Minden, Louisiana Officer Accused of Stealing Gas

Officer Craigburke Bunknor is accused of using a department gasoline card for his own personal use. According to the records he used a gas card that was assigned to the schools resource officer, and another officer’s PIN number to put $400 worth of gas into his personal vehicles and charged it to the city. Officer Buchnor did this on 10 different occasions, and was recorded on security camera twice.

Minden Police Chief T.C. Bloxom said he noticed a discrepancy in the fuel usage for Bunknor fuel card when he was reviewing the departments expenses for the month.

Officer Bucknor was arrested by detectives when he arrived for duty at the police department at 10 p.m. He was booked into Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center on a charge of felony theft.

Bucknor has been suspended without pay.

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Guess the gas prices are getting a little to high for everyone. Almost don't blame him.

Officer Alvin Bland Arrested for Attempted Murder

Officer Alvin Bland, 29, of Birmingham, Alabama was identified as the suspect in connection with the attempted murder of a 28-year-old male victim, which occurred on Monday, April 28, 2008, at approximately 3:30 p.m., at Denmark Avenue and Quebec Drive.

Officers responded to Oregon Street and 7th Avenue Wylam to investigate a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers were met by the victim who stated that he and a male suspect were reportedly involved in a verbal altercation that led to the suspect firing a rifle at him. There were no injuries.

Officer Bland has been employed with the Birmingham Police Department for five years and is assigned to the South Precinct. He was booked into the city jail at 9 p.m. Monday and held there on a 48-hour extension until a warrant was obtained Wednesday.

He is currently being held on a $60,000 bond in the Jefferson County Jail.

Former Boston officer pleads guilty in federal drug case

A former Boston police officer pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges that he conspired to extort $265,000 on behalf of drug dealers while in uniform and that he threatened to kill the man who supposedly owed them the cash.

Jose A. "Flaco" Ortiz, 45, formerly of Salem, also admitted in US District Court in Boston that he participated in a related scheme to distribute cocaine he obtained from the victim. In brief and barely audible remarks in court, he denied personally threatening the victim, but said he relayed warnings from Colombian drug dealers that the victim "might be in some kind of danger" if the man did not pay the debt.

Ortiz, who spent 21 years on the force before his firing last May, is the fifth Boston officer to plead guilty to federal charges since September. All the cases, including one involving three officers, revolved around drugs.

Ortiz could spend the rest of his life in prison if US District Judge Rya W. Zobel issues the harshest possible sentence. But federal prosecutors are recommending a prison term of 11 to 14 years, because Ortiz has admitted his guilt and waived his right to appeal if he receives the lighter sentence.

"It's not a happy day for law enforcement" when a police officer pleads guilty to a crime, First Assistant US Attorney Michael K. Loucks said after the hearing, which was handled by another prosecutor.

But Loucks praised Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis for helping federal authorities pursue cases of police corruption. "No matter what organization, there are always going to be people who commit crimes," Loucks said.

Ortiz's lawyer, Scott A. Lutes of Providence, said his client changed his plea because he wanted to take responsibility for his misdeeds. "He candidly admits his guilt and feels terrible about it," said Lutes.

Supporters of Ortiz filled a bench near the front of the gallery in the courtroom. As they have at Ortiz's previous hearings, several wore white T-shirts saying, "I [heart-shape] you Ortiz."

Ortiz, dressed in a khaki jumpsuit from the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, R.I., made no eye contact with them during the hearing.

The case against Ortiz stems from an investigation by law enforcement authorities that began in late 2003 or early 2004, according to Assistant US Attorney John T. McNeil. At the time, a man identified only as Victim A in court papers told authorities that two drug dealers approached him and asked if he knew anyone who might want to participate in drug trafficking.

At the advice of law enforcement officials, Victim A introduced the drug dealers to a man whom he believed to be involved in the drug trade, McNeil said. Days later, the drug dealers told Victim A that that man had stolen from them. The dealers blamed Victim A for the theft and said he owed them more than $200,000.

The matter became a police corruption case in August 2006 when, in a startling twist, Ortiz showed up at Victim A's job in the Boston area, McNeil said. Wearing his uniform, badge, and holstered handgun, Ortiz told the victim that he was there on behalf of Colombian drug dealers who would kill Victim A and his family if the man did not pay his debt. Ortiz later said the debt totaled $265,000.

In March and April 2007, Victim A paid Ortiz $6,000 in three installments while law enforcement officials secretly recorded the transactions, McNeil said. On May 2, the victim gave Ortiz $4,000 in cash and 4 kilograms of cocaine in a parking lot in Revere, a deal that the officer said would settle the debt. Ortiz was again dressed in uniform.

Moments later, an FBI SWAT team arrested him.

A search of Ortiz's police locker a week later found $7,000 in cash, including $700 that had been provided to the victim by law enforcement officials, authorities said.

Phoenix Officer Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of Minor

Phoenix, AZ

Veteran police officer Richard Michael Polk has been arrested following an investigation into Internet child pornography. Officer Polk is a 26-year veteran officer who is currently a homicide detective.

Court documents say investigators found downloaded videos at Officer Polk’s home depicting children, under the age of 15, engaging in various sex acts. Online banking services were linked to purchases of child pornography, police said. He also used online file sharing service to distribute images.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement initially became aware of Polk's activities through their cyber crimes enforcement. They shared information with Phoenix Police officers, who continued to investigate through their internal affairs department. Phoenix Police's investigation leading up to Polk's arrest lasted six months.

A search of his Surprise home Wednesday revealed several removable thumb drives with about 20 videos, half of which showed children no older than 15 in various sexual acts, the court documents said.

The drives, along with computers and other evidence seized during the search, will undergo further analysis as the investigation continues. Thorough investigation is necessary when technology is involved, Gonzales said. The department also applies a high standard of scrutiny when dealing with its employees.

“We take every investigation seriously,” Gonzales said. “He was treated as any other citizen would be treated in the circumstances of the investigation.”

He has been released on a $250,000 bond, but must stay away from minors and may only see his own child under supervision.

Chicago police officer indicted for falsifying information

UPDATE on Officer John Haleas

Cook County prosecutors say a Chicago police officer accused of falsifying information in drunken driving arrests ignored numerous critical steps in making a legitimate drunken driving arrest in April 2005.

Court documents filed Tuesday revealed the man arrested by Officer John Haleas registered a blood-alcohol content of 0.334. That is a level of intoxication at which people can lose consciousness or, in some cases, die. The man's DUI conviction was tossed out because of Haleas' misconduct.

Prosecutors say the missteps by Haleas ultimately led to his own indictment and the dismissal of 156 of his previous DUI arrests.

Haleas had been honored for making more DUI arrests than any other police officer in Illinois. The 12-year veteran is charged with perjury, official misconduct and obstruction of justice.

Officer Robin Brown Charged with Document Fraud

An Irvington police officer whose job was to stop document fraud is being accused of using a friend's birth certificate to obtain a New Jersey driver's license with her photo on it, authorities said today.

A state grand jury indicted Officer Robin M. Brown, 41, of Irvington, on charges of using of another's personal identifying information, tampering with public records and forgery, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice. The indictment was handed up late Tuesday.

Brown could not be reached for comment. She could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted on the most serious charge.

Brown got a duplicate driver's license in her friend's name, but with her photo on it last June at the Motor Vehicle Commission's office in Newark, prosecutors said.

The ruse was discovered when the friend went to change her address at the MVC office in Irvington and the clerk noticed the photo on file for the license was actually Brown. The clerk knew Brown because she worked at the Irvington office as part of a program that places police officers in motor vehicle agencies to stop document fraud.

Sacramento Police Officer arrested for Grand Theft

A Sacramento Police officer is facing felony charges of grand theft for refusing to return $20,000 to a friend. Apparently a friend asked Officer Sean Lewis to hold onto $50,000 so she could commit fraud against the welfare department, by claiming she was broke. But the next day, the 40 year old woman changed her mind and asked for the money back.

Officer Lewis became greedy and decided to tell her that the authorities had confiscated $20,000, but actually kept the money for himself. She then reported the incident to the departments internal affairs unit.

Officer Lewis has been a patrol officer since 1999, but resigned before the arrest, according to a statement issued by the Sacramento Police Department.

The missing $20,000 has not been found.

Suspended Officer George Sideris Arrested on Warrant

Police Officer George Sideris, 36, was taken into custody Friday on a warrant issued by Salem Superior Court after he failed to appear at a scheduled court hearing Thursday.

Peabody police and Probation officers went to his residence around 2:30pm, and found Sideris barricading the entrance door and refused to allow the officers inside his residence.

The officers were able to push in the front door and once inside the apartment found Sideris in the bathroom with a self inflicted wound. Peabody Police Lt. Dennis Bonaiuto would not comment on how Sideris hurt himself, or how long the incident lasted, only to say it was not prolonged.

Sideris was taken to the Salem Hospital where he is recovering from a self-inflicted injury. Bonaiuto said Sideris was expected to spend the night at the hospital. He said he was not sure if additional charges will be filed. He said Sideris will remain in custody until his arraignment in Salem Superior Court.

Sideris was originally charged with beating his then 73-year old elderly mother, Melpomeni Sideris, into a coma on Thanksgiving Day in 2004 at their Ellsworth Road home in Peabody that they shared.

Mrs. Sideris, 76, was in a coma for several weeks following the incident and eventually emerged, but never returned home.

She is currently living in a nursing home in Lynn and Sideris is allowed supervised visits with his mother.

Sideris has been suspended without pay from the Police Department as a result of the charges.

He was due in court Wednesday on a hearing on results of an evaluation by doctors at Bridgewater State Hospital, who said Sideris is not competent to stand trial, and an evaluation done by a doctor hired by prosecutors, the results of which are not yet known to the public.

Sideris, who is on his third lawyer, had been adamant at prior hearings that he was competent to stand trial, but this week he failed to appear in court, a surprise to Judge David Lowy, who noted Sideris, who was free on personal recognizance, had shown up at every court date so far.

Lowy delayed issuing the arrest warrant over concerns of a scheduling mix-up. But when he did not show up Thursday and probation officers failed to find him, a prosecutor asked the judge to issue a warrant.

Two New Orleans Deputies Fired After Forcing Female to Expose Herself

Two Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies have been fired and one faces criminal charges after authorities say one of them forced a female motorist to expose herself and the other deputy did not report it.

Clyde A. Clarke, 45, of 438 Holy Cross Place, Kenner, was booked with malfeasance in office after authorities claimed he forced an unidentified 26-year-old woman to expose herself to avoid arrest on two occasions. Demond T. Ferguson, 24, 1740 Hampton Drive, Harvey, was fired by the Sheriff's Office but was not arrested.

Col. John Fortunato, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office, said that on Saturday, Clarke and Ferguson were traveling separately when they stopped the woman and her boyfriend on Ames Boulevard. During the traffic stop, the deputies determined that both were wanted on other traffic violations and arrested only the unidentified man.

The deputies allowed the woman to leave, but not before asking her to provide personal information, including a telephone number, Fortunato said. After Clarke took her boyfriend to jail, he telephoned the woman and told her to meet him outside her home.

When Clarke met the woman, he made her move into a dimly lit area and then demanded that she raise her skirt, Fortunato said. Clarke did not touch the woman, but when she returned to her home, he told her that the next time he called, she should not be wearing underwear.

At some point, Fortunato said, Clarke called Ferguson and told him to come to the woman's home. Clarke again called the woman. However, when Ferguson realized what was happening, he told Clarke he did not want to be involved and walked away, Fortunato said. Clarke still required the woman to expose herself, Fortunato said.

The Sheriff's Office learned of the incident after the woman filed a complaint.

"If there's something that's criminal in nature (in a complaint), we immediately conduct an investigation," Sheriff Newell Normand said Thursday afternoon at a news conference in Harvey. He said Clarke's actions "constitute grounds for malfeasance."

Clarke joined the Sheriff's Office in 2004. Ferguson, who was fired for not preventing the incident and not reporting it, joined in 2006. Both men had worked at the parish correctional center before recently being assigned to patrol duties, Normand said.

Fortunato said the investigation has been turned over to the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office.