A Dallas police officer once fired – and subsequently reinstated – over accusations that he stole tires from the police auto pound is in trouble again after being accused of pilfering the belongings of a fellow law enforcement officer.
Officer Johnny Rodriguez, 33, was placed on leave this week as the Dallas Police Department's public integrity unit investigates an allegation that he took a pair of boots owned by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper this week.
"There has been a complaint referred to us," said Assistant Chief Ron Waldrop, who oversees the department's investigations bureau. "We're investigating it, and we haven't come to any conclusions."
Rodriguez was already working under a cloud. When he was hired in 2002, he had been accused of stealing at his previous job, as a campus officer at Mountain View College. He was eventually cleared.
Rodriguez declined to comment about the latest incident and referred all questions to his attorney, John Haring. Reached Friday, Haring also declined to comment.
According to police officials, in the latest incident, the trooper left new boots with a jail trusty to be shined. When the trooper returned, the boots were gone. The trusty told authorities that a Dallas officer, subsequently identified as Rodriguez, had come by, wanting his shoes shined.
The trusty told authorities that he indicated to the officer that he needed boots that looked like the ones he was shining because those boots look better polished. The officer then left with the trooper's boots, officials said.
Rodriguez has denied stealing the footwear, police said.
In June 2006, Police Chief David Kunkle fired Rodriguez after internal investigators concluded he had taken a set of tires from the auto pound.
According to court records, a thief took four tires and four rims worth about $4,000 from a stolen vehicle at the police auto pound in April 2005. The victim later saw what he thought were his tires offered for sale on eBay.
A civilian employee told detectives that she had seen Rodriguez leaving the pound with two tires and rims from the stolen vehicle. Police also obtained cellphone records showing that he was in daily contact with the woman who had the tires placed on eBay.
Rodriguez denied the allegations, and a grand jury twice declined to indict him.
About six months after his firing, an administrative law judge ordered the city to reinstate Rodriguez with full back pay and benefits.
The order included no explanation of the reasoning behind the decision, which still bothers Kunkle.
"There was no way in the world that all this stuff could have happened without him being involved in the theft," Kunkle said Friday. "Out of all the disciplinary appeals and all the decisions, this was the one that most surprised and disappointed me."
The Rodriguez decision was among the last of a string of controversial police officer reinstatements. Since then, administrative law judges have become far less likely to give officers their jobs back, in part because of intense media attention and a stiffening of the rules in the city charter.
His case may also be indicative of another previous problem: flawed hiring practices that brought in officers with questionable pasts.
Employment records show a co-worker at Mountain View accused Rodriguez of stealing a big-screen television and taking tests from the school's testing center in 2002, shortly before his hiring as a Dallas police officer. Mountain View investigators cleared him of the allegation, and his supervisors recommended that Dallas hire him.
Since his 2007 reinstatement, Dallas police commanders have kept Rodriguez off the streets, assigning him first to the communications unit and later to the jail. He has also been suspended from working off-duty jobs.
Rodriguez recently requested a transfer back to patrol, but supervisors denied the request because Dallas County prosecutors informed them that Rodriguez could not testify in court proceedings.
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Saturday, January 09, 2010
Constable Kevin Gregson Charged with Murder
The man accused of stabbing Ottawa Police Constable Eric Czapnik to death last week showed up on the doorstep of the Ottawa-area home of RCMP Commissioner William Elliott last year, the Ottawa Citizen has learned.
The Citizen has also learned that RCMP Constable Kevin Gregson, now charged with first-degree murder, was later instructed at an Ottawa disciplinary hearing in November to quit the national police force within two weeks or be fired.
"The RCMP can confirm Const. Gregson did go to the commissioner's home to drop off some material, without incident. This was in violation of one of the conditions of his earlier suspension, which was to not attend the home of any employee of the RCMP without being specifically invited," Sergeant Pat Flood said in a statement to the Citizen. The force would not say when Const. Gregson went to the commissioner's home.
"A disciplinary hearing on violations of the conditions of his suspension was held in November 2009 in Ottawa under the RCMP code of conduct.
"The board directed Const. Gregson to resign from the force within 14 days or be dismissed. He appealed that ruling," Sgt. Flood said. The appeal has not been heard.
Const. Gregson, 43, told his parents about the visit he paid to the RCMP commissioner's home, the Citizen has also learned.
The Citizen has learned that Const. Gregson visited his parents, who live in Gloucester, an Ottawa suburb, in the hours before the stabbing.
Const. Czapnik, 51, was attacked at 4:30 a.m. on Dec. 29 as he wrote notes from his final call -- an alleged sex assault on a librarian -- in his cruiser outside the emergency department of the Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus.
Four paramedics -- three women and one man -- were busy filling out reports from their night's calls when they saw the struggle and intervened.
The attacker raised his bloody knife to slash a paramedic when a female paramedic grabbed his arm and kicked him, downing the attacker.
Const. Gregson is in an Ottawa jail awaiting trial.
The Citizen has also learned that RCMP Constable Kevin Gregson, now charged with first-degree murder, was later instructed at an Ottawa disciplinary hearing in November to quit the national police force within two weeks or be fired.
"The RCMP can confirm Const. Gregson did go to the commissioner's home to drop off some material, without incident. This was in violation of one of the conditions of his earlier suspension, which was to not attend the home of any employee of the RCMP without being specifically invited," Sergeant Pat Flood said in a statement to the Citizen. The force would not say when Const. Gregson went to the commissioner's home.
"A disciplinary hearing on violations of the conditions of his suspension was held in November 2009 in Ottawa under the RCMP code of conduct.
"The board directed Const. Gregson to resign from the force within 14 days or be dismissed. He appealed that ruling," Sgt. Flood said. The appeal has not been heard.
Const. Gregson, 43, told his parents about the visit he paid to the RCMP commissioner's home, the Citizen has also learned.
The Citizen has learned that Const. Gregson visited his parents, who live in Gloucester, an Ottawa suburb, in the hours before the stabbing.
Const. Czapnik, 51, was attacked at 4:30 a.m. on Dec. 29 as he wrote notes from his final call -- an alleged sex assault on a librarian -- in his cruiser outside the emergency department of the Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus.
Four paramedics -- three women and one man -- were busy filling out reports from their night's calls when they saw the struggle and intervened.
The attacker raised his bloody knife to slash a paramedic when a female paramedic grabbed his arm and kicked him, downing the attacker.
Const. Gregson is in an Ottawa jail awaiting trial.
Friday, January 08, 2010
Former Deputy Donna Sheain Charged with Sale of Meth
A former, long-time deputy at the Coweta County Sheriff's Office was arrested Dec. 31, 2009, and charged with selling methamphetamine.
Donna Rachelle Sheain, 37, is charged with two counts sale of meth, possession of meth, conspiracy to sell meth and possession of marijuana.
Sheain was a supervisor for the sheriff's office, where she was employed for over a decade. She was a certified CPR instructor, a general instructor and a field training officer.
She left her job, at the rank of corporal, in 2004 for a year-long tour as a defense contractor in Iraq, according to The Times-Herald news files.
She volunteered to be part of the effort to train the Iraqi police force.
Donna Rachelle Sheain, 37, is charged with two counts sale of meth, possession of meth, conspiracy to sell meth and possession of marijuana.
Sheain was a supervisor for the sheriff's office, where she was employed for over a decade. She was a certified CPR instructor, a general instructor and a field training officer.
She left her job, at the rank of corporal, in 2004 for a year-long tour as a defense contractor in Iraq, according to The Times-Herald news files.
She volunteered to be part of the effort to train the Iraqi police force.
Officers Donnell Patterson & Charles Battle Charged with Assault
Two Richmond police officers were arraigned in Richmond Circuit Court yesterday on charges that they assaulted a man while working an off-duty security job at a nightclub in Richmond's Fan District.
Donnell Patterson and Charles Battle each face one count of misdemeanor assault stemming from an incident June 26 outside Club 534 on North Harrison Street between West Broad and West Grace streets.
Patterson's attorney, John Rockecharlie, described the incident as a "chaotic crowd-control situation" early that morning after patrons left the club around closing time.
The club's owner, Nat Dance, said as many as 350 people leave the club at closing time on some mornings. He estimated that about that many people might have been outside the morning of the incident, but he said some of the people in the crowd had come from another club that had let out.
The club was paying the officers to work security that morning, Dance and Rockecharlie said.
Richmond police officials and city prosecutors declined to describe what happened outside the club or to provide either officer's employment status. A special prosecutor from outside Richmond will be assigned to the case.
Battle's attorney, Claire G. Cardwell, declined to comment. The officers' accuser, Sadaris Fitzgerald, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Dance, who used to own the Cotton Club on Fifth Street in downtown Richmond, was fined $2,000 in 2006 after a judge found him guilty of maintaining a common nuisance at Club 534. The conviction later was thrown out.
According to testimony at the 2006 hearing, the Cotton Club and Club 534 could attract vast crowds that clogged streets and sidewalks.
Dance said yesterday that crowds outside Club 534 are not dangerous or a nuisance. He also said the June incident occurred around the corner from the club and not directly outside it.
Patterson and Battle each are free on a personal recognizance bond. A court hearing for both officers was set for Jan. 25.
Donnell Patterson and Charles Battle each face one count of misdemeanor assault stemming from an incident June 26 outside Club 534 on North Harrison Street between West Broad and West Grace streets.
Patterson's attorney, John Rockecharlie, described the incident as a "chaotic crowd-control situation" early that morning after patrons left the club around closing time.
The club's owner, Nat Dance, said as many as 350 people leave the club at closing time on some mornings. He estimated that about that many people might have been outside the morning of the incident, but he said some of the people in the crowd had come from another club that had let out.
The club was paying the officers to work security that morning, Dance and Rockecharlie said.
Richmond police officials and city prosecutors declined to describe what happened outside the club or to provide either officer's employment status. A special prosecutor from outside Richmond will be assigned to the case.
Battle's attorney, Claire G. Cardwell, declined to comment. The officers' accuser, Sadaris Fitzgerald, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Dance, who used to own the Cotton Club on Fifth Street in downtown Richmond, was fined $2,000 in 2006 after a judge found him guilty of maintaining a common nuisance at Club 534. The conviction later was thrown out.
According to testimony at the 2006 hearing, the Cotton Club and Club 534 could attract vast crowds that clogged streets and sidewalks.
Dance said yesterday that crowds outside Club 534 are not dangerous or a nuisance. He also said the June incident occurred around the corner from the club and not directly outside it.
Patterson and Battle each are free on a personal recognizance bond. A court hearing for both officers was set for Jan. 25.
Former Officer Donald Bailey Pleads Not Guilty to Accepting Cash From Inmate
A former Baton Rouge police corporal accused of soliciting and accepting cash from a Parish Prison inmate told a state District Court judge Friday that he is innocent.
Donald Bailey, 49, pleaded not guilty in state District Judge Chip Moore’s court to one count each of bribery, corrupt influencing and malfeasance in office.
Bailey, a 14-year veteran of the police force who coordinated the Targeted Violent Offender Program, declined comment after the hearing.
Bailey’s attorney, Mike Walsh, said he would be in a better position to comment after he meets with Assistant Attorney General David Caldwell to review evidence in the case.
The state Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting Bailey because District Attorney Hillar Moore III is a key witness in the case, Caldwell has said.
Bailey approached Moore last year for help getting a Parish Prison inmate released, Caldwell has said. Moore immediately contacted the appropriate authorities.
State Police have said detectives arranged for the inmate to make a recorded telephone call to Bailey from Parish Prison. The inmate told Bailey he needed help getting out of jail.
Caldwell has said Bailey agreed on Sept. 15 to aid the inmate. Bailey allegedly told the inmate he would have the charges dismissed and the parole hold lifted in exchange for $12,000.
Bailey then contacted the District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Probation and Parole to request the dismissal of the charges and the lifting of the parole hold, State Police have said.
Both agencies, working with detectives, allowed the charges to be dropped and the parole hold lifted, State Police have said.
State Police detectives arranged for the inmate to meet with Bailey. During a meeting on Sept. 28, Bailey accepted $1,400 for his assistance, State Police have said.
State Police arrested Bailey that day at Police Department headquarters. The police officer resigned from the force Oct. 7 in lieu of termination.
Donald Bailey, 49, pleaded not guilty in state District Judge Chip Moore’s court to one count each of bribery, corrupt influencing and malfeasance in office.
Bailey, a 14-year veteran of the police force who coordinated the Targeted Violent Offender Program, declined comment after the hearing.
Bailey’s attorney, Mike Walsh, said he would be in a better position to comment after he meets with Assistant Attorney General David Caldwell to review evidence in the case.
The state Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting Bailey because District Attorney Hillar Moore III is a key witness in the case, Caldwell has said.
Bailey approached Moore last year for help getting a Parish Prison inmate released, Caldwell has said. Moore immediately contacted the appropriate authorities.
State Police have said detectives arranged for the inmate to make a recorded telephone call to Bailey from Parish Prison. The inmate told Bailey he needed help getting out of jail.
Caldwell has said Bailey agreed on Sept. 15 to aid the inmate. Bailey allegedly told the inmate he would have the charges dismissed and the parole hold lifted in exchange for $12,000.
Bailey then contacted the District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Probation and Parole to request the dismissal of the charges and the lifting of the parole hold, State Police have said.
Both agencies, working with detectives, allowed the charges to be dropped and the parole hold lifted, State Police have said.
State Police detectives arranged for the inmate to meet with Bailey. During a meeting on Sept. 28, Bailey accepted $1,400 for his assistance, State Police have said.
State Police arrested Bailey that day at Police Department headquarters. The police officer resigned from the force Oct. 7 in lieu of termination.
Detention Officer Larry Martinez & Wife Accused of Stealing Prescription Drugs
Roosevelt County Sheriff Darren Hooker says a county detention center officer was fired Friday after being accused of stealing prescription drugs from the jail to sell on the street.
Hooker said Larry Martinez, 36, and his wife, Jesseka Martinez, 35, are facing assorted felony drug charges.
Larry Martinez, 36, was arrested for stealing Xanax from the detention center and giving it to his wife.
“He was charged with trafficking a controlled substance... Xanax,” Deputy Nathan Kinnison said.
Detention Center Administrator David Casanova said he doesn’t know how Martinez was able to get access to the drugs because the thefts happened before he was hired to run the jail.
According to police:
• On New Years’ eve, sheriff’s officers and members of Region V Drug Task Force contacted Jesseka Martinez at her home in the 1700 block of U.S. 236.
• Undercover agents had been purchasing marijuana from her since October as part of an undercover operation.
• During the investigation, Jesseka Martinez told officers her husband was a guard at the detention center and was stealing drugs from the center.
• “She allowed us to search the house,” Kinnison said. “We found marijuana, drug paraphernalia and prescription drugs in the house. So that is a misdemeanor and fourth degree felony.”
• During interrogation, Larry Martinez admitted stealing Xanax from the center and giving it to his wife, said Kinnison. He was charged with felony drug trafficking.
• Larry Martinez was behind bars at the center Friday in lieu of $20,000 cash-only bond. His wife was jailed in lieu of $7,000 cash-only bond.
Hooker said Larry Martinez, 36, and his wife, Jesseka Martinez, 35, are facing assorted felony drug charges.
Larry Martinez, 36, was arrested for stealing Xanax from the detention center and giving it to his wife.
“He was charged with trafficking a controlled substance... Xanax,” Deputy Nathan Kinnison said.
Detention Center Administrator David Casanova said he doesn’t know how Martinez was able to get access to the drugs because the thefts happened before he was hired to run the jail.
According to police:
• On New Years’ eve, sheriff’s officers and members of Region V Drug Task Force contacted Jesseka Martinez at her home in the 1700 block of U.S. 236.
• Undercover agents had been purchasing marijuana from her since October as part of an undercover operation.
• During the investigation, Jesseka Martinez told officers her husband was a guard at the detention center and was stealing drugs from the center.
• “She allowed us to search the house,” Kinnison said. “We found marijuana, drug paraphernalia and prescription drugs in the house. So that is a misdemeanor and fourth degree felony.”
• During interrogation, Larry Martinez admitted stealing Xanax from the center and giving it to his wife, said Kinnison. He was charged with felony drug trafficking.
• Larry Martinez was behind bars at the center Friday in lieu of $20,000 cash-only bond. His wife was jailed in lieu of $7,000 cash-only bond.
Officer Christopher Sundheim Charged with Having Sex with Minor
A Jupiter Island Police officer is facing felony charges after he had sexual relationship with a minor, according to warrant affidavit from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
On Friday, deputies charged Christopher J. Sundheim, 31, with sexual activity with a minor. Later on Friday, he was released from jail on $25,000 bond.
Sundheim is on administrative leave from the department, according to a news release from Jupiter Island Public Safety Department.
In September, the girl, with her parents and a family friend, reported the incident to police officials. The girl said she and Sundheim became friends after meeting at Hobe Sound Beach. The two would often flirt with each other until, “one thing lead to another,” the girl said in the affidavit. Detectives interviewed several people who saw the girl and Sundheim together. However, none of the people said they ever saw inappropriate behavior, the affidavit states.
The girl, now 18, said she and Sundheim had sex numerous occasions when she was 17, from October 2008 to January 2009, including one instance at a vacant cottage, which neither of them owned, the report states.
On Friday, deputies charged Christopher J. Sundheim, 31, with sexual activity with a minor. Later on Friday, he was released from jail on $25,000 bond.
Sundheim is on administrative leave from the department, according to a news release from Jupiter Island Public Safety Department.
In September, the girl, with her parents and a family friend, reported the incident to police officials. The girl said she and Sundheim became friends after meeting at Hobe Sound Beach. The two would often flirt with each other until, “one thing lead to another,” the girl said in the affidavit. Detectives interviewed several people who saw the girl and Sundheim together. However, none of the people said they ever saw inappropriate behavior, the affidavit states.
The girl, now 18, said she and Sundheim had sex numerous occasions when she was 17, from October 2008 to January 2009, including one instance at a vacant cottage, which neither of them owned, the report states.
Officer Darryl Russell Failed to Yield Causing the Death of Man on Bicycle
An accident reconstruction by the Mississippi Highway Patrol shows that a Waveland police officer failed to yield the right-of-way in an accident that caused the death of a Bay St. Louis bicyclist last year.
Cpl. Johnny Poulos released the results on Friday.
Francisco Jesus Mendoza Suarez, 33, died in the Sept. 21 accident.
Patrolman Darryl Russell pulled out of an eastbound turn lane and attempted to cross U.S. 90 toward the far-right emergency lane.
At the time, Suarez was riding a bicycle in the righthand emergency lane.
As the police car crossed the highway, it was struck by a Cadillac Escalade that was also headed east, Poulos told the Sun Herald in September.
The collision caused the Escalade to veer out of control into the emergency lane, striking Suarez.
Poulos said Russell reported he had attempted to cross the road because Suarez resembled the description of a criminal suspect that had been broadcast to police units in the area.
Russell told investigators that his patrol car’s blue emergency lights had been on when he attempted to cross U.S. 90.
Bay St. Louis police said Suarez was not the suspect.
Waveland Police Chief James Varnell said he could not comment on the case because a lawsuit has been filed by Suarez’s family against the city of Waveland, the police department and Russell.
Immediately after the accident, Russell was placed on administrative leave with pay for four weeks but currently is on duty, Varnell said.
The accident occurred just inside the Bay St. Louis city limits.
Russell was in Bay St. Louis because officers must make a U-turn when westbound on U.S. 90 to return to Waveland.
Cpl. Johnny Poulos released the results on Friday.
Francisco Jesus Mendoza Suarez, 33, died in the Sept. 21 accident.
Patrolman Darryl Russell pulled out of an eastbound turn lane and attempted to cross U.S. 90 toward the far-right emergency lane.
At the time, Suarez was riding a bicycle in the righthand emergency lane.
As the police car crossed the highway, it was struck by a Cadillac Escalade that was also headed east, Poulos told the Sun Herald in September.
The collision caused the Escalade to veer out of control into the emergency lane, striking Suarez.
Poulos said Russell reported he had attempted to cross the road because Suarez resembled the description of a criminal suspect that had been broadcast to police units in the area.
Russell told investigators that his patrol car’s blue emergency lights had been on when he attempted to cross U.S. 90.
Bay St. Louis police said Suarez was not the suspect.
Waveland Police Chief James Varnell said he could not comment on the case because a lawsuit has been filed by Suarez’s family against the city of Waveland, the police department and Russell.
Immediately after the accident, Russell was placed on administrative leave with pay for four weeks but currently is on duty, Varnell said.
The accident occurred just inside the Bay St. Louis city limits.
Russell was in Bay St. Louis because officers must make a U-turn when westbound on U.S. 90 to return to Waveland.
Former Officer Wade Merritt Charged with Impersonating a Police Officer
A former Algonquin police officer who police say flashed a badge during a recent traffic stop was arrested Friday.
He had resigned from the force in June after being convicted of domestic battery.
Wade Merritt, 46, who lives near Oakwood Hills, was stopped at 8:17 a.m. Jan. 1 at Route 14 and Federal Drive in connection with speeding, said Deputy Police Chief Dennis Harris of the Crystal Lake Police Department.
At that time, Merritt presented a police badge to the officer, Harris said.
Merritt had been a sergeant with the Algonquin department for 23 years.
He resigned in June 2009, nearly a month after he was found guilty of domestic battery in a March incident at his home.
Before his resignation, Merritt had been suspended without pay for more than a month by police commissioners.
Merritt surrendered himself to Crystal Lake police Friday on a warrant of false impersonation of a peace officer, a Class 4 felony, as well as speeding. He was released on $1,075 cash bond.
Merritt is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Jan. 28.
He had resigned from the force in June after being convicted of domestic battery.
Wade Merritt, 46, who lives near Oakwood Hills, was stopped at 8:17 a.m. Jan. 1 at Route 14 and Federal Drive in connection with speeding, said Deputy Police Chief Dennis Harris of the Crystal Lake Police Department.
At that time, Merritt presented a police badge to the officer, Harris said.
Merritt had been a sergeant with the Algonquin department for 23 years.
He resigned in June 2009, nearly a month after he was found guilty of domestic battery in a March incident at his home.
Before his resignation, Merritt had been suspended without pay for more than a month by police commissioners.
Merritt surrendered himself to Crystal Lake police Friday on a warrant of false impersonation of a peace officer, a Class 4 felony, as well as speeding. He was released on $1,075 cash bond.
Merritt is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Jan. 28.
West Valley Officer Being Sued by Man Who Claims he was Slammed to the Ground
A West Valley Police officer is being sued by a man who claims was slammed to the ground and injured unjustly by the officer. Ceasar Medina says he was driving to his girlfriend's house July 17 to meet her for breakfast. Medina says he was pulled over by the officer in West Valley, near where his girlfriend lives. He says that the officer claims he was resisting arrest during the stop and pulled him out of his vehicle and slammed him to the ground.
West Valley Police say they do not know about the lawsuit and cannot comment until they review the case.
Police say that Medina was pulled over for failure to stop at a stop sign and speeding.
Until West Valley Police have had a chance to review the case, FOX 13 has chosen not to release the identity of the officer involved.
West Valley Police say they do not know about the lawsuit and cannot comment until they review the case.
Police say that Medina was pulled over for failure to stop at a stop sign and speeding.
Until West Valley Police have had a chance to review the case, FOX 13 has chosen not to release the identity of the officer involved.
Officer Brandon Loverde Accused of Fondling Woman While on Duty
Orlando police Officer Brandon Loverde has been accused of fondling a woman while he was working off duty at the Firestone nightclub.
Loverde turned himself in to authorities Wednesday and was charged with false imprisonment and battery.
The incident allegedly happened in a parking lot near the club. Loverde is accused of exposing the woman's right breast and then touching her breast. The alleged victim passed a polygraph test. The owner of the nightclub was shocked.
"I'm disappointed an officer would do that."
According to his personnel file, since Loverde has been working with OPD, he has won awards, received good evaluations and been praised for his excellent work.
One evaluation said he was "somewhat bothered" by people who are "disrespectful" to law enforcement.
Loverde has been relieved without pay.
Former Officer Bruce Webster Sentenced to 19 Years
A former Fairfax County police officer, whose wife was slain in 1991, was sentenced Friday to 19 years in prison for abducting her twice in the months before her death, but he has not been charged with killing her.
Bruce Webster, 69, a former patrol officer in the Mount Vernon Police District, met Joann Allison when she was waiting tables at Elsie's Magic Skillet, a Route 1 diner and regular hangout for officers. Webster and Allison were married in the diner in October 1988.
Webster, a Vietnam War veteran, spent 18 years as a Fairfax officer, resigning in January 1990. The couple then moved to Alabama. But not long after, Joann Webster decided to separate from her husband, return to Fairfax and resume waitressing at the Skillet, according to former owner Elsie Plues's trial testimony in August.
But in May 1990, Joann Webster went to a bank near the Skillet and withdrew $9,000 while her estranged husband watched. She then ran to the Skillet and told Plues that her husband had "tied her to a chair, threatening to kill her," and forced her to withdraw the money, Plues testified.
Bruce Webster's attorneys said that his wife had fled Alabama with $15,000 from their joint account, leaving him penniless.
Plues urged Joann Webster to report the incident to police. She did, but refused to prosecute.
Seven months later, on New Year's, a bloodied Joann Webster turned up at a 7-Eleven store in Woodbridge, claiming that she had been abducted and tied up by her estranged husband, witnesses testified. This time she agreed to prosecute, and Bruce Webster was charged with abduction.
On Feb. 15, 1991, divorce papers were served on Bruce Webster. The next day, Joann Webster didn't show up for work at the Skillet. She was found fatally stabbed in her apartment in Sacramento Square, wearing her waitress uniform, police said. She was 44.
Several days later, Bruce Webster did not appear for his preliminary hearing on the abduction charge. Prosecutors, without their complaining witness, did not pursue the case. Homicide detectives said they investigated Webster closely in the death of his estranged wife but couldn't make a case.
In 2007, Fairfax cold case homicide detectives revisited the slaying and tracked down Webster, who was living in a one-room apartment in Las Vegas. During several long, taped conversations, Webster denied killing or kidnapping his wife. But he did say, "When I get angry, people get seriously hurt or they die."
A Fairfax grand jury indicted Webster in May of last year for both abduction incidents and use of a gun in one of them. A trial jury convicted him of the three counts, recommending eight-year sentences on both abduction counts and three years for using a gun. Webster did not testify.
At his sentencing hearing, Joann Webster's daughter, Tammy Magouirk, testified that "it's something that doesn't go away. It has colored my relationships. How do you trust people when things like this happen to your mom? I was in a bad relationship, but I was terrified to end it. I stayed in that relationship for 15 years."
Bruce Webster declined to make a statement to Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Jonathan C. Thacher. Webster's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Dawn M. Butorac, said he was not remorseful because he maintains that he did not kidnap or kill his wife.
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Bruce Webster, 69, a former patrol officer in the Mount Vernon Police District, met Joann Allison when she was waiting tables at Elsie's Magic Skillet, a Route 1 diner and regular hangout for officers. Webster and Allison were married in the diner in October 1988.
Webster, a Vietnam War veteran, spent 18 years as a Fairfax officer, resigning in January 1990. The couple then moved to Alabama. But not long after, Joann Webster decided to separate from her husband, return to Fairfax and resume waitressing at the Skillet, according to former owner Elsie Plues's trial testimony in August.
But in May 1990, Joann Webster went to a bank near the Skillet and withdrew $9,000 while her estranged husband watched. She then ran to the Skillet and told Plues that her husband had "tied her to a chair, threatening to kill her," and forced her to withdraw the money, Plues testified.
Bruce Webster's attorneys said that his wife had fled Alabama with $15,000 from their joint account, leaving him penniless.
Plues urged Joann Webster to report the incident to police. She did, but refused to prosecute.
Seven months later, on New Year's, a bloodied Joann Webster turned up at a 7-Eleven store in Woodbridge, claiming that she had been abducted and tied up by her estranged husband, witnesses testified. This time she agreed to prosecute, and Bruce Webster was charged with abduction.
On Feb. 15, 1991, divorce papers were served on Bruce Webster. The next day, Joann Webster didn't show up for work at the Skillet. She was found fatally stabbed in her apartment in Sacramento Square, wearing her waitress uniform, police said. She was 44.
Several days later, Bruce Webster did not appear for his preliminary hearing on the abduction charge. Prosecutors, without their complaining witness, did not pursue the case. Homicide detectives said they investigated Webster closely in the death of his estranged wife but couldn't make a case.
In 2007, Fairfax cold case homicide detectives revisited the slaying and tracked down Webster, who was living in a one-room apartment in Las Vegas. During several long, taped conversations, Webster denied killing or kidnapping his wife. But he did say, "When I get angry, people get seriously hurt or they die."
A Fairfax grand jury indicted Webster in May of last year for both abduction incidents and use of a gun in one of them. A trial jury convicted him of the three counts, recommending eight-year sentences on both abduction counts and three years for using a gun. Webster did not testify.
At his sentencing hearing, Joann Webster's daughter, Tammy Magouirk, testified that "it's something that doesn't go away. It has colored my relationships. How do you trust people when things like this happen to your mom? I was in a bad relationship, but I was terrified to end it. I stayed in that relationship for 15 years."
Bruce Webster declined to make a statement to Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Jonathan C. Thacher. Webster's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Dawn M. Butorac, said he was not remorseful because he maintains that he did not kidnap or kill his wife.
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Officer Jeffery Asher Accused of Assault
For the past two years, Officer Jeffrey Asher has worked in the records department, in plain clothes, at Springfield Police Headquarters.
It was an assignment that was supposed to keep him out of the kind of trouble he apologized for in 2007.
"And if the performance of my duties, I have any way offended any individual or group, I extend my sincere apology," said Officer Asher
Those words spoken in 2007 coming back to haunt Officer Jeffrey Asher. This video shot by a neighbor shows a police traffic stop the night of November 27th.
Melvin Jones III of Springfield was a passenger in the car and according to the incident report, was resisting arrest.
The report indicates Officer Asher was the cop swinging a flashlight after Jones allegedly tried to grab an officer's gun.
Jones’s father, who shares a name with his son, says Officer Asher should be fired.
"This guy doesn't need to be on the police force, that’s my opinion. I don’t think he should be. Something needs to be done about the way he treats suspects or whatever, particularity black men."
It’s not the first time Asher was caught on tape. In 1997, video shows him kicking a black suspect who had already been subdued by other officers.
Asher was suspended for six months without pay. Then, in 2004 he accused of beating a black school principal who was acting strangely during a medical crisis.
Asher was cleared by the Police Commission and returned to the force again, this time behind a desk, but in November 27th, he was on patrol.
"Officer Asher is assigned to the inside duty. He works in the records division in plain clothes, he has been since 2007. He works inside, this particular evening he was assigned by a supervisor where he was working a Shannon Grant extra detail, like an extra job. So that is the reason he was on the street last night," said Sgt. Delaney.
Mayor Domenic Sarno says he was alarmed to hear of the latest allegations.
"It is disturbing. There are rules and regulations that have to be followed to protect the integrity of residents and the integrity of the police department. Police know my reputation when it comes to public safety and race relations," said Mayor Sarno.
It was an assignment that was supposed to keep him out of the kind of trouble he apologized for in 2007.
"And if the performance of my duties, I have any way offended any individual or group, I extend my sincere apology," said Officer Asher
Those words spoken in 2007 coming back to haunt Officer Jeffrey Asher. This video shot by a neighbor shows a police traffic stop the night of November 27th.
Melvin Jones III of Springfield was a passenger in the car and according to the incident report, was resisting arrest.
The report indicates Officer Asher was the cop swinging a flashlight after Jones allegedly tried to grab an officer's gun.
Jones’s father, who shares a name with his son, says Officer Asher should be fired.
"This guy doesn't need to be on the police force, that’s my opinion. I don’t think he should be. Something needs to be done about the way he treats suspects or whatever, particularity black men."
It’s not the first time Asher was caught on tape. In 1997, video shows him kicking a black suspect who had already been subdued by other officers.
Asher was suspended for six months without pay. Then, in 2004 he accused of beating a black school principal who was acting strangely during a medical crisis.
Asher was cleared by the Police Commission and returned to the force again, this time behind a desk, but in November 27th, he was on patrol.
"Officer Asher is assigned to the inside duty. He works in the records division in plain clothes, he has been since 2007. He works inside, this particular evening he was assigned by a supervisor where he was working a Shannon Grant extra detail, like an extra job. So that is the reason he was on the street last night," said Sgt. Delaney.
Mayor Domenic Sarno says he was alarmed to hear of the latest allegations.
"It is disturbing. There are rules and regulations that have to be followed to protect the integrity of residents and the integrity of the police department. Police know my reputation when it comes to public safety and race relations," said Mayor Sarno.
Officer Steven Solari Charged with Hitting Handcuffed Suspect
A Little Silver police officer has been charged with hitting a handcuffed suspect and trying to get a witness to the incident to lie to investigators, authorities said today.
Patrolman Steven Solari, an 11-year veteran of the department, was charged Thursday with two counts of official misconduct and one count each of aggravated assault, tampering with a witness, obstruction of justice and hindering his own apprehension, Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin said.
Valentin said Solari, 36, is accused of hitting a suspect several times at police headquarters on Dec. 20 while the man had his hands cuffed behind his back.
Solari and another Little Silver police officer arrested the man after responding to a call at an undisclosed private residence. During the call, Valentin said, Solari and the man got into a struggle. The man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
At headquarters, Solari allegedly struck the handcuffed man several times, causing his head to hit a metal filing cabinet. The man, whose identity was not released, was treated at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, the prosecutor said.
Two days after the alleged incident, Soliar, dressed in his full uniform and on duty, approached one of the witnesses to the attack in an attempt to convince the witness to lie or withhold the truth from investigators, Valentin said. He would not say whether the witness was another police officer.
Solari is suspended without pay. He was released from the Monmouth County jail in Freehold today after posting $81,000 bail.
If convicted of the most serious charges, Solari could face up to 20 years in prison and would be permanently barred from holding any public job in New Jersey.
Patrolman Steven Solari, an 11-year veteran of the department, was charged Thursday with two counts of official misconduct and one count each of aggravated assault, tampering with a witness, obstruction of justice and hindering his own apprehension, Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin said.
Valentin said Solari, 36, is accused of hitting a suspect several times at police headquarters on Dec. 20 while the man had his hands cuffed behind his back.
Solari and another Little Silver police officer arrested the man after responding to a call at an undisclosed private residence. During the call, Valentin said, Solari and the man got into a struggle. The man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
At headquarters, Solari allegedly struck the handcuffed man several times, causing his head to hit a metal filing cabinet. The man, whose identity was not released, was treated at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, the prosecutor said.
Two days after the alleged incident, Soliar, dressed in his full uniform and on duty, approached one of the witnesses to the attack in an attempt to convince the witness to lie or withhold the truth from investigators, Valentin said. He would not say whether the witness was another police officer.
Solari is suspended without pay. He was released from the Monmouth County jail in Freehold today after posting $81,000 bail.
If convicted of the most serious charges, Solari could face up to 20 years in prison and would be permanently barred from holding any public job in New Jersey.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Officer Kenneth Tomlinson II Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Boys
The top police officer in a remote Missouri town, a giant of a man who was also a Boy Scout leader, has been accused of sexually assaulting two boys, videotaping the acts and then destroying the recordings.
Kenneth Tomlinson II, 42, was arrested Tuesday and charged with 16 counts of sodomy. Authorities say he admitted having sex with the two boys, who are now 12 and 14. Tomlinson was jailed in Cape Girardeau County on $100,000 cash-only bond. Court records indicated he did not yet have an attorney.
Tomlinson joined the police department in Fredericktown — a community of 4,100 about 80 miles southwest of St. Louis — as a patrolman in 1997. He was promoted to captain, the top job, in April.
Mayor Danny Kemp, who said he was "floored" by the news of the captain's arrest, said the progress Tomlinson made while supervising six full-time officers was impressive.
"He turned the department around," Kemp said, inside his office just off the town square. "He was a great leader."
But Vicky Manche, who owns an A&M Restaurant downtown, said teens derisively referred to Tomlinson — described by one city worker as 6-foot-2 and about 450 pounds — as "Baby Huey."
"They ought to string him up," Manche said. "It's really pitiful when you put your trust in somebody and this happens. My grandsons are Boy Scouts so this hits close to home."
Manche's grandsons were not part of Tomlinson's troops, and it was not known if the alleged victims were either.
The two boys told authorities that the sexual abuse began last spring. One boy is 12, but was 11 when it began, he said. The other is 14.
A probable cause statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol said Tomlinson admitted to having sex with the boys and videotaping some of the acts. The statement said Tomlinson and the boys viewed the video on the camera screen, then he destroyed the recordings.
Joe Mueller of the Boy Scouts of America's Greater St. Louis Council said he didn't know if the victims were members of Tomlinson's Boy Scout or Cub Scout troops. He said Tomlinson had led the troops in Fredericktown since 1998. His association with scouting has been revoked, Mueller said.
"Our heart goes out to the families of the children involved in the allegations," Mueller said. "We have made it a fundamental part of our organization to protect youth members and adult leaders as well."
Kemp said Tomlinson had no previous criminal record. He has been placed on unpaid leave from the department until the case is adjudicated. Sgt. Jason Gordon has taken over as interim leader of the department.
At the Mills Barbershop across from City Hall, owner Jane Mills said some of those getting haircuts found the allegations too difficult to talk about. Those who discussed it were mostly in shock, she said.
"It's very concerning because he's a policeman and a scout leader," she said. "It's very sad, and it's an embarrassment that something like this could happen."
Kenneth Tomlinson II, 42, was arrested Tuesday and charged with 16 counts of sodomy. Authorities say he admitted having sex with the two boys, who are now 12 and 14. Tomlinson was jailed in Cape Girardeau County on $100,000 cash-only bond. Court records indicated he did not yet have an attorney.
Tomlinson joined the police department in Fredericktown — a community of 4,100 about 80 miles southwest of St. Louis — as a patrolman in 1997. He was promoted to captain, the top job, in April.
Mayor Danny Kemp, who said he was "floored" by the news of the captain's arrest, said the progress Tomlinson made while supervising six full-time officers was impressive.
"He turned the department around," Kemp said, inside his office just off the town square. "He was a great leader."
But Vicky Manche, who owns an A&M Restaurant downtown, said teens derisively referred to Tomlinson — described by one city worker as 6-foot-2 and about 450 pounds — as "Baby Huey."
"They ought to string him up," Manche said. "It's really pitiful when you put your trust in somebody and this happens. My grandsons are Boy Scouts so this hits close to home."
Manche's grandsons were not part of Tomlinson's troops, and it was not known if the alleged victims were either.
The two boys told authorities that the sexual abuse began last spring. One boy is 12, but was 11 when it began, he said. The other is 14.
A probable cause statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol said Tomlinson admitted to having sex with the boys and videotaping some of the acts. The statement said Tomlinson and the boys viewed the video on the camera screen, then he destroyed the recordings.
Joe Mueller of the Boy Scouts of America's Greater St. Louis Council said he didn't know if the victims were members of Tomlinson's Boy Scout or Cub Scout troops. He said Tomlinson had led the troops in Fredericktown since 1998. His association with scouting has been revoked, Mueller said.
"Our heart goes out to the families of the children involved in the allegations," Mueller said. "We have made it a fundamental part of our organization to protect youth members and adult leaders as well."
Kemp said Tomlinson had no previous criminal record. He has been placed on unpaid leave from the department until the case is adjudicated. Sgt. Jason Gordon has taken over as interim leader of the department.
At the Mills Barbershop across from City Hall, owner Jane Mills said some of those getting haircuts found the allegations too difficult to talk about. Those who discussed it were mostly in shock, she said.
"It's very concerning because he's a policeman and a scout leader," she said. "It's very sad, and it's an embarrassment that something like this could happen."
Family of Doctor Files Lawsuit Against Taser International
The family of a 33 year-old doctor who died after being shot with a stun gun by Nevada Highway Patrol officer has filed a lawsuit against Taser International, alleging that the stun gun maker failed to adequately warn about the potentially fatal effects of Tasers.
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas by the family of Dr. Ryan Rich, a single father who was a licensed physician and emergency room resident. The family seeks compensatory and punitive damages against Taser International, saying that the company fraudulently promoted Taser guns as nonlethal weapons.
According to the complaint, Dr. Rich suffered a seizure while on his way to work in January 2007. As a result of his inability to control the pick-up truck he was driving, he was involved in several minor accidents that left him dazed, confused and disoriented when his vehicle came to a stop.
The erratic driving was observed by a Nevada Highway Patrol officer, Loren Lazoff, who approached the vehicle and broke the passenger-side window and turned off the engine. The family alleges that while Dr. Rich was initially not combative, violent or posing any threat to the officer, he pulled away while being handcuffed and began running in the direction of traffic lanes. The officer grabbed the back of Dr. Rich’s shirt and discharged his Taser Model X26 ECD from about 3 to four feet into the chest, delivering 50,000 volts of electricity designed to incapacitate humans.
After discharing the initial 5-second cycle to the chest, Officer Lazoff then subjected Dr. Rich to two more 5-second cycles to the chest when Dr. Rich continued to try to remove the probes. After the third cycle, Dr. Rich reportedly began to move his legs and the officer applied two more 5-second cycles to his right thigh in drive stun mode, for a total of five cycles.
The Taser wrongful death lawsuit indicates that Dr. Rich subsequently turned blue and was transported by ambulance to Spring Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The family claims that Rich died of a heart attack as a direct result of the use of the Taser.
The family alleges that Taser International misrepresented the safety of their stun guns, failed to disclose and failed to warn Nevada Highway Patrol and their officers about the risks, including the risk of ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest when a Taser is applied to the chest and that multiple cycles on a single person increase the risk of injury or death. The complaint also alleges that Taser indicated their weapon was an effective, non-lethal control device, when it is actually potentially lethal.
Scottsdale-based Taser International has vigorously defended the safety of the weapons in the media and in other cases, obtaining dismissals of most Taser lawsuits that have been filed against them. This fall, however, the company issued a memo to police agencies throughout the United States warning about the potential Taser heart risks, recommending that officers avoid chest shots.
The Taser gun is designed to incapacitate neuromuscular function by delivering a shock that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption technology. Many law enforcement agencies have deployed the weapons to allow police to incapacitate someone who poses a threat, but there have also been a number of reports of overuse and abuse of the weapons, which could have fatal consequences.
Taser has said it issued the warning not because it believes that the weapons are dangerous, but as a means of legal risk management for law enforcement agencies using their weapons. However, critics have characterized the recommendations as a passive admission that Taser stun guns can cause heart attacks. Taser has disagreed with this interpretation of their recommendations.
The new recommendations, included in a revised training manual, note that the possibility of someone having a cardiac arrest after recently being shot with a stun gun could place Taser and police in the difficult role of having to determine whether the stun gun was a contributing factor. To avoid that, the company recommends that law enforcement agencies train their officers to fire the gun below the chest.
In 2008, Amnesty International released a report on Taser police use, calling for departments throughout the United States to stop using Taser guns or to strictly limit their use to life-threatening situations. The human rights group linked 334 deaths to the use of Taser guns between 2001 and August 2008. Amnesty noted that 90% of the Taser deaths examined involved people who were unarmed and did not appear to present a serious threat to the officers. A large number of the fatalities involved misuse of the weapons, including multiple Taser shocks or exposing suspects to prolonged shocks.
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas by the family of Dr. Ryan Rich, a single father who was a licensed physician and emergency room resident. The family seeks compensatory and punitive damages against Taser International, saying that the company fraudulently promoted Taser guns as nonlethal weapons.
According to the complaint, Dr. Rich suffered a seizure while on his way to work in January 2007. As a result of his inability to control the pick-up truck he was driving, he was involved in several minor accidents that left him dazed, confused and disoriented when his vehicle came to a stop.
The erratic driving was observed by a Nevada Highway Patrol officer, Loren Lazoff, who approached the vehicle and broke the passenger-side window and turned off the engine. The family alleges that while Dr. Rich was initially not combative, violent or posing any threat to the officer, he pulled away while being handcuffed and began running in the direction of traffic lanes. The officer grabbed the back of Dr. Rich’s shirt and discharged his Taser Model X26 ECD from about 3 to four feet into the chest, delivering 50,000 volts of electricity designed to incapacitate humans.
After discharing the initial 5-second cycle to the chest, Officer Lazoff then subjected Dr. Rich to two more 5-second cycles to the chest when Dr. Rich continued to try to remove the probes. After the third cycle, Dr. Rich reportedly began to move his legs and the officer applied two more 5-second cycles to his right thigh in drive stun mode, for a total of five cycles.
The Taser wrongful death lawsuit indicates that Dr. Rich subsequently turned blue and was transported by ambulance to Spring Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The family claims that Rich died of a heart attack as a direct result of the use of the Taser.
The family alleges that Taser International misrepresented the safety of their stun guns, failed to disclose and failed to warn Nevada Highway Patrol and their officers about the risks, including the risk of ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest when a Taser is applied to the chest and that multiple cycles on a single person increase the risk of injury or death. The complaint also alleges that Taser indicated their weapon was an effective, non-lethal control device, when it is actually potentially lethal.
Scottsdale-based Taser International has vigorously defended the safety of the weapons in the media and in other cases, obtaining dismissals of most Taser lawsuits that have been filed against them. This fall, however, the company issued a memo to police agencies throughout the United States warning about the potential Taser heart risks, recommending that officers avoid chest shots.
The Taser gun is designed to incapacitate neuromuscular function by delivering a shock that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption technology. Many law enforcement agencies have deployed the weapons to allow police to incapacitate someone who poses a threat, but there have also been a number of reports of overuse and abuse of the weapons, which could have fatal consequences.
Taser has said it issued the warning not because it believes that the weapons are dangerous, but as a means of legal risk management for law enforcement agencies using their weapons. However, critics have characterized the recommendations as a passive admission that Taser stun guns can cause heart attacks. Taser has disagreed with this interpretation of their recommendations.
The new recommendations, included in a revised training manual, note that the possibility of someone having a cardiac arrest after recently being shot with a stun gun could place Taser and police in the difficult role of having to determine whether the stun gun was a contributing factor. To avoid that, the company recommends that law enforcement agencies train their officers to fire the gun below the chest.
In 2008, Amnesty International released a report on Taser police use, calling for departments throughout the United States to stop using Taser guns or to strictly limit their use to life-threatening situations. The human rights group linked 334 deaths to the use of Taser guns between 2001 and August 2008. Amnesty noted that 90% of the Taser deaths examined involved people who were unarmed and did not appear to present a serious threat to the officers. A large number of the fatalities involved misuse of the weapons, including multiple Taser shocks or exposing suspects to prolonged shocks.
Deputy Carl Maddox Jr Charged with Child Rape
Carl Milton Maddox Jr. was fired as a Henry County sheriff’s deputy after being charged with statutory rape and child molestation.
Henry County Sheriff’s Departmen Carl Milton Maddox Jr. was fired as a Henry County sheriff’s deputy after being charged with statutory rape and child molestation.
Carl Milton Maddox Jr., 35, of McDonough was fired immediately after he was arrested on felony charges Monday.
"We're disappointed. We're embarrassed publicly," Sheriff's Chief Deputy David McCart said. "We know that people look at us and we try to maintain a high level of integrity. But we still have officers who are human and make mistakes. And he's accused of making a big one."
Maddox is charged with child molestation, aggravated child molestation, statutory rape and enticing a child for indecent purposes. He was denied bond at a hearing in Superior Court Wednesday afternoon.
Police Capt. Jason Bolton told the Henry Daily Herald that Maddox "was discovered bringing the victim home around 4 a.m. ... by the victim's mother." Maddox's lawyer, Fred Jones, told the newspaper that the alleged victim claimed to be 18 when Maddox met her about six months ago.
Maddox worked in Henry County law enforcement for 12 years, including four years with the police department. He is married with three children, according to the Henry Daily Herald.
Former Officer Shawn Turner Arrested for Disorderly Conduct
A former Royalton police officer is in the Franklin County jail Thursday night. Shawn Turner was arrested on Wednesday and charged with official and disorderly conduct.
Turner made his first appearance in Franklin County court Thursday morning. But, it's not the first time News 3 has been in contact with Turner. In fact, just last month he sent News 3 several documents outlining his complaints against his former employer the Royalton Police Department. And these felony charges apparently stem from those issues.
Until recently, Shawn Turner was a lieutenant with the Royalton Police Department. He'd been in local law enforcement for years, including stints with Sesser and Johnston City. But, on Monday, the Royalton City Council fired him. Two days later- he was arrested.
"He's presumed innocent until proven guilty."
State police investigator John Lewis says, Turner came to ISP with claims against the Royalton Police Department and Chief- including allegations the Chief beat a civilian with a flashlight back in July. Investigating those allegations lead state police to question Turner...
"This investigation lasted a while, and the Franklin County State's Attorney evidently thought we had enough evidence to obtain an arrest warrant."
Turner is accused of forwarding allegations against the Chief while knowing there was not reasonable ground for the claims. He's also charged with breaking into a locked evidence room at the Royalton Police Department. In the letter given to News 3 by Turner, he states he did, in fact, break into that locker. But, Lewis, will not confirm or deny many of the details...
"There is very little we can say, or the state's attorney can say, because we don't want to prejudice his case."
Before Turner was fired, he was on a 45 day suspension from the department. Royalton's Police Chief, who did not want to talk to us on camera, says the reasons for Turner's suspension and termination will eventually come to light. And, as for the allegations made by Turner, the Chief says they're totally untrue.
What will happen if Turner is convicted of these charges?
It's very unlikely he'll have much of a law enforcement career with an arrest record. Law enforcement officials in the area confirm Turner has put in applications at other police departments. Those departments are aware of his arrest.
Turner will appear in Franklin County court again in early February. He is currently being held on $20,000 bail.
Turner made his first appearance in Franklin County court Thursday morning. But, it's not the first time News 3 has been in contact with Turner. In fact, just last month he sent News 3 several documents outlining his complaints against his former employer the Royalton Police Department. And these felony charges apparently stem from those issues.
Until recently, Shawn Turner was a lieutenant with the Royalton Police Department. He'd been in local law enforcement for years, including stints with Sesser and Johnston City. But, on Monday, the Royalton City Council fired him. Two days later- he was arrested.
"He's presumed innocent until proven guilty."
State police investigator John Lewis says, Turner came to ISP with claims against the Royalton Police Department and Chief- including allegations the Chief beat a civilian with a flashlight back in July. Investigating those allegations lead state police to question Turner...
"This investigation lasted a while, and the Franklin County State's Attorney evidently thought we had enough evidence to obtain an arrest warrant."
Turner is accused of forwarding allegations against the Chief while knowing there was not reasonable ground for the claims. He's also charged with breaking into a locked evidence room at the Royalton Police Department. In the letter given to News 3 by Turner, he states he did, in fact, break into that locker. But, Lewis, will not confirm or deny many of the details...
"There is very little we can say, or the state's attorney can say, because we don't want to prejudice his case."
Before Turner was fired, he was on a 45 day suspension from the department. Royalton's Police Chief, who did not want to talk to us on camera, says the reasons for Turner's suspension and termination will eventually come to light. And, as for the allegations made by Turner, the Chief says they're totally untrue.
What will happen if Turner is convicted of these charges?
It's very unlikely he'll have much of a law enforcement career with an arrest record. Law enforcement officials in the area confirm Turner has put in applications at other police departments. Those departments are aware of his arrest.
Turner will appear in Franklin County court again in early February. He is currently being held on $20,000 bail.
Navy Officer Zachary Littleton Charged with Murder
A Florida-based Navy officer has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of a pregnant woman. Zachary Littleton, a 25-year-old petty officer third class is accused of killing Samira Watkins, also 25, because she refused his request to get an abortion.
The case has a similar ring to it as it reminds officials of the killing death of Laci Peterson and her unborn child Conner.
Littleton has been indicted on a first-degree premeditated murder charge.
According to the Pensacola News-Journal, Watkins was last seen alive by her family on October 25 when she left her grandmother's home. Officials say they believe Watkins went to see Littleton, who then took her life.
Littleton is married and has another child but was reportedly having an affair with Watkins, whom he got pregnant. Wanting to keep the pregnancy a secret, Littleton asked Watkins to get an abortion, but she refused.
The newspaper indicates Watkins' body was discovered by two men riding a personal watercraft in Bayou Grande on November 3. They found her body washed ashore in luggage near a scenic overlook. The paper did not indicate how far along in pregnancy Watkins' baby was at the time of their death.
Now, Littleton is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and he faces a bond hearing on January 15.
Circuit Judge Terry Terrell will preside over the bond hearing, the paper says.
The killing of pregnant women who refuse abortions or attempts to force them to have abortions using certain drugs is becoming commonplace.
Yesterday, LifeNews.com reported on a Utah man who formerly lived in western Colorado who stands accused of giving his pregnant girlfriend the second part of the two-part abortion drug in an attempt to force her to have an abortion.
In this case, 31-year-old Jared Merril Ahlstrom appeared in Mesa County District Court on Tuesday where he faces a felony charge of unlawful termination of pregnancy. The drug eventually caused a miscarriage and the death of the unborn child.
Last month, a Seattle-area man found himself in police custody after allegedly killing his girlfriend and their infant daughter after the woman refused his request to get an abortion.
Daniel Thomas Hicks is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Jennifer "J" Morgan and 13-month-old Ema Morgan.
Hicks was charged after he was apprehended following the discovery of the bodies by Morgan's mother and cooperation with other relatives who aided them in locating Hicks.
Legal papers the Times obtained say Hicks wanted Morgan to have an abortion and claimed she "was just trying to trap him with the pregnancy." They say Hicks made several threats about killing Morgan and himself.
The case has a similar ring to it as it reminds officials of the killing death of Laci Peterson and her unborn child Conner.
Littleton has been indicted on a first-degree premeditated murder charge.
According to the Pensacola News-Journal, Watkins was last seen alive by her family on October 25 when she left her grandmother's home. Officials say they believe Watkins went to see Littleton, who then took her life.
Littleton is married and has another child but was reportedly having an affair with Watkins, whom he got pregnant. Wanting to keep the pregnancy a secret, Littleton asked Watkins to get an abortion, but she refused.
The newspaper indicates Watkins' body was discovered by two men riding a personal watercraft in Bayou Grande on November 3. They found her body washed ashore in luggage near a scenic overlook. The paper did not indicate how far along in pregnancy Watkins' baby was at the time of their death.
Now, Littleton is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and he faces a bond hearing on January 15.
Circuit Judge Terry Terrell will preside over the bond hearing, the paper says.
The killing of pregnant women who refuse abortions or attempts to force them to have abortions using certain drugs is becoming commonplace.
Yesterday, LifeNews.com reported on a Utah man who formerly lived in western Colorado who stands accused of giving his pregnant girlfriend the second part of the two-part abortion drug in an attempt to force her to have an abortion.
In this case, 31-year-old Jared Merril Ahlstrom appeared in Mesa County District Court on Tuesday where he faces a felony charge of unlawful termination of pregnancy. The drug eventually caused a miscarriage and the death of the unborn child.
Last month, a Seattle-area man found himself in police custody after allegedly killing his girlfriend and their infant daughter after the woman refused his request to get an abortion.
Daniel Thomas Hicks is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Jennifer "J" Morgan and 13-month-old Ema Morgan.
Hicks was charged after he was apprehended following the discovery of the bodies by Morgan's mother and cooperation with other relatives who aided them in locating Hicks.
Legal papers the Times obtained say Hicks wanted Morgan to have an abortion and claimed she "was just trying to trap him with the pregnancy." They say Hicks made several threats about killing Morgan and himself.
Officer Chad Dojack Pleads No Contest to Snooping on Sarah Jessica Parker
Chad Dojack, the second Ohio police chief charged with snooping on Sarah Jessica Parker’s surrogate, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor, according to Wonderwall
On Thursday Dojack entered the plea to a charge of dereliction of duty. Dojack is chief of Bridgeport Police Department in eastern Ohio. Prosecutors dropped charges of complicity to burglary and complicity to receiving stolen property.
Dojack and the ex-chief of Martins Ferry Police were accused of taking things from Parker’s surrogate’s home to sell to the paparazzi.
Dojack is facing a 90-day jail sentence. Sentencing will take place next week.
On Thursday Dojack entered the plea to a charge of dereliction of duty. Dojack is chief of Bridgeport Police Department in eastern Ohio. Prosecutors dropped charges of complicity to burglary and complicity to receiving stolen property.
Dojack and the ex-chief of Martins Ferry Police were accused of taking things from Parker’s surrogate’s home to sell to the paparazzi.
Dojack is facing a 90-day jail sentence. Sentencing will take place next week.
Former Officer Paul Whitmire Indicted for Illegally Obtaining Prescription Painkillers
Suspected drug dealing has been cleaned out of Catoosa's city hall tonight.
Seven arrest warrants were issued today after a five-month long drug investigation.
Two of the people arrested work for Catoosa's city government, including the assistant police chief.
Nobody likes to hear about possible corrupt cops.
My sources tell me what really makes them mad about this case is a high ranking police officer using drugs in his uniform and using his job to obtain even more drugs.
They plan to arrest more people before it's over, including a former Catoosa police officer.
Catoosa Assistant Police Chief Paul Whitmire, who's been on paid suspension after the investigation began, arrived at the police station after receiving a phone call informing him he'd been indicted for obtaining prescription painkillers illegally and U-S marshals were waiting for him.
City court clerk Phyliss Matthews was the next to leave in handcuffs.. she's been indicted for distributing painkillers.
She cried while the two were arraigned in federal court a short time later.. both pleaded not guilty and were released on five-thousand dollars bond.
Chief Raymond Rogers, Catoosa Police, said, "Yes, it hurts, as sheriff Walton says, gives law enforcement a black eye. It comes to a lot of communities. We really have a problem with drugs in our society, yes it hurts."
Investigators believe Whitmire is addicted to Hydrocodone and used his position at the police department to obtain as many pills as he could get his hands on, even approaching a local doctor.
Three other people were also arrested, Jessica May and Art Spencer were booked into the Rogers County jail, the third was arrested in Fort Smith.
Affidavits show former Catoosa police officer, John Mines, who was suspended because of the investigation, then resigned, turned into a police informant and made undercover drug buys from the three of marijuana and cocaine.
The Drug Task Force, Claremore police department and Rogers county sheriff's office were the lead agencies on the case.
They say it's never fun to investigate people in your own profession.
"As sad as it is, as sickening to see one from our profession fall in this fashion, the positive note is we made a great effort to clean up dirty law enforcement," Walton said.
The Catoosa mayor says the city council just passed a drug and alcohol policy last month that allows them to randomly drug test city employees in hopes of preventing this type of thing in the future.
She says no services or protection were compromised.
Seven arrest warrants were issued today after a five-month long drug investigation.
Two of the people arrested work for Catoosa's city government, including the assistant police chief.
Nobody likes to hear about possible corrupt cops.
My sources tell me what really makes them mad about this case is a high ranking police officer using drugs in his uniform and using his job to obtain even more drugs.
They plan to arrest more people before it's over, including a former Catoosa police officer.
Catoosa Assistant Police Chief Paul Whitmire, who's been on paid suspension after the investigation began, arrived at the police station after receiving a phone call informing him he'd been indicted for obtaining prescription painkillers illegally and U-S marshals were waiting for him.
City court clerk Phyliss Matthews was the next to leave in handcuffs.. she's been indicted for distributing painkillers.
She cried while the two were arraigned in federal court a short time later.. both pleaded not guilty and were released on five-thousand dollars bond.
Chief Raymond Rogers, Catoosa Police, said, "Yes, it hurts, as sheriff Walton says, gives law enforcement a black eye. It comes to a lot of communities. We really have a problem with drugs in our society, yes it hurts."
Investigators believe Whitmire is addicted to Hydrocodone and used his position at the police department to obtain as many pills as he could get his hands on, even approaching a local doctor.
Three other people were also arrested, Jessica May and Art Spencer were booked into the Rogers County jail, the third was arrested in Fort Smith.
Affidavits show former Catoosa police officer, John Mines, who was suspended because of the investigation, then resigned, turned into a police informant and made undercover drug buys from the three of marijuana and cocaine.
The Drug Task Force, Claremore police department and Rogers county sheriff's office were the lead agencies on the case.
They say it's never fun to investigate people in your own profession.
"As sad as it is, as sickening to see one from our profession fall in this fashion, the positive note is we made a great effort to clean up dirty law enforcement," Walton said.
The Catoosa mayor says the city council just passed a drug and alcohol policy last month that allows them to randomly drug test city employees in hopes of preventing this type of thing in the future.
She says no services or protection were compromised.
SWAT Officer Timothy Carson Arrested for Bank Robbery
Officer Timothy Carson, 28, a Minneapolis police SWAT team member has been charged with bank robbery. The officer, from Rosemount, Minn. was ordered held without bail after a federal court hearing Thursday. Carson is accused of robbing a Wells Fargo bank in suburban Apple Valley on Wednesday, when $4,580 was taken.
Police Chief Tim Dolan said Thursday that officers in his department helped break the case, and the FBI was investigating.
Dolan told reporters that he was shocked by the arrest, and that his department spends a tremendous amount of resources trying to recruit the best people to the force.
"We do have a few that fail," he conceded. "It does tarnish the badge, the badge of the Minneapolis Police Department."
The officer was not immediately charged and authorities did not immediately say which specific robberies they believe he committed. FBI spokesman E.K. Wilson said he couldn't comment.
Officer Timothy Edward Carson was initially booked into the Dakota County Jail, but officials said he was no longer there late Thursday morning and is the custody of the U.S. Marshal's Service.
The 28-year-old officer had been assigned to the 3rd Precinct of south Minneapolis.
"It's disgusting," said John Delmonico, president of the Minneapolis Police Federation. "I don't even know what words I could use ... The actions of this guy have a bad reflection on every Minneapolis cop today. For all the cops who go out and do a good job every day, it's pathetic."
Delmonico said the union will do nothing to help the accused officer.
"Whatever they do to this guy, in my opinion, won't be enough," he said.
Former Officer Lt. Mike Brown Charged with Malfeasance in Office
An Assumption Parish grand jury indicted a second former law enforcement officer in connection with the unsupervised auto parts shopping trip by two then-Assumption Parish jail trusties in October 2008, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
The grand jury returned a true bill Wednesday against former Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Brown on one felony count of malfeasance in office in connection with the Oct. 2, 2008, ride, the prosecutor said.
Lafourche Parish District Attorney Camille A. “Cam” Morvant II said the grand jury issued a warrant for Brown’s arrest.
Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack said his office was informed Wednesday the paperwork would be ready this morning and then he would seek to arrest Brown.
The sheriff declined further comment Wednesday. Brown is Waguespack’s former assistant jail warden. The sheriff fired Brown June 30 after conducting an internal affairs investigation into the trusty incident. The trusties, who worked in the jail motor pool, reportedly were on an errand to buy auto parts when they were arrested in Lafourche Parish.
The investigation found Brown and Thibodaux Police Cpl. Rodney Rhodes conspired with others to set up an arrest of the trusties in Thibodaux in Lafourche Parish, thereby embarrassing Waguespack.
The report said Brown saw the trusties leave the Assumption jail in Napoleonville and did not alert the sheriff but called Rhodes to make the arrest at an auto parts store miles away in Lafourche.
The sheriff’s report said Brown was known to have it in for the trusties and that Brown was not truthful with internal affairs investigators. Waguespack had previously terminated Rhodes as Assumption Parish jail warden.
On Oct. 9, a separate grand jury impaneled by Morvant in Lafourche Parish indicted Rhodes on one count of felony malfeasance in office.
Rhodes is accused of filing a police report with a false statement of material fact about the trusties’ arrest. Some three weeks before the indictment, Rhodes was dismissed for not following police procedures unrelated to the trusties.
Rhodes has pleaded not guilty to the charge, is out on bond and goes before Lafourche Parish Judge Jerome Barbera III Feb. 4, Morvant said.
The trusties, who were state Department of Corrections inmates being held at the Assumption jail, were never charged in the incident and returned to state custody.
Brown’s attorney, Marvin Gros, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
The grand jury returned a true bill Wednesday against former Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Brown on one felony count of malfeasance in office in connection with the Oct. 2, 2008, ride, the prosecutor said.
Lafourche Parish District Attorney Camille A. “Cam” Morvant II said the grand jury issued a warrant for Brown’s arrest.
Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack said his office was informed Wednesday the paperwork would be ready this morning and then he would seek to arrest Brown.
The sheriff declined further comment Wednesday. Brown is Waguespack’s former assistant jail warden. The sheriff fired Brown June 30 after conducting an internal affairs investigation into the trusty incident. The trusties, who worked in the jail motor pool, reportedly were on an errand to buy auto parts when they were arrested in Lafourche Parish.
The investigation found Brown and Thibodaux Police Cpl. Rodney Rhodes conspired with others to set up an arrest of the trusties in Thibodaux in Lafourche Parish, thereby embarrassing Waguespack.
The report said Brown saw the trusties leave the Assumption jail in Napoleonville and did not alert the sheriff but called Rhodes to make the arrest at an auto parts store miles away in Lafourche.
The sheriff’s report said Brown was known to have it in for the trusties and that Brown was not truthful with internal affairs investigators. Waguespack had previously terminated Rhodes as Assumption Parish jail warden.
On Oct. 9, a separate grand jury impaneled by Morvant in Lafourche Parish indicted Rhodes on one count of felony malfeasance in office.
Rhodes is accused of filing a police report with a false statement of material fact about the trusties’ arrest. Some three weeks before the indictment, Rhodes was dismissed for not following police procedures unrelated to the trusties.
Rhodes has pleaded not guilty to the charge, is out on bond and goes before Lafourche Parish Judge Jerome Barbera III Feb. 4, Morvant said.
The trusties, who were state Department of Corrections inmates being held at the Assumption jail, were never charged in the incident and returned to state custody.
Brown’s attorney, Marvin Gros, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Officer John Thompson Fired for Sending Nude Photos to Female Officers
A Longview police officer has been fired following a three month investigation into reports that he had been sending nude photos of himself female officers.
John Thompson has been on administrative leave for the past three months.
John Thompson has been on administrative leave for the past three months.
Officer Joseph Kraus Turns Over Driver's License
An off-duty Westchester County police officer charged with drunken driving in a Dec. 27 accident in Scarsdale that left a village officer injured pleaded not guilty Wednesday and turned over his driver's license to the court.
Officer Joseph Kraus did not speak during his brief arraignment before Village Justice Arlene Katz in Scarsdale. The plea was entered by his Tuckahoe-based attorney, Thomas Vallely.
Neither would comment afterward. Kraus was accompanied to court by several plainclothes county police officers, in an apparent show of support.
Kraus was arrested about 2 a.m., almost a half-hour after, Scarsdale police said, he drove past a red light in his pickup truck, then hit a village police car at East Parkway and Popham Road, injuring Scarsdale Officer Jessica Knatz. She suffered facial and back injuries and had to be cut from the cruiser by emergency responders.
Kraus told investigating officers he'd had "two or three beers" earlier in the evening. Kraus, 35, of Mount Vernon refused to submit to a chemical test to measure his blood-alcohol level. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, and issued a traffic ticket in connection with the red light.
According to police records, he was released without bail from Scarsdale police custody at 5:45 a.m.
In court, Kraus was ordered to turn over his driver's license, pending a state Department of Motor Vehicles hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
DWI suspects who refuse to submit to a chemical test can have their licenses revoked for a year.
Katz adjourned the case until Feb. 3.
Kraus, a county police officer since 2005, remains free without bail and has been suspended with pay pending a county police investigation .
He is one of four off-duty law enforcement officers from Westchester arrested in drunken-driving accidents in recent weeks.
Dobbs Ferry Officer Michael Huffman was charged with DWI and two traffic violations after a Dec. 11 rollover in Tarrytown. He recently returned to modified duty and is due in Tarrytown Village Court on Wednesday. He lives in Dobbs Ferry.
County Correction Officer Patricia Yancy-Johnson remains at work after she was charged with DWI by Greenburgh police after being accused of rear-ending an ambulance. The Yonkers resident is due in Town Court on Feb. 5.
White Plains Police Officer Joe Zepeda is to be arraigned on a DWI charge in City Court on Monday. He was arrested Dec. 31 by state police. He was accused of hitting a tractor-trailer on Interstate 287.
Zepeda, a Mahopac resident, has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation.
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Officer Joseph Kraus did not speak during his brief arraignment before Village Justice Arlene Katz in Scarsdale. The plea was entered by his Tuckahoe-based attorney, Thomas Vallely.
Neither would comment afterward. Kraus was accompanied to court by several plainclothes county police officers, in an apparent show of support.
Kraus was arrested about 2 a.m., almost a half-hour after, Scarsdale police said, he drove past a red light in his pickup truck, then hit a village police car at East Parkway and Popham Road, injuring Scarsdale Officer Jessica Knatz. She suffered facial and back injuries and had to be cut from the cruiser by emergency responders.
Kraus told investigating officers he'd had "two or three beers" earlier in the evening. Kraus, 35, of Mount Vernon refused to submit to a chemical test to measure his blood-alcohol level. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, and issued a traffic ticket in connection with the red light.
According to police records, he was released without bail from Scarsdale police custody at 5:45 a.m.
In court, Kraus was ordered to turn over his driver's license, pending a state Department of Motor Vehicles hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
DWI suspects who refuse to submit to a chemical test can have their licenses revoked for a year.
Katz adjourned the case until Feb. 3.
Kraus, a county police officer since 2005, remains free without bail and has been suspended with pay pending a county police investigation .
He is one of four off-duty law enforcement officers from Westchester arrested in drunken-driving accidents in recent weeks.
Dobbs Ferry Officer Michael Huffman was charged with DWI and two traffic violations after a Dec. 11 rollover in Tarrytown. He recently returned to modified duty and is due in Tarrytown Village Court on Wednesday. He lives in Dobbs Ferry.
County Correction Officer Patricia Yancy-Johnson remains at work after she was charged with DWI by Greenburgh police after being accused of rear-ending an ambulance. The Yonkers resident is due in Town Court on Feb. 5.
White Plains Police Officer Joe Zepeda is to be arraigned on a DWI charge in City Court on Monday. He was arrested Dec. 31 by state police. He was accused of hitting a tractor-trailer on Interstate 287.
Zepeda, a Mahopac resident, has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation.
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Officer Robert Tracy Buck Charged with Drunk Driving
An Ogden police officer charged with drunken driving resolved his case this week by pleading guilty to "impaired driving."
Officer Robert Tracy Buck, 35, was pulled over Aug. 30 after a Harrisville officer observed him speeding and drifting over the center line.
Buck, who failed a field sobriety test and admitted to police he "had too many to be driving," had a blood-alcohol content of 0.12, according to a police report.
Charged with class B misdemeanor driving under the influence, Buck was scheduled for trial Thursday in Harrisville's justice court.
Instead, the officer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the impaired driving charge, which is also a class B misdemeanor.
Harrisville Justice Court Judge James Beesley suspended a potential six-month jail term and ordered Buck to pay a $1,340 fine, perform 48 hours of community service and complete counseling.
Buck is to remain on probation until the fine is paid and he has completed the other sentencing requirements, according to a docket entry.
Neither the prosecutor nor Buck's defense attorney were immediately available for comment on Thursday.
Buck remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation, Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner said Thursday.
Last month, another Ogden police officer charged with DUI, Jared Ingalsbe, resolved his case by pleading guilty to a non-alcohol-related reckless driving charge.
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On June 30, Ingalsbe crashed into two power poles, four cars and a house in Harrisville.
There was both alcohol and a prescription sleep medication in Ingalsbe's bloodstream and he was initially charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Prosecutors said the plea deal was the result of problems proving in court that Ingalsbe was driving while impaired.
Ingalsbe, who claimed he simply fell asleep at the wheel, has been returned to duty.
Officer Robert Tracy Buck, 35, was pulled over Aug. 30 after a Harrisville officer observed him speeding and drifting over the center line.
Buck, who failed a field sobriety test and admitted to police he "had too many to be driving," had a blood-alcohol content of 0.12, according to a police report.
Charged with class B misdemeanor driving under the influence, Buck was scheduled for trial Thursday in Harrisville's justice court.
Instead, the officer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the impaired driving charge, which is also a class B misdemeanor.
Harrisville Justice Court Judge James Beesley suspended a potential six-month jail term and ordered Buck to pay a $1,340 fine, perform 48 hours of community service and complete counseling.
Buck is to remain on probation until the fine is paid and he has completed the other sentencing requirements, according to a docket entry.
Neither the prosecutor nor Buck's defense attorney were immediately available for comment on Thursday.
Buck remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation, Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner said Thursday.
Last month, another Ogden police officer charged with DUI, Jared Ingalsbe, resolved his case by pleading guilty to a non-alcohol-related reckless driving charge.
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On June 30, Ingalsbe crashed into two power poles, four cars and a house in Harrisville.
There was both alcohol and a prescription sleep medication in Ingalsbe's bloodstream and he was initially charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Prosecutors said the plea deal was the result of problems proving in court that Ingalsbe was driving while impaired.
Ingalsbe, who claimed he simply fell asleep at the wheel, has been returned to duty.
Officer Brandon Loverde Accused of Ripping Woman's Shirt & Feeling Her Breasts
An Orlando police officer bonded out of jail Thursday after turning himself in on charges of battery and false imprisonment stemming from an incident at a local night club.
In a sworn statement the 21-year-old victim said officer Brandon Loverde ripped her shirt and felt her breasts outside Club Firestone in downtown Orlando. OPD ...
"Anytime you have an officer that's been arrested for a felony, that's a big deal to OPD," said Sergeant Barb Jones.
Loverde was working off duty security at the time but was in uniform. He's been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the case.
In a sworn statement the 21-year-old victim said officer Brandon Loverde ripped her shirt and felt her breasts outside Club Firestone in downtown Orlando. OPD ...
"Anytime you have an officer that's been arrested for a felony, that's a big deal to OPD," said Sergeant Barb Jones.
Loverde was working off duty security at the time but was in uniform. He's been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the case.
Reserve Officer Jason Walker Charged with Faking Degree
Police in suburban Saanich are combing their files to see whether a therapist accused of falsely claiming to hold two doctoral degrees testified in criminal cases during his 21/2 years as a reserve constable with the force.
Jason Matthew Walker, 31, was charged Dec. 31 with fraud after he reported to police in August that a client of his counselling clinic, a six-year-old child, claimed he had been abused by his father. In his sworn affidavit in the case, which was part of a custody battle, Walker indicated he held two doctoral degrees.
Reserve constables testify as witnesses in criminal cases, but those cases are unlikely to be serious, said Saanich police spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Fast. "The vast majority of calls are about noise complaints, shoplifters and incidents of that nature."
Jason Matthew Walker, 31, was charged Dec. 31 with fraud after he reported to police in August that a client of his counselling clinic, a six-year-old child, claimed he had been abused by his father. In his sworn affidavit in the case, which was part of a custody battle, Walker indicated he held two doctoral degrees.
Reserve constables testify as witnesses in criminal cases, but those cases are unlikely to be serious, said Saanich police spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Fast. "The vast majority of calls are about noise complaints, shoplifters and incidents of that nature."
Corporal John Quigg Charged with DUI
Do as I say, not as I do. That could well be the new motto of the Pennsylvania State Police, as one of their own is facing disciplinary action following an alleged drunk driving incident last month. It's not uncommon for a police officer to be involved in an accident, or even for one to receive a citation, but this story has a twist.
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Corporal John Quigg, a 24-year state police veteran and crash reconstructionist was involved in an off duty accident. That in and of itself isn't particularly noteworthy, but there's even more to the story.
What makes the story newsworthy is that Quigg is also one of the officers that oversees Philadelphia's DUI checkpoints. Not only that, but Quigg is apparently a drug-recognition expert as well, meaning he can tell what somebody is on based on their behavior. Maybe he should have been checking out the man in the mirror.
The accident occurred a week before Christmas last year, when Quigg crashed his Honda Accord into a guard rail, according to the police report. There wasn't much damage to his car because he was going pretty slow, but the responding trooper found Quigg unresponsive and slumped over.
He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and later charged with driving under the influence and careless driving. He also had an open container in the vehicle according to a police spokesperson. While everybody makes mistakes, we generally want to believe that our officers are held to a higher standard. According to the spokesperson, Cpl. Quigg is on administrative leave
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Corporal John Quigg, a 24-year state police veteran and crash reconstructionist was involved in an off duty accident. That in and of itself isn't particularly noteworthy, but there's even more to the story.
What makes the story newsworthy is that Quigg is also one of the officers that oversees Philadelphia's DUI checkpoints. Not only that, but Quigg is apparently a drug-recognition expert as well, meaning he can tell what somebody is on based on their behavior. Maybe he should have been checking out the man in the mirror.
The accident occurred a week before Christmas last year, when Quigg crashed his Honda Accord into a guard rail, according to the police report. There wasn't much damage to his car because he was going pretty slow, but the responding trooper found Quigg unresponsive and slumped over.
He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and later charged with driving under the influence and careless driving. He also had an open container in the vehicle according to a police spokesperson. While everybody makes mistakes, we generally want to believe that our officers are held to a higher standard. According to the spokesperson, Cpl. Quigg is on administrative leave
Officer Andrew Gill Investigated for Attacking Teen
A Lancaster teenager claims he was viciously attacked and beaten by an off-duty town police officer during a “Beer Pong” game at a New Year’s party attended by underage drinkers.
Town Police Chief Gary F. Stoldt said two captains in his department are investigating the allegations against Andrew Gill, 23, a probationary police officer who has only been on the streets for a couple of weeks.
“It’s a tough situation, but it isn’t going to be whitewashed,” Stoldt told The Buffalo News. “If it turns out there was wrongdoing, the appropriate action will be taken.”
No charges have been filed against Gill, whose father, Gerald Gill, is a lieutenant in the department’s Detective Bureau.
Justin Mangold, 17, alleges that Andrew Gill beat him without provocation sometime between 3 and 4 a. m. on New Year’s Day, according to Mangold’s attorneys, Scott F. Riordan and David S. Kelly. The News contacted police and Mangold’s attorneys about the incident Wednesday after a town resident called the newspaper to ask what was happening with the investigation.
“We have witnesses who verify that my client never said anything bad to Andrew Gill, never threw a punch, never became aggressive toward Gill in any manner,” Riordan said. “[Gill] just attacked my client. He was yelling, ‘I’m a cop, I can kick your ass and get away with it!’ ”
The attorney said Mangold was treated in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst, after suffering a broken nose, a cut lip, a chipped tooth and two black eyes.
Mangold’s attorneys gave this version of events, based on information they received from their client:
During the New Year’s party on Via Donato Drive in the town, teenagers and other young people began playing “Beer Pong,” a drinking game in which contestants try to bounce a pingpong ball into a beer cup.
Mangold was standing in line, getting ready to play, when Gill cut in front of him.
“My client said, ‘You took my spot,’ and that’s when Gill began yelling that he was a cop and could do anything he wanted to do,” Riordan said.
He said Mangold — trying to avoid a fight with the off-duty cop — then walked away from the “Beer Pong” table and went to sit down on a nearby couch.
“Before [Mangold] could even sit down, Gill punched him in the face, and he kept punching him,” Riordan said. “Gill was yelling, ‘I’ll kill you!’ ”
The attorney said his client tried to duck away from Gill’s punches but never threw any punches at the police officer. Ultimately, some other party goers stepped in to stop the attack, Riordan said.
Mangold did not report the incident to police until later in the day, after he had received hospital treatment, Riordan said.
So far, Mangold has only given a brief statement to Lancaster police and has been reluctant to talk to detectives in detail about what happened, Riordan said.
“[Mangold] will cooperate in the investigation, but he’s understandably concerned about the Lancaster police investigating one of their own,” Riordan said. “We want to see this whole incident brought to light.”
Andrew Gill’s attorney, Patrick J. Brown, asked that people withhold judgment until all the facts come in.
“There is another side to this story,” Brown said. “Andrew is a great kid from a terrific family. We’re trying to sort out all the facts and determine what actually happened.”
Stoldt and Detective Capt. Timothy R. Murphy declined to comment in detail on Riordan’s version of what happened, but both promised a full investigation will be conducted.
“We’re handling this the same way we’d handle any incident of this kind, no matter who is involved,” Murphy said.
Murphy and Capt. Marco Laurienzo are both investigating the incident, Stoldt said, adding that he has spoken to the town attorney and other town officials about it.
The two captains have been trying for several days to track down young people, including teenagers, who attended the party and might have seen the incident, Stoldt said.
Efforts by The News to reach Gill were unsuccessful Wednesday. His father, the lieutenant, said he is not involved in the investigation.
“It’s my understanding that the facts are being collected by the Police Department,” Lt. Gill said. “As a dad that loves his son, I can only hope the facts support his actions.”
Andrew Gill was appointed to the department last year and recently graduated from the police academy. He began patrol work with a field training officer about two weeks ago and has been doing well, Stoldt said.
In addition to possible criminal charges, the rookie officer could face departmental charges that could lead to his suspension or firing, the police chief said.
Asked about Gill’s current status in the department, Stoldt said: “He’s not working right now. He’s taking some personal days, and after that, he might be placed on administrative leave, or some other action could be taken while this investigation is pending.”
Town Police Chief Gary F. Stoldt said two captains in his department are investigating the allegations against Andrew Gill, 23, a probationary police officer who has only been on the streets for a couple of weeks.
“It’s a tough situation, but it isn’t going to be whitewashed,” Stoldt told The Buffalo News. “If it turns out there was wrongdoing, the appropriate action will be taken.”
No charges have been filed against Gill, whose father, Gerald Gill, is a lieutenant in the department’s Detective Bureau.
Justin Mangold, 17, alleges that Andrew Gill beat him without provocation sometime between 3 and 4 a. m. on New Year’s Day, according to Mangold’s attorneys, Scott F. Riordan and David S. Kelly. The News contacted police and Mangold’s attorneys about the incident Wednesday after a town resident called the newspaper to ask what was happening with the investigation.
“We have witnesses who verify that my client never said anything bad to Andrew Gill, never threw a punch, never became aggressive toward Gill in any manner,” Riordan said. “[Gill] just attacked my client. He was yelling, ‘I’m a cop, I can kick your ass and get away with it!’ ”
The attorney said Mangold was treated in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst, after suffering a broken nose, a cut lip, a chipped tooth and two black eyes.
Mangold’s attorneys gave this version of events, based on information they received from their client:
During the New Year’s party on Via Donato Drive in the town, teenagers and other young people began playing “Beer Pong,” a drinking game in which contestants try to bounce a pingpong ball into a beer cup.
Mangold was standing in line, getting ready to play, when Gill cut in front of him.
“My client said, ‘You took my spot,’ and that’s when Gill began yelling that he was a cop and could do anything he wanted to do,” Riordan said.
He said Mangold — trying to avoid a fight with the off-duty cop — then walked away from the “Beer Pong” table and went to sit down on a nearby couch.
“Before [Mangold] could even sit down, Gill punched him in the face, and he kept punching him,” Riordan said. “Gill was yelling, ‘I’ll kill you!’ ”
The attorney said his client tried to duck away from Gill’s punches but never threw any punches at the police officer. Ultimately, some other party goers stepped in to stop the attack, Riordan said.
Mangold did not report the incident to police until later in the day, after he had received hospital treatment, Riordan said.
So far, Mangold has only given a brief statement to Lancaster police and has been reluctant to talk to detectives in detail about what happened, Riordan said.
“[Mangold] will cooperate in the investigation, but he’s understandably concerned about the Lancaster police investigating one of their own,” Riordan said. “We want to see this whole incident brought to light.”
Andrew Gill’s attorney, Patrick J. Brown, asked that people withhold judgment until all the facts come in.
“There is another side to this story,” Brown said. “Andrew is a great kid from a terrific family. We’re trying to sort out all the facts and determine what actually happened.”
Stoldt and Detective Capt. Timothy R. Murphy declined to comment in detail on Riordan’s version of what happened, but both promised a full investigation will be conducted.
“We’re handling this the same way we’d handle any incident of this kind, no matter who is involved,” Murphy said.
Murphy and Capt. Marco Laurienzo are both investigating the incident, Stoldt said, adding that he has spoken to the town attorney and other town officials about it.
The two captains have been trying for several days to track down young people, including teenagers, who attended the party and might have seen the incident, Stoldt said.
Efforts by The News to reach Gill were unsuccessful Wednesday. His father, the lieutenant, said he is not involved in the investigation.
“It’s my understanding that the facts are being collected by the Police Department,” Lt. Gill said. “As a dad that loves his son, I can only hope the facts support his actions.”
Andrew Gill was appointed to the department last year and recently graduated from the police academy. He began patrol work with a field training officer about two weeks ago and has been doing well, Stoldt said.
In addition to possible criminal charges, the rookie officer could face departmental charges that could lead to his suspension or firing, the police chief said.
Asked about Gill’s current status in the department, Stoldt said: “He’s not working right now. He’s taking some personal days, and after that, he might be placed on administrative leave, or some other action could be taken while this investigation is pending.”
Officer Thomas Jones Fired After Punching Wife
A Boynton Beach police officer acquitted of punching his wife and nearly strangling her after a night of drinking at a strip club last year was fired Wednesday.
Officer Thomas Jones was acquitted of strangulation and domestic battery charges stemming from the Jan. 31, 2009, incident in April.
In Jones' termination letter, City Manager Kurt Bressner said that although Jones was acquitted of the charges, "the legal standard of proof for a criminal case is different from the standard of proof for a disciplinary action as in this matter."
According to an internal affairs report, Jones became annoyed with his wife's continued questioning about where he had been, who brought him home and where the vehicle or the keys were, so he punched her in the face, knocked her to the floor and repeatedly kicked her.
The report said Jones then called her names, cursed at her and told her how much he hated her before placing her in a chokehold as she tried to get up from the floor.
Bressner wrote in his termination letter that he was concerned about Jones' insistence that his wife had been unfaithful. Bressner wrote that Jones stated he found out about the infidelity from his mother after being released from jail.
Officer Thomas Jones was acquitted of strangulation and domestic battery charges stemming from the Jan. 31, 2009, incident in April.
In Jones' termination letter, City Manager Kurt Bressner said that although Jones was acquitted of the charges, "the legal standard of proof for a criminal case is different from the standard of proof for a disciplinary action as in this matter."
According to an internal affairs report, Jones became annoyed with his wife's continued questioning about where he had been, who brought him home and where the vehicle or the keys were, so he punched her in the face, knocked her to the floor and repeatedly kicked her.
The report said Jones then called her names, cursed at her and told her how much he hated her before placing her in a chokehold as she tried to get up from the floor.
Bressner wrote in his termination letter that he was concerned about Jones' insistence that his wife had been unfaithful. Bressner wrote that Jones stated he found out about the infidelity from his mother after being released from jail.
Former Officer Marcus Tafoya Testifies in Excessive Force Case
A former Fresno police officer accused of using excessive force testified this morning in his trial that fear prompted him to use his police baton on rowdy partygoers for a Marine returning from Iraq in March 2005.
“I’m scared to death,” Marcus Tafoya said in his criminal trial in Fresno County Superior Court.
Tafoya said partygoers were punching and kicking him, cursing him, calling him “pig,” and resisting arrest. Because the attackers came at him from all directions, Tafoya said he deployed a police baton for protection.
Tafoya testified he hit two men with his police baton several times, but the blows didn’t stop the attacks.
A baton blow to the head finally caused one man to quit his attack, Tafoya said. The other attacker gave up after being struck in the leg with the baton, he said.
For the first time, Tafoya, 39, is publicly revealing his account of what happened at the disturbance that led to his firing from the Fresno Police Department. He also criticized some officers who stood around and did nothing while he needed help.
Tafoya faces eight felony counts of using excessive force and one count of burglary involving four incidents. He has pleaded not guilty.
His testimony will resume after the lunch break.
“I’m scared to death,” Marcus Tafoya said in his criminal trial in Fresno County Superior Court.
Tafoya said partygoers were punching and kicking him, cursing him, calling him “pig,” and resisting arrest. Because the attackers came at him from all directions, Tafoya said he deployed a police baton for protection.
Tafoya testified he hit two men with his police baton several times, but the blows didn’t stop the attacks.
A baton blow to the head finally caused one man to quit his attack, Tafoya said. The other attacker gave up after being struck in the leg with the baton, he said.
For the first time, Tafoya, 39, is publicly revealing his account of what happened at the disturbance that led to his firing from the Fresno Police Department. He also criticized some officers who stood around and did nothing while he needed help.
Tafoya faces eight felony counts of using excessive force and one count of burglary involving four incidents. He has pleaded not guilty.
His testimony will resume after the lunch break.
Corrections Officer Charles Walker Accused of Sexually Assaulting Female Inmate
A correctional officer at the Allegheny County Jail has been accused of sexually assaulting a female inmate.
Police said Charles Walker was arrested and is facing several charges including sexual assault and indecent assault.
The alleged incident occurred on Dec. 27 and Walker was awaiting arraignment Thursday at the Allegheny County Jail.
Police said Charles Walker was arrested and is facing several charges including sexual assault and indecent assault.
The alleged incident occurred on Dec. 27 and Walker was awaiting arraignment Thursday at the Allegheny County Jail.
Officer Valerie McFarlane Attended Festival Without Paying Admission
A local attorney is questioning the credibility of an Aspen police officer who wore her uniform while off duty and attended the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day festival in September without paying for admission.
Attorney Lauren Maytin contends that Aspen police officer Valerie McFarlane’s “misconduct … is relevant, exculpatory and probative of truthfulness or the lack thereof” as it pertains to a drunken-driving arrest McFarlane made. Maytin, who represents the DUI defendant, filed a motion last week in that case requesting officer McFarlane’s personnel file.
“It is believed that the documents [in the file] will show that on or about Sept. 4 and Sept. 5 [2009], Officer McFarlane while off duty dressed in her Aspen Police Department uniform, trespassed onto the 2009 Jazz Aspen Labor Day Festival grounds by deceitfully ‘badging’ her way into the concert and failing to pay for admission,” according to Maytin’s motion. “This occurred two days in a row but on the second day, Officer McFarlane, again off duty but dressed in her APD uniform, returned to the festival with her boyfriend and children and flashed her badge to gain access for her group. Not only did she gain access to the festival on this second day by use of her badge but she also trespassed into the VIP section of the festival where she was able to obtain free food and libations for her group.”
In an interview Wednesday morning, McFarlane admitted to attending the Labor Day festival on two separate nights while wearing a uniform off duty and not paying, but she said the first night she went there after her shift ended to scout it out for her 14-year-old daughter who planned to attend the following evening. “I knew my daughter would be attending the concert,” she said. “I came, I looked, I left.” The second night she said she again entered the festival off duty and in uniform without paying for admission but that she was there to watch over her daughter and daughter’s boyfriend — both of whom McFarlane claims paid for admission.
“I stayed off to the side and waited for the concert to end,” she said. “I was there really to protect her. … I couldn’t even tell you who the headliners were.”
McFarlane confirmed that she moved her daughter and daughter’s boyfriend from the general admission section of the concert to the VIP area, but she said none of them ate or drank from the free banquets and bars available to only the festival’s highest-paying customers.
“I cannot tell you how deeply sorry I am,” McFarlane said, adding that she feels she hurt the department and the community. She added that her supervisors and fellow officers have been extremely supportive of her.
Aspen Police Chief Richard Pryor declined to discuss details of the incident or any disciplinary action that was taken, saying his “hands are tied” because it is a human resources/personnel issue. But he did say that another officer reported McFarlane’s misconduct. He also confirmed that unless they are commuting to and from work, officers are not allowed to wear uniforms off duty.
Maytin contends the incident casts serious doubt on McFarlane’s credibility as a police officer.
“Officer McFarlane did not pay for any of these admissions or for any of the services she received in the VIP section of the concert,” her motion states. “The total amount stolen from the Jazz Aspen Labor Day Festival is not known at this time but a rough estimate would be at least $2,000. It is believed Officer McFarlane was officially sanctioned by her superiors at the Aspen Police Department.”
Jazz Aspen Snowmass staff said they were unaware McFarlane appears to have illegally attended the show.
A motions hearing over whether Maytin can obtain access to McFarlane’s personnel file is scheduled for next week, but a ruling may not come until later.
Attorney Lauren Maytin contends that Aspen police officer Valerie McFarlane’s “misconduct … is relevant, exculpatory and probative of truthfulness or the lack thereof” as it pertains to a drunken-driving arrest McFarlane made. Maytin, who represents the DUI defendant, filed a motion last week in that case requesting officer McFarlane’s personnel file.
“It is believed that the documents [in the file] will show that on or about Sept. 4 and Sept. 5 [2009], Officer McFarlane while off duty dressed in her Aspen Police Department uniform, trespassed onto the 2009 Jazz Aspen Labor Day Festival grounds by deceitfully ‘badging’ her way into the concert and failing to pay for admission,” according to Maytin’s motion. “This occurred two days in a row but on the second day, Officer McFarlane, again off duty but dressed in her APD uniform, returned to the festival with her boyfriend and children and flashed her badge to gain access for her group. Not only did she gain access to the festival on this second day by use of her badge but she also trespassed into the VIP section of the festival where she was able to obtain free food and libations for her group.”
In an interview Wednesday morning, McFarlane admitted to attending the Labor Day festival on two separate nights while wearing a uniform off duty and not paying, but she said the first night she went there after her shift ended to scout it out for her 14-year-old daughter who planned to attend the following evening. “I knew my daughter would be attending the concert,” she said. “I came, I looked, I left.” The second night she said she again entered the festival off duty and in uniform without paying for admission but that she was there to watch over her daughter and daughter’s boyfriend — both of whom McFarlane claims paid for admission.
“I stayed off to the side and waited for the concert to end,” she said. “I was there really to protect her. … I couldn’t even tell you who the headliners were.”
McFarlane confirmed that she moved her daughter and daughter’s boyfriend from the general admission section of the concert to the VIP area, but she said none of them ate or drank from the free banquets and bars available to only the festival’s highest-paying customers.
“I cannot tell you how deeply sorry I am,” McFarlane said, adding that she feels she hurt the department and the community. She added that her supervisors and fellow officers have been extremely supportive of her.
Aspen Police Chief Richard Pryor declined to discuss details of the incident or any disciplinary action that was taken, saying his “hands are tied” because it is a human resources/personnel issue. But he did say that another officer reported McFarlane’s misconduct. He also confirmed that unless they are commuting to and from work, officers are not allowed to wear uniforms off duty.
Maytin contends the incident casts serious doubt on McFarlane’s credibility as a police officer.
“Officer McFarlane did not pay for any of these admissions or for any of the services she received in the VIP section of the concert,” her motion states. “The total amount stolen from the Jazz Aspen Labor Day Festival is not known at this time but a rough estimate would be at least $2,000. It is believed Officer McFarlane was officially sanctioned by her superiors at the Aspen Police Department.”
Jazz Aspen Snowmass staff said they were unaware McFarlane appears to have illegally attended the show.
A motions hearing over whether Maytin can obtain access to McFarlane’s personnel file is scheduled for next week, but a ruling may not come until later.
Officer Stacy Conway Arrested for Trying to Hire Someone to Commit Burglary
A rookie Hereford police officer was behind bars Wednesday evening accused of trying to hire an undercover Amarillo police officer to burglarize then burn down the home of two employees of the Randall County Sheriff's Office.
Stacy Lavon Conway, 24, of Hereford, was arrested Tuesday evening outside an Amarillo business where, police allege, she was meeting the undercover officer to arrange the deal. She was arrested and charged with second-degree felony solicitation to commit burglary to commit another felony, said Randall County Criminal District Attorney James Farren. She remains in the Randall County jail on $50,000 bond.
Farren said police launched an investigation into Conway about two weeks ago. The undercover police officer was "playing the part of a bad guy," who posed as an experienced criminal, Farren said. Conway reportedly offered the officer an undisclosed amount of money to burglarize and torch the residence in Randall County.
"Obviously she's unhappy with the folks that live there, but I can't reveal why," Farren said.
A Randall County Sheriff's official identified the two intended victims listed in the criminal complaint as a female dispatcher and a female deputy jailer.
"For a police officer to solicit someone to commit an offense is very rare," Farren said. "Obviously it is very disturbing. No group of people are more concerned and upset about this than police officers and prosecutors. But at this point it is an accusation, and nothing has been proven."
Amarillo police spokesman Cpl. Jerry Neufeld deferred questions about the arrest to Hereford officials.
"They've asked to pretty much handle any media request," he said. "It is their incident. We're respecting their request to be able to give out information on their employees."
The city of Hereford has suspended Conway indefinitely without pay, said Hereford City Manager Rick Hanna .
Hanna said Conway started with the Police Department on Sept. 4, just days after she graduated from the Panhandle Regional Law Enforcement Academy.
Hanna said Conway had not faced any disciplinary action for her work with the city.
"Actually she was doing a pretty good job," he said.
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education , which regulates peace officers in the state, issued a peace officer license to Conway on Sept. 9 , according to state records. Conway has been a peace officer for four months, and her only law enforcement job was with Hereford.
If convicted, Conway faces two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Stacy Lavon Conway, 24, of Hereford, was arrested Tuesday evening outside an Amarillo business where, police allege, she was meeting the undercover officer to arrange the deal. She was arrested and charged with second-degree felony solicitation to commit burglary to commit another felony, said Randall County Criminal District Attorney James Farren. She remains in the Randall County jail on $50,000 bond.
Farren said police launched an investigation into Conway about two weeks ago. The undercover police officer was "playing the part of a bad guy," who posed as an experienced criminal, Farren said. Conway reportedly offered the officer an undisclosed amount of money to burglarize and torch the residence in Randall County.
"Obviously she's unhappy with the folks that live there, but I can't reveal why," Farren said.
A Randall County Sheriff's official identified the two intended victims listed in the criminal complaint as a female dispatcher and a female deputy jailer.
"For a police officer to solicit someone to commit an offense is very rare," Farren said. "Obviously it is very disturbing. No group of people are more concerned and upset about this than police officers and prosecutors. But at this point it is an accusation, and nothing has been proven."
Amarillo police spokesman Cpl. Jerry Neufeld deferred questions about the arrest to Hereford officials.
"They've asked to pretty much handle any media request," he said. "It is their incident. We're respecting their request to be able to give out information on their employees."
The city of Hereford has suspended Conway indefinitely without pay, said Hereford City Manager Rick Hanna .
Hanna said Conway started with the Police Department on Sept. 4, just days after she graduated from the Panhandle Regional Law Enforcement Academy.
Hanna said Conway had not faced any disciplinary action for her work with the city.
"Actually she was doing a pretty good job," he said.
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education , which regulates peace officers in the state, issued a peace officer license to Conway on Sept. 9 , according to state records. Conway has been a peace officer for four months, and her only law enforcement job was with Hereford.
If convicted, Conway faces two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Animal Control Officer Alonzo Esco Fired for Shooting Dog and Cats
An animal control officer for Canton and Madison County has been fired amid accusations he shot numerous dogs and cats and dumped their carcasses in a creek in Canton.
Canton Police Chief Vickie McNeill would not confirm the number of carcasses and suspected manner of death.
"I will not discuss any specifics, but we have some animals that are dead," McNeill said Wednesday.
Alonzo Esco has been accused of mishandling animals, McNeill said. Esco served as a shared animal control officer for Canton and the county for three years. His salary was not immediately available.
Esco could not be reached for comment.
The Canton Police Department investigation is complete, and the findings have been turned over to the Madison/Rankin district attorney's office, McNeill said. Officials there would not discuss the case other than to say Esco has not been indicted.
McNeill said a citizen's complaint made with the Madison County Sheriff's Department led to the firing, which the Board of Aldermen approved Tuesday.
A woman filed the complaint after a pet she wanted to adopt never turned up at the Mississippi Animal Rescue League. The Sheriff's Department then forwarded the complaint to Canton police, McNeill said.
"That led us to conduct an investigation when the animal wasn't there," she said.
Debra Boswell, director of MARL, said if the allegations against Esco are true, "I'm extremely disappointed and certainly saddened for the animals that their end was met this way."
Boswell said Esco was doing a good job when he started out bringing the Rescue League animals.
If he was doing what he's accused of, Boswell said, "It's a blemish on the animal control officers who have worked so hard to professionalize what they do."
"I don't know why he would select that method of disposal," she said.
"Healthy animals are put down in shelters every day," Boswell said. "While the results may be the same (as killing them outside a shelter), it's how you get there."
Robbie Wilbur, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality, said the agency has received no complaints about the dumping of carcasses in Canton and has no investigation pending.
Wilbur would not address the allegations against Esco. But he said dumping animal remains into the water could cause "public health issues."
The creek has since been cleaned up, McNeill said.
Canton Police Chief Vickie McNeill would not confirm the number of carcasses and suspected manner of death.
"I will not discuss any specifics, but we have some animals that are dead," McNeill said Wednesday.
Alonzo Esco has been accused of mishandling animals, McNeill said. Esco served as a shared animal control officer for Canton and the county for three years. His salary was not immediately available.
Esco could not be reached for comment.
The Canton Police Department investigation is complete, and the findings have been turned over to the Madison/Rankin district attorney's office, McNeill said. Officials there would not discuss the case other than to say Esco has not been indicted.
McNeill said a citizen's complaint made with the Madison County Sheriff's Department led to the firing, which the Board of Aldermen approved Tuesday.
A woman filed the complaint after a pet she wanted to adopt never turned up at the Mississippi Animal Rescue League. The Sheriff's Department then forwarded the complaint to Canton police, McNeill said.
"That led us to conduct an investigation when the animal wasn't there," she said.
Debra Boswell, director of MARL, said if the allegations against Esco are true, "I'm extremely disappointed and certainly saddened for the animals that their end was met this way."
Boswell said Esco was doing a good job when he started out bringing the Rescue League animals.
If he was doing what he's accused of, Boswell said, "It's a blemish on the animal control officers who have worked so hard to professionalize what they do."
"I don't know why he would select that method of disposal," she said.
"Healthy animals are put down in shelters every day," Boswell said. "While the results may be the same (as killing them outside a shelter), it's how you get there."
Robbie Wilbur, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality, said the agency has received no complaints about the dumping of carcasses in Canton and has no investigation pending.
Wilbur would not address the allegations against Esco. But he said dumping animal remains into the water could cause "public health issues."
The creek has since been cleaned up, McNeill said.
Officer Reginald Jones Changes His Story
An on-duty D.C. police officer charged with murder in a street robbery gone wrong initially told supervisors that he was at police headquarters writing search warrants the night of the Dec. 1 shooting, a homicide detective told a D.C. Superior Court judge Tuesday.
But, the detective testified, Officer Reginald Jones changed his story after a suspect in the case said Jones was involved in the crime. Jones then told police that he was at the scene of the shooting, sitting in his marked patrol car. But Jones told them that he was alone, investigating a tip about illegal guns. He has denied involvement in the shooting and robbery.
Prosecutors have charged Jones, 40, a six-year member of the department, with felony murder in the shooting death of Arvel S. Alston, 40, during the robbery in the 4200 block of Fourth Street SE. One of the co-defendants, Rashun M. Parker, 27, of Temple Hills, the first of five suspects arrested in the case, identified Jones as being involved in planning to rob a suspected drug dealer. Parker has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy.
Jones, his ankles and wrists shackled, sat next to his attorney during the three-hour hearing.
Also seated at the defense table was Arvel Crawford, 19, Alston's son. Parker has said Crawford accidentally killed Alston during a scuffle with the intended robbery victim. Police said Alston had about $4,200 in cash stuffed in his pockets.
The courtroom was filled with family members of the victim and the suspects, as well as uniformed police officers and detectives. Jones, of Upper Marlboro, was assigned to the department's narcotics and gun recovery unit.
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Also charged in the case are Jarvis Clark, 19, of Temple Hills and Lynn Daniel Wilkerson, 33, of Hyattsville.
Detective Anthony Greene testified Tuesday that police recovered from Wilkerson's home two police-issued bulletproof vests, one of which had "property of R. Jones" written inside, portable flashing red lights and a home-invasion battering ram that was marked "gun recovery unit."
Greene said the suspects discussed the plan to rob Tyrone Herring, 45, while hanging out at an auto detailing shop in Suitland owned by Wilkerson and frequented by Jones. Greene testified that detectives recovered surveillance video from the auto shop that showed Jones there, sitting at a computer, while the other men were discussing the robbery and distributing guns.
After his arrest in the shooting, Parker accompanied a detective in a stakeout of the auto shop and saw Jones drive up. Parker then identified Jones as the officer involved in the robbery's planning.
Herring, who was also shot during the robbery but suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute after police said they found 31.4 grams of crack in his pants while he was being treated for the gunshot wound at a hospital. Investigators said Herring told them that he was robbed of nearly $5,000.
According to charging documents, Parker told detectives that Jones drove his cruiser on the night of the shooting through the courtyard of the housing complex in Washington Highlands to shoo away loiterers who might see the planned robbery. He then parked his car at the end of the driveway near the complex and sat on the driver's side, the documents state.
Greene testified that the other men approached Herring at the apartment complex, struck him over the head and tried to push him into a car with Alston in the driver's seat. Herring tried to wrestle away from his attackers. During the struggle, Crawford's gun accidentally went off, striking his father in the upper right chest, according to the documents and Greene's testimony.
Attorneys for Jones and Crawford urged Judge Michael L. Rankin to release their clients, saying Parker had a criminal history and was biased because he was cooperating with prosecutors after pleading guilty. The attorneys also argued that Herring, another witness, was a known drug dealer.
Rankin said the evidence presented at the hearing was "strong" and ordered Jones and Crawford to remain held in the D.C. jail until trial. Another judge signed an order allowing Jones to be separated from other inmates.
Jones is on paid indefinite suspension, said Assistant Police Chief Michael Anzallo. Department policy is to suspend an officer's pay 30 days after felony charges are filed, Anzallo said. Jones was arrested and charged in the fatal shooting Dec. 15.
But, the detective testified, Officer Reginald Jones changed his story after a suspect in the case said Jones was involved in the crime. Jones then told police that he was at the scene of the shooting, sitting in his marked patrol car. But Jones told them that he was alone, investigating a tip about illegal guns. He has denied involvement in the shooting and robbery.
Prosecutors have charged Jones, 40, a six-year member of the department, with felony murder in the shooting death of Arvel S. Alston, 40, during the robbery in the 4200 block of Fourth Street SE. One of the co-defendants, Rashun M. Parker, 27, of Temple Hills, the first of five suspects arrested in the case, identified Jones as being involved in planning to rob a suspected drug dealer. Parker has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy.
Jones, his ankles and wrists shackled, sat next to his attorney during the three-hour hearing.
Also seated at the defense table was Arvel Crawford, 19, Alston's son. Parker has said Crawford accidentally killed Alston during a scuffle with the intended robbery victim. Police said Alston had about $4,200 in cash stuffed in his pockets.
The courtroom was filled with family members of the victim and the suspects, as well as uniformed police officers and detectives. Jones, of Upper Marlboro, was assigned to the department's narcotics and gun recovery unit.
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Also charged in the case are Jarvis Clark, 19, of Temple Hills and Lynn Daniel Wilkerson, 33, of Hyattsville.
Detective Anthony Greene testified Tuesday that police recovered from Wilkerson's home two police-issued bulletproof vests, one of which had "property of R. Jones" written inside, portable flashing red lights and a home-invasion battering ram that was marked "gun recovery unit."
Greene said the suspects discussed the plan to rob Tyrone Herring, 45, while hanging out at an auto detailing shop in Suitland owned by Wilkerson and frequented by Jones. Greene testified that detectives recovered surveillance video from the auto shop that showed Jones there, sitting at a computer, while the other men were discussing the robbery and distributing guns.
After his arrest in the shooting, Parker accompanied a detective in a stakeout of the auto shop and saw Jones drive up. Parker then identified Jones as the officer involved in the robbery's planning.
Herring, who was also shot during the robbery but suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute after police said they found 31.4 grams of crack in his pants while he was being treated for the gunshot wound at a hospital. Investigators said Herring told them that he was robbed of nearly $5,000.
According to charging documents, Parker told detectives that Jones drove his cruiser on the night of the shooting through the courtyard of the housing complex in Washington Highlands to shoo away loiterers who might see the planned robbery. He then parked his car at the end of the driveway near the complex and sat on the driver's side, the documents state.
Greene testified that the other men approached Herring at the apartment complex, struck him over the head and tried to push him into a car with Alston in the driver's seat. Herring tried to wrestle away from his attackers. During the struggle, Crawford's gun accidentally went off, striking his father in the upper right chest, according to the documents and Greene's testimony.
Attorneys for Jones and Crawford urged Judge Michael L. Rankin to release their clients, saying Parker had a criminal history and was biased because he was cooperating with prosecutors after pleading guilty. The attorneys also argued that Herring, another witness, was a known drug dealer.
Rankin said the evidence presented at the hearing was "strong" and ordered Jones and Crawford to remain held in the D.C. jail until trial. Another judge signed an order allowing Jones to be separated from other inmates.
Jones is on paid indefinite suspension, said Assistant Police Chief Michael Anzallo. Department policy is to suspend an officer's pay 30 days after felony charges are filed, Anzallo said. Jones was arrested and charged in the fatal shooting Dec. 15.
Female Officer In Trouble for Posting Photo of Dead Body on Facebook Page
A possible scandal is brewing in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The police department has suspended an unnamed female officer while they investigate whether she posted a photo of a dead body on her Facebook page.
The image in question appears to show a dead body, face down in what looks like a crime scene. The police department says they will do thorough investigation.
If the photo is verified, the officer could be fired. It is against department policy to post crime scene photos on the Internet.
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO132995/
The image in question appears to show a dead body, face down in what looks like a crime scene. The police department says they will do thorough investigation.
If the photo is verified, the officer could be fired. It is against department policy to post crime scene photos on the Internet.
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO132995/
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Former Officer Victor Goad Accused of Soliciting Bribe
The former Richmond County Sheriff deputy accused of soliciting a bribe was indicted this week.
The Richmond County grand jury issued the indictment against Victor J. Goad, accusing him of theft by extortion and violation of the oath of a public officer. Mr. Goad, who was fired after the allegation arose, allegedly threatened to arrest and jail a man unless he was paid $200.
Mr. Goad, who is free on bond, should be arraigned later this month.
The Richmond County grand jury issued the indictment against Victor J. Goad, accusing him of theft by extortion and violation of the oath of a public officer. Mr. Goad, who was fired after the allegation arose, allegedly threatened to arrest and jail a man unless he was paid $200.
Mr. Goad, who is free on bond, should be arraigned later this month.
Officer Kinley Jong Charged with Filing Fraudulent Tax Return
A California Highway Patrol officer has been arrested on charges of filing fraudulent state income tax returns, the California Franchise Tax Board said Tuesday.
Kinley L. Jong, 48, was originally charged in November with one felony count of possessing an assault weapon, which was found by special agents who were executing a search warrant on his home, the FTB said.
The FTB said it received information that Jong was allegedly depositing substantial amounts of cash into his bank accounts that exceeded the amount of income reported on his 2005 to 2007 state income tax returns.
Officials said he owes more than $26,400 in unpaid taxes to the state.
Jong was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail and was released on a $15,000 bail, according to the FTB.
He is expected in court on Wednesday.
Kinley L. Jong, 48, was originally charged in November with one felony count of possessing an assault weapon, which was found by special agents who were executing a search warrant on his home, the FTB said.
The FTB said it received information that Jong was allegedly depositing substantial amounts of cash into his bank accounts that exceeded the amount of income reported on his 2005 to 2007 state income tax returns.
Officials said he owes more than $26,400 in unpaid taxes to the state.
Jong was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail and was released on a $15,000 bail, according to the FTB.
He is expected in court on Wednesday.
Former Officer Dale Dodson Accused of Interfering with Murder Investigation
Former Sparta police officer Dale Dodson turned himself in to authorities at White County Justice Center, on Jan. 6, at approximately 9:30 a.m., after a sealed indictment was returned from the White County Grand Jury for his arrest.
Dodson, a 16-year veteran law enforcement officer, was fired Sept. 14, 2009, based on allegations of official misconduct for reportedly interfering with the murder investigation of Terry Sullivan, who was found dead in his home on Jan. 16, 2009. Dodson had secured subpoenas for at least two Web sites to obtain the identities of individuals who were posting negative comments about him in connection with the Sullivan case.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was requested, by the district attorney general’s office, on Sept. 15, 2009, to open an investigation about the case.
As of press time, on Wednesday, White County authorities were not able to release information about the sealed indictment. However, The Expositor contacted Dodson who said he was charged with three counts of official misconduct.
He was held on a $25,000 bond but later released after posting bail.
Dodson, a 16-year veteran law enforcement officer, was fired Sept. 14, 2009, based on allegations of official misconduct for reportedly interfering with the murder investigation of Terry Sullivan, who was found dead in his home on Jan. 16, 2009. Dodson had secured subpoenas for at least two Web sites to obtain the identities of individuals who were posting negative comments about him in connection with the Sullivan case.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was requested, by the district attorney general’s office, on Sept. 15, 2009, to open an investigation about the case.
As of press time, on Wednesday, White County authorities were not able to release information about the sealed indictment. However, The Expositor contacted Dodson who said he was charged with three counts of official misconduct.
He was held on a $25,000 bond but later released after posting bail.
Officer Robert John Lewis Charged with Shooting Death of His Son
Camp Lejeune civilian law enforcement officer has been charged in the November 2009 accidental shooting death of his young son.
Robert John Lewis, 27, of Jacksonville, N.C., was charged Wednesday morning with involuntary manslaughter, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and failing to secure a firearm from a minor, according to an Onslow County Sheriff’s Office release.
The charges come nearly two months after Lewis’ 3-year-old son, Tyler, shot himself in the forehead Nov. 16 with a .40-caliber pistol he found on a table in the family’s home, according to authorities. He died shortly after the gun fired.
Lewis was working on the base when the shooting occurred. His wife was at home with their son at the time.
He has been placed in Onslow County Jail on $55,000 bond.
Robert John Lewis, 27, of Jacksonville, N.C., was charged Wednesday morning with involuntary manslaughter, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and failing to secure a firearm from a minor, according to an Onslow County Sheriff’s Office release.
The charges come nearly two months after Lewis’ 3-year-old son, Tyler, shot himself in the forehead Nov. 16 with a .40-caliber pistol he found on a table in the family’s home, according to authorities. He died shortly after the gun fired.
Lewis was working on the base when the shooting occurred. His wife was at home with their son at the time.
He has been placed in Onslow County Jail on $55,000 bond.
Officer Christian Mitchell Charged with Having Sex with Child
A St. Louis police officer has resigned after being charged with having sex with a child.
44-year-old Christian Mitchell resigned on Monday after 11 years in the department's 9th District.
Mitchell was charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court with two counts of second-degree statutory rape and two other felonies.
The Department said that after learning of the criminal allegations against Mitchell, it launched an Internal Affairs Investigation.
44-year-old Christian Mitchell resigned on Monday after 11 years in the department's 9th District.
Mitchell was charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court with two counts of second-degree statutory rape and two other felonies.
The Department said that after learning of the criminal allegations against Mitchell, it launched an Internal Affairs Investigation.
Officer Brandon Lavertie Accused of Battery
Another Orlando police officer is in trouble with the law. Orlando officer Brandon Lavertie was working off-duty when a woman accused him of battery and false imprisonment outside a downtown concert club.
Crowd control is a challenge at Orlando's downtown clubs and many hire off-duty officers, but sometimes they get themselves into trouble. That's what happened outside Firestone Live on Orange Avenue on the night of December 14.
Orlando police confirm one of its officers, who was working there off duty that night, has been suspended and is under investigation. The police department won’t say who he is or anything else about what happened.
But sources tell Eyewitness News there's a felony warrant out for the officer's arrest, because he's been accused of inappropriately touching a woman after she had left the club. The owner of Firestone Live says someone in her group had spilled a drink and all of them were asked to leave.
Neither the Firestone Live security camera, nor the city-owned camera at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Concord Street, captured the incident, but there is reportedly video of the officer with the alleged victim.
Eyewitness News has learned the incident happened off club property, possibly at a nearby parking area. Firestone Live's owner says the off-duty Orlando officer had left his post and went off with the woman.
Orlando police will wait until after the criminal investigation is done before it does its own investigation into whether the officer violated department policy.
Orlando police say the officer was suspended three days after the alleged incident, but won't say whether that was with or without pay.
Crowd control is a challenge at Orlando's downtown clubs and many hire off-duty officers, but sometimes they get themselves into trouble. That's what happened outside Firestone Live on Orange Avenue on the night of December 14.
Orlando police confirm one of its officers, who was working there off duty that night, has been suspended and is under investigation. The police department won’t say who he is or anything else about what happened.
But sources tell Eyewitness News there's a felony warrant out for the officer's arrest, because he's been accused of inappropriately touching a woman after she had left the club. The owner of Firestone Live says someone in her group had spilled a drink and all of them were asked to leave.
Neither the Firestone Live security camera, nor the city-owned camera at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Concord Street, captured the incident, but there is reportedly video of the officer with the alleged victim.
Eyewitness News has learned the incident happened off club property, possibly at a nearby parking area. Firestone Live's owner says the off-duty Orlando officer had left his post and went off with the woman.
Orlando police will wait until after the criminal investigation is done before it does its own investigation into whether the officer violated department policy.
Orlando police say the officer was suspended three days after the alleged incident, but won't say whether that was with or without pay.
Officer Derrick Shannon Under Investigation for Neglect of Duty
A Baltimore police officer is being investigated for possible neglect of duty after the family of a shooting victim said he failed to take a report about a missing person.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that the family of Marcal Walton, 33, had called police Monday morning to report him missing, but were told by a Central District officer that he would not take a report because Walton was "locked up."
The officer apparently was unaware that Walton had been found Sunday afternoon in an alley in the 2300 block of Ocala Ave., dead of gunshot wounds.
Officer Derrick Shannon, a four-year veteran, has not been suspended while he is under investigation for possible neglect of duty, said Guglielmi, who noted that the missing person call had been placed after Walton's body had been found.
Police also disclosed new details about Walton's killing. They first received a report around 2:40 p.m. Sunday that Walton had been abducted from a home in the 1700 block of Hollins Ave. near the county line, and 20 minutes later responded to the shooting, not far from Mondawmin Mall in West Baltimore, where they found his body, Guglielmi said.
Walton, who had a long record of drug arrests and a handgun arrest in Baltimore County, pleaded guilty in 1997 to a charge of drug distribution.
In 2000, Walton received a phone call from a man offering to sell stolen jewelry that helped police track down one of the killers of Baltimore County police Sgt. Bruce A. Prothero, who was moonlighting as a security guard at a jewelry store.
According to news reports, county police were able to track a call from Troy Wilson, who had offered to sell Walton jewelry stolen during a February 2000 robbery in which Prothero was shot. Wilson is serving a life sentence.
As of Tuesday evening, Walton was the city's only homicide victim so far this year. Baltimore recorded nine killings in the first five days of 2009.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that the family of Marcal Walton, 33, had called police Monday morning to report him missing, but were told by a Central District officer that he would not take a report because Walton was "locked up."
The officer apparently was unaware that Walton had been found Sunday afternoon in an alley in the 2300 block of Ocala Ave., dead of gunshot wounds.
Officer Derrick Shannon, a four-year veteran, has not been suspended while he is under investigation for possible neglect of duty, said Guglielmi, who noted that the missing person call had been placed after Walton's body had been found.
Police also disclosed new details about Walton's killing. They first received a report around 2:40 p.m. Sunday that Walton had been abducted from a home in the 1700 block of Hollins Ave. near the county line, and 20 minutes later responded to the shooting, not far from Mondawmin Mall in West Baltimore, where they found his body, Guglielmi said.
Walton, who had a long record of drug arrests and a handgun arrest in Baltimore County, pleaded guilty in 1997 to a charge of drug distribution.
In 2000, Walton received a phone call from a man offering to sell stolen jewelry that helped police track down one of the killers of Baltimore County police Sgt. Bruce A. Prothero, who was moonlighting as a security guard at a jewelry store.
According to news reports, county police were able to track a call from Troy Wilson, who had offered to sell Walton jewelry stolen during a February 2000 robbery in which Prothero was shot. Wilson is serving a life sentence.
As of Tuesday evening, Walton was the city's only homicide victim so far this year. Baltimore recorded nine killings in the first five days of 2009.
Former Officer Alhinde Weems Pleads Guilty to Dealing Drugs
A former Philadelphia police officer pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to dealing drugs and planning to rob a supposed drug stash. Alhinde Weems, 34, faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison - and a maximum of life - when sentenced in May.
Weems, a 51/2-year veteran when he was arrested in March, was a drug dealer before he became an officer and continued his dealings while on the force, according to authorities. He was arrested at an area hotel as he was about to rob a man he believed was a drug dealer, but who was really a federal undercover agent.
"He appeared to be motivated by greed," Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carrillo said yesterday.
Weems, whose last assignment was in West Philadelphia's 18th Police District, admitted to selling crack cocaine, buying and transporting what he believed to be genuine cocaine in 2008-09, and planning, and attempting to commit, a gunpoint home-invasion robbery of a drug dealer.
Weems, a 51/2-year veteran when he was arrested in March, was a drug dealer before he became an officer and continued his dealings while on the force, according to authorities. He was arrested at an area hotel as he was about to rob a man he believed was a drug dealer, but who was really a federal undercover agent.
"He appeared to be motivated by greed," Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carrillo said yesterday.
Weems, whose last assignment was in West Philadelphia's 18th Police District, admitted to selling crack cocaine, buying and transporting what he believed to be genuine cocaine in 2008-09, and planning, and attempting to commit, a gunpoint home-invasion robbery of a drug dealer.
Officer David Dass Guilty of Online Enticement of Child
An Omaha police officer has been convicted of using the Internet to lure what he believed was a 14-year-old girl into having sex.
A Sarpy County jury found 25-year-old David Kass guilty of online enticement on Wednesday.
Kass was arrested at his Omaha home in July. La Vista police detectives said Kass initiated an online conversation with an undercover investigator posing as a 14-year-old girl. Detectives say the conversation was of a graphic, sexual nature.
Kass had argued that he thought he was talking to an adult during the explicit online chat.
Kass has been with the Omaha Police Department since 2006.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in March. Kass faces a maximum of 5 years in prison.
Information from: KETV-TV, http://www.ketv.com
A Sarpy County jury found 25-year-old David Kass guilty of online enticement on Wednesday.
Kass was arrested at his Omaha home in July. La Vista police detectives said Kass initiated an online conversation with an undercover investigator posing as a 14-year-old girl. Detectives say the conversation was of a graphic, sexual nature.
Kass had argued that he thought he was talking to an adult during the explicit online chat.
Kass has been with the Omaha Police Department since 2006.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in March. Kass faces a maximum of 5 years in prison.
Information from: KETV-TV, http://www.ketv.com
Officer Carlos Alvarez Fired for Not Responding to Call
Last week, Police Chief David Kunkle fired a 13-year-veteran after he failed to respond to a police call and instead went to conduct personal business at a bank.
At the time, we didn't have much detail about the circumstances that led to the firing of police Officer Carlos Alvarez. Today, I obtained a copy of the internal affairs investigation through an open records request.
In my experience covering DPD, this particular case would not typically result in termination. Senior commanders say what set Alvarez apart was his extensive history of discipline for missing work.
At 12:02 p.m. on Aug. 20, Alvarez was dispatched to a shoplifting call in the 2400 block of West Ledbetter Drive. Two minutes later, another officer who was driving by stopped at the location of the incident and put out a call for help.
A police sergeant noticed that Alvarez had not yet arrived at the call. At 12:09 p.m., Alvarez told her that he was on his way to the call. At 12:19 p.m., Alvarez left the bank where he had gone to take care of an overdraft on his bank account.
He arrived at the call at 12:24 p.m. - 22 minutes after first being dispatched.
Alvarez later told investigators that he didn't think it would take long at the bank. He said he did not initially hear the dispatcher give him the call.
He said did not leave the bank immediately after finding out about the call because the bank teller still had his license and bank card in the manager's office. Once he retrieved them, he immediately went to the call. He said he did not hear the other officer request help.
"I made a mistake and it will not happen again," Alvarez wrote in his statement to internal investigators.
A supervisor who initially counseled him over the incident spoke highly of Alvarez in his written statement.
"Officer Alvarez is an excellent officer, handles a high number of calls and often interprets for other officers," Sgt. Marc Hearn wrote. "He is an asset to the watch."
In 1998 and 2000, Alvarez received minor discipline for missing court. In 2002, he received a five-day suspension for missing work and giving misleading statements. In 2002 and 2003, he received minor discipline for missing court. In 2005, he got a 10-day suspension for missing work.
In 2006, he was given a 20-day suspension for missing work and making misleading statements. In 2007, he was given a documented counseling for not going to court.
Alvarez's sergeant and lieutenant both recommended a 10-day suspension over the August 2009 incident. Deputy Chief Rick Watson, commander of southwest patrol, and Assistant Chief Floyd Simpson, who oversees all the patrol stations, both recommended termination.
Kunkle made the final decision.
At the time, we didn't have much detail about the circumstances that led to the firing of police Officer Carlos Alvarez. Today, I obtained a copy of the internal affairs investigation through an open records request.
In my experience covering DPD, this particular case would not typically result in termination. Senior commanders say what set Alvarez apart was his extensive history of discipline for missing work.
At 12:02 p.m. on Aug. 20, Alvarez was dispatched to a shoplifting call in the 2400 block of West Ledbetter Drive. Two minutes later, another officer who was driving by stopped at the location of the incident and put out a call for help.
A police sergeant noticed that Alvarez had not yet arrived at the call. At 12:09 p.m., Alvarez told her that he was on his way to the call. At 12:19 p.m., Alvarez left the bank where he had gone to take care of an overdraft on his bank account.
He arrived at the call at 12:24 p.m. - 22 minutes after first being dispatched.
Alvarez later told investigators that he didn't think it would take long at the bank. He said he did not initially hear the dispatcher give him the call.
He said did not leave the bank immediately after finding out about the call because the bank teller still had his license and bank card in the manager's office. Once he retrieved them, he immediately went to the call. He said he did not hear the other officer request help.
"I made a mistake and it will not happen again," Alvarez wrote in his statement to internal investigators.
A supervisor who initially counseled him over the incident spoke highly of Alvarez in his written statement.
"Officer Alvarez is an excellent officer, handles a high number of calls and often interprets for other officers," Sgt. Marc Hearn wrote. "He is an asset to the watch."
In 1998 and 2000, Alvarez received minor discipline for missing court. In 2002, he received a five-day suspension for missing work and giving misleading statements. In 2002 and 2003, he received minor discipline for missing court. In 2005, he got a 10-day suspension for missing work.
In 2006, he was given a 20-day suspension for missing work and making misleading statements. In 2007, he was given a documented counseling for not going to court.
Alvarez's sergeant and lieutenant both recommended a 10-day suspension over the August 2009 incident. Deputy Chief Rick Watson, commander of southwest patrol, and Assistant Chief Floyd Simpson, who oversees all the patrol stations, both recommended termination.
Kunkle made the final decision.
Officer Edward Krawetz in Court for Kicking Woman
A suspended Lincoln police officer accused of kicking a woman in the face while she was handcuffed, pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning in Providence County Superior Court.
Officer Edward Krawetz, 40, of 429 River Rd., Lincoln, was arraigned on a felony charge of assault with a dangerous weapon — his foot.
Judge Kristin Rodgers released him pending a pretrial hearing April 6.
A spokesman for the attorney general’s office, Michael J. Healey, said last month that Donna Levesque, 45, a Massachusetts resident, was sitting on a curb with her hands cuffed behind her back at the Twin River slot parlor when Krawetz allegedly kicked her on May 31.
Krawetz and Officer Russell Enos were working in uniform and off-duty on a security detail at Twin River when Levesque began acting in a disorderly manner and was escorted outside by the two officers, according to Healey. The officers took Levesque into custody on a disorderly conduct charge in a bar at the slot parlor, he said.
Healey said Levesque has no memory of the incident and did not seek treatment for any injury. He said she later pleaded no contest to the disorderly conduct charge.
Rodgers ordered Krawetz not to have any contact with Levesque. He remains suspended from the force without pay.
Enos was not accused of any wrongdoing.
State police became involved on July 21 after the Lincoln police chief asked them to investigate the alleged assault, state police Capt. David Neill said Wednesday. Lincoln Police Lt. Chris Tuffy worked with state police detectives, Neill said.
The evidence against Krawetz includes a videotape obtained from Twin River security, Neill said. He said the state police will not release the videotape because it is evidence in the ongoing case.
“The videotape corroborates the fact that the officer did strike the female with his foot,” Neill said. “The video corroborates the alleged assault.”
It was not known who brought the alleged assault to the attention of the Lincoln police.
Neill said he could not comment on when or why the Lincoln police began investigating the incident, but he believes that investigation began shortly after the incident.
Lincoln Police Chief Brian Sullivan said that the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights prevents him from talking about the case. He said the department is referring all questions to Providence lawyer Vincent Ragosta Jr. who is representing the Lincoln police. Ragosta also cited the Bill of Rights and would not comment on the case.
Six years ago, the town settled out of court on a claim filed by a teenager that Krawetz had struck him and damaged his teeth during an arrest. The teenager was later cleared of charges of assault and resisting arrest. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed.
Officer Edward Krawetz, 40, of 429 River Rd., Lincoln, was arraigned on a felony charge of assault with a dangerous weapon — his foot.
Judge Kristin Rodgers released him pending a pretrial hearing April 6.
A spokesman for the attorney general’s office, Michael J. Healey, said last month that Donna Levesque, 45, a Massachusetts resident, was sitting on a curb with her hands cuffed behind her back at the Twin River slot parlor when Krawetz allegedly kicked her on May 31.
Krawetz and Officer Russell Enos were working in uniform and off-duty on a security detail at Twin River when Levesque began acting in a disorderly manner and was escorted outside by the two officers, according to Healey. The officers took Levesque into custody on a disorderly conduct charge in a bar at the slot parlor, he said.
Healey said Levesque has no memory of the incident and did not seek treatment for any injury. He said she later pleaded no contest to the disorderly conduct charge.
Rodgers ordered Krawetz not to have any contact with Levesque. He remains suspended from the force without pay.
Enos was not accused of any wrongdoing.
State police became involved on July 21 after the Lincoln police chief asked them to investigate the alleged assault, state police Capt. David Neill said Wednesday. Lincoln Police Lt. Chris Tuffy worked with state police detectives, Neill said.
The evidence against Krawetz includes a videotape obtained from Twin River security, Neill said. He said the state police will not release the videotape because it is evidence in the ongoing case.
“The videotape corroborates the fact that the officer did strike the female with his foot,” Neill said. “The video corroborates the alleged assault.”
It was not known who brought the alleged assault to the attention of the Lincoln police.
Neill said he could not comment on when or why the Lincoln police began investigating the incident, but he believes that investigation began shortly after the incident.
Lincoln Police Chief Brian Sullivan said that the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights prevents him from talking about the case. He said the department is referring all questions to Providence lawyer Vincent Ragosta Jr. who is representing the Lincoln police. Ragosta also cited the Bill of Rights and would not comment on the case.
Six years ago, the town settled out of court on a claim filed by a teenager that Krawetz had struck him and damaged his teeth during an arrest. The teenager was later cleared of charges of assault and resisting arrest. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Deputy Amanda Tyndall Accused of Giving 20-year-old Alcohol
The court case of a Pitt County deputy accused of giving a 20-year-old a drink has been continued until March 12.
The State Bureau of Investigated charged Deputy Amanda Raper Tyndall, 30, of N.C. 43 South on Sept. 23 after the Pitt County district attorney requested an investigation into the reported June 5 incident.
A complaint was filed against Tyndall on June 6 after an Alcohol Law Enforcement officer cited Elizabeth Daniel Dominique, 20, for underage drinking.
Dominique and a friend said that Tyndall gave the young woman the drink but walked away when the agent approached the table and wrote the citation.
Pitt County Sheriff Mac Manning has defended Tyndall, who joined the department in October 2005. Tyndall was Manning’s only full-time Drug Awareness and Resistance Education officer, and he suspended classes during the fall because of the investigation and public discussion about the matter.
Tyndall remains employed by the sheriff’s office.
When Tyndall was charged Manning gave reporters copies of statements made by Dominique, one of her friends and Alcohol Law Enforcement agent Rusty King.
King said he saw Dominique drink from a wine glass while a woman later identified as Tyndall had her back turned.
Manning said Tyndall knew Dominique because the young woman previously dated the deputy’s stepson.
“They were familiar with each other, but they were not together in the same party that night,” Manning said.
The State Bureau of Investigated charged Deputy Amanda Raper Tyndall, 30, of N.C. 43 South on Sept. 23 after the Pitt County district attorney requested an investigation into the reported June 5 incident.
A complaint was filed against Tyndall on June 6 after an Alcohol Law Enforcement officer cited Elizabeth Daniel Dominique, 20, for underage drinking.
Dominique and a friend said that Tyndall gave the young woman the drink but walked away when the agent approached the table and wrote the citation.
Pitt County Sheriff Mac Manning has defended Tyndall, who joined the department in October 2005. Tyndall was Manning’s only full-time Drug Awareness and Resistance Education officer, and he suspended classes during the fall because of the investigation and public discussion about the matter.
Tyndall remains employed by the sheriff’s office.
When Tyndall was charged Manning gave reporters copies of statements made by Dominique, one of her friends and Alcohol Law Enforcement agent Rusty King.
King said he saw Dominique drink from a wine glass while a woman later identified as Tyndall had her back turned.
Manning said Tyndall knew Dominique because the young woman previously dated the deputy’s stepson.
“They were familiar with each other, but they were not together in the same party that night,” Manning said.
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