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Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #556)
Drug War Issues

More rogue cops in New York City, a Texas sheriff gets busted, some sticky-fingered narcs in Ohio, a would-be pot-growing cop in Florida, and yes, another prison employee busted for getting the inmates high. Let's get to it:

In New York City, two unnamed NYPD officers will likely be indicted shortly for being part of a violent crew that robbed drug dealers, kidnapping and sexually torturing some of their victims. One is an active-duty officer; the other is retired. The pair are accused of wearing their uniforms and acting as "cops" for a crew that stole more than 100 kilos of cocaine from dealers in robberies up and down the East Coast. The crew would kidnap their victims after a police-style car stop or home invasion raid, then take them to remote areas at gunpoint and threaten and sometimes torture them until they gave up their drugs. A dozen members of the crew have already been indicted, but in a September 16 hearing before Brooklyn federal District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, Assistant US Attorney Andrea Goldbarg said she would soon file a superseding indictment, indicating the arrest of the two cops is looming.

In Hidalgo, Texas, the Starr County sheriff was arrested Tuesday for conspiring to smuggle illicit drugs into the country. Sheriff Reymundo Guerra, 52, was charged in a 19-count federal indictment that includes more than a dozen co-conspirators. Federal prosecutors said Guerra possessed with the intent to distribute more than 700 pounds of marijuana and more than two pounds of cocaine. He is also charged with using a phone to facilitate the conspiracy and helping a co-defendant avoid capture by suggesting the use of fraudulent lease documents. Guerra is looking at 10 years to life in prison and a $4 million fine.

In Warren, Ohio, two Trumbull County Sheriff's Office deputies will be fired for allegedly ripping-off an anti-drug charity for their personal gain. Sgts. Pete Pizzullo and Anthony Leshnack were informed that the sheriff has recommended their termination on October 3. The pair founded the Ohio Narcotics Officers Association in 2004 to raise money for charitable organizations with anti-drug messages and, using a professional fundraising company, collected more than $1 million statewide. It is unclear how much of the money the two are supposed to have skimmed off for personal use. The firing is not a done deal; there is an extensive appeals process. The county prosecutor has asked for a special prosecutor to be appointed, but so far, there are no criminal charges against the pair.

In Valdosta, Georgia, a Georgia Department of Corrections prison employee was arrested October 8 for smuggling drugs to inmates. Deborah Watson, 26, a kitchen employee at Valdosta State Prison, went down after investigators asked to search her at work. She refused and quit on the spot, only to be stopped and searched by Valdosta County sheriff's deputies when she left the prison. In her bra, they found three tubes filled with drugs including marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Authorities valued the drugs at $4,000 on the street and several times that behind bars. That's where Watson is now.

In Orlando, Florida, an Altamonte Springs police officer pleaded guilty in federal court last Friday to setting up a marijuana grow house and having an arsenal of weapons on hand. Clay Adams, 26, pleaded guilty to five federal charges, including conspiring with his wife to grow 2,200 pounds of marijuana. Adams and his wife, Robyn, 32, were arrested July 21 after setting up a grow house in Chuluota. He faces at least 15 years in prison.

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

Anonymous (not verified)

Yup, even the cops know the "War on Drugs" is lost, and they're looking to supplement their retirement with some REAL money.

So perhaps if you stopped the War, prices would drop, leaving more money for OUR economy instead of lining some foriegners pocket.

I see drugs and marijuana as weeder outers. the weak are the ones who use drugs, and they tend not to reproduce, of if they do, their offspring usually avoid the things that brought their parents low. Not always but mostly so.

I am a "Hippie" from the 60's-70's era. and I taught both my kids to smoke the stuff. One (my daughter) seems to be fairly financially covered: she won't touch the weed. I dont know what she has told her 3 children, but they all seem to be clean of influence of illegal substance. My son lives in Colorado smokes some pot, or used to, amd is an industrious young man, and is making very nice cash as a finish carpenter.

He has two children, and I have no idea, although I suspect that it is totally hidden from the kids. (If anything really is), and presented as not OK.

My point being, the personal-self- weeding mechanics of marijuana and other illegal drugs, should be enough in itself, to rid society of the influence of drugs. That and drugs tests necesary to get a decent job, will tend to weed drugs from our society.

More later.
Rudy

Sat, 10/18/2008 - 1:38pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

If only these weed smokers would realize the difference between marijuana and heroin/crack we could have a productive discussion.

Sat, 10/18/2008 - 11:38pm Permalink

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