Last Month's Corrupt Cops Stories

A pair of New Mexico narcs break bad, a massive Mississippi Delta police corruption scandal takes down two more crooked cops, and more. Let's get to it:

In Monticello, New York, a state prison guard was arrested on July 10 on charges he smuggled methamphetamine and cell phones into the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Sullivan County. Now-former corrections officer Kyle Raven is accused of conspiring with a prisoner and the prisoner's wife, who used her food vending company to mask payments for dope from inmates. Raven allegedly pocketed $17,000 for his efforts. He is charged with second-degree bribe receiving, two counts of first-degree promoting prison contraband, second-degree receiving reward for official misconduct, and two counts of official misconduct. The prisoner and his wife also face similar charges, and a handful of prison inmates have been charged with possession of dangerous contraband. 

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy was convicted on July 14 of tipping off DEA targets that they could get raided. Deputy Paul Jessen, Jr., 36, was convicted of obstructing Drug Enforcement Administration investigations and making a false statement to the FBI. Jessen and another deputy, Detective Kyle Linker, had recruited a drug trafficker to work for them as an informant, but when the DEA notified the pair it was going to conduct an operation near the snitch's home, Linker informed him of the looming threat, and he changed the location of a drug deal. Linker has already pleaded out and been sentenced to eight months in prison. 

At trial, prosecutors introduced text messages between Linker and Jessen.  The text messages showed that the two BSCO detectives harbored personal animus against the DEA in Albuquerque because they believed the DEA was stealing their targets.  In one message, Linker wrote: "I should tell [confidential informant] to tip off [drug trafficker] hahahaha." Jessen replied, "Do it!"  Also, in response to learning about a DEA operation, Jessen wrote: "It would be a shame if there is nothing there." Linker responded, "Gonna be a real shame."  

The DEA began to suspect the informant had been tipped off and tried another operation without notifying the rogue cops first. In December 2021, the DEA executed a search warrant at the confidential informant’s residence and located more than 470 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, and a firearm. During the ensuing interview, the confidential informant admitted to the agents that he had been previously tipped off by Linker. The DEA devised a plan to confirm the confidential informant’s statement. 

Shortly thereafter, an agent contacted Linker to inform him the DEA was planning to conduct a controlled purchase from the confidential informant. Although the agent specifically instructed Linker not to contact the informant, Linker messaged the informant to "call me ASAP." Unbeknownst to Linker, the confidential informant was still in the presence of law enforcement. The informant called Linker, who told him he was "on DEA’s radar" and instructed him to have someone else deliver drugs to the DEA. Shortly after receiving word from the DEA that the operation would continue as planned, Linker texted Jessen to complain about the DEA’s plan. 

"Tell [confidential informant] not to sell to anyone. And go to a hotel or stay with someone else for a bit," Jessen responded. 

"What I should do is have you call [confidential informant] that way when they ultimately say I tipped [confidential informant] off I can show them my call logs and be like I haven’t talked to him since this morning, "Linker texted back. 

"I’ll [expletive] do it," Jessen allegedly responded. 

"Perfect," Linker said. "Plausible deniability for me." 

Linker got a relatively short sentence because he cooperated with investigators and copped a plea, but Jessen now faces up to 65 years in federal prison when he is sentenced later this year. 

In Greenville, Mississippi, a former Greenville Police officer was sentenced on July 14 to 7 ½ years in federal prison after being sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking scheme in the Mississippi Delta. Former officer Martavis Moore, 32, was convicted of taking bribes to assist a drug dealer in transporting drugs through Greenville. Moore was one of more than a dozen officers arrested in connection with the scheme. Several officers have already agreed to plea deals.

In Memphis, Tennessee, a former Shelby County prison guard was sentenced on July 28 to two years in federal prison for providing marijuana to an inmate. Former guard Tamillian Young admitted to smuggling contraband into the corrections facility in a package that contained 100 grams of marijuana, cigarettes, vape devices, and a bag containing approximately 18 OxyContin pills for an inmate.

In Greenville, Mississippi, a former Sunflower County deputy was sentenced on July 30 to more than seven years in federal prison for his role in a drug conspiracy. Former deputy Marvin Flowers, 60, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid and abet, and to attempt to aid and abet, the possession, transportation, and distribution of illegal narcotics. Court documents show that he received multiple bribes while employed as a deputy. He is one of a number of Mississippi Delta law enforcement officers caught up in a drug corruption scandal.