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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

More jails guards go down, a Louisiana drug task force head gets nailed for ripping off the feds, a Memphis cop gets nailed for trying to extort an alleged drug dealer, and more. Let's get to it:

In Conway, Arkansas, a Faulkner County jail guard was arrested last Thursday for smuggling meth into the jail. Guard Luke Wimberly, 21, is charged with furnishing prohibited articles, delivery of less than two grams of meth, and misdemeanor abuse of office. He made bail the same day.

In Maclenny, Florida, a Baker County jail deputy was arrested last Friday for smuggling drugs into the jail. Deputy Jason Barnett is charged with introducing contraband into a correctional facility and was being held on $25,000 bail. He has been suspended with pay pending termination proceedings.

In Memphis, a Shelby County sheriff's deputy was arrested Wednesday for trying to extort thousands of dollars from a drug dealer. Deputy Jeremy Drewery, 41, threatened the man with arrest before taking $2,000 to go away, an FBI affidavit filed in federal court said. He is charged with violating the federal Hobbs Act, which prohibits attempted or actual extortion.

In Houma, Louisiana, the former head of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office narcotics division was sentenced Wednesday to six months probation and $16,000 in restitution for stealing federal grant money. He had pleaded guilty earlier to stealing $15,925 that was supposed to be used to support a multi-jurisdictional drug task force in the parish. Prosecutors said that he claimed and approved his own overtime pay for the federal grants, but that he sometimes claimed overtime for narcotics work when he was actually working private security details.

In Toms River, New Jersey, a former state juvenile officer was sentenced last Friday to 60 days in jail for selling heroin near an elementary school. Erica Kotelnicki had been employed at the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, but was not on duty when she was arrested with heroin in a parking lot. She copped to possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

An Ohio sheriff gets popped for his pain pill habit, a New Mexico cop videotapes himself stealing marijuana, a San Francisco cop heads to prison for illegal tactics and lying about them, and more. Let's get to it:

In Fremont, Ohio, the Sandusky County sheriff was arrested last Tuesday after a local grand jury indicted him for allegedly illegal obtaining prescription drugs and misusing department funds. Sheriff Kyle Overmyer was indicted on 43 counts, including misusing department money and tampering with records. State investigators said he took pills from prescription drug disposal boxes and deceived doctors and pharmacists to obtain more.

In Jackson, Mississippi, a Hinds County sheriff's deputy was arrested last Wednesday for trying to illegally obtain pain pills. Deputy Douglas Jay Nelson, 54, is accused of conspiring to possess and possessing 30 Oxycodone tablets.

In Grants, New Mexico, a Grants police sergeant was arrested last Wednesday after unwittingly recording himself on a body camera taking marijuana from his office and giving it to his girlfriend. Sgt. Roshern McKinney is also accused of embezzling $785 and a half-pound brick of weed that he never submitted to the department's evidence room. He is charge with distribution of marijuana, conspiracy, and felony embezzlement.

In Sanford, Florida, a Seminole County sheriff's jail deputy was arrested last Thursday on charges he stole prescription pain pills from a narcotics storage safe on at least four occasions. Lt. Jason Bender is accused of stealing around 40 pills, 10 each on four different occasions, for his own use. He faces four counts of grand theft of a controlled substance.

In San Francisco, a former San Francisco police officer was sentenced Tuesday to a year and two months in federal prison for conducting an unlawful search of a residential hotel room and writing a false report about it. Arshad Razzak, 44, had been convicted on four counts of conspiring to violate civil rights, violating the rights of a hotel resident during the search, falsifying an informant's pay slip, and falsifying a police report.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

From Key West to Alaska, law enforcement and prison and jail guard misconduct is exposed. Just another week on the crooked cop front. Let's get to it:

In Nashville, Tennessee, a Nashville Metro Police officer was arrested last Tuesday for punching a drug suspect in the face after she got stuck with a needle hidden in the suspect's bra. Officer Elizabeth Berry-Loucks was searching the woman suspect after arresting her on heroin and gun charges, and reacted to the needle-stick by immediately hitting her in the face. She is now charged with misdemeanor assault.

In Key West, Florida, a Monroe County jail deputy was arrested last Thursday after he allegedly agreed to let a convicted drug dealer escape in exchange for $400,000 in cash he needed to pay off credit card debts. Elizardo Ortueta, 50, was caught red-handed picking up cash from an undercover informant. First, Ortueta asked the imprisoned drug dealer for $50,000 in exchange for preferential treatment, but then approached him seeking $400,000 and offering to help him escape. The drug dealer instead ratted him out, and he went down in an undercover sting. He now faces felony charges of receiving unlawful compensation for official behavior, smuggling contraband into a corrections facility, use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony and a misdemeanor charge of not having a valid Florida driver's license, although he has a valid one from North Carolina.

In Kinston, North Carolina, a state prison guard was arrested Saturday after being caught with marijuana on his person as he came to work. Guard Kristopher Williams, 22, got nailed with three grams of the green. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance on prison premises.

In Point MacKenzie, Alaska, a former state prison guard pleaded guilty last Monday to smuggling heroin and marijuana into the Goose Creek Correctional Center. Adam Jason Spindler copped to one count of drug conspiracy and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Spindler went down after the Department of Corrections warned the FBI it had information he was smuggling drugs into the prison. He's looking at up to 20 years in federal prison, but will probably get much less since he pleaded guilty.

In Auburn, Georgia, a former Auburn police officer pleaded guilty last Friday to stealing drugs and money from one drug trafficker while working for another. Charles Hubbard, 51, conducted fake police stops to steal drugs in exchange for cash payments. He got $5,000 for one such incident. In another incident, he stole money from a confidential informant, giving him a receipt from the "East Metro Drug Task Force," which does not actually exist. He copped to drug trafficking and conspiracy charges and will be sentenced in November.

In Rome, Georgia, a former Floyd County sheriff's deputy was sentenced last Thursday to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to repeatedly stealing prescription pills. Jessie Stiles had been indicted on 53 counts, including multiple counts of theft by taking and drug possession, as well as five counts of exploiting an elderly person, three counts of burglary, and 10 counts of violating his oath of office. It wasn't clear which counts he actually copped to.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A North Carolina detective had a thing for "nudish fetish catfights," a Pennsylvania state trooper had a snitch scoring coke for him, an Oregon crime lab tech had a bad case of sticky fingers, and more. Let's get to it:

In Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, a former Horry County police detective was accused Monday of sexually abusing drug-using women in a civil suit. Three other women have already filed similar suits against Detective Allen Large. In the case of Jane Doe #4, Large is accused of calling a woman and telling her he knew she used drugs, visiting her home and forcing her into a non-consensual sex act, then later providing her with drugs, and continuing "to contact (her) on a daily basis to demand that she engage in nude fetish catfights," the lawsuit said. He gave up on the woman after she entered drug treatment in 2015. The lawsuit doesn't name Large; instead it accuses his supervisors, including the police chief, of knowing what Large was up to and failing to do anything about it.

In Avondale, Pennsylvania, a state trooper was arrested last Friday after he was caught buying cocaine from a confidential informant. Trooper Jose Lebron allegedly gave the informant cash to buy drugs over a period of months and was repeatedly seen snorting cocaine by the informant. Lebron also began paying the informant with cocaine, saying it was too expensive to keep paying with cash. Lebron went down in a controlled buy at a local McDonald's. He is charged with one felony count of criminal use of a communication facility as well as misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is free on $5,000 bail.

In Pendleton, Indiana, a jail guard at the Pendleton Correctional Industrial Facility was arrested last Friday after he got caught trying to smuggle drugs into the prison. Guard Mark Wooten went down after consenting to a search in which officials found 200 suboxone strips. He is charged with one count of trafficking in a controlled substance with an inmate and one count of possession of a controlled substance.

In Portsmouth, Virginia, a former Portsmouth police officer was arrested last Friday on charges he went rogue in trying to bust a drug dealer. Mark Anthony Deluca, Jr. is accused of lying to a judge to obtain a search warrant to raid a home where heroin was found. Deluca gave conflicting accounts of what happened, and the charges were dropped against the homeowner. Now, Deluca faces one count of forgery, one count of uttering a forged public instrument, and three counts of perjury.

In Gadsden, Alabama, a former Etowah County sheriff's deputy was arrested Monday on charges he smuggled drugs into the county jail. Detention Deputy Erick Bullock, 33, went down after his name came up in an internal investigation into contraband at the jail and meth, salvia, suboxone, tobacco, and a cell phone were found in his bag. He is charged with one count of first-degree promoting prison contraband, one count of second-degree promoting prison contraband, two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, one count of salvia possession and one count of third-degree promoting prison contraband. He is now residing at his former workplace until he comes up with a $9,500 bond.

In Portland, Oregon, an Oregon State Crime lab forensic scientist pleaded guilty Monday to stealing as many as 700 pills from more than 50 separate evidence specimens submitted to the labs. Nika Elise Larsen, 36, copped to two counts of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, and deception. She admitted stealing meth, morphine, hydrodocone, morphine, and methadone while overseeing cases. She's looking at up to three years in prison, according to her plea bargain agreement. She could have been looking at up to eight years.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A former Virginia police chief goes down for using the drug buy fund to buy pills for himself, a former Guamanian customs agent goes down for helping a relative import meth, and a former New Jersey police sergeant goes down for peddling weed on the side. Let's get to it:

In Alta Vista, Virginia, the former Alta Vista police chief pleaded guilty Wednesday to one felony count for using department drug buy funds to buy pills for himself and faking paperwork to hide it. Former Chief Kenneth Walsh, 51, had been charged with 15 felonies, but pleaded guilty to a single count of forging public documents. He also entered Alford pleas -- meaning he maintained his innocence while acknowledging there was evidence to convict him -- to 11 counts of forging public documents, one count of embezzlement, and one count of obtaining drugs by fraud. His sentencing is set for October.

In Linden, New Jersey, a former Linden police sergeant was sentenced last Friday to probation after he was busted for selling marijuana. Former Sgt. William Turbett III, 30, went down after police served a search warrant on his home and found "a small amount" of weed. He was a seven-year veteran of the department and earned a salary of $105,000 last year. He can no longer work in law enforcement.

In Hagatna, Guam, a former Guam customs agent was sentenced Monday to 14 years in federal prison for participating in a scheme to import two pounds of methamphetamine into the US territory. Jayvin Wyll Ueda Remoket pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of warning the subject of a search. Remoket used his position as a customs agent to help a relative get the packages through customs.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

We have a real doozey from Oklahoma, jail guards go bad all over the place, and more. Let's get to it:

In Marietta, Oklahoma, the Love County sheriff was arrested July 19 on charges of corruption, neglect of duty, and housing a fugitive. Sheriff Marion "Joe" Russell is accused of turning a blind eye to meth dealing out of his own home by his adult son, covering up a missing person case where another family member is the main suspect, and harboring a fugitive. His son, Willie Russell, has already pleaded guilty to meth dealing. The fugitive, a young woman, was dating Willie and staying at the sheriff's house even though she had four arrest warrants outstanding. He is also accused of arresting drunken women in bikinis and taking them to his house instead of to jail. There, they were allegedly sexually assaulted and given meth. The missing persons case involves a young couple who were last seen in a car owned by Russell's nephew.

In Florence, Alabama, a jail guard was arrested July 23 for trying to smuggle drugs into the jail inside a Bible. Kenneth Lee Lawson, 32, went down when fellow officers discovered suboxone hidden in the holy book. He is charged with bringing contraband into a jail facility.

In Canton, Georgia, a Cherokee County sheriff's deputy was arrested July 23 for stealing drugs from the department evidence locker. Deputy Jeffrey Goettel, 41, went down after the sheriff requested an audit of evidence and found that drugs were missing. An investigation pointed to Goettel, who authorities said pilfered morphine and oxycodone. He is charged with violating his oath of office, possession of a Schedule II drug, and theft by taking.

In Swan Quarter, North Carolina, a Hyde County jail guard was arrested last Friday for smuggling marijuana, tobacco, a cell phone, and knife into the jail. Guard Joshua Carawan is charged with possession of a controlled substance, tobacco, an electronics communication device, and a dangerous weapon inside a jail facility.

In Philadelphia, a former city jail guard was sentenced last Thursday to four years in federal prison for smuggling drugs and other contraband to inmates. John Wesley Herder, 50, was one of six guards charged last September with smuggling Oxycontin and cell phones in exchange for cash. Herder made $2,000 for twice smuggled dope and phones into the jail, but was also fined $2,300 in addition to prison time.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

The border remains a temptation for Texas cops, a Southern California dispensary was a temptation for a crew of misbehaving cops there, and more. Let's get to it:

In Santa Ana, California, three Santa Ana police officers were fired last Thursday for their antics during the raid of a medical marijuana dispensary. Officers disabled surveillance cameras during the raid, but forgot one, leading to the whole thing being caught on video. The video showed police ridiculing a disabled woman in a wheelchair, laughing and joking, throwing darts, and eating snacks from the dispensary, which may or may not have been medical marijuana edibles. Officers Brandon Matthew Sontag, Nicole Lynn Quijas, and Jorge Arroyo are the ones fired. All three are also charged with petty theft, and Sontag is charged with vandalism for breaking the store's surveillance cameras.

In McAllen, Texas, a former Mission police officer and DEA task force member was convicted last Thursday of ripping off cocaine, cutting and packaging it, then using some of it in a staged fake drug bust. Hector Mendez, 46, and a coconspirator ripped off more than 30 pounds of cocaine. A jury convicted Mendez of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

In Del Rio, Texas, a former Del Rio police officer was sentenced last Wednesday to seven years in federal prison after admitted he sold cocaine from an auto body shop he owned. Raymond Villarreal earlier had been found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He also has to do five years of probation.

In Flemington, New Jersey, a former senior Department of Corrections guard was sentenced last Wednesday to five years in state prison for supplying synthetic cannabinoids to inmates at a Clinton Township youth jail. Nickoy Ellis, 32, had earlier pleaded guilty to official misconduct. He is also barred from ever holding public employment in the state.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A major Detroit corruption case comes to an end, a Pennsylvania cop gets nailed for accepting pain pills to let a drug dealer walk, an Ohio cop rips off the undercover drug buy fund, and more. Let's get to it:

In Sabina, Ohio, a former Sabina police officer was arrested last Wednesday for stealing a thousand bucks from the department's undercover drug buy fund. Olin Mills was in charge of that fund, from which the money went missing last August. He is charged with felony theft in office.

In Cullman, Alabama, a state prison guard was arrested last Thursday for trying to smuggle drugs into the St. Clair Correctional Facility. Guard Deandre Price, 23, is charged with possession of a controlled substance and promoting contraband within a state correctional facility. He went down after being subjected to a search as he arrived at work.

In Detroit, two Detroit narcotics officers were convicted Tuesday of ripping off drug dealers for drugs and cash during raids. Officers David Hansberry, 34, and Bryan Watson, 47, were convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion and robbery and face up to 20 years in federal prison. A third officer, Kevlin Brown, 46, was acquitted. The convictions bring to an end a sensational scandal that has rocked the city for months.

In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a former Dupont police officer was sentenced Monday to five to 12 months in prison for letting a drug dealer go free in exchange for pain pills. Kenneth Shotwell, 47, went down after he let another officer who was getting drugs from the dealer persuade him not to arrest the dealer if the dealer gave him some pills. He was convicted in March of bribery, official oppression, and obstructing justice. The other cop is now doing time in federal prison.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A Houston cop who helped cocaine traffickers and procured guns that ended up in the hands of Mexican cartel leaders gets hammered at sentencing, cops in Phoenix and California get in trouble for warning drug suspects of police activity, and more. Let's get to it:

In Clay, New York, an Onondaga County sheriff's deputy was arrested last Thursday on charges he stole prescription opioid pills from his girlfriend and the medicine cart at the downtown jail. Deputy John Gioconodo, 50, worked as a jail deputy and is a 26-year veteran. He is accused of stealing the drugs from the jail while on duty. He's due back in court next week.

In Phoenix, Arizona, two former Phoenix police officers were indicted Wednesday on charges they warned customers and employees at a strip club that the club was being investigated for drug activity. Former officers Sebastian Castillo and Richard Denny both resigned after the March incident, but they have now been indicted on a single count of hindering prosecution, a felony.

In Sacramento, California, a former Yuba City police officer pleaded guilty last Friday to providing sensitive law enforcement information to a person he believed to be a cocaine trafficker. Harminder Phagura, 35, was paid at least $6,000 to repeatedly provide warnings that police were in the area. He pleaded guilty to one count of bribery. He's looking at up to 10 years in federal prison.

In New Orleans, a former Houston police officer was sentenced last Thursday to 30 years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale drug conspiracy. Noe Juarez had been convicted in January of conspiracy to possess and distribute more than five pounds of cocaine and conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. Authorities said he helped an organization that distributed hundreds of pounds of cocaine throughout the country. Juarez played a critical role in the conspiracy by providing sensitive law enforcement information, including running license plate numbers, and sharing police tactics and activities with his co-conspirators. He also supplied vehicles, body armor, and weapons to his co-conspirators, some of which ended up in the hands of senior cartel figures in Mexico.

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Corrupt cops seem to have taken summer vacation this week, with only a couple of incidents popping up. They both involve cops with sticky fingers. Let's get to it:

In Syracuse, New York, an Onondaga County sheriff's deputy was arrested Tuesday on charges he stole drugs on two occasions. Deputy John Giocondo, 50, who worked at the county jail, was accused of stealing drugs at the jail and at another non-work-related site. He is charged with official misconduct, two counts of petit larceny, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

In Edinburg, Texas, a former Sullivan City police officer was sentenced last Monday to probation after being convicted of stealing handfuls of marijuana from the police department evidence room. Angel de la Mora, 32, was originally charged with theft by a public servant, possession of marijuana, and two counts of official oppression, but agreed to plead guilty to only the latter two charges. Former Sullivan City Police Chief Miguel Martinez also went down in the incident; he saw de la Mora take the weed, but didn't report it. He was forced to resign in April, after also being charged with marijuana possession and official oppression.

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