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Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #629)
Drug War Issues

A coke-peddling NYPD cop cops a plea, a Florida deputy provides a favor to the wrong woman, and a New Orleans jail guard gets caught peddling pot to a prisoner. Let's get to it:

If we can't keep drugs out of the prisons, how can we keep them out of the country?
In New York City, a former NYPD officer pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to his role in a large-scale drug-selling ring. Former officer Juan Acosta, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs, extortion, and illegal use of a firearm. He and a partner were accused of selling cocaine throughout the city since 2005, and Acosta was also accused of using his position as a beat cop to rip-off a drug courier in 2005. He went down after getting caught in a sting last November where he took $15,000 from a government witness to transport 10 kilos of cocaine from a Long Island warehouse to the Bronx. He faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced July 22.

In Lake Wales, Florida, a Polk County deputy sheriff was arrested last Friday on charges he provided confidential information to a woman who was being surveilled as part of an investigation into a local drug trafficking operation. Deputy Sheriff Joseph Murphy, 41, a 16-year-veteran, admitted to accessing the state Driver and Vehicle Information Database to run a license tag for the girlfriend of the drug ring leader, who said she was being followed by a vehicle. That vehicle turned out to be an undercover police vehicle indeed following the girlfriend, and her call to Murphy was recorded as part of the investigation into the ring. He is charged with unauthorized use of a computer, a third-degree felony, and has been suspended without pay pending termination.

In New Orleans, an Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested Wednesday for selling contraband to an inmate. Deputy Joel Johnson, allegedly gave an inmate at the Templeman 5 unit a cell phone and marijuana in exchange for $500. Johnson was a recruit in the deputy training program, but now he will have to find a new career. He was fired upon being arrested. He is charged with one count of malfeasance, as well as drug possession and contraband charges.

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

Redford Givens (not verified)

The biggest problem with police corruption is the fact that their fellow officers rarely turn them in no matter how serious the felony may be.

If good cops turned in bad cops for the criminals they really are, problems with false convictions, perjury etc would be reduced considerably. Many criminal operations can not function without a bad cop on the payroll.

When you hear about a bad cop being exposed, ask how many cops ignored the crime.

Fri, 04/23/2010 - 1:59pm Permalink

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