested for Inappropriately Touching Teen
A Midland County Probation Officer has been arrested and charged with Official Oppression.
26-year-old Robert Justin Jones was arrested Tuesday morning at work following an investigation that began last week.
Midland Police say Jones inappropriately touched an 18-year-old female while at the house of a man he is supervising. Jones was not at the home on official business.
Police say Jones is being charged with oppression because one of his probationers lived at the home, the victim is on probation and only allowed Jones to touch her because he is a Probation Officer.
26-year-old Robert Justin Jones was arrested Tuesday morning at work following an investigation that began last week.
Midland Police say Jones inappropriately touched an 18-year-old female while at the house of a man he is supervising. Jones was not at the home on official business.
Police say Jones is being charged with oppression because one of his probationers lived at the home, the victim is on probation and only allowed Jones to touch her because he is a Probation Officer.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Officer Founia Mauga Arrested for Assaulting his Wife
El Paso police said an off-duty officer has been arrested following a domestic dispute.
Police said they were dispatched to a family disturbance on the 12200 block of Via Granada just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
According to police, when they arrived on the scene the door of the house was open. They went inside and allegedly found Founia Mauga, 49, holding two large knives in his hands and he threatened the officers.
One of the officers tased Mauga. Police said they were able to take the knives from him and put him in custody.
Police said Mauga allegedly assaulted his wife, Lorena Gonzalez Ayala, 45, and his stepdaughter, Laura Calderon, 17.
Mauga was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on four counts of aggravated assault on a public servant and two counts of assault family violence, police said.
Mauga has been temporarily relieved of his duties pending an investigation with the police department’s internal affairs.
Police said they were dispatched to a family disturbance on the 12200 block of Via Granada just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
According to police, when they arrived on the scene the door of the house was open. They went inside and allegedly found Founia Mauga, 49, holding two large knives in his hands and he threatened the officers.
One of the officers tased Mauga. Police said they were able to take the knives from him and put him in custody.
Police said Mauga allegedly assaulted his wife, Lorena Gonzalez Ayala, 45, and his stepdaughter, Laura Calderon, 17.
Mauga was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on four counts of aggravated assault on a public servant and two counts of assault family violence, police said.
Mauga has been temporarily relieved of his duties pending an investigation with the police department’s internal affairs.
Officer Matthew Howell Charged with DUI
A Clinton police officer was arrested early Sunday for driving under the influence, a state Department of Safety spokesman said this morning.
Matthew Howell, 35, of Clinton, was charged with DUI implied consent because he refused to have a blood alcohol test done, safety spokesman Mike Browning said. He failed a field sobriety test, he said.
Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper William Garrett of Knoxville was traveling east on Kingston Pike near Lovell Road about 2 a.m. when he noticed a vehicle pull out of a parking lot and onto the road "in a really fast manner," Browning said.
"That’s when (Garrett) noticed there might be something wrong and eventually got him to stop," Browning said, after he turned on his lights and sirens.
Howell pulled into a parking lot where Garrett spoke with him and then arrested him, Browning said.
Howell "admitted to being a police officer," he said.
An officer who picked up at the Clinton Police Department this morning confirmed Howell is an officer with the department.
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Update: http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=99758&provider=gnews
Matthew Howell, 35, of Clinton, was charged with DUI implied consent because he refused to have a blood alcohol test done, safety spokesman Mike Browning said. He failed a field sobriety test, he said.
Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper William Garrett of Knoxville was traveling east on Kingston Pike near Lovell Road about 2 a.m. when he noticed a vehicle pull out of a parking lot and onto the road "in a really fast manner," Browning said.
"That’s when (Garrett) noticed there might be something wrong and eventually got him to stop," Browning said, after he turned on his lights and sirens.
Howell pulled into a parking lot where Garrett spoke with him and then arrested him, Browning said.
Howell "admitted to being a police officer," he said.
An officer who picked up at the Clinton Police Department this morning confirmed Howell is an officer with the department.
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Update: http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=99758&provider=gnews
Trooper Edward Stenovitch Arrested for Punching Sgt
A Rhode Island state trooper has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a Providence police sergeant at a fundraiser honoring a deceased policeman.
Edward Stenovitch was arrested Monday after allegedly punching Sgt. Bernard Gannon in the head early Saturday morning at a bar at the Providence police union hall. He was released on his own recognizance.
Providence Police Deputy Chief Paul Kennedy said the attack was “unprovoked.“
Gannon was treated for a broken nose.
State Police Maj. Elwood M. Johnson Jr. said Stenovitch has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation.
Hundreds of officers were gathered at the union hall to raise money for the wife of Providence police officer Peter Rocchio, who died in June in an off-duty car crash.
Edward Stenovitch was arrested Monday after allegedly punching Sgt. Bernard Gannon in the head early Saturday morning at a bar at the Providence police union hall. He was released on his own recognizance.
Providence Police Deputy Chief Paul Kennedy said the attack was “unprovoked.“
Gannon was treated for a broken nose.
State Police Maj. Elwood M. Johnson Jr. said Stenovitch has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation.
Hundreds of officers were gathered at the union hall to raise money for the wife of Providence police officer Peter Rocchio, who died in June in an off-duty car crash.
Deputy Lisa Gargano Arrested for DUI
An off-duty Sacramento County Sheriff's deputy has been booked for investigation of driving under the influence after police say she plowed into a Starbucks coffee shop and injured an elderly woman and an employee.
Sacramento police Sgt. Norm Leong says 37-year-old deputy Lisa Gargano drove through a parking lot Sunday, hitting curbs and another car before crashing into the building.
Leong says a woman in her 80s was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and an employee had moderate injuries.
Police allege Gargano was under the influence of prescription drugs, but would not offer further details.
Sheriff John McGinness says Gargano has been placed on administrative leave but did not offer further comment, calling it a "personal matter."
Sacramento police Sgt. Norm Leong says 37-year-old deputy Lisa Gargano drove through a parking lot Sunday, hitting curbs and another car before crashing into the building.
Leong says a woman in her 80s was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and an employee had moderate injuries.
Police allege Gargano was under the influence of prescription drugs, but would not offer further details.
Sheriff John McGinness says Gargano has been placed on administrative leave but did not offer further comment, calling it a "personal matter."
Officer James Stoudenmire Arrested for DUI
Gwinnett County Police Department officials confirm a Gwinnett County police officer was charged with DUI while returning from Wild Bill's dance club.
James Stoudenmire, 27, was arrested after a traffic accident on Pleasant Hill Road early Saturday morning.
Police said a preliminary investigation indicated that a car was stopped at a traffic light when a 2006 grey Ford Mustang struck it from behind. Gwinnett County police officers responded to the scene and identified the driver of the Mustang as an off-duty Gwinnett County police officer.
Officers said they noticed a strong odor of alcohol from the driver of the Mustang -- identified as Stoudenmire.
Police said Stoudenmire told them he was on his way home after being at Wild Bill's dance club.
Gwinnett officers had Stoudenmire do a field sobriety test and police said he was "swaying back and forth" and asked to stop.
He was arrested and charged with DUI and following too closely.
Stoudenmire was transported to the Gwinnett County Jail and was held in a holding cell. According to the police report, when Stoudenmire was brought out so he could be processed out he stumbled and fell against the wall across from the holding cell.
David Schiralli with the Gwinnett County Police Department said Stoudenmire was relieved of his sworn duties and placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
He has bonded out on $1,557.00 bail. Stoudenmire is a 4-year veteran of the police department.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Officer Anthony Battisti Arrested for Hiring Handyman to Kill His Ex-Wife
Anthony Battisti had asked his handyman to do odd jobs in the past.
But in January of this year, the New York City police officer came up with an especially odd one - killing his ex-wife, prosecutors said.
Friday morning, Battisti, 42, of Franklin Square, was arrested and charged with first-degree attempted murder for allegedly hiring handyman Timothy Gersbeck, 37, of Levittown, to kill his ex-wife, Patricia, for $5,000.
If convicted of that and other charges, Battisti could face life in prison.
Gersbeck was charged in January with going to Patricia Battisti's Franklin Square home and stabbing her three times in the back of her neck with a screwdriver. Patricia Battisti, 44, survived the attack.
Gersbeck's case has since been sealed and prosecutors will not comment on it. Battisti's lawyer, Stephen Scaring of Garden City, said it's likely Gersbeck's case is sealed because he is cooperating with prosecutors.
At Battisti's arraignment in Mineola on Friday, prosecutor Michael Canty asked Nassau County Judge David Sullivan to hold Battisti without bail.
He also asked that Battisti be held in Suffolk County jail, rather than Nassau. He did not say why, but Scaring said it was to keep him separated from Gersbeck, who is being held in Nassau.
Sullivan ordered that Battisti be held in Suffolk until his next appearance Wednesday. He deferred a decision on bail until then.
"The people have a very strong case," prosecutor Michael Canty said in court.
According to New York City police, Battisti was suspended in January and remains suspended. In standard NYPD practice, an internal investigation will be conducted after the criminal proceedings are complete, they said.
Patricia Battisti, who was in serious condition after the attack, has since recovered.
District Attorney Kathleen Rice, in a statement, said, "I'm sickened by this officer's betrayal of the badge. We cannot let one single act by one officer overshadow the brave work by men and women who wear the uniform and put themselves in harm's way every day to protect our families and our neighborhoods."
Patricia Battisti was at the center of another court case recently, when she sued North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System for, she alleged, infecting her with syphilis during an operation in 2005.
When a second test showed that Battisti was not infected with the disease, the hospital countersued. That case has been resolved, Patricia Battisti's lawyer said, declining to provide specifics.
Former Officer Thomas Carey Accused of Demanding Sexual Favors
A former police office has been accused of using his position to do the unthinkable.
We've learned that Thomas Carey, a former Grand Haven police officer, is accused of demanding sexual favors before investigating citizen complaints.
Carey pleaded no contest Thursday to charges including gross indecency. Carey recently resigned from the force.
Newschannel 3 poured over court documents on Friday to find out exactly what Carey is accused of doing.
The accusations against Carey have shocked many. Court documents say that as a condition in furthering investigations for two women, Carey "did engage both women at different times in sexual activity, more specifically where the women would perform oral sex upon Mr. Carey."
"I was really surprised," said Sue Syverson, a former neighbor of Carey's. "I thought he had a good reputation in Grand Haven as far as he was always active in the torch run and Special Olympics and fund raising for a lot of different things."
Syverson was Carey's neighbor in the 1990s, at the time, Syverson says Carey lived with another Grand Haven police officer.
"They pretty much stuck to themselves, you'd see the police car come and go once in a while, but that was about it," said Syverson.
Carey's roommate at the time was Grand Haven police officer Scott Flahive, who was tragically shot in 1994. Newschannel 3 spoke to Carey not long after that shooting.
Flahive's death marked one of the darkest days in Grand Haven history, a day Dorothy Walker remembers well. Officer Flahive was her neighbor as well, and she recalls the sympathy she felt for Carey then, and can't believe what he's involved in now.
"Today was the first time I saw his name, it was in the paper," said Walker. "I'm sure there are a lot of kids here that looked up to Tom Carey, and you can't help but wonder how they feel now."
Carey will find out how the judge feels about his actions when he receives his sentence on November 2nd.
We've learned that Thomas Carey, a former Grand Haven police officer, is accused of demanding sexual favors before investigating citizen complaints.
Carey pleaded no contest Thursday to charges including gross indecency. Carey recently resigned from the force.
Newschannel 3 poured over court documents on Friday to find out exactly what Carey is accused of doing.
The accusations against Carey have shocked many. Court documents say that as a condition in furthering investigations for two women, Carey "did engage both women at different times in sexual activity, more specifically where the women would perform oral sex upon Mr. Carey."
"I was really surprised," said Sue Syverson, a former neighbor of Carey's. "I thought he had a good reputation in Grand Haven as far as he was always active in the torch run and Special Olympics and fund raising for a lot of different things."
Syverson was Carey's neighbor in the 1990s, at the time, Syverson says Carey lived with another Grand Haven police officer.
"They pretty much stuck to themselves, you'd see the police car come and go once in a while, but that was about it," said Syverson.
Carey's roommate at the time was Grand Haven police officer Scott Flahive, who was tragically shot in 1994. Newschannel 3 spoke to Carey not long after that shooting.
Flahive's death marked one of the darkest days in Grand Haven history, a day Dorothy Walker remembers well. Officer Flahive was her neighbor as well, and she recalls the sympathy she felt for Carey then, and can't believe what he's involved in now.
"Today was the first time I saw his name, it was in the paper," said Walker. "I'm sure there are a lot of kids here that looked up to Tom Carey, and you can't help but wonder how they feel now."
Carey will find out how the judge feels about his actions when he receives his sentence on November 2nd.
Officer Steven Jay Barriger Arrested for Drunk Driving
An off-duty Hurst police officer out celebrating a fellow officer’s promotion was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Friday in downtown Fort Worth as part of a holiday weekend crackdown.
Steven Jay Barriger, 27, was pulled over shortly after 1:30 a.m. by a Fort Worth DWI officer who had observed him driving erratically, according to a police report.
The officer reported seeing Barriger swerve in his Ford Mustang and almost rear-end a vehicle at a red light. After pulling the Mustang over in the 400 block of East Seventh Street, the officer smelled alcohol, according to the report.
The report states that Barriger initially denied that he had been drinking but later acknowledged that he and his passenger, fellow officer Jacob Eubanks, had been at The Library Bar celebrating Eubanks’ upcoming promotion to corporal.
Barriger was given a field sobriety test but refused to take a breath test, prompting the Fort Worth officer to obtain a search warrant for a mandatory blood draw, police said.
Barriger was later booked into the Mansfield Jail on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He was released Friday afternoon after posting $500 bail.
Eubanks was released at the scene to Hurst police officials.
Hurst Assistant Police Chief Steve Niekamp said both officers have been placed on administrative leave while the department investigates. Barriger has been with the department since May 2008 and Eubanks since August 2001, Niekamp said.
The Fort Worth Police Department is among several law enforcement agencies participating in a statewide Texas Transportation Department campaign in which additional officers are on the streets looking for drunken drivers. The campaign began Aug. 21 and runs through Monday.
In addition, Fort Worth police are conducting a "Stop the Madness" detail this weekend, when drinking and driving is believed to be most prevalent.
The detail encompasses additional manpower aimed at finding drunken drivers and a no-refusal program in which search warrants for blood draws are obtained when suspected drunken drivers refuse a breath test.
Officer George Langan Arrested for Corruption
Washington County District Attorney Steven Toprani said that a Monongahela police officer arrested yesterday on drug and corruption charges represents a culture of corruption he has been wrestling with since he took office 20 months ago.
Monongahela patrolman George M. Langan thwarted the efforts of a Washington County drug task force by tipping off drug dealers and also operated as a drug dealer, Mr. Topriani said. He also threatened some people who authorities say purchased drugs from him.
He described the patrolman as "rogue" officer who was "an important figure in Monongahela's cocaine trade."
Mr. Langan's arrest brings to five the number of local police officers charged with corruption and related crimes under Mr. Toprani's brief regime.
"I view the allegations and arrest with a profound sense of sadness," said Mr. Toprani, who lives in neighboring Carroll. "My commitment to stamp out corruption remains firm."
Mr. Toprani's comments came during a news conference in front of the county courthouse yesterday, just hours after Officer Langan, 45, was arrested and lodged in the county jail on $500,000 bond.
Officer Langan, a 16-year veteran of the Monongahela police, was called into the police department about two hours into his shift yesterday morning and told to remove his gun and belt for a random drug test.
He was taken into custody and charged with 11 counts of violating the drug act, and 23 counts of public corruption, including official oppression, evidence tampering and criminal conspiracy.
His arrest stemmed from an indictment handed down Thursday from a new countywide grand jury empaneled earlier this year by Mr. Toprani.
The indictment capped a four-month investigation into corruption and drug dealing in the Mon Valley, and there could be more arrests, Mr. Toprani said.
He said Officer Langan was targeted by the grand jury after members of the drug task force became suspicious of possible police corruption in the Monongahela area.
The task force, made up of several dozen police officers from throughout the county, acts in secret to investigate and eliminate the local drug trade.
Detective Ronald J. Levi of the drug task force said doubts were raised recently when his team coordinated several undercover purchases of the narcotic painkiller oxycontin from a group of drug dealers in the Mon Valley.
Local police were notified shortly before a final buy and coordinating raid were planned, Detective Levi said, but it became obvious that the dealers had been tipped off and the plan went awry.
"We suspected something was up," he said.
The group didn't have far to look, as Mr. Langan -- called "G-Money" by friends -- had been under investigation for at least the last 10 years by the state attorney general's office, the state police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mr. Toprani said.
The details of those investigations are unclear for now, but Monongahela police Chief Brian Tempest said during his 20-odd years as a local patrolman, he suspected Mr. Langan of wrongdoing and forwarded his concerns to then-chief Dennis Mendicino.
"I feel this has been going on for 10 years," said Chief Tempest, who was appointed chief in January 2008, when new Mayor Robert Kepics was elected. Ex-chief Mendicino, who still works on the force of 18 officers, was demoted to sergeant.
Chief Tempest said there were rumors for years that members of the police force were corrupt, and said he's glad to finally be able to address them.
"It's a sad day for law enforcement," he said. "I feel sad. He was my friend."
Although details will remain sketchy until the grand jury indictment is unsealed during a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday, the criminal complaint filed yesterday alleges Mr. Langan was in possession of cocaine on or about June 15 and June 17, when an undercover operation was launched.
During the same time period, he is accused of delivering cocaine to Sgt. Mendicino's ex-wife, Lori Mendicino, and to Mike Tatar, Nick Simon and Wendy Biagini -- who he has since been accused of threatening.
In April, police said Mr. Langan tipped off Mr. Tatar, Millie Schiffer and Kurt Neff to pending arrests and search warrants.
Mr. Langan's actions rose to the level of racketeering, the complaint alleges, and put the lives of other law enforcement officials in "grave danger."
Mr. Toprani said the investigation wouldn't have been possible without the grand jury, "a very effective tool," which hears confidential testimony and has the power to compel cooperation.
He said it's possible that more charges will be forthcoming, and that Mr. Langan wasn't acting alone.
"This is certainly a difficult day for law enforcement, but it's a necessary one," he said.
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http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleyindependent/news/s_641579.html
Friday, September 04, 2009
Deputy Cpl Shane Clevenger Charged with Domestic Violence
A Beaufort County sheriff's deputy was fired Friday following an internal affairs investigation into allegations he beat his girlfriend, making him the second officer dismissed for misconduct in the past two weeks.
Cpl. Shane Clevenger was relieved of his duties after being on paid suspension for about a week during the probe. He faces a charge of criminal domestic violence.
The incident occurred Aug. 26 in the parking lot of Walmart in Beaufort. Clevenger, 42, turned himself in at the Beaufort Police Department two days later, when police obtained a warrant for his arrest, said Beaufort Police Chief Matt Clancy.
He was booked at the Beaufort County Detention Center and released hours later on his own recognizance.
Clancy doesn't think the victim required medical treatment.
Clevenger, a patrol deputy working the northern part of the county, served three stints at the Sheriff's Office -- from September 1999 to December 2000; from March 2003 to September 2007; and from April 2009 until Friday.
He was one of two sheriff's deputies under investigation for criminal domestic violence.
On Tuesday, Cpl. Tony Serrato resigned amid an internal affairs inquiry and a criminal investigation.
According to a sheriff's report, police were called to a Jib Sail Court home in Yacht Cove on Hilton Head Island on Aug. 27.The victim, a girlfriend with whom Serrato had previously lived, told dispatchers and responding officers that Serrato had assaulted her and pinned her against a refrigerator.
When a detective interviewed her, the woman recanted many of her previous statements and described the incident as an argument fueled by alcohol, the report stated. She declined to press charges.
Serrato began work with the Sheriff's Office as a reserve deputy in 1992. He was hired full-time in 2001 and worked as a patrol deputy in the southern part of the county.
A third deputy is being investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division for allegedly having "improper contact" with a Bluffton woman he had arrested and was taking to jail Aug. 15.
Lance Cpl. David Singleterry was fired last week after an internal affairs investigation concluded he engaged in "conduct unbecoming of an officer," said Sheriff P.J. Tanner.
SLED is expected to report its findings to 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone, who will then decide whether criminal charges are warranted in that case.
A SLED investigation can take months to complete.
Cpl. Shane Clevenger was relieved of his duties after being on paid suspension for about a week during the probe. He faces a charge of criminal domestic violence.
The incident occurred Aug. 26 in the parking lot of Walmart in Beaufort. Clevenger, 42, turned himself in at the Beaufort Police Department two days later, when police obtained a warrant for his arrest, said Beaufort Police Chief Matt Clancy.
He was booked at the Beaufort County Detention Center and released hours later on his own recognizance.
Clancy doesn't think the victim required medical treatment.
Clevenger, a patrol deputy working the northern part of the county, served three stints at the Sheriff's Office -- from September 1999 to December 2000; from March 2003 to September 2007; and from April 2009 until Friday.
He was one of two sheriff's deputies under investigation for criminal domestic violence.
On Tuesday, Cpl. Tony Serrato resigned amid an internal affairs inquiry and a criminal investigation.
According to a sheriff's report, police were called to a Jib Sail Court home in Yacht Cove on Hilton Head Island on Aug. 27.The victim, a girlfriend with whom Serrato had previously lived, told dispatchers and responding officers that Serrato had assaulted her and pinned her against a refrigerator.
When a detective interviewed her, the woman recanted many of her previous statements and described the incident as an argument fueled by alcohol, the report stated. She declined to press charges.
Serrato began work with the Sheriff's Office as a reserve deputy in 1992. He was hired full-time in 2001 and worked as a patrol deputy in the southern part of the county.
A third deputy is being investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division for allegedly having "improper contact" with a Bluffton woman he had arrested and was taking to jail Aug. 15.
Lance Cpl. David Singleterry was fired last week after an internal affairs investigation concluded he engaged in "conduct unbecoming of an officer," said Sheriff P.J. Tanner.
SLED is expected to report its findings to 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone, who will then decide whether criminal charges are warranted in that case.
A SLED investigation can take months to complete.
Minneapolis Police Accused of Police Brutality
New video released Thursday shows a man surrendering only to be beaten by Minneapolis Police—the second video of alleged police brutality in a month.
The last video of alleged police misconduct released two weeks ago led Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan to order all of his 800 officers to watch a video in which six officers punched and kicked Derryl Jenkins, 42, during a traffic stop.
In this new video—which is now at the center of a lawsuit and internal affairs investigation—a veteran Minneapolis officer is seen kicking a man suspected of breaking into cars in a downtown parking ramp.
It starts when a car driven by Brian McCarthy rams a squad car trying to block his escape. McCarthy flees but his passenger, Nicolas Kastner, gets out and lays down—apparently giving up after being shot by police.
Officer Sherry Appledorn, a 16-year department veteran, thought her rookie partner was dead, according to people who know her. The video shows Appledorn standing over Kastner. She then begins to stomp on him approximately four times before kicking him about nine times.
Officer Joe Will, with 14 years on the force, sits on Kastner and six seconds later, Appledorn kicks him again.
"That wild movement of [Kastner's] legs is the result of getting shocked with 50,000 volts," said Kastern's attorney Fred Goetz.
Appledorn is seen in the video tasering him twice.
"The tasing, like the kicks, were nothing but torture. Nothing but gratuitous acts of violence," Goetz said.
He says they've filed a federal lawsuit alleging police brutality, excessive force, and a cover-up - especially by Appledorn.
"What happened is just an unjustified, unprovoked, unreasonable police beating," Goetz said.
"The passenger failed to get on the ground. I grabbed him and threw him on the ground face first. [He] started crawling under the squad in an attempt to get away. The suspect refused to place his arms behind his back," Appledorn said in a video statement three days later.
"She deliberately and blatantly lied to justify her unreasonable use of force," said Goetz.
Chief Dolan says his department referred this case to the St. Paul City Attorney for possible prosecution.
Both Officers Appledorn and Wills were not charged. Both McCarthy and Kaster have prior criminal theft and damage to property convictions. McCarthy had a warrant out for his arrest for violating his probation at the time of the incident.
Dolan says he takes any allegations of misconduct "extremely seriously" and says as chief, he has raised the bar for expectations around officer conduct and accountability.
The department says the officers cannot comment.
------------------------------
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Minneapolis_Police_Chief_Dolan_Interview_Sept_4_2009
The last video of alleged police misconduct released two weeks ago led Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan to order all of his 800 officers to watch a video in which six officers punched and kicked Derryl Jenkins, 42, during a traffic stop.
In this new video—which is now at the center of a lawsuit and internal affairs investigation—a veteran Minneapolis officer is seen kicking a man suspected of breaking into cars in a downtown parking ramp.
It starts when a car driven by Brian McCarthy rams a squad car trying to block his escape. McCarthy flees but his passenger, Nicolas Kastner, gets out and lays down—apparently giving up after being shot by police.
Officer Sherry Appledorn, a 16-year department veteran, thought her rookie partner was dead, according to people who know her. The video shows Appledorn standing over Kastner. She then begins to stomp on him approximately four times before kicking him about nine times.
Officer Joe Will, with 14 years on the force, sits on Kastner and six seconds later, Appledorn kicks him again.
"That wild movement of [Kastner's] legs is the result of getting shocked with 50,000 volts," said Kastern's attorney Fred Goetz.
Appledorn is seen in the video tasering him twice.
"The tasing, like the kicks, were nothing but torture. Nothing but gratuitous acts of violence," Goetz said.
He says they've filed a federal lawsuit alleging police brutality, excessive force, and a cover-up - especially by Appledorn.
"What happened is just an unjustified, unprovoked, unreasonable police beating," Goetz said.
"The passenger failed to get on the ground. I grabbed him and threw him on the ground face first. [He] started crawling under the squad in an attempt to get away. The suspect refused to place his arms behind his back," Appledorn said in a video statement three days later.
"She deliberately and blatantly lied to justify her unreasonable use of force," said Goetz.
Chief Dolan says his department referred this case to the St. Paul City Attorney for possible prosecution.
Both Officers Appledorn and Wills were not charged. Both McCarthy and Kaster have prior criminal theft and damage to property convictions. McCarthy had a warrant out for his arrest for violating his probation at the time of the incident.
Dolan says he takes any allegations of misconduct "extremely seriously" and says as chief, he has raised the bar for expectations around officer conduct and accountability.
The department says the officers cannot comment.
------------------------------
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Minneapolis_Police_Chief_Dolan_Interview_Sept_4_2009
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