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Mineola, NY: officer faces groping charges June 15, 2011 MINEOLA, N.Y. — A suburban New York police officer faces charges he groped a woman during a traffic stop. Garrett Mannerz pleaded not guilty Wednesday to bribe receiving, official misconduct and sexual abuse. The Nassau County officer is accused of groping the woman, a passenger in a car that was stopped last February in Levittown. Prosecutors say three women were in the car. After the driver was given a sobriety test, Mannerz summoned a passenger to his patrol car, where he is accused of forcing her to touch him sexually. He let the women go, but is allegedly called the woman later for a date. Prosecutors say she recorded a call and reported it to police. Lawyer William Petrillo calls the woman's claims absurd and said his client has been falsely accused. The Associated Press http://online.wsj.com/article/APb0682a2 ... aa04a.html Comment here
Honolulu, HI: officer guilty of raping prostitute June 15, 2011 A Honolulu police officer was found guilty Tuesday of forcing a Waikiki prostitute to have sex with him nearly two years ago by threatening her with arrest. A Circuit Court jury convicted Michael Tarmoun, 38, of second-degree sexual assault. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in September. He remains free on $50,000 bail. The Police Department said Tarmoun is on paid administrative leave. He had been on restricted duty since the beginning of the criminal investigation. This was the second jury to hear the case. The first was unable to reach a unanimous verdict in February. The 22-year-old former prostitute said Tarmoun picked her up in Waikiki on July 19, 2009, took her to a Piikoi Street apartment and threatened to put her in jail if she didn't do as he said. After they had sex, the woman said, Tarmoun took her back to Waikiki and gave her $5 after she told him she was hungry. Tarmoun said he didn't have sex with the woman. He said he thought the woman was a tourist looking to "hook up" when he picked her up at about 5 a.m. after completing his overnight shift for rookie officers in Waikiki. Tarmoun's wife had testified that the car he was driving when he picked up the prostitute is registered to her husband. Tarmoun's girlfriend testified that the Piikoi Street apartment is hers and that she was out of town at the time. Tarmoun said he realized the woman was a prostitute only after she told him he would have to pay for having sex with her. He said he threatened to have her arrested because he was angry, but then decided to return the woman to Waikiki.
Tarmoun testified that on the ride back, "I was counseling her that what she is doing is wrong, it's immoral, that she needs to go to school, get a job." He said she left after he gave her the $5. "I don't think she even said thank you," Tarmoun said. The woman told another prostitute about what happened, who in turn reported it to a police officer. Police tried to get a statement from the woman, but she said she did not want to make a report because she didn't want her pimp to find out. She said she decided to make a statement in March 2010 after she learned the Police Department had taken Tarmoun off restriction and that he was going back on the street. BY: Nelson Daranciang http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20110615_HPD_officer_is_convicted_of_assaulting_prostitute.html Comment here
Refugio, TX: two women sue sheriff for highway strip-search June 15, 2011 Two women have sued a South Texas county and a sheriff over what they call a strip search along a highway in plain view of other drivers. The federal civil rights lawsuit was filed June 8 by Brittah Williams and Jessica Mascorro of Refugio over Dec. 31, 2009, incident. The lawsuit names Refugio (ray-FYOO'-ee-oh) County, Sheriff Robert Bolcik, a male deputy and a female deputy. Bolcik didn't immediately comment. County Judge Rene Mascorro and County Auditor Diana Moss declined comment Tuesday. The Victoria Advocate reports the lawsuit says Mascorro's car was pulled over, Bolcik approached and said he had information that a man she dated was smuggling drugs. The lawsuit says no drugs were found in the vehicle. Acquaintances later told the women of driving by and witnessing the strip search. http://www.ksat.com/news/28245561/detail.html Comment here
Philly, PA: 2 ex-cops sentenced to 10-15 years June 15, 2011 Amid a courtroom packed with sobbing family and friends, two former Philadelphia police officers caught in an undercover sting helping drug dealers rob a man they believed to be a drug courier were each sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison this morning by a Philadelphia judge. Christopher Luciano, 23, and fellow 25th District officer Sean Alivera, 31, each made brief statements to Common Pleas Court Judge Lillian H. Ransom and apologized to the Police Department for "disgracing the badge." "I should have known better," said Luciano. "I had come from a good family and was brought up to know the difference between right and wrong." Alivera apologized to the court and justice system and "my brothers and sisters in law enforcement. I shamed them and I shamed the badge." Both former officers faced up to 67 years in prison, including three mandatory five- to 10-year prison terms on their guilty pleas in April to robbery, conspiracy, kidnapping, official oppression and possession of a drug with intent to deliver. Defense attorneys Gerald Stein and Fortunato "Fred" Perri Jr. urged the judge to impose just one and make the remaining sentences concurrent, arguing that each officer quickly entered open guilty pleas to all charges. While Ransom did not impose the 15 to 30 years sought by Assistant District Attorney Erica Wilson, she did stack some of the terms. The judge also imposed a five-year period of probation on Alivera when he gets out of prison and seven years probation for Luciano. Wilson presented two witnesses: Deputy Police Comissioner Stephen Johnson and Inspector Christine Coulter, who headed the 25th District, when the two officers were arrested last October. Both testified about how the ex-officers acts hurt the reputation of the police department and seriously damaged the relationship between 25th District officers and the tough North Philadelphia and Kensington neighborhoods they serve. Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey submitted a letter, read by Wilson, that urged Ransom to impose the maximum 67-year prison term on each.
Ramsey's letter referred to the department tradition of retiring the badges of officers slain the line of duty. "I will retire their badges and melt them down, not out of respect but disgust," Ramsey's letter read. Luciano, an officer for three years, and Alivera, a 10-year veteran, were arrested Oct. 4 following a sting operation by Philadelphia police and the state Attorney General's office. Last September, according to earlier court testimony, state investigators heard from an informant that a Philadelphia drug dealer named Aaron Harris boasted that some Philadelphia police officers helped him set up and rob drug couriers. An undercover state agent began the first phase of the sting by getting close to Harris and giving him information about a potential target. On Oct. 4, that target - an undercover officer from Philadelphia's police Internal Affairs Division - was issued $4,000 in marked bills and a car with 20 pounds of marijuana in the trunk. At 6 p.m., as surveillance cameras recorded events, Alivera and Luciano's patrol car was seen stopping the "courier" car at 5th and Cambria Streets without cause. Authorities said the officers put the courier in the back of their patrol car and Luciano then opened and looked inside the trunk of the courier vehicle at the duffel bag of marijuana. Luciano then closed the trunk and the officers drove off with the courier in the squad car. They stopped about 10 blocks away and made calls on their cell phones. While they were gone, investigators said a minivan parked behind the courier car, and Harris and a man identified as Timothy Taylor opened the trunk, took the duffel bag and drove away. Alivera and Luciano then returned to the scene. One drove the courier vehicle and followed the patrol car back to the 25th District station. As the undercover officer was being processed inside, investigators arrested Alivera and Luciano. Alivera had $3,000 of the $4,000 in marked bills hidden in his uniform and vest. Although the marijuana was not recovered, Harris, 34, and Taylor, 26, were arrested later and are scheduled to go to trial in September. BY: Joseph A. Slobodzian http://www.philly.com/philly/news/123918219.html Comment here
June 15, 2011 EUGENE, Ore. -- Harris's latest run-in with the law is not only shedding light on his past, but it's also raising questions about whether his treatment was an example of a double standard. Many KEZI 9 News viewers wrote in and called asking why UO football player Cliff Harris wasn't arrested for speeding with a suspended license. State police say letting Harris go was all a matter of circumstances. Drivers we spoke to though say they find it hard to believe the average citizen would have been so lucky. "That's a missile going down the road at almost 120 miles an hour. No. And he has no legal right to be behind the wheel? No, get out of town," said Brad Foster. OSP troopers say Harris was heading southbound near mile marker 230 near Albany when they noticed his rented 2011 Nissan Altima zoom by. The officer who pulled him over says Harris was honest and cordial. He made the decision to allow another passenger to drive the rest of the way and gave Harris a near 1,200 ticket as a parting souvenir. "If that had been me, I'm sure I would have been in the back seat of that cop car going somewhere. In this case, he must of recognized him for who he was and made an exception," said Richard Norton. So if you were caught speeding, going nearly 120 miles per hour traveling right here on the I-5 and you were also driving with a suspended license, would you be charged and arrested for reckless driving? "Mr. Harris was not treated any differently than anyone else," said Gregg Hastings, OSP spokesperson. Hastings says people often do get arrested for excessive speed. But because Harris's license was suspended for non-misdemeanor or felony violations and his speed wasn't deemed reckless, a ticket was more appropriate. "Even though to some people and to myself that speed is very alarming, it doesn't though necessarily move it into a more serious stage where that would be reckless," Hastings said. "He's a kid and we all made bad choices at that age and I'm not sure how relevant it is to his football," said Cicily Haverson. Hastings says in order for someone to be prosecuted for reckless driving, they need to be doing more than just speeding, which can include irate lane changing, driving on the shoulder, and running red lights. BY: Jeff Skrzypek http://kezi.com/news/local/215194 Comment here
Cleveland Cops Caught On Tape Brutally Beating Suspect June 15, 2011 A jail video in Cleveland has surfaced disputing official police statements on a booking incident from last January, where the arrestee claimed police brutality. Jalil Anderson was arrested on suspicion of driving under suspension. At the station, police say that Anderson violently struck officer Martin Lentz with his belt, hitting Lentz in the face, at which point police forcefully subdued him, and Anderson was charged with assaulting a police officer. During the pretrial, County prosecutors subpoenaed the surveillance tape but were not told that it did not exist. The assault charge was dropped in April, and Anderson pled guilty to resisting arrest. But after an inquiry by the newspaper The Plain Dealer, police released the video last week. The video shows Anderson removing his jewelry and belt, as is customary during booking, and throwing the belt on the table. It grazes officer Lentz who then cuffs Anderson. Anderson resists and then several officers begin forcefully restraining him - a much different sequence than what Lentz filed in the police report. Internal police investigators are looking into the report discrepancies. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office is also conducting an investigation on why the tape wasn’t turned over immediately. Police officials said that videos are kept for 30 days before they are recorded over, however, a supervisor had made a copy of the January 17th incident that wasn’t known when prosecutors first requested the surveillance tape. They also said that the request was made to the wrong department. Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath insists that there was no cover up, but just a glitch in the system. Anderson told News Channel 5 that he was falsely accused from the beginning and wishes it hadn’t taken police so long to release the tape. Lentz, the officer who filed the report, is currently suspended due to a federal civil rights investigation involving another incident, in which he and other officers are accused of assaulting a man following a car chase. He was also involved in a tasing altercation where Lentz’s reported injuries do not correspond to a photo from the incident. The Plain Dealer recovered the jail video while examining police reports in use-of-force cases. Their investigation found that six Cleveland officers repeatedly used excessive force among suspects. http://newamericamedia.org/2011/06/cleveland-cops-caught-on-tape-brutally-beating-suspect.php http://www.19actionnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=14879216 Comment here
Bronx, NY: cop drives away from DWI court appearance June 15, 2011 After pleading not guilty to a pair of drunk driving charges at Bronx Criminal Court on June 1, James Finnegan hopped into his car in the parking lot across the street and drove away. The fact that Mr. Finnegan, a retired Police Benevolent Association trustee, was driving legally is another example of treatment the Bronx District Attorney’s office called “contrary to procedure.” Mr. Finnegan was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated on Jan. 24. In a document filed by the Bronx District Attorney’s office, arresting officer Emma Rodriguez testified that Mr. Finnegan refused a Breathalyzer test when police found him parked in front of the Mei Chung Mei restaurant at 157 W. 231 St., with his Honda Odyssey’s engine running and headlights on. A representative of the Department of Motor Vehicles said turning down a Breathalyzer usually nets suspects a yearlong license suspension. Mr. Finnegan’s suspension — which didn’t take effect until nearly three months after he was arrested — was lifted just 15 days after it was imposed, according to DMV records. “The arresting officer did not appear at his Traffic Violations Bureau hearing,” the DMV representative said. “So his case was adjourned to a later date, which has not yet been established.” The day after Ms. Rodriguez failed to appear at Mr. Finnegan’s traffic court trial, the ex-cop was legally allowed to take the wheel again. Calls to the Five-O seeking comment from Ms. Rodriguez were not returned. A 50th Precinct source said that cops patrolling the Five-O almost always attend hearings for DWI cases like Mr. Finnegan’s, especially when a suspect turns down a Breathalyzer. “Oh yeah, we’re definitely supposed to go to those. We basically always do. The only exception I can think of is if you’re on vacation, but then they try to reschedule the date before then,” the source said. But Mr. Finnegan’s case has been unusual from the start. In the hours after Mr. Finnegan was charged in January, PBA representatives made calls to the 50th Precinct command and a PBA trustee contacted a Bronx supervisor on the driver’s behalf, a police source said. A source said one of the calls came from embattled PBA trustee Joseph Anthony. Mr. Anthony was named in recent news reports about a different DWI trial in which Bronx prosecutors said he was caught on wiretaps discussing a highway patrolmen’s ticket-fix request. The wiretaps were recorded as part of a broader ticket-fixing investigation that could see hundreds of Bronx cops disciplined and dozens charged with crimes. The grand jury in that investigation is expected to announce its charges on Monday, June 20.
The Bronx District Attorney’s office declined to comment on whether Mr. Finnegan’s case will factor into the ticket-fixing investigation. Steven Reed, a representative of the DA’s office, said Mr. Finnegan should have been brought to Central Booking, where suspects in DWI cases are typically arrested, processed and jailed pending bail. Instead, Mr. Finnegan was issued a desk appearance ticket, which meant he didn’t have to post bail and wasn’t formally charged for more than six weeks. Because Traffic Violations Bureau hearings aren’t scheduled until after formal charges are filed, Mr. Finnegan was able to legally drive the moment he was released from the 50th Precinct. His suspension didn’t take effect until April 12. Repeated messages left with Mr. Finnegan’s lawyer, Stuart London, all went unanswered. Mr. London is a PBA attorney who Mr. Finnegan hired privately; he has defended police officers in a slew of high profile cases dating back to the 1990s. The next hearing in Mr. Finnegan’s case is at Bronx Criminal Court on Monday, Aug. 22. BY: Graham Kates http://riverdalepress.com/stories/DWI-c ... ance,48748 Comment here
West Carrollton, OH: officer sentenced for theft June 15, 2011 WEST CARROLLTON, Ohio -- A former West Carrollton officer was sentenced to house arrest for stealing $80 worth of merchandise from a local Walmart. Joseph Purnell, 41, pleaded guilty to a theft charge, stemming from the incident in February when he took three DVDs, a CD and a Barbie activity kit. Purnell and his wife were caught by security attempting to leave the store with the merchandise. He was sentenced to one week of house arrested and one year of probation. His wife will appear in court in July. http://www.whiotv.com/news/28248908/detail.html Comment here
Wilmington, DE: officer arrested for solicitation June 15, 2011 The commander of the Pender County sheriff's patrol unit, Capt. Charles Mark Sloan, was arrested in Wilmington on Tuesday on prostitution solicitation charges and suspended indefinitely from his post the following morning pending the outcome of an internal investigation, officials said. Pender County Sheriff Carson Smith called the accusations "shocking." Wilmington police charged Sloan, 46, with soliciting a prostitute and crimes against nature when officers pulled him over about 11:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Physicians Drive. Lucy Crockett, a spokeswoman for the Wilmington Police Department, confirmed that Sloan had a male passenger in his car when police stopped him but declined to go into further detail. After his release Wednesday morning, the sheriff called Sloan into his office, had a conversation with the law enforcement veteran and suspended him without pay, Smith said. The sheriff has also tasked his chief deputy with conducting an internal investigation on the matter. Smith said he decided to suspend Sloan because of the nature of the charges and that "we don't want any disruption to the office and the service we provide to the county." Sloan began his tenure at the Pender County Sheriff's Office in 2002, having already completed 15 years of law enforcement work as an officer with the Topsail Police Department. Smith said he hired Sloan as a captain overseeing the patrol division, which consists of 24 uniformed deputies who answer service calls and perform other duties. "It was difficult," the sheriff said about suspending Sloan. "He's always been a good employee. He's given a lot to this county." Deputies processed Sloan through the New Hanover County jail and he was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond Wednesday. BY:Briant Freskos and Julian March http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20110615/ARTICLES/110619805/1177?Title=Pender-sheriff-scaptain-arrested-on-prostitution-solicitation-charge&tc=ar Comment here
Newton County, GA: officer arrested for sexual assault June 15, 2011 Newton County Detention Officer James Trevor Latham was arrested Monday on charges of sexual assault and sodomy involving a female inmate, as well as violating his oath of office. The 56-year-old Covington resident was also placed on unpaid administrative suspension. A decision on his future with the sheriff's office should be made soon, Lt. Keith Crum said Wednesday. Latham has been with the sheriff's office since September 2008. Latham had sexual contact with a female inmate while he was supervising her clean-up crew. These crews clean the entire sheriff's department. Latham was booked into a jail outside Newton County on $11,200 bond. Crum said the sexual contact was not forced, but under the law a jail supervisor cannot have sex with an inmate. Consent by the inmate is irrelevant. If convicted, Latham would face one to 25 years of imprisonment or a $100,000 fine or both for sexual assault with someone in custody, one to 20 years for sodomy and one to five years for violating his oath of office. "It's a sad situation, but it happened. Once wrongdoing takes place, we will take immediate action to correct it. The sheriff's office employees are held to the same standard as the public," Crum said. In 2010, a female Newton County jailor had an inappropriate relationship with convicted murderer Cobey Wade Lakemper, leading to the firing of her supervisor. The jailer had already been let go because of budget cuts. Crum said Capt. Sammy Banks, who oversees the jail, would likely change the procedure regarding the supervision of female officers. "We hire from the same pool as everybody else does. Occasionally disciplinary actions are needed, and we'll take care of them as they come up," Crum said. BY: Gabriel Khouli http://www.covnews.com/section/1/article/20719/ Comment here
Thornton, CO: officer arrested for alleged assault June 15, 2011 THORNTON - An officer with the Platteville Police Department has been arrested for allegedly assaulting an at-risk adult. A witness says the officer threw the elderly employee two separate times, once up against a pole. The alleged assault involving a Thornton Costco employee happened June 7. A spokesperson with the Adams County District Attorney's office says Officer Caleb Hughes is facing charges of third-degree assault on an at risk adult, a felony. His first advisement hearing is July 11 at 8:30 a.m. Costco says the victim is older than 60 years old and still works at the store, but did not comment on the incident. When reached by telephone, the 26-year-old officer had no comment. Michelle Busse says was pumping gas at the Costco when the incident took place. She says a man behind her would not turn the engine off as he was pumping gas. Costco has clear signs at its gas station asking drivers to turn off their cars. Busse says there was a woman in the car with windows rolled up. Busse told 9NEWS the gas attendant came out and asked the man, who was later identified as Hughes, to turn the engine off and the man became belligerent. Busse says Hughes told the attendant: "You need to tell me what law or statute says I need to turn the car off." The gas attendant moved between the car and the gas pump to turn the kill switch on, according to Busse. She says Hughes then picked up the gas station attendant and threw him backwards. "Sir, I need you to turn your car off," the gas attendant told Hughes, according to Busse, motioning to the woman inside to turn off the car.
Hughes then took the gas station attendant and threw him again, this time up against a pole. "At one point the man flashed something that looked like a badge at the attendant," Busse said. The Weld County Sheriff's Office says the Platteville Police Department has asked the sheriff's office to look into a possible violation. Platteville Police Chief Scott Smith would only say it is a personnel matter. He told 9NEWS Hughes has been on the force for three-and-a-half years. According to the Weld County District Attorney's office, Hughes is also facing charges in that county in a separate incident. Hughes is charged with careless driving (a class 2 traffic offense) and leaving the scene of an accident damage only (also a class 2 traffic offense). He is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Aug. 5. According to the Colorado State Patrol, that incident happened on Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. on Highway 85. State Patrol says Hughes was in a Mustang going north. He was behind a Ford Focus that was in the left lane and a Nissan Frontier that was in the right lane. Hughes' Mustang was a marked patrol car and he activated his emergency lights behind the Focus. The Focus tried to move into the right lane and hit the Frontier. After the crash, troopers say Hughes kept going and did not stop. No injuries were reported. BY: Anastasiya Bolton and Jeffrey Wolf http://www.9news.com/news/article/20347 ... risk-adult Comment here
Rochester, NY: sergeant arrested for DWI June 15, There are new details in the arrest of an East Rochester police officer. Sergeant Paul Monachino was arrested for DWI early Tuesday morning after a crash with a minivan that injured three teenagers. On Wednesday night, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office says a friend of his tried to take the fall for him. They say 41-year-old Coleen Morrello came to the scene of the crash and told police that she had been driving. She was taken in for questioning and a scuffle broke out injuring a female deputy. Morrello is charged with harassment and resisting arrest and more charges are pending. http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S2158402.shtml?cat=566 Comment here
Lockport, NY: corrections officer pleads to knifepoint rape Jun 15, 2011 LOCKPORT -- A former state prison guard who raped and terrorized a North Tonawanda woman in her home Dec. 9 pleaded guilty today in Niagara County Court. Christian M. Ott, 28, of First Avenue, North Tonawanda, admitted to first-degree rape. Judge Sara Sheldon Sperrazza agreed to a plea bargain that limited Ott's sentence to 20 years; 25 years would have been the legal maximum. She will announce the sentence Aug. 25. "We obviously will be asking for all 20 years," Deputy District Attorney Holly E. Sloma said. Ott's indictment included a predatory sexual assault charge that could have brought him life in prison if he had been convicted at trial. Police reported that Ott wore a mask of camouflage material and tried to disguise his voice during the knifepoint attack, which began with a 3:30 a.m. burglary. He also brought duct tape, which he put over the woman's mouth and also used to bind her arms.
Ott reportedly plunged the knife into the woman's mattress beside her twice during the hour-long attack. Ott and the victim "knew each other," defense attorney Joel L. Daniels said. The woman also lived in North Tonawanda. Daniels said his argument for a 20-year sentencing cap was based on Ott's background. "He has no [criminal] record. He's a lifelong resident of North Tonawanda. He's a member of a hardworking, law-abiding family." Some of those relatives were in tears as they left the courtroom. Daniels said the case was "very distressing" for them. Sloma said the rape victim was briefed on the plea deal. Asked what Ott's motive was for the extreme brutality of the attack, Sloma said, "That's something only Mr. Ott can answer."
During the rape, the woman's hand was cut and she vomited on Ott. Police found blood and vomit on Ott's clothing when they arrested him. They said he tried to dispose of some clothing and a condom by throwing them into the Niagara River, but some evidence was found in the water. When Ott was arrested, police seized 21 knives and a sawed-off shotgun from his home. He had been working as a trainee corrections officer at Greene Correctional Facility in Coxsackie. The state prison system fired him Dec. 17 because of his arrest. http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article455716.ece Comment here
Oxnard, CA: officer arrested for workmen's comp fraud June 15, 2011 An Oxnard police officer has been arrested on suspicion of workers' compensation fraud, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday. Edward Idukas, 26, was arrested Tuesday, the county prosecutor's office said in a statement. Idukas was placed on temporary totally disabled status after he reported to a supervisor on Dec. 29, 2009, that he had injured his back while bending over at his locker and complained of pain and limited mobility, according to the statement. He received disability pay over the next several months. Investigators discovered Idukas was playing baseball weekly in a local adult league while receiving disability benefits from the city of Oxnard, according to the statement. While these activities were taking place, Idukas complained to doctors and physical therapists that he was too disabled to return to his duties as a police officer, prosecutors said. Oxnard police received information from workers' compensation investigators about activities that "cast suspicion" on Idukas' injury claim several months after he made it, and they immediately notified county prosecutors, said Assistant Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites. "We felt is was something that warranted an investigation by their office," said the assistant chief. "Workers' compensation fraud committed by any public employee is clearly a breech of the public's trust." Idukas had just returned from a previous injury when he claimed he was hurt on the job, said Senior Deputy District Attorney Ernesto Acosta. The officer ultimately collected around $70,000 in workers' compensation benefits, Acosta said. Prosecutors on Tuesday filed five counts of felony insurance fraud against Idukas, court records show. Each count carries a maximum of three years in state prison and a fine of $150,000. Prosecutors said Idukas could be ordered to pay restitution and be liable for the cost of the investigation if convicted. Idukas was booked into Ventura County jail on Tuesday then released on bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday. He was a traffic service assistant with the Oxnard Police Department from 2004 until 2007, when he became a police officer, Benites said. Idukas was assigned to the department's patrol services division, said the assistant chief. Idukas has been on paid administrative leave since the winter, Benites said, adding that the police department has an ongoing administrative investigation into the case. Administrative leave is part of the standard procedure is such cases, and the officer is afforded due process during the investigation, said the assistant chief. BY: Adam Foxman http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/jun/15/ ... nce-fraud/ Comment here
Nashville, TN: officer arrested on drug-trafficking charge June 15, 2011 Federal agents arrested a Metro police officer accused of attempting to assist drug traffickers in exchange for cash Tuesday night. A grand jury indicted Richard Wilson Wednesday on charges of federal program fraud, cocaine distribution and money laundering. He was immediately decommissioned by Metro Police following his arrest. Accused drug dealers Michael Dwayne Wray of Murfreesboro and Adam Yates of Nashville also are charged in the indictment. In a sting operation conducted by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and FBI, Wilson received $24,500 for assisting people he believed to be drug traffickers. Wilson allegedly transported what he believed to be cocaine and drug money to Nashville area locations -- sometimes in his uniform and police vehicle. In a news release, U.S. Attorney Jerry Martin said the indictment should not reflect poorly on the police department. "The public should be confidant that we will doggedly pursue anyone who hides behind a gun and badge to commit criminal acts," Martin said. Amy S. Hess, special agent in charge of the FBI's Memphis division, said public corruption is one of bureau's top priorities. Police Chief Steve Anderson said he asked for the FBI's help in the investigation "due to the very serious and intolerable information our department had received." Anderson stressed that no other department employees have been implicated. BY: Brandon Gee http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110615/NEWS03/110615019/Metro-police-officer-arrested-by-fedsdrug-case Comment here
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