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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #681)
Drug War Issues

Cops ripping off drug dealers, cops offering information to drug defendants, sheriffs escorting cartel dope loads, and, oh, yes, prison guards gone bad. Here's this week's rogues' gallery:

Prohibition's filthy lucre is hard for some to resist (Image via Wikimedia)
In New York City, a former NYPD officer pleaded guilty Monday to ripping off at least 100 drug dealers with a gang that scored a million dollars in cash and more than 500 pounds of cocaine during its decade-long spree. Emmanuel Tavarez, 31, an eight-year veteran of the force, used his badge, service weapon, and stolen NYPD raid jackets to stage fake searches of drug dealers and seizure of their stashes along with his co-conspirators. Tavarez went down after a lengthy investigation into the robberies. He now faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to robbery conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, and using a firearm in the commission of a crime. A dozen of his co-conspirators have charges pending, including four of his in-laws.

In McAllen, Texas, the former Sullivan City police chief was sentenced April 20 to 10 years in federal prison for his role in protecting Mexican drug traffickers moving two tons of pot through his town. Hernan Guerra, 45, had been arrested at his office last June by FBI agents after they wiretapped his office as part of Operation Deliverance, a massive, nationwide, 430-person bust targeting the cartels. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs. He faced a minimum of seven years and four months in prison, but his sentencing judge gave him some bonus time for being a crooked cop. He's also got four years of probation to do.

In Tallahassee, Florida, a Florida prison guard was arrested April 20 on charges he was scheming to sell drugs to prisoners. Guard Janus Isaiah Edwards went down after an inmate snitched him out and corrections and Leon County Sheriff's investigators set him up with undercover officers. Edwards agreed to smuggle in 100 hydrocodone tablets and 11 grams of cocaine in return for $1,000. He is now charged with introduction of drugs to a prison, unlawful compensation, trafficking in hydrocodone, possession of cocaine, and possession with intent to deliver.

In Lebanon, Tennessee, a Wilson County sheriff's deputy was arrested April 20 for trying to sell information about a federal drug investigation to a target of that investigation in return for $100,000 and a Range Rover. Deputy John Patrick Edwards, 38, had been a member of the FBI's regional drug task force, but lost that gig after being arrested in March on an unrelated theft charge involving his wife and another woman. He was also suspended without pay, leaving him in need of some quick cash. Edwards approached a business partner who knew someone who was a target of the investigation and offered to sell information that could help the target "lessen the blow" and end up with less prison time. But now, Edwards looks to be the one doing prison time; he's looking at 20 years in prison for attempting to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding.

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

Emmet C (not verified)

It is somehow sadly ironic that three of the four cases reported here are of arrests on 4/20.

Thu, 04/28/2011 - 7:36pm Permalink
Tigger18969 (not verified)

That do as I say mentality isn't cutting it anymore. These guy's should have never been givin those jobs in the first place.....Enjoy your stay guy's I know some of my friends will enjoy YOUR COMPANY!!!!

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 11:20am Permalink
Anna (not verified)

what one must realize is: the Gov. will turn against anyone...for example; if Prez Obama were to be caught with MMJ; our own President would be arrested...I am against the War on Weed 100%...the Gov. is "wicked !

Sun, 05/01/2011 - 5:46am Permalink
Anna (not verified)

for example: the sheriff of one town was sentenced for 2 tons of pot; that is only about 3,000 pounds...so what is the big deal? the US Gov. grows MJ on their 5 acre Pot Farm @ University of Mississippi and they have been growing 5 acres for the past 30 years? so why does the US Gov. have "special permission?

 

the very ones who run the war against weed ?

Sun, 05/01/2011 - 5:50am Permalink
TC6080 (not verified)

This corruption should never happen because drugs should be legal and full grown adults own choice .

Sun, 05/01/2011 - 3:26pm Permalink

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