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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

An Oklahoma cop ripped off both the department and his fellow officers, an Arizona prison guard takes the whole family along for a smuggling trip, and more.

In Warner Robbins, Georgia, the entire drug unit of the Warner Robins Police Department was put on leave Monday as an investigation into allegations of misconduct unwinds. Houston County officials said they were notified of the allegations involving members of the Narcotics Investigation Unit, prompting the DA's office to begin the investigation. No details of the investigation have been released so far "due to this being a pending investigation," but any evidence of criminal misconduct will be referred to a county grand jury. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation.

In Irvine, California, an Arizona prison guard was arrested last Friday after he got caught smuggling drugs with his wife and kids along for the ride. Fernando Urratiaguillen, 34, was arrested in Irvine after officers found 23 kilograms of methamphetamine and one kilogram of heroin inside the vehicle's gas tank on Tuesday. He also served as an Army National Guardsman. He is charged with with two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, two counts of sale or transport of a controlled substance, two felony enhancements of a controlled substance in excess of 20 kilograms and two enhancements of possession of a substance exceeding one kilogram. At last report, he was still in jail with bail set at $3 million.

In Omaha, Nebraska, a former Omaha police officer was arrested Monday for allegedly helping two gangs move drugs, trading drugs for sex, and tipping off drug dealers to investigations. Johnny Palermo was arrested along with another Omaha police officer and a city council member. He is being held without bond because the federal judge said he cannot be trusted and is facing 15 felony counts, including multiple counts of wire fraud, conspiracy and abusing the public trust.

In Durant, Oklahoma, a former Durant police lieutenant was arrested Monday on charges he stole tens of thousands of dollars in seized drug money and in funds belonging to the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). Billie Joe Jones, 47, allegedly made off with $67,000 in his role as a narcotics officer and pocketed another $37,000 in FOP funds over the four years he was at the department. He was the financial officer for the FOP. He went down, when, upon his retirement, the FOP became aware of "financial discrepancies" and alerted the police department, which then found seized drug money missing. He faces two counts of felony embezzlement. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each count.

In Brooklyn, New York, a former New York City prison guard was sentenced Tuesday to a year and a day in federal prison for taking more than $34,000 in bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband including drugs and cell phones into the Rikers Island prison where she worked. Katrina Patterson went down after the Department of Corrections found cell phones and drugs in a prisoner's cell and recovered text messages incriminating her. She had earlier pleaded guilty to bribery.

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