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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #667)
Drug War Issues
Police Corruption

A small-town jail guard, a big city cop, and a US Border Patrol agent all go down this week. 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 Imperial Beach, California, a US Border Patrol agent was arrested January 10 after a SWAT raid on his home revealed he was hiding illegal immigrants -- among them his father -- and evidence of drug dealing. Agent Gerardo Manzano Jr., 26, is currently charged with harboring illegal immigrants, but will probably face additional charges related to 61 grams of methamphetamine and "packaging material indicating a drug operation" in his home.

In Ocala, Florida, a Marion County corrections officer was arrested January 12 for smuggling marijuana, submarine sandwiches, and a cell phone into the county jail. Guard Joseph Jones went down after the sheriff's office grew suspicious and enlisted the help of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He is charged with possession of marijuana and two counts of introducing contraband into a prison. Jones has been suspended without pay, and the sheriff's office has opened an internal investigation.

In Providence, Rhode Island, a Providence police officer pleaded guilty Friday to charges he was part of a police cocaine trafficking ring and was sentenced to three years in prison. Officer Robert Hamlin was the last of four officers indicted in June to have his case resolved. Two others pleaded guilty, and prosecutors dropped charges against the fourth.  Hamlin copped to three counts of conspiracy to distribute drugs. Since he has been behind bars since March, when he was originally arrested, and will get credit for time served, he should be out on parole by this coming March after completing a third of his sentence.

News Brief
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

sicntired (not verified)

I hope everyone who gets busted for cocaine conspiracy is sentenced with this case as a precedent.If law enforcement is truly held to a higher standard then 6 months should be the sentence per conspiracy or trafficking charge for everyone else.Fair is fair.

Thu, 01/20/2011 - 1:43pm Permalink
Carmen Brown (not verified)

The drug war cannot eliminate all drugs, and the "Corrupt Cop Stories" shows supports my proof. 

Let's assume that demand for drugs remains at a level found in the last four decades. You can pick any level of demand in that time frame.

Now assume that the drug war suddenly succeeds at totally eliminating all illegal drugs from the United States. Because demand for drugs remains after all supply was eliminated, the price of drugs would increase to the maximum amount a person was willing to pay. That would be much higher than when drugs were easily available like today.

The gate keepers of those astronomical profits would be the law enforcement community.  

Because there are police et al today who engage in corruption for the sake of profit, we can easily assume that there would be no fewer willing participants with significantly increased profits. Availability of drugs would continue. The drug war would resume shortly after it ended.

My argument here accomplishes the following: it forces the prohibitionist to accept that total victory is not possible. Their arguments for the drug war have to be reduced to "Well, we have to do what we can. We can't just give up and give in."

That argument is easily defeated by cost-benefit analysis.

The elements of my proof that are not likely or are outright impossible are those related to the success of the war on drugs.

Thu, 01/20/2011 - 4:26pm Permalink
Anonymous1981 (not verified)

It spreads throughout the system in marion county. They arrest and hold alledged offenders off hearsay sometimes not even asking for their statement or reading rights. Once they are held thry often dont see their public defender until 4 monthd of being held and are told if they dont sign away there right to speedy trial the states attorney will seek maximum penalty if convicted and the rate of conviction in marion county off of hearsay evidence is substancialy higher than other places throughout the u.s. some aledged offenders have been in mcj for 2-3 years and havent been to jury trial meanwhile the system is making millions every year from inmates being held. There is no justice in marion county as corruption and greed swims through out the entire system. Someone needs to blow the whistle and replace the entire system with leaders judges and law enforcement who are more concerned with rights than with their wallets. How do i know of this? I myself have been a victim of hearsay and have personaly known others who became victims and went through horrible circumstances because the detectives and police are only concerned with arrest records for promotions and prosecutors only concerned with convictions. Truth and justice has no place in marion county.
Wed, 07/25/2012 - 8:08pm Permalink
Anonymous1981 (not verified)

It spreads throughout the system in marion county. They arrest and hold alledged offenders off hearsay sometimes not even asking for their statement or reading rights. Once they are held thry often dont see their public defender until 4 monthd of being held and are told if they dont sign away there right to speedy trial the states attorney will seek maximum penalty if convicted and the rate of conviction in marion county off of hearsay evidence is substancialy higher than other places throughout the u.s. some aledged offenders have been in mcj for 2-3 years and havent been to jury trial meanwhile the system is making millions every year from inmates being held. There is no justice in marion county as corruption and greed swims through out the entire system. Someone needs to blow the whistle and replace the entire system with leaders judges and law enforcement who are more concerned with rights than with their wallets. How do i know of this? I myself have been a victim of hearsay and have personaly known others who became victims and went through horrible circumstances because the detectives and police are only concerned with arrest records for promotions and prosecutors only concerned with convictions. Truth and justice has no place in marion county.
Wed, 07/25/2012 - 8:13pm Permalink
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Tue, 01/21/2014 - 10:13pm Permalink

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