Officer Patrick Williams Arrested for Worthless Checks

A Shreveport police officer has been placed on administrative leave following his arrest on a felony charge of issuing worthless checks.

According to the Shreveport Police Department, 23-year-old Patrick Williams was arrested Tuesday as a fugitive on an outstanding warrant obtained by the Bossier Parish District Attorney's Office.

Williams joined the Shreveport Police Department in July 2012.

In a brief statement released Tuesday afternoon regarding the arrest, Chief of Police Willie Shaw placed Williams on leave "as required by the rules and regulations of the Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board which states: 'When an employee is charged with a felony he shall, and if a misdemeanor he may, be immediately relieved of duty and placed on "departmental leave' for up to one week at full pay and with continuing seniority."

Williams was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center.

Officer Tony Towery Arrested for DUI

A Moore police officer was arrested on a complaint of driving under the influence.

Police say 13-year veteran officer Tony Towery was arrested Saturday after running into the back of another car.

He was off-duty at the time of the crash.

Right now, Towery is on paid administrative leave.

Officer Mary O'Callaghan Charged with Felony Assault

A Los Angeles police officer has been charged with assaulting a woman under arrest, Alesia Thomas, who lost consciousness in a patrol car and was declared dead soon thereafter, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Mary O'Callaghan, 48, was charged a day earlier in a felony assault case, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

The prosecutor's office said it will request $35,000 bail for the officer who, if convicted, could spend three years in state prison.

Tyler Izen, president of the Los Angeles police union,in a statement said "the alleged actions of the officer are incongruous with her reputation as an officer who was known to be diligent, courteous and ethical." O'Callaghan's lawyer Robert Rico describes his client, an 18-year veteran of the department, as "devastated."

"As an officer, a Marine and a mother, she's used to fighting and defending others," Rico said. "And she will fight and defend herself in a court of law to prove her innocence."

The charge stems from an incident July 22, 2012, when police investigating a possible child abandonment went to Thomas' home.

This was after Thomas had dropped off her two children at a police station because she felt her drug abuse had made her an unfit parent, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. 

At the mother's home, police talked with Thomas and arrested her.

It was then that O'Callaghan arrived on the scene, helping her fellow officers put Thomas -- then wearing handcuffs and leg restraints -- in a patrol car.

Video captured what happened next, the prosecutor's office said, including "O'Callaghan kicking Thomas in the stomach and groin area and pushing her in the throat."

Thomas lost consciousness in the patrol car, then was transported by paramedics to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Prosecutors said they didn't file involuntary manslaughter charges against O'Callaghan because it couldn't be proven that she directly caused Thomas' death.

Her official cause of death was "undetermined," according to a coroner's report.

Thomas's relatives, though, believe O'Callaghan is responsible, family spokesman Najee Ali said Thursday.

The family is grateful for the charge filed this week, added Ali. But they're not satisfied yet, pushing for the public release of the video showing Thomas' final moments.

"We want to have the whole truth of what happened to Alesia Thomas," Ali said. "... This is not over with."

Three Officers Under Investigation in Bikers' Clash with SUV Driver

Three bikers have been indicted in connection with a well-publicized clash with a New York SUV driver, the Manhattan District Attorney's office said Friday.

Craig Wright, 29, and Reginald Chance, 37, were indicted Friday, according to the district attorney's office. A third man, Robert Sims, 35, was indicted on Thursday, it said.

Authorities say Alexander Lien was chased by bikers after he initially bumped one during a biker rally on September 29. When his SUV was surrounded by several bikers, Lien called 9-1-1, told police he feared for his life and drove off, running over bikers and critically injuring one.

Lien's wife and 2-year-old daughter were in the vehicle with him. Lien has not been charged.

 

The chase that followed ended in traffic. Police say Lien's windows were smashed; he was dragged out of the SUV and beaten. He was treated and released from a hospital.

Officials did not detail the formal charges against the three men. In New York, charges in an indictment are not announced until defendants have been arraigned and can enter a plea.

Chance was accused of using his helmet to smash the SUV window, according to police. The lawyer for Chance concedes his client "overreacted," but claims he did not take part in beating the driver.

Authorities arrested Wright for allegedly hitting the SUV driver through the window of his vehicle.

 

Sims was accused of stomping on the driver after he was pulled from his SUV, authorities said.

Wright, Chance and Sims are scheduled to be arraigned on October 30, according to the district attorney's office.

At least seven people have been arrested, including the three who were indicted.

Authorities, who have appealed for the public's help in identifying people in photos, haven't ruled out more arrests or charges.

Meanwhile, a New York Police officer who works in Internal Affairs joins the ranks of at least two others with the NYPD who waited several days to tell their superiors they were at the rally where the SUV driver was beaten and kicked, according to the lawyer for the officer.

"He did what he had to do (by coming forward)," the officer's attorney, Pat Bonanno, told CNN.

A law enforcement source, with knowledge of the case, told CNN the Internal Affairs officer didn't report he was at the rally for at least a week.

CNN is withholding the officer's name, who worked for Internal Affairs for five years, because he has not been charged with any wrongdoing at this time. The story was first reported by DNAInfo.com, a site specializing in crime news.

Bonanno says the officer belongs to a motorcycle club and was riding with hundreds of bikers who participated in the September 29th rally, but insists he didn't witness the assault on Lien.

"He wasn't aware of anything of the nature posted on YouTube and he doesn't have any firsthand knowledge of what was going on," Bonanno said.

"Once all the videos are reviewed and witnesses interviewed, we'll find that my client has no culpability for anything that happened that day."

Bonanno offered no explanation as to why the officer waited so long to tell his superiors he was there. "That will be addressed in an appropriate time and manner," he said.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, tells CNN authorities are investigating his account.

Law enforcement sources have told CNN there were no on-duty police officers riding with the bikers in an undercover capacity.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner John McCarthy declined comment as did the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

At least two other officers are under investigation.

One of them is Detective Wojciech Braszczok, who faces three felony counts including gang assault. Prosecutors say the off-duty cop is on video allegedly using his fist to bash in the rear window of Lien's SUV and kick it.

Braszczok's lawyer has denied his client did anything wrong and says video will exonerate him.

Officer Dan Hamlin Arrested for Grand Theft

A JSO officer has been arrested on 26 counts of official misconduct and grand theft.

JSO said officer Dan Hamlin was arrested after a warrant was issued Wednesday.

Undersheriff Dwain Senterfitt said Hamlin was fraudulently claiming overtime. Senterfitt said Hamlin claimed he was consulting with the State Attorney's Office on pre-trial cases but listed a state attorney on his timesheet who was no longer at the office.

According to JSO, this case has been under investigation since June. Senterfitt said Hamlin was made aware at the time, and the overtime stopped.

Senterfitt said Hamlin has resigned.

Officer Andrew Alan Haney Charged with Sending Obscene Material to Child

A West Columbia police officer was charged in federal court after sending explicit photos of himself to a 13-year-old girl in Iowa last month, authorities said.

Andrew Alan Haney, 30, was charged with interstate commerce of obscene materials to a person under 16, according to court records. He was appointed a public defender.

According to court records, Haney was involved in chatting with the girl in Polk County, Iowa from Sept. 22-28. The girl said she met Haney through a social media website.

Authorities identified Haney as a suspect after he sent the girl a photo with his police badge with the state seal visible in the photo, according to court records.

West Columbia Police Chief Dennis Tyndall said Haney was fired.

Tyndall said the situation was an "embarrassment" for the department. 

Haney was being held in the Lexington County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

Officer John Marcus Weber Arrested for Giving Alcohol to Minors

A Sallisaw police lieutenant turned himself in Friday after an investigation into alcohol-related misconduct led to a warrant.

John Marcus Weber was booked on two felony counts and one misdemeanor count of furnishing alcohol to a minor Friday morning. Weber, 29, allegedly provided hard liquor or high-point beer and 3.2 beer to teenagers.

The warrant, issued Thursday and signed Friday morning, came about after the Sequoyah County Sheriff's Office requested that the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation look into complaints against the officer.

Weber's bail was set at $10,000 for which he has made bond.

Officer Julio Pagan Arrested for Sexual Battery

Another sex scandal at the Lakeland Police Department, and this time, the officer involved faces criminal charges.

Officer Julio Pagan, 31, was arrested today on two counts of sexual battery and one count of stalking.

"There are simply no words to describe my shock, my outrage, my disgust about this," said Chief Lisa Womack.

Chief Womack says the investigation dates back to a time right in the middle of the department's highly publicized sex scandal.

Investigators say Officer Pagan responded to a July 4th call near a trailer park and that's where he first met the alleged victim.

Six weeks later, during another call, the woman says Pagan coerced her to have sex with him in her bathroom while he was still armed, in uniform, and on duty.

Asked if this will only promote talk of persistent culture problems now under her command as well at Lakeland P.D., Chief Womack was clearly frustrated.

"This is not a departmental issue," she said pausing for moment, "You want to know how I feel about it? Fed up," she said.

The alleged victim says three weeks later, Pagan, again on-duty, was back, asking her for a "quickie" according to the police report.

Surveillance video shows Pagan's cruiser pulling up to a nearby Circle K store, where images, say detectives, show the woman buys alcohol before both return to her house.

Investigators say Pagan then came back a second time on that same date,August 29th, but that the woman made an excuse to fend off his advances and called police to complain about Pagan's visits.

However the dispatcher, identified as Christinia Jordan, now on administrative leave, never sent an officer.

"I have no valid explanation as to at this point why that that did not occur," said Chief Womack. An investigation into the matter was "about 90%" complete, she said.

The victim, who never had a police officer respond, got another uninvited visit from Pagan about three weeks later.

Relatives called to complain yet again, and this time Lakeland sent an investigator.

Austin Garcia, a neighbor, says a short time later, the trailer park area was visited by multiple officers.

"I did see a couple of squad cars go over there and stuff, like about 5 or 6 of them," he said, "They stayed there about an hour or two and left."

Chief Womack says she knows the public is already commenting about how this may yet again be an example of the "culture" within Lakeland P.D., but she took issue with that assertion.

This was not a departmental culture issue, she said -it's a crime.

Pagan, she said,will likely be formally fire dover the next couple of days.

He faces life in prison if convicted.

Deputy Darrell Mathis Arrested for Selling Marijuana Out of His Police Car

An undercover sting operation nabbed an Atlanta-area sheriff's deputy who was selling marijuana out of his patrol car and in uniform, federal authorities say.

Newton County Deputy Darrell Mathis told an informant that he could sell pot without fear because "he drives safely and flashes police credentials to get out of tickets if stopped," according to court papers. Mathis, a five-year veteran deputy, was freed on bond after his arrest last week, the FBI said.

"This defendant used his position as a police officer to openly violate the very laws that he was sworn to uphold," U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in a written statement.

"Selling marijuana out of his police car while wearing a badge and uniform is outrageous. This case is a reminder that no one is above the law."

Mathis has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and with carrying a firearm during a drug offense -- a charge that could bring a possible life sentence if convicted. He did not immediately return messages seeking comment Sunday.

Newton County is about 30 miles east of Atlanta. Sheriff Ezell Brown said Mathis has been placed on administrative leave, and his office is cooperating with the investigation.

"This is an embarrassment to the Newton County Sheriff's Office, as well as law enforcement in general," Brown said in a joint statement with Yates.

According to the charges against him, Mathis attracted the attention of the FBI in April after what officials called a "social visit" by a person who went on to become a confidential informant. The informant visited Mathis at his apartment and saw large bags of what was "believed to be marijuana" on the living room table.

The complaint states that Mathis told the informant that he wasn't concerned about getting caught, because of his safe driving and police credentials.

Apparently unnerved by the exchange, the informant went to the authorities and offered to help with an investigation. The FBI then set up a half dozen meetings among Mathis, the informant and eventually two undercover agents, court papers recount.

Mathis and the informant discussed a drug sale during their next meeting, the charges state. Mathis sold the informant an ounce of marijuana later that day, showing up for the deal in his cruiser, in uniform and carrying his service pistol.

After that, an undercover agent got involved -- and the amounts of marijuana increased.
In June, as the agent bought a pound of pot, Mathis boasted, "I do my little 10 to 15 a week" -- a phrase the agent "understood to mean selling 10 to 15 pounds a week," the arrest affidavit states.

Then in early August, according to the complaint, Mathis met with another undercover agent, a supposed cocaine dealer. The two agents and Mathis sat down at a restaurant to discuss buying and transporting marijuana and cocaine, according to the complaint.

While the three spoke, Mathis allegedly pulled out his badge and told the undercover agent, "Don't worry, I'm on your side." By the end of the meeting, the complaint alleges, Mathis had agreed to run marijuana and cocaine from Alabama to North Carolina at the behest of the undercover agent.

Federal agents found a pound of pot on Mathis when he was arrested last week, the FBI said.

Lt Marcus LeMacks Accused of Stealing from Sears

A Dawson Police officer who also worked part-time for Warwick, was booked into the Dougherty County jail Thursday night, accused of stealing from Sears in the Albany Mall, and it's not his first arrest.

42-year-old Lt. Marcus LeMacks resigned his Warwick post Friday afternoon, and remains suspended in Dawson.

LeMacks worked part-time at Sears. Store loss prevention officers investigated him for two months before Albany Police arrested him a little before 5:30 p.m.

They say surveillance video shows LeMacks taking items from the store and putting them in his vehicle. Investigators believe he stole about $1,200 worth of merchandise. They plan to search his home to try to recover items.

Dawson Police Charlie Whitehead says officer Marcus LeMacks has been suspended without pay until his legal case is adjudicated, and he has been notified of his suspension.

Chief Whitehead added that LeMacks' POST certification had just come off probation in June, after his misdemeanor conviction of supplying alcohol to minors.  In 2009 LeMacks was fired from the Leesburg Police Department after being charged with providing alcohol to people under age 21.

Chief Whitehead says LeMacks has been employed by the Dawson Police Department since 2009.

Officer Randall Kerrick Accused of Shooting Jonathan Ferrell

A North Carolina police officer accused of shooting and killing an unarmed man who had apparently been in an automobile wreck is scheduled to appear in court today to face a voluntary manslaughter charge.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officer Randall Kerrick is charged in the case.

Twenty-four-year-old Jonathan Ferrell, a former Florida A&M University football player, was killed early Saturday.

Charlotte-Meckleburg police say he had sought help at a nearby house. A woman answered the door and called 911 when she didn't recognize the man.

Officers responding to the breaking and entering call found Ferrell nearby. Ferrell ran toward the officers, who tried to stop him with a Taser. Police said he continued to run toward them when officer Randall Kerrick fired his gun, hitting Ferrell several times.

Ferrell died at the scene.

Cpl. David Turner Arrested for Prostitution Near School

A Tulsa police officer was arrested for soliciting a prostitute within 1,000 feet of a school Thursday afternoon. Cpl. David Turner also faces a charge of possession of a firearm in commission of a felony.

A source close to the situation said Turner was taken into custody at the Executive Inn at 11th and Garnett just after 3 p.m. following an undercover operation performed by TPD and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. "The Tulsa Police Department received information regarding alleged criminal activity involving Turner and in return launched an investigation which included the Tulsa Police Departments Special Investigations Division and agents with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs," Chief of Police Chuck Jordan said in a release.

Turner was released on bond less than two hours after being booked in the Tulsa jail. He was placed on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.

Correctional Officer Cory Colvin Arrested for Sexual Assault on Child

An East Texas correctional officer is behind bars and is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.

According to Upshur County records, 33-year-old Cory Colvin was arrested Monday, and is charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.

Texas Department of Corrections Public Information Officer Jason Clark said that Colvin is a correctional officer at the Telford Unit, which is located in New Boston, Texas.

Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said that Colvin confessed the assault to authorities in the Upshur County Sheriff's Office and was arrested on site.

He is being held in the Upshur County Jail on one hundred Thousand dollars bond.

Officer Calvin Aaron Jr Arrested for Sexting with Juvenile

Investigators from the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations/Alexandria Field Office arrested Zwolle Police Officer Calvin L. Aaron Jr., 33, of Zwolle, LA, Wednesday.

Aaron Jr. is accused of pornography involving juveniles, indecent behavior with juveniles, obstruction of justice, and malfeasance in office.

In July 2013, Louisiana State Police received information and a request from the Sabine Parish Sheriff's Office in reference to investigating alleged inappropriate conduct and behavior that was/is sexual in nature, between a Zwolle Police Officer and a juvenile.

The investigation revealed that Aaron Jr. and a female juvenile (16 yrs) were using cell phones to transmit sexually explicit and/or lewd images of each other to one another.

The investigation also revealed that Aaron Jr. had engaged in indecent behavior with the juvenile and attempted to destroy evidence of their activities after knowing that an investigation into the matter had begun.

Wednesday, Aaron Jr. was arrested and booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center on the above listed charges.

Officer David Bisard Arrested for Drunk Driving

Suspended Indianapolis Metro Police Officer David Bisard has been arrested for Operating a vehicle While Intoxicated (OWI) following an accident Saturday afternoon in Lawrence.

According to sources, Bisard blew a .16 on an alcohol breath test but refused a chemical test, so he was taken to the hospital for a blood draw.

Officers were dispatched to the 10000 block of Indian Lake Boulevard South in Lawrence around 2:30 p.m. for a property damage accident. Police say Bisard was the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident.

Police say Bisard smelled of alcohol and that he failed a field sobriety test and a Breathalyzer test at the scene of the crash. According to police, Bisard was eastbound on Indiana Lake Boulevard when he struck a speed limit sign, knocking it down, and then hit the guardrail.

Lawrence Police walked Bisard into Wishard Hospital for a blood draw. They arrived in an unmarked vehicle and Bisard was taken inside handcuffed. After the blood draw, Bisard was taken to the Marion County Arrestee Processing Center.

Bisard's Attorney John Kautzmann tells Eyewitness News he is not commenting on his client's arrests nor his possible release from jail. 

IMPD Chief Rick Hite told Eyewitness News he was aware of Bisard's arrest Saturday and that it's in the hands of the prosecutors.

August 2010 crash
David Bisard was involved in an August 2010 crash that resulted in the death of motorcyclist Eric Wells. Two others, Mary Mills and Kurt Weekly, were critically injured in the crash and Weekly has permanent brain damage.

Bisard was charged with reckless homicide and other charges in connection with the crash. A blood alcohol content test determined he was over twice the legal limit to drive at the time of the crash. But botched procedures - both with the blood draw itself and later in the IMPD evidence room - led to drunk driving charges being thrown out.

Last year, an appeals court ruled that the blood draw could be allowed as evidence.  Bisard's attorneys had argued that the blood draw should not be allowed on the grounds that the medical assistant who took the blood had not followed proper protocols and that the draw should have been taken at a hospital, not a clinic.

In September, the appeals court ruled that the medical assistant did in fact follow physician-approved protocols, "and that the statutes cited by Bisard do not reflect that the General Assembly intended to suppress blood evidence taken in a medical facility by a trained operator in the presence of the suspect's lawyer. We therefore reverse."
A trial date has been set for October 15th, 2013.

Meantime, the city has agreed to pay Weekly and Mills, who are married, a total of $2.3 million. Weekly was awarded $1.35 million and Mills $975,000.

A $1.5 million settlement was reached with the family of Eric Wells in June 2012.
Recent developments:

March 4: IMPD officers, demoted after Bisard crash, now promoted - The Indianapolis Metro Police Department promoted some of its officers to high-ranking positions Monday. Ronald Hicks and John Conley both played roles at the scene where suspended Officer David Bisard is accused of crashing into three motorcycle riders while driving drunk in August 2010.

Ronald Hicks was promoted to Assistant Chief of Police and John Conley is now Commander of the Southeast District. Both were promoted in a ceremony held in the Chief's Conference Room.

Hicks and Conley, along with then- Assistant Chief Darryl Pierce, were demoted a few weeks after the Bisard crash, which claimed the life of Eric Wells, due to a "failure in leadership" amid claims of a flawed investigation. Bisard's blood alcohol content was tested at well over the legal limit, but drunk driving charges were thrown out on a technicality stemming from the way the blood sample was handled.

Jan. 3: IMPD evidence room undergoes changes after Bisard blood removed - Critical blood evidence from a deadly drunk driving case against Officer David Bisard was mistakenly removed from a refrigeration unit in the IMPD property room and transferred to storage. It sat unrefrigerated from mid-November 2011 to April 2012.

Police Chief Paul Ciesielski stepped down and the FBI stepped in to investigate. But the only culprit found was outdated and poorly constructed property room guidelines.

13 Investigates and its cameras ventured inside the property room for a rare look at how evidence in some of the city's worst and highest profile cases are now stored.

Officer Robert Barthelemy Arrested for Kidnapping

Authorities in central Louisiana have spent the weekend searching for a man they believe was kidnapped from his home at gunpoint by a Natchitoches police officer.

Twenty-five year-old Tony Procell has been missing for almost a week.

The Shreveport Times reports that security video at Procell's mobile home showed Natchitoches police Officer Robert Barthelemy leading Procell out at gunpoint last Tuesday.

Barthelemy was booked Wednesday with aggravated kidnapping and home invasion. Bond has not been set.

Defense attorney Brian McRae did not immediately return a call and an email Sunday.

Search crews have been looking in Sabine, DeSoto and Natchitoches parishes.

Corrections Officer Michael Mangarillo Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Child

A New York Corrections officer is behind bars for allegedly sexually assaulting a child.

Police say Michael Mangarillo, 55, sexually abused the 12-year-old girl last year at his Mooers home.

Police say Mangarillo knew the child and the alleged abuse happened while she was visiting him from New Jersey.

Mangarillo works at Altona Correctional Facility. He's being held without bail.

Two Sergeants Arrested After Robbery

A Good Samaritan snapped photos of what appeared to be two men impersonating police officers involved in a pistol-whipping and robbery outside a Citgo gas station on Detroit's east side on July 21.

"Several unidentified police officers were working this particular robbery case, recognized one of the suspects in the photographs as being a member of the Detroit Police Department," Chief James Craig said Monday.

Now under arrest are two police sergeants, a 47-year-old officer and 20-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department and his 42-year-old buddy from the police academy, who is a former DPD cop and 17-year veteran of the St. Clair Shores Police Department. The later recently received a distinguished service award.

"In fact, they were police officers, just not working on-duty at the time," Craig said.

One of the alleged victims identified the St. Clair Shores sergeant from a photo lineup.

It is alleged the two sergeants pulled up in a black pickup, got out of the truck with their guns drawn and their badges around their necks, detained two young men in their early twenties, searched them and pistol-whipped one of them, stealing his wallet and cell phone. The other alleged victim told police they also stole his money.

"At this time, there is no evidence to support that both sergeants were involved in any other police impersonation cases that have been reported in recent weeks," Craig said.

"Know that if we have officers engaging in criminal misconduct that we will investigate. We will always be transparent about this business and making sure that our community is aware of how we're conducting our investigations."

The Detroit police sergeant was arrested at work at the 12th Precinct on Saturday. The St. Clair Shores sergeant was picked up at his home.

While a warrant has been submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, no charges have yet been authorized.

Meanwhile, the attorney for the St. Clair Shores sergeant said this case is not at all what it seems and that the alleged victims are far from innocent.

"I think there is going to be a totally different story to this case. These are two highly decorated police officers. They're not rogue cops. They're not cops out on the street trying to take down innocent people," said Todd Flood.

Sources said the teenage daughter of the St. Clair Shores sergeant was recently robbed of her cell phone and that the two officers were tracking down the people responsible. Flood would not confirm or deny that.

"This is a situation where there's more to it than what meets the eye or what's being reported," he said.

Deputy Chief Andi Higbee Arrested for DUI

Deputy Chief Andi Higbee, of the Burlington Police Department, has been arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

According to the Vermont State Police, Higbee was pulled over on Route 105 in Sheldon early Sunday morning. Officials say the reason he was stopped was for failing to use a turn signal. Higbee was subsequently arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. He was transported to the St. Albans Barracks and released on a citation. Higbee is due in court on August 12th.

According to Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling, Higbee has been placed on paid administrative leave. No one from the department was available for further comment Sunday.

This is not Higbee's first arrest. In 1999, Higbee pleaded guilty to drunk driving after crashing his car in Charlotte. In both cases, Higbee was off-duty.

Officer Peter Ciollo Arrested for Attempted Rape

An off-duty New York City police officer has been arrested and charged with the attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl.

Officer Peter Ciollo, 29, is accused of having sex with the teen relative at his Staten Island house on the Fourth of July.

The victim is reportedly his sister in law's sister or other immediate relative on his wife's side of the family.

Authorities say Ciollo gave the girl alcohol to drink, then let her drive his car around the neighborhood.

Then they returned to his home, where he allegedly showed her computer porn before they started touching each other in his bed.

The girl says she doesn't remember what happened next, but she told police that when she woke up, she was in the bed and Ciollo's wife had walked in on them.

A wedding notice in the Staten Island Advance says he was married in 2009.

Ciollo is charged with attempted rape, endangering the welfare of a child, sexual abuse and unlawfully dealing with a child-alcohol. He has been an officer since 2006, assigned to the 120th Precinct.

He has been suspended without pay.

Officer Ernest Wilson Charged with Domestic Assault

A decommissioned Metro police officer has been charged for shoving his wife.

According to authorities, 43-year-old Ernest Wilson faces a misdemeanor domestic assault charge for shoving his wife into a wall during a dispute at their home last month.

Wilson's wife reported the matter to the police department's domestic violence division, and Wilson was decommissioned pending further investigation.

Wilson is an eight year police department veteran who was last assigned to the north precinct.

Officer Brian Blue Arrested for DWI

The Fort Worth Police Department is once again dealing with the arrest of an officer accused of driving while intoxicated.

On June 26th, Officer Brian S. Blue was arrested after being involved in a minor crash while off duty. He was driving his personal vehicle.

Toxicology tests are pending to determine if Blue was drunk, or under the influence of another substance.

Officer Blue remains on restricted duty.

No one was hurt in the crash.

Lt. Michael Hayes Charged with Solicitation of Minor

The second in command of a small Brunswick County police force paid a teen $60 for sex acts, an arrest warrant detailed Wednesday.

Michael Alan Hayes, 38, a lieutenant with the Northwest Police Department, surrendered to police Wednesday morning on charges of solicitation of a minor for sex and filing a false police report. He has since been released.

According to the warrant, Hayes contacted the girl via Craigslist.org and met with her Nov. 27.

The warrant also charges that on the same day, Hayes filed a false report with the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office "concerning the sources and circumstances of the damage to the vehicle" he was operating. The warrant alleges Hayes' false report prevented a deputy from fully investigating "the cause of bullet strikes to the vehicle."

According to the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, Hayes reported he was driving his personal vehicle along River Road near Sunny Point on Nov. 27 when someone shot at his car. Hayes reported finding a dent in the body of the vehicle and a hole in his tire.

How that relates to the prostitution charge was not immediately clear.

Hayes, an eight-year veteran of the Northwest Police Department, tendered his resignation to Chief Copelan Taylor on Tuesday, Taylor said.

"I have some issues I need to attend to in my personal life," Hayes wrote in the two-sentence resignation provided to the StarNews by Taylor.

The chief said the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation contacted him Saturday to say that Hayes was being investigated. Taylor said he put Hayes on 30 days of paid leave that night.

According to Jennifer Canada, spokeswoman for the SBI, the investigation into Hayes followed a request from the Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department, which recently arrested two men in connection with a prostitution investigation that began there in November 2012.

On May 4, Boiling Spring Lakes police arrested Kyle Bradley Wolfe, 20, and Shawn Christopher Conley, 20, on charges of prostitution of a minor.

Boiling Spring Lakes Police Chief Brad Shirley said at the time of the arrests the investigation involved advertisements on the Internet via different social media websites. The warrant for Hayes names the same 17-year-old girl as the warrants for Wolfe and Conley.

Hayes has a misdemeanor death by vehicle conviction on his record from May 1991 in New Hanover County.

According to an article in the Wilmington Morning Star, Hayes was 16 when the car he was driving ran into the back of a vehicle on Gordon Road. His 14-year-old girlfriend, Jennifer Allen, was killed and two others – Sharon Shivar, 15, and Kevin Francis Dwyer, 16 – were injured. The group was on the way to school at Laney High, the article states.

Hayes was convicted of the misdemeanor in August 1993.

Chief Taylor said he was unaware of the incident, but it would not have prevented Hayes from becoming a police officer.

Former Officer Bennie Hand Charged with Sexually Abusing Vulnerable Adult

A former Wellford police officer was arrested Tuesday by state agents after they said he sexually and physically abused a vulnerable adult.

The State Law Enforcement Division said between July 1, 2012 and Jan. 1, 2013, 32-year-old Bennie Hand sexually battered and physically abused the victim, who suffers from a mental condition impairing her from providing her own care or protecting herself.

During the abuse, SLED said Hand worked as a Wellford police officer.

Wellford Mayor Thomas Watson said the city received a complaint about the allegations made against Hand and called in SLED to investigate. He was placed on administrative leave when the investigation began and was fired following his arrest, Watson said.

Hand was arrested on charges of misconduct in office, criminal sexual conduct third degree and abuse of a vulnerable adult.

State agents were called in to investigate at the request of Wellford police and the 13th Circuit Solicitor's Office will prosecute the case.

Hand is being held at the Spartanburg County Detention Center.

Officer Kristopher Landis Arrested for Drinking and Driving

A Farmington Hills police officer has been suspended without pay after investigators say he was drinking and driving.

Officer Kristopher Landis has been with the Farmington Hills police department for 7 years.

On the night of March 10, police in South Lyon say Landis crashed his Buick into an unoccupied parked car on South Parkwood Drive.

The owner of the car said his car was totaled.

According to the police report, Landis told investigators he was driving home when he hit the other car. The report says Landis' "speech was greatly slurred" and there was a "very strong odor of intoxicants on his breath".

Documents show Officer Landis had a blood alcohol content of .17 which is more than twice the legal limit of .08.

A second test showed he had a blood alcohol content of .15. Officer Landis says he plead guilty to drinking and driving. He gave this statement to 7 Action News:

"I was going through an extremely hard time in my life. I made a mistake. I'm grateful
no one was hurt. I've learned from it. I'm using it to better myself as an officer and a person.

I'm extremely grateful for all the support from my immediate family and my brothers
at the police department."

We reached out to Farmington Hills Police Chief Chuck Nebus. He says Officer Landis is a good officer with a good record. As for when Landis could be back on the force, Chief Nebus said he can't legally comment since the internal matter hasn't been resolved yet.

Officer Jefferson Taylor III Charged with DUI

A Williamson Police officer is suspended without pay after State Police charged him with driving under the influence.

Jefferson Taylor III, 23, was charged with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident after troopers in Pike County, Kentucky say he crashed his cruiser before 4 a.m. Tuesday, according to court documents.

Williamson Police Chief Dave Rockel told us his department is conducting an internal investigation into the matter which will coincide with the Kentucky State Police investigation.

Rockel also noted how surprised he was because Taylor is an educated and very promising officer.

Officer Jeffrey Taylor Arrested for Falsifying Time Sheets

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrested one of its own Wednesday.

Detectives arrested Officer Jeffrey T. Taylor after he turned himself in Wednesday evening.

Taylor is charged with obtaining property by false pretense, stemming from a criminal investigation which concluded Taylor falsified time sheets while working a secondary, off-duty job at the Arboretum Shopping Center between October 2012 and January 2013.

Chief Rodney Monroe released the following statement:

"The actions of this officer do not reflect the character of the dedicated men and women that wear the badge of the CMPD with honor.

The public deserves to know that the officers sworn to protect our community are of the highest integrity. We will continue to hold our officers to the highest standards and accountable for their actions."

Taylor is now on unpaid administrative leave pending a criminal and internal investigation. He was hired by the CMPD on April 26, 1989. He was assigned to the Metro Division and worked as a school resource officer at Phillip O. Berry High School.

Former Officer Kirk Chapman Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Teen

A former Powell police officer accused of having unwanted sexual contact with a woman while on duty in 2011 has pleaded not guilty to the felony charge against him.

The attorney for Kirk B. Chapman entered the denial of the allegations on his client’s behalf at a Wednesday appearance in Park County District Court in Cody. As is the norm at such arraignment hearings, Chapman spoke only to give brief answers to routine questions from District Court Judge Steven Cranfill.

The third-degree sexual assault charge alleges Chapman used his then-position as a police officer to get a Powell woman to submit to sexual contact in September 2011. The charge was filed against Chapman in July 2012 following a Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and Park County Attorney’s Office review of the woman’s allegations.

Chapman had dropped the intoxicated woman off at her home after she asked police for a ride from a bar.

What happened later is what makes up the criminal allegations — and what is in dispute.

The woman says Chapman returned about an hour later. She told DCI investigators that Chapman kissed her, touched her body and genitals and rubbed himself up against her while in uniform. The woman said she told Chapman he should return to work before and during the contact, according to charging documents.

As for the allegation that Chapman used his position as a police officer to force the woman to submit, Circuit Court Judge Bruce Waters noted during a preliminary hearing last year that there are no allegations Chapman threatened the woman. However, the woman told DCI investigators she believed Chapman showed her a knife in his boot to intimidate her and believed he “used his position” to “violate” her, court records say.

For his part, Chapman flatly denied the allegations. He told DCI investigators he never returned to the woman’s residence after dropping her off. During the preliminary hearing, Chapman’s court-appointed attorney, Bill Simpson of Cody, argued the woman’s timeline of events doesn’t match up with police logs and questioned her credibility by noting past mental health issues. Simpson suggested the woman had been angry with Chapman over a misdemeanor, alcohol-related arrest from a year earlier.

Deputy Park County Attorney Sam Krone, however, highlighted a part of the woman’s account in which she recalled Chapman tripped the mic key on his radio while rubbing against her. She recounted to DCI investigators that Chapman had told dispatch he’d bumped his knee. The investigators found an audio recording of radio traffic from that early morning that appears to match the woman’s recollection of events, wrote DCI agent Andrew Hanson in the charging affidavit.

Wednesday’s arraignment had been delayed several times.

In late November, Simpson asked for the hearing to be pushed back. Simpson said he and prosecutors were “currently negotiating a plea agreement” that would take a few weeks to finish.

On Jan. 9, Simpson asked Judge Cranfill to schedule his client for a change of plea hearing — a hearing where a defendant typically switches their plea from not guilty to guilty or no contest as part of plea bargain. It was an unusual request because 1) Chapman hadn’t entered a plea to change, and 2) according to Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric, there was no deal in place. In a March filing, deputy county attorney Krone asked for the change of plea hearing to be scrapped, saying that “the parties have not entered into plea negotiations.”

Simpson didn’t respond to a request for comment about why he originally asked for the hearing.

Now that Chapman has pleaded not guilty, the case will be set for a trial.

Chapman began serving with the department in January 2007 and resigned in November 2011. The Powell Police Department placed Chapman on administrative leave after the allegations were reported in September, and he resigned without returning to duty, Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt has said.

Ex NYPD officer Arrested for Conspiring to Cook and Eat Women

Two more people are under arrest in connection with the so-called "Cannibal Cop", Gilberto Valle, the ex-NYPD officer convicted of conspiring to cook and eat women.


60-year old Christopher Asch was arrested at his Greenwich Village home, and was charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He was initially removed from his job as a librarian at Stuyvesant High School for improperly touching male students.

Asch was charged criminally, but the case was subsequently dismissed and sealed.

A second person, Richard Meltz, was arrested Sunday in Rockaway, New Jersey. He is chief of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service, based in Bedford, Massachusetts, and a former Sussex County, New Jersey law enforcement officer.

Valle was convicted last month of conspiring to kidnap women, then cook, kill and eat them. He faces life in prison when he is sentenced June 19 - his first wedding anniversary.

Authorities say Asch is quoted in the criminal complaint discussing kidnapping, killing and eating women and children, at one point calling it an "exciting proposition."

Reserve Officer Charles Shamblin Arrested for Arson

A reserve police officer for the town of Gore has been jailed on a complaint of first-degree arson.

Charles Shamblin, 45, of Webbers Falls, is being held in the Muskogee County jail after a warrant was issued for his arrest Tuesday.

According to court documents, Shamblin caused a domestic disturbance by bringing a can of gas into his home and telling his wife and daughter he was going to "burn the house down" on March 31.

Shamblin allegedly had already started one fire while his wife and daughter were inside the Webbers Falls home when he used a cigarette lighter to set a pillowcase and shirt on fire, according to a court affidavit.

Shamblin has been suspended as a reserve officer pending the outcome of these allegations, according to Gore Town Administrator Horace E. Lindley.

He is set to appear in court April 17 for a sounding docket in Muskogee County.

Sergeant Alberto Randazzo Arrested for Child Porn

A New York City police sergeant was arraigned on Tuesday on numerous child pornography charges, after internal affairs investigators found several explicit images and videos on his laptop computer. 

In several recordings found on the computer, the sergeant, Alberto Randazzo, is heard providing “verbal instructions during a cyber video chat session” to an unidentified woman lying in bed with an infant, who appears to be 1 to 2 years old, and directing the woman to “perform certain sex acts on the infant,” the police said.

Also uncovered were two videos involving a man engaged in sex acts with a girl, about 8 to 10 years old, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Queens district attorney’s office.

Prosecutors charged Sergeant Randazzo, 36, with 11 counts of use of a child in a sexual performance, 23 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child and 23 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child, the complaint states. He has been suspended from the force.

Sergeant Randazzo’s lawyer, Anthony DiFiore, did not return a phone call on Tuesday evening.      

Officer Ryan Mendoza Charged with DUI

Ryan Mendoza, Memphis police officer who has been charged with DUI, will go before a judge Wednesday.

Police say Mendoza crashed his truck on Interstate 40 at the Appling exit in East Memphis. Investigators say the truck rolled over after hitting two traffic signs.

According to police, Mendoza refused the sobriety test and was charged. The officer is on paid leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

He has been on the police force since 2007. Mendoza was most recently assigned to the Old Allen Station.

Captain Shawn King Demoted After Accusations of Inappropriate Sexual Behavior

A Tulsa police captain has been demoted to the rank of officer after accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior in 2008.

In a personnel order from Tulsa police chief Chuck Jordan dated Oct. 18, Cpt. Shawn King was demoted and transferred to the training division of the Tulsa Police Department until further notice.

The document states that King engaged in "inappropriate sexual behavior" while on duty and in uniform in 2008 and sent photographs of sexual activity to another employee.

A pre-termination hearing was held before the decision was made, according to the order.
King has 10 days to file an appeal.

Officer James Barnhart Accused of Helping Sex Offender

A Molalla police officer is accused of helping a sex offender avoid mandatory registration.

Officer James Barnhart, a 19-year veteran of the force, will face three misdemeanor charges.

The alleged misconduct happened several years ago but the investigation began only a few months ago, according to Molalla police Chief Rod Lucich. 

The police department asked the Clackamas County Sheriff's office to assist in the investigation.

Barnhart is now on administrative leave and is due in court Oct. 23.

Officer Marvin Blades Jr Arrested for Stealing Money During Traffic Stops

A Tulsa police officer has been arrested on a second-degree robbery complaint after a months-long robbery investigation by the Tulsa Police Special Investigation Division and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. Authorities arrested Officer Marvin Blades Junior, 37, early Saturday morning for stealing cash during a traffic stop.

According to officials, investigators from the two agencies conducted an undercover operation after allegations that Blades had been targeting Hispanics during traffic stops and stealing their money. Police say on Friday night Blades pulled over an undercover OBN agent in the 2800 block of North Lewis Avenue. Investigators say Blades ordered the driver (undercover officer) to the back of the his car and instructed the driver to leave his wallet on the seat.

Authorities believe that's when the officer stole six-hundred dollars in cash before allowing the driver to leave. According to police, when the undercover cop returned to his seat he noticed that money was missing from his wallet. Once in custody, officers found six-hundred dollars cash in Blade's right pants pocket. According to officials, Blades told them that the money belonged to his wife, but investigators matched the money to serial numbers on the bills used in their investigation. Tulsa police chief Chuck Jordan credited other officers for alerting his office to Blades.

"They did the right thing. They did exactly what our community expects of them," said Jordan. Local Hispanic leaders, like Guillermo Rojas, publisher of the bilingual newspaper La Semana, said Hispanics make easy targets.

"They are afraid because everybody thinks if they are stopped - to any Hispanic, if they don't have a legal status in the country, they'll be put in jail," said Rojas. But Jordan says no one should be afraid to come forward and encourages those who have been victimized to call the robbery unit at 918-596-9137.

Police say Officer Marvin Blades was working TPD's Gilcrease division at the time of robbery. Blades is the son of former Tulsa police officer, Marvin Blades, Sr., who was suspended several times in the mid-1990s after he was accused of not following department rules and regulations.

According to 2News archives, Blades' suspensions caused local black leaders to accuse TPD of racial discrimination. Blades was booked and released on a $25,000 bond. He has a court date set for Sept 4.

Cpl. Gene Watkins Arrested for Domestic Assault and Battery

A Tulsa police officer was arrested Friday for charges of domestic assault and battery and threatening a violent act.

TPD Cpl. Gene Watkins was arrested around 4:30 p.m. and was released on a $1,500 bond within 30 minutes.

Court documents show the offense happened Aug. 21.

A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of Watkins and he has been ordered to have no contact with the victim.

Watkins is scheduled back in court Sept. 11.

Former Trooper Gregory Vrooman Convicted for Sex Crimes Against Child

A state trooper who was convicted in April of a dozen sex crimes against
 a girl younger than 14 has been given a five-year prison sentence.

District Attorney Geoffrey Rushlau, whose office prosecuted the case, said Gregory Vrooman, 46, of Nobleboro will serve 21 months in prison, with 39 months suspended.

After being sentenced last week in a courtroom in Bath, Vrooman was released on $25,000 unsecured bail, Rushlau said.

Rushlau said Vrooman's attorney, Steven Peterson of Rockport, has indicated that he plans to appeal his client's sentence to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Peterson could not be reached for comment Monday.

Vrooman's case took a strange turn in April, when he was attacked and injured in a Wiscasset courtroom just moments before the jury in his trial was expected to render its verdict.

Witnesses said William Harrison, 39, jumped Vrooman, who was seated next to his attorney, and landed two punches before he was subdued by court officers. Vrooman was removed from the courtroom on a stretcher.

Harrison, who lives in Charlestown, Mass., was charged with aggravated assault.

"We were on the verge of getting a verdict," Rushlau told The Portland Press Herald at the time. "This was bizarre and unprecedented."

One day later, the jury convicted Vrooman of four counts of unlawful sexual contact with a minor, four counts of unlawful sexual touching and four counts of assault.

Rushlau said it could take several months before the supreme court hears Vrooman's appeal.

Vrooman, a 24-year veteran of the Maine State Police, was arrested in November 2010.

Officer Robert Quintana Arrested for Mail Fraud

U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Robert Quintana, 50, of Buffalo, New York, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with mail fraud and health care fraud. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Rogowski, who is handling the case, stated that on March 16, 2005, the defendant, a Buffalo police officer, was placed on injured on duty (IOD) status by the city of Buffalo. According to the complaint, Quintana was placed on IOD status for alleged injuries to his lower back and buttocks after he slipped and fell on icy steps while responding to a 911-call.

The complaint further states that on numerous occasions while allegedly out of work due to this injury, the defendant was observed working at a local restaurant. The observed work included the lifting of supplies, cleaning tables, stocking, kneeling and bending, and chipping ice. Nevertheless, during the course of an independent medical exam requested by the city of Buffalo in January 2012, Quintana told doctors he was unable to perform any work. The defendant remains on IOD status to this date (seven years after his initial injury) and has resisted efforts to have him return to work.

“It is the duty of all sworn police officers to uphold the law and the vast majority of officers do just that each and every day,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “All should also recognize that police work can be hazardous, and for that reason, communities frequently pay for officers injured in the line of duty until such time as they can return to their posts.”

Hochul further stated that “by falsely claiming to be too injured to return to work, an officer not just breaks the law, she or he hurts the credibility of those legitimately injured in the line of duty. This type of lie also leaves one less officer to patrol the streets of the city, requires working officers to perform overtime duty and thereby increase their own risk of injury, and drives up the cost of health care in these times of difficult economic circumstances. This office can and will act when presented with evidence of this type of fraud.”

“We, as members of law enforcement, are keenly aware of how dangerous it is to be a law enforcement officer,” said Steven L. Lanser, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “Every day we see how the good, hardworking men and women in the Buffalo Police Department out their lives and safety on the line. The injured on duty program is in place to ensure members of the police department are secure in knowing this benefit is available should they sustain a serious injury while discharging their duties. Abuse of the IOD system is an affront to the taxpayers of the city of Buffalo.”

The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Joe Arpaio Facing Justice Department Lawsuit Over Alleged Civil Rights Violations

Federal authorities said Wednesday that they plan to sue Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio and his office over allegations of civil rights violations, including the racial profiling of Latinos.

The U.S. Justice Department has been seeking an agreement requiring Arpaio's office to train officers in how to make constitutional traffic stops, collect data on people arrested in traffic stops and reach out to Latinos to assure them that the department is there to also protect them.

Arpaio has denied the racial profiling allegations and has claimed that allowing a court monitor would mean that every policy decision would have to be cleared through an observer and would nullify his authority.

DOJ officials told a lawyer for Arpaio on April 3 that the lawman's refusal of a court-appointed monitor was a deal-breaker that would end settlement negotiations and result in a federal lawsuit.

The "notice of intent to file civil action" came Wednesday from Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez in a letter to an Arpaio lawyer.

Perez, who heads the DOJ's civil rights division, noted that it's been more than 100 days since the sheriff's office received the DOJ's findings report and federal authorities haven't met with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office counsel since Feb. 6 to discuss the terms of a consent agreement.

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Arpaio defended himself in the face of the pending lawsuit.
"If they sue, we'll go to court. And then we'll find out the real story," he said. "There's lots of miscommunication emanating from Washington. They broke off communications.
"They're telling me how to run my organization. I'd like to get this resolved, but I'm not going to give up my authority to the federal government. It's as simple as that," Arpaio added.

Last December, the DOJ released a scathing report accusing Arpaio's office of racially profiling Latinos, basing immigration enforcement on racially charged citizen complaints and punishing Hispanic jail inmates for speaking Spanish in Arizona's most populous county.

The DOJ also accused Arpaio of having a culture of disregard for basic constitutional rights.
The civil rights allegations have led some Arpaio critics to call for his resignation, including the National Council of La Raza, a prominent advocacy group for Latinos.

The sheriff's office also is facing criticism over more than 400 sex-crimes investigations – including dozens of alleged child molestations – that hadn't been investigated adequately or weren't examined at all over a three-year period ending in 2007.

Arpaio has apologized for the botched cases, reopened 432 sex-crimes investigations and made 19 arrests.
Separate from the civil rights probe, a federal grand jury has been investigating Arpaio's office on criminal abuse-of-power allegations since at least December 2009. That grand jury is examining the investigative work of the sheriff's anti-public corruption squad.

The self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in America has been a national political fixture who has built his reputation on jailing inmates in tents and dressing them in pink underwear, selling himself to voters as unceasingly tough on crime and pushing the bounds of how far local police can go to confront illegal immigration

Officer Rudolfo Zermeno Arrested for Assaulting Girlfriend

A Winston-Salem police officer was in jail this morning after being charged with assault on a female, city police said in a news release.

Early yesterday morning, the police officer, Rudolfo Zermeno, 33, got in an argument with his girlfriend, Maria Fedelina Aguilar, police said, citing a complaint filed by the girlfriend later that day.

Zermeno slapped her face with an open hand and threw a TV remote control at her, hitting her elbow, police said.

Zermeno has been a Winston-Salem police officer for three years. He was placed on administrative leave, as is customary in this type of investigation, police said.

The department’s Criminal Investigations Division looked into the complaint and requested an arrest warrant, police said.

Zermeno was in the Forsyth County detention center on a $1000 secured bond.

In addition, Zermeno was ordered to have no contact with Aguilar.

Anyone with information about this incident may contact the Winston Salem Police Department at (336) 773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at (336) 727-2800.

Sheriff Deputy Andrew Field Arrested

A Bibb County Sheriff's Deputy assigned to the Detention Division was arrested Tuesday. According to a press release from the Sheriff's Office, an internal investigation led to the arrest of 26 year old Andrew Glenn Field. It says investigators arrested field for possession of drugs, crossing the guard line with drugs, and violating the oath of public office. Field is currently being held in the Bibb County Law Enforcement Complex with a bond of $17,100. Field has been placed on suspension with pay while the case is being investigated.

Officer Jonathan Romero Arrested for Domestic Violence

An Albuquerque police officer has been arrested on a domestic violence charge. Jonathan Romero, 41, was arrested over the weekend on a misdemeanor charge of battery on a household member. According to a criminal complaint, Romero was in an argument with his wife about their divorce at their Tijeras home. She later went to bed. That's when the report states that Romero went into the bedroom and tried to forcefully take her wedding ring off her finger. Romero has been released from jail. Police say Romero is a 14-year veteran on the force.

Officer Danielle Scott Arrested for Obstructing an Officer

A probationary Milwaukee police officer was arrested on a state charge of obstructing an officer, the Milwaukee police department said. Danielle Scott, 22, is accused of providing false information regarding a homicide investigation. The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case. "I have lost confidence in her ability to serve on the Milwaukee Police Department and I have terminated her employment," Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said. According to the Department, Scott served as a police aide before becoming a police officer in October and graduating from the police academy in March. The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case against her. Police sources told TODAY'S TMJ4 that officer is dating a man arrested for gunning down another man in a violent car jacking. Russell Setum was shot to death and his mother was also shot. Sources say officer Scott was found at the suspect's home. No charges have been filed yet. The two have a child together. Meanwhile, police say Chief Flynn discharged sergeant Christopher Gull last week. According to police, "Gull displayed sexually explicit photos and made inappropriate comments to co-workers and subordinates while on duty." Gull had 16 years of service with MPD and was a sergeant assigned to the Technical Communications Division. Chief Flynn is expected to answer questions about the recent discharges of personnel Wednesday afternoon.

Officer Daniel Cruz Arrested for Aggravated DUI

A Rockford police officer was arrested Monday night on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of a two-vehicle accident that left a woman critically injured, Boone County Sheriff’s officials said today.

Daniel A. Cruz, 37, of Machesney Park was arrested on charges of leaving the scene of a personal-injury accident, aggravated DUI, aggravated reckless driving, improper passing, driving in the wrong lane and operating a vehicle without proof of insurance.

The name and age of the critically injured woman and the names and conditions of three others in the same vehicle were not immediately available.

Cruz, a 13-year veteran of the department, reportedly was off-duty when the accident happened.

Witnesses said he was traveling south on Beloit Road in a gray 2010 Dodge Caravan when he entered the intersection of Town Hall Road, which is uphill, on a curve and in a no-passing zone. Cruz’s van struck a northbound vehicle, believed to be an Oldsmobile, containing four people.

According to the complaint filed in Boone County Court, Cruz left the scene of the accident by walking away. He was found a half mile from the scene, still walking.

According to the probable cause statement, Cruz admitted to consuming alcohol.

The officer described Cruz as having a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath, bloodshot-glassy eyes, unsteady on his feet and using the squad car for balance.”

Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier said Cruz refused all chemical testing. A court order was eventually obtained. However, it was unknown how much time passed before the blood draw was made.

Cruz’s blood-alcohol content was not available.


Rockford police Chief Chet Epperson could not be reached today for comment.

Officer Brian foulks Arrested for Domestic Assault

The attorney for a Knoxville Police Department officer charged with domestic assault disavowed Tuesday any notion of gunplay on the part of his client in the incident.

KPD Officer Brian Foulks, 33, was arrested early Tuesday morning and jailed under traditional 12-hour "cool down" hold placed in cases of alleged domestic violence after an incident at the home of his estranged wife.

In a report on the incident, his estranged wife, Donna Foulks, told Knox County Sheriff's Office deputies that after a verbal altercation between the two at her Macmont Circle residence, he broke the screen on her laptop computer and grabbed a .38-caliber revolver from a dresser drawer and went into the bathroom with it.

"(She) said she thought she heard (him) unloading it in the bathroom before she ran out," the report states. As she was walking down the road, he followed her in his truck.

"(She) said (he) told her the gun was in the truck, but never pointed it in her direction nor said he would use it," the report states.

Attorney T. Scott Jones, who represents Officer Foulks, said his client came to the home he once shared with his 32-year-old estranged wife unarmed and in his private vehicle. He conceded the two argued but said Officer Foulks merely unloaded and disabled the gun to avoid any escalation of an already tense situation and in no way used the weapon as a threat.

"The gun was already there on a dresser," Jones said. "Once tensions escalated between he and his wife, he located the firearm, unloaded it and rendered it inoperable."

Jones said his client returned the unloaded gun to the dresser, where deputies later found it. The pair eventually wound up outside, where the argument resumed, the report stated.

Donna Foulks told deputies her husband later followed her back inside the house and, after yet another argument, broke her cellphone, knocked items off the kitchen counter and kicked a wooden dining room chair.

Donna Foulks ran to a neighbor's house and called deputies.

Jones said the incident spanned hours, and the arguments between the pair were intermittent. The couple separated in December. Officer Foulks, 33, filed for divorce last month but went to the couple's home in hopes of resolving their marital discord, Jones said.

According to Jones, Officer Foulks has been struggling with the stress of being a full-time student at Liberty University and working overtime at KPD to earn extra money.

"Officer Foulks knows there is no excuse for domestic violence," Jones said. "He's going to get counseling related to this unfortunate incident and to deal with the stress he has been under."

KPD has suspended Foulks' police powers and reassigned him to administrative duties pending an investigation by the internal affairs unit. He has been with KPD since 2006 and was the school resource officer for Central High School.

He is set to be arraigned May 15.

Officer Jason Davis Arrested for DWI

A Conway police officer is under arrest for DWI. Police say they got a call to the Centerstone apartments about an accident. When they arrived, they saw a silver truck with significant damage to the front end. When an officer walked to the driver's side door, he immediately recognized Conway police officer Jason Davis, 32, and called his supervisor. The officer says Davis was slumped over and had a cut to the bridge of his nose. The officer says he could smell alcohol coming from the truck. When the officer woke Davis up, Davis didn't know where he was and he didn't remember the accident. The officer says his speech was slurred and it was difficult to understand. His eyes were also bloodshot and watery and his eyelids were droopy. The officer was taken to a local hospital to be checked out for further injuries and to have blood drawn. He was then taken to the Faulkner County Detention Center. Authorities say Davis was put on administrative leave for previous unrelated issues before the incident. However, we're told that as of 5:00 p.m., Davis has been terminated from the Conway Police Department due to those issues.

Officer Rafael Mendoza arrested in Mesquite; was also arrested in 2011

Dallas Police have placed Officer Rafael Mendoza on administrative leave after his arrest in Mesquite early Sunday.

A Dallas police officer is on administrative leave after being arrested in Mesquite. He's also accused of firing a shot into another car.

According to a statement from Bill Hedgpeth of the Mesquite Police Department, off-duty Dallas Officer Rafael Mendoza was taken into custody early Sunday Morning.

"At about 2:40am Sunday morning, Mesquite Police responded to a “person with a gun” call in the area of IH-30 and Big Town. A caller said that a person traveling eastbound on IH-30 was holding a gun out of the driver’s side window."
 

The vehicle was located near I-30 and Northwest Highway. 

"The driver appeared to be intoxicated and after field sobriety tests were conducted, he was arrested," the statement said." A handgun was recovered at the scene and a small amount of marijuana was also located in the vehicle."

Officer Mendoza was taken into custody.  He is charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Driving While Intoxicated and Possession of Marijuana under two ounces.

A second caller told police that the driver of vehicle matching Mendoza's fired a bullet into the trunk of his car.

The Dallas Police Department also released a statement.

"Officer Mendoza is assigned to the Northeast Patrol Division and has been employed by the Dallas Police Department since December of 2008.  In addition to the criminal charges, an administrative investigation will be conducted by the Department’s Internal Affairs Division."

The City of Mesquite will investigate the incident.

In August of 2011, NBC 5 reported Mendoza's arrest for domestic assault and unlawful restraint.

Deputy Felipe Torres Arrested for Domestic Violence

Laredo Police rush to a residence after a call to 9-1-1 informed the officers about a man's violent behavior.

The suspect taken into custody is a Webb County Sheriff Deputy who was arrested after allegedly assaulting his wife.

44 year old Felipe Torres was arrested on charges of assault.

According to police a call came in around 2:45 in the morning in the three thousand block of Saint Issac Loop.

The caller advised that the subject was a Sheriff Deputy and alcohol could be the reason for his behavior.
The victim claimed to be choked by Torres.

When police arrived they arrested Felipe Torres for assaulting his wife impeding her breathing and circulation which is a felony three.

Torres was taken to Webb County Jail.

Protective Order Filed Against Tulsa Officer Accused Of Sexual Misconduct

An emergency protective order was filed against a Tulsa police captain accused of sexual misconduct with a minor.

The new allegations come just weeks after he was suspended for sex acts on the job that happened three years ago.

04/27/2012 Related Story: Tulsa Police Chief: No Access To Suspended Officer's Personal Computer

News on 6 spoke with the officer and his attorney.

Captain Shawn King says he is not ready to get into the details of the allegations made against him. But his attorney says they're false. He says it's all part of a plan by an angry ex-girlfriend to ruin King's name.

An Osage County judge granted an emergency protective order against Captain Shawn King on behalf of Keena Roberts and her minor children. The order was filed late Friday.

"What's happened today is evidence of Ms. Robert's ongoing and continuous vendetta against Capt. King since their break up," wrote King's attorney Scott Wood.

Wood says King and Roberts ended their relationship sometime in the past six months. And says that ever since, Roberts has gone to great lengths to "attack" his client.

Wood says the protective order is another example of that. But the accusations in that order are serious.

Read More About Protective Orders in Oklahoma

Roberts' attorney alleges that King molested one of Roberts' underage children. In the protective order, the attorney confirms that King is accused of groping, kissing and forcibly raping the child with his fingers.

Roberts' attorney alleges the incidents happened many times over a period of several years. The allegations surfaced after the child spent time in therapy.

King's attorney calls the allegations false and outrageous.

"Another example of how desperate Ms. Robert's is to wreck havoc on Captain King's life," Wood said in a statement.

Earlier this month, King was suspended a week without pay after TPD Chief Chuck Jordan says King engaged in sexual activity in his patrol car. That incident happened in 2009.

An interoffice memo from Chief Jordan's classifies the activity as "Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer."
"No allegation was made to the police department regarding any criminal activity, including activity involving children," Scott Wood said.

A hearing for a permanent protective order is set for May 22, 2012, in Osage County. But King's attorney is hoping to get a quicker hearing.

He says depending on the outcome, his client make take legal action against Roberts. As of now, Captain King is still reporting to work as a shift supervisor in the Gilcrease Hills Division.

Former Ohio Officer Charged with Sex Crimes Against Minor

A former Ohio police officer has been charged with multiple sex crimes against a minor.

Media outlets report Friday's charges of rape, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and eight other counts stem from his relationship with a woman who was a minor when he allegedly began sexually abusing her.

The reports say the 43-year-old Heath man used to be an officer in Hebron and Union Township in central Ohio.

He is accused of having a decade-long sexual relationship with a girl, now 26, when she was 8 and he was an officer.

Officials handling a child support case became suspicious when they learned the oldest of the couple's three children was 10.

The Associated Press is not naming the man to avoid identifying a suspected victim of sexual assault.