Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
Drug-related law enforcement thievery from lowly police cadets to high-placed DEA and Secret Service agents is the them this week. Let's get to it:
In Houston, a Houston Police officer was arrested Tuesday after being caught escorting a cartel drug load across state lines. Noe Juarez was arrested on a DEA warrant out of New Orleans. The precise charges will not be revealed until he makes a first court appearance.
In Towson, Maryland, a former Baltimore County police cadet was sentenced last Wednesday to four years in prison for stealing drugs from the department evidence room. Nicholas Ishmael, 21, had pleaded guilty in January to felony theft and possession of oxycodone with the intent to deliver. He had been arrested last June after an investigation into missing drugs pointed toward him. He was carrying $40,000 in cash when arrested.
In Frankfort, Kentucky, a former Franklin County narcotics officer was sentenced Monday to 16 months in prison for stealing cash, jewelry, and gift cards from drug dealers. Matthew Christian Brown, 32, was the county sheriff's lead narc until December 2012 and enriched himself during drug busts. In one August 2012 case, he confiscated guns, drugs, and $32,000 in cash, but only logged the guns, drugs, and $18,000 into evidence, keeping the other $14,000. In another case, he stole an $11,000 ring and $3,000 watch from a drug dealer. He kept the ring, but sold the watch back to the dealer for $800 and kept the cash. He was charged with embezzlement, illegally distributing anabolic steroids, wire fraud, and lying to the FBI.
In Titusville, Florida, a former Titusville police officer was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in federal prison for participating in a drug deal. Richard Irizarry, 46, went down after befriending a DEA snitch and telling him he wanted to get into the drug business. Irizarry also helped the informant avoid detection by DEA officers. He was charged with attempting to aid and abet the distribution of cocaine and was found guilty in January.
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Comments
weekly says it all
The fact that you can find enough of these stories to print them up every week says more about the war on drugs than anyone could.The simple fact that the very people our society charges with enforcing the unenforceable.Are being caught up in the money and the lifestyle as well as the drugs themselves.Is a testament to the complete lack of reality trying to stop the unstoppable with people just like the ones they're supposed to go after.We had a guard in the pen that got the job so he could deal the pot he and his brother were growing in their basement.It could have gone on forever if my partner had a handle on his gambling addiction.They were fronting us the stuff.Of course it all went bad and for the most stupid of reasons.As such things do when you allow more than one person in on a secret.I'm just saying,people are just people.I'm sure most cops,prison guards and other enforcement people are smoking and inhaling as much dope as any other segment of society.Add to that the constant exposure to wads of cash and kilos of the best drugs around with no real supervision in many instances and how long until you take that first taste?First ones always free.After that,you gotta pay.
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