Police Corruption

In Fernandina Beach, Florida, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office is being investigated by the FBI in a wide ranging corruption and civil rights abuses probe. Allegations include Sheriff Tommy Seagraves blocking the drug prosecution of the wife of a close friend, detectives using steroids, job-related kickbacks, marijuana grow lamps and beer keg taps that disappeared after being seized in drug raids, physical assaults on drug suspects, improper use of department property, and ongoing misconduct in the narcotics unit. Part one of the Florida Times Union's two-part investigative report on the sordid story is available at the link above. Part two is forthcoming.

In Rogersville, Tennessee, a former Hawkins County sheriff's narcotics detective was indicted December 15 on charges he was stealing drugs from the evidence room. Brad Depew was hit with a 68-count indictment after he was caught on videotape breaking into the locked evidence room with a screwdriver and exiting with evidence envelopes containing drugs. A subsequent search of his home turned up unspecified quantities of  the Schedule II narcotics oxycodone and methadone, the Schedule III narcotic dihydrocodeinone, and Schedule IV tranquilizers alprazolam, diazepam and clonazepam, which matched the kinds of pills missing from the evidence room. The search also turned up 26 grams of cocaine, a half gram of meth, and drug paraphernalia, including scales, baggies, a pipe, screens, spoons and straws. None of that come from the evidence room, though. He faces 47 counts of evidence tampering, as well as possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, possession of meth with intent to deliver, official misconduct, four counts of burglary, four counts of possession of burglary tools, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of theft under $500 for the actual evidence envelopes, and six counts of misdemeanor drug possession for the drugs found at his residence. Depew worked as a detective on the HCSO Narcotics Unit and 3rd Judicial District Drug Task Force for more than a decade. He is free on $100,000 bond pending trial.

In Atlanta, two Talbot County sheriff's deputies pleaded guilty December 14 to ripping off drugs and money from motorists they targeted. Deputies Alvin Malone and Jeff Sivell admitting using a confidential informant to identify vehicles carrying drugs and drug money, then seizing the dope and cash and splitting it with the snitch. Each pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Hobbs Act, or attempted extortion by a public official. They will be sentenced in February and are looking at up to 20 years in federal prison.

In St. Louis, a former St. Louis sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty December 14 to charges he bought heroin while on duty and chauffeured a drug dealer around the city. Jason Stewart, 31, copped to a single count of being a drug addict in possession of a firearm. He went down after he went to an area of the city known for drug dealing that happened to be under federal and local police surveillance. He had just conducted a transaction when he was pulled over, and police found a fifth of a gram of heroin, drug paraphernalia, and a bottle of urine wrapped in a hand warmer, which he said he carried with him to thwart drug tests. He faces up to 10 years in prison, but will reportedly be sentenced to 18 to 30 months.

In Beaumont, Texas, a Beaumont police officer resigned Monday after being accused of leaking confidential information in a drug investigation. Officer Eugene Wilson had been suspended with pay. No charges are being filed against him.

In Haskell, Texas, a former Haskell police officer was sentenced Monday to seven years probation for planting drugs in a man's vehicle. William Glass had resigned from the department last year just before he was about to take a lie detector test over an allegation that he planted methamphetamine in a man's vehicle during a traffic stop. He was indicted on charges of fabricating physical evidence, possession of a controlled substance, and official oppression, but he copped a plea to just the first count. The meth had come from an earlier drug bust.

Busy, busy, busy! Quite a crew of miscreants this week, including a former national Sheriff of the Year. Let's get to it:

In Littleton, Colorado, a former Arapahoe County sheriff was arrested late last month for trading methamphetamine for sexual favors from young men and hit with additional charges last Friday. Retired Arapahoe County Sheriff Patrick Sullivan, 68, a one-time national "Sheriff of the Year," was first charged with possession and distribution of meth and now faces additional counts of soliciting a prostitute and attempting to influence a public official. Two informants told investigators they had sex with Sullivan in exchange for drugs, and one of them agreed to set up a meeting with Sullivan for another tryst. The meeting was videotaped, and Sullivan was arrested after handing drugs over to the snitch. The influencing a public servant charge came from a September incident when a caller reported that "an old guy," later identified as Sullivan, was trying to get his roommates to use drugs and wouldn't leave the house. When police arrived, Sullivan falsely told them he was part of a state task force trying to help drug users. At last report, Sullivan was being held on $500,000 bail. Ironically, he is being detained at a jail that bears his name. Police are investigating whether Sullivan was engaged in illegal activity while still sheriff and whether underage boys were involved.

In Marksville, Louisiana, an Avoyelles Parish Detention Center officer was arrested Saturday for bringing drugs into the jail. Guard Jaworski Toussaint, 34, was caught bringing synthetic marijuana and other contraband into the jail. He is charged with introduction of contraband into a penal institution and malfeasance in office.

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a Fort Lauderdale police officer was arrested Saturday for allegedly procuring prescription pain pills for a woman who turned out to be a confidential informant. Officer Kevin Pisano, 50, was on duty and uniform at the time of the drug deal. He is charged with armed delivery of oxycodone (Percocet) and armed delivery of hydrocodone (Vicodin). He is also facing one count of possession of hydrocodone (Vicodin), which was found during a search of his patrol vehicle.

In Rochester, New York, an Orleans County sheriff's correction officer was arrested Sunday for smuggling contraband into the county jail. Guard Shawn Nicholson, 35, was arrested after a weeks-long investigation and went down after a sting operation. He is charged with two counts each of promoting prison contraband, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal sale of a controlled substance, conspiracy, and one count official misconduct. Bail was set at $10,000; there is no word on whether he has paid it.

In Bakersfield, California, a Bakersfield police officer was arrested Monday for stealing methamphetamine he should have seized as evidence. Police received a tip that Officer Ofelio Lopez was using meth, set up a ruse to snare him, and he took the bait. They got a court order to remove some meth from the evidence room, put the drugs in a purse, then had someone call the department claiming to have found the handbag. They sent Lopez to investigate, and he put the purse in his patrol car, but didn't turn it in at the station. When detectives confronted Lopez the next day, the purse was still in the trunk, but some of the meth was missing. Police found it in Lopez' uniform pocket, and they said he was tweaking at the time of his arrest. He is charged with transportation of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm, being under the influence of a controlled substance while armed, and, after brass knuckles turned up during a search of his home, possession of a dangerous weapon. There is no word on bail arrangements.

In Denville, New Jersey, a former Denville police officer pleaded guilty November 30 to stealing drugs from the departmental evidence room. Eugene Blood, 38, admitted pilfering small amounts of heroin and oxycodone during 2010 and 2011. His attorney said he became addicted to pain pills. He was originally charged with seven counts, including burglary and theft of a controlled substance, but ended up copping a plea to a single count of official misconduct. Under the plea agreement, he will get a three-year prison sentence.

In Poughkeepsie, New York, a former Poughkeepsie police officer was sentenced December 1 to 3 ½ to 10 ½ years in prison for taking bribes from a cocaine dealer. David Palazzolo admitted revealing the name of a female undercover officer and identifying a vehicle used for undercover work by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force in exchange for bribes. He earlier pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, receiving a bribe, and computer trespass.

It's prison guards gone wild this week, plus a really sleazy deputy gets a sweet deal and a 'roided cop takes a plea deal. Let's get to it:

In Athens, Ohio, a former Athens County sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty Monday to four lesser charges after originally being arrested on charges he coerced sex from female drug defendants. None of the charges Jerry Hallowell, 44, pleaded guilty to are sex offenses. Instead he copped to one charge of soliciting or receiving improper compensation (which was apparently sexual favors), a first-degree misdemeanor; plus three fifth-degree felony charges of misusing an official statewide electronic database available to police officers. Hallowell allegedly used the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway to run background checks on women he was interested in. The felonies carry a maximum sentence of one year each, but Hallowell will probably not do any time because he was convicted of the lowest level nonviolent felonies.

In Norfolk, Virginia, a former Norfolk police officer pleaded guilty November 23 to selling steroids, syringes, and marijuana to an undercover officer. Kristin Wayne Harris, 37, copped to one count of drug possession and one count of sale of an anabolic steroid. He was originally charged with 11 drug-related felonies and two misdemeanors, but prosecutors dropped all the charges except for two. The investigation into Harris' steroid sales also led to the resignation of three other Norfolk police officers, but he was the only one charged with a crime. He's looking at anywhere from six months to 20 years in prison when sentenced.

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a Florida state prison guard was arrested November 22 for agreeing to smuggle drugs into the prison. Ormond Rossi, 37, a guard at the Broward Correctional Institution, is charged with bribery and opium trafficking. He went down in a sting after agreeing to smuggle pain pills in return for cash, cigarettes, two water bottles full of vodka, and an unlisted number of steaks. At last report, he was still behind bars.

In Detroit, a prison guard and a former prison guard were arrested November 23 on charges they smuggled marijuana and tobacco into the Ryan Correctional Facility. Guard Joseph Jordan, 27, and former guard Corey Young, 37, were both charged with misconduct in office, furnishing contraband to a prisoner, and conspiracy to furnish marijuana to a prisoner. Young was also charged with bringing contraband into a prison, bringing a weapon into a prison, and four counts of furnishing contraband to a prisoner. They allegedly accepted payments from inmates' friends and relatives in exchange for smuggling tobacco and pot, and went down in an investigation after a prisoner was found with weed and tobacco in his cell. Each felony count is worth five years.

In Atlanta, a former Fulton County Jail guard pleaded guilty Tuesday to accepting bribes to help distribute cocaine within the jail. Akil Scott, 31, copped to attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and accepting a $650 bribe. Prosecutors said he twice accepted $650 from undercover agents to deliver what he thought was seven grams of cocaine. Sentencing is set for February 16. Scott is looking at up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.

A meth-dealing cop in Hawaii, a dope-load protecting cop in Houston, a pair of cops willing to sell information to drug dealers in Jacksonville and Cincinnati, and a contraband-toting jail guard in Alabama make this week's hall of shame. Let's get to it:

In Honolulu, a Honolulu police major was arrested Monday on drug charges after the FBI raided his home. Major Carlton Nishimura, 55, was already awaiting trial on federal charges of extortion, lying to investigators and witness tampering. But after the FBI found more than a half pound of methamphetamine during the raid, he now faces another federal charge: possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth.

In Houston, Texas, a Houston police officer was convicted Tuesday of participating in a drug trafficking and corruption scheme. Officer Leslie Aikens, 46, used his police car to escort drug loads through the Houston area in mid-March and also accepted a $2,000 bribe to protect another car carrying a load of seven kilograms of cocaine. He was convicted on conspiracy to traffic drugs and extortion and is looking at at least 10 years in prison and up to life. Sentencing is set for February 2.

In Jacksonville, Florida, a former Jacksonville County Sheriff's Office civilian employee pleaded guilty Tuesday to providing confidential law enforcement information to suspected drug dealers. Kenitra Casper was a police service technician when she was arrested in June and accused of providing photos of five undercover narcs  and information from a database that contained details of drug arrests to criminal suspects. She was also accused of emailing photos, names of criminal suspects, and driver's license photos to people with no right to access that information. The seven-year veteran of the sheriff's office pleaded guilty to 12 counts of disclosing or using confidential criminal justice information, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years on each count. No word on a sentencing date yet.

In Selma, Alabama, a Dallas County jail guard was arrested Friday on charges he was smuggling contraband into the county jail. Guard Washington Reese went down when he was searched upon arriving for work Friday night and cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, and cash were discovered in his backpack. He is charged with promoting prison contraband and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

In Cincinnati, a Cincinnati police officer pleaded guilty November 9 to using police computers to look up information for someone he thought was a drug dealer. Alvin Triggs, 45, drew the suspicion of other Cincinnati cops, who set up a sting in which they fed a license plate number to Triggs' cousin, a suspected drug dealer himself and told him the plate belonged to a suspected undercover officer. Triggs' cousin asked him to run a computer check on the plate, and he did just that. Triggs was originally charged with several felonies, but ended up copping a plea to a single misdemeanor count of attempted unauthorized use of a police computer. He may avoid jail time at sentencing, but did have to resign from the force as part of the plea deal. He will be sentenced December 6.