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Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #588)
Drug War Issues

Cops pocketing drug money, cops ripping off drug dealers, cops protecting drug dealers, cops stealing dope, and, of course, another dope-smuggling jail guard. Let's get to it:

In South Memphis, Tennessee, a Shelby County sheriff's deputy was arrested last Friday for pocketing money seized in a drug arrest. Deputy Jeff McCall, who worked for the Shelby County Narcotics Unit, went down in a sting after the sheriff's office received tips he was stealing drug money he confiscated on the streets. The sheriff's office and the FBI set up a phony traffic stop where it was McCall's job to inventory the $4,200 in cash and marijuana seized. Only $3,800 made it to the evidence room. When confronted later that same night, McCall admitted he had taken the money, left work, gone to a local mall, and used the money to buy a Playstation 3. Officers found the game in his work vehicle. He is currently facing state charges of official misconduct and theft of under $500, but federal charges could follow.

In West Manchester Township, Pennsylvania, a former West Manchester Township police detective was charged May 27 with stealing drugs from the department evidence room. Former Det. Steven Crider, 54, has admitted to state police that he stole and ingested cocaine, heroin, and marijuana from more than a hundred cases since 2001. He allegedly replaced some of the stolen drugs with chalk and tampered with records to cover it up. The 32-year veteran was fired last month.

In Texarkana, Arkansas, a former Miller County jail guard was arraigned May 28 on charges he smuggled marijuana into the jail for inmates. Adrian Trevone Tate, 24, was arrested after another guard saw pot inside a soda cup from a convenience store that Tate had brought into the jail. He has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts: furnishing a prohibited item into a correctional facility and possession with intent to deliver marijuana into a jail. Tate is free on $50,000 bond.

In Los Angeles, a former Huntington Park police officer was found guilty May 27 of ripping off cocaine and methamphetamine from drug dealers. Former Sgt. Alvaro Murillo was convicted of two counts of drug conspiracy, one count of extortion, and one count of submitting a false tax return. Murillo was a member of a multi-agency federal drug task force and used his job to recruit informants, then used them to help steal dope from dealers and traffickers. He and his informants formed what they called the "black tactic group" to identify dealers they could rob. Among the thefts were five kilograms of cocaine in 2002 and two kilos of methamphetamine in 2006. Murillo went down after attempting to steal cocaine from a dealer who turned out to be an undercover DEA agent. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year federal prison sentence.

In Lake City, South Carolina, a former Lake City police officer was sentenced May 27 to 20 years in federal prison for conspiring with drug dealers to help them avoid getting busted. Shanita McKnight had been convicted in October of drug conspiracy and extortion, tipping off local dealers to impending police actions. McKnight must also do five years of supervised release after finishing her prison sentence.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, two former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers were sentenced May 27 to nine years in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine. Former officers Gerald Holas and Jason Ross admitted they protected a cocaine dealer's operation, but claimed to no avail that they did so in an effort to gain information they could use to arrest his suppliers and customers. Holas tipped off the dealer about police activities, and both officers helped him get revenge on a rival whose home was firebombed. Some 50 criminal cases in which the pair were involved had to be dismissed after they were arrested.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Ross Wolf (not verified)

Illegal-drug abatement isn’t impossible when police are more corrupt than the people they are suppose to arrest. More frequently, reports of police corruption show law enforcement more interested in promoting illegal-drug sales and falsely forfeiting property, than protecting the Citizens that pay them.

It is interesting one of the reported cases of a cop being arrested for illegal-drugs was charged with “filing false tax returns.” Could the cop have not declare his illegal-drug profits? That information was not provided.

Fri, 06/05/2009 - 2:21pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

So a 32-year veteran was fired for stealing and ingested cocaine, heroin, and marijuana from more than a hundred cases since 2001. Then he allegedly replaced some of the stolen drugs with chalk and tampered with records to cover it up.

So, how did he get caught ?

Fri, 06/05/2009 - 6:25pm Permalink
Scott Tudehope (not verified)

While I disagree with the severity of her punishment, officer McNight violated the public's trust and should be punished. I would've personally been OK with five years. That would have been enough to get her attention.

On the other hand, I spent a little time at a private meeting with a vice cop in Orange County, California. One of the criminals, whom he eventually put behind bars, kept an active tab on who was getting out of jail and when. After the information went on line, I suppose because we're living in a democracy, that this is to be expected. My point is that he knew exactly when his little pals were getting sprung out of jail, so that he could recruit them into identity theft crime "work."

Hey, she did a terrible thing. That's life.

Fri, 06/05/2009 - 10:29pm Permalink

Cops have been drug-dirty for over 40 years, so we should not be surprised. Outraged, yes - but not surprised.

"Cops on Drugs" is a new segment on my online talk show, The Opium Den. I'll be discussing a few of the above mentioned cases tonight, and invite everyone here to call in and join the conservation. The show is live (every Thursday) at 9pm eastern at www.theopiumden.net. Turn on and tune in - it's usually a lot of fun.

Thu, 06/11/2009 - 8:58pm Permalink

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