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Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #549)
Drug War Issues

A key Coast Guard anti-drug fighter gets caught doing cocaine, plus the usual array of miscreants in blue. We don't usually mention cases that only involve drug use, but when it's a top Coast Guard commander in charge of fighting drugs, we think we should make an exception to the general rule. Let's get to it:

Coast Guard drug bust, 2004
In San Francisco, a senior Coast Guard officer who supervised anti-drug trafficking efforts in the Western Pacific was arrested August 20 on cocaine charges. Capt. Michael Sullivan, a 26-year veteran, was charged under military law with wrongful use of cocaine and obstruction of justice, a step that sets up an evidentiary hearing and could prompt a court-martial. Officials gave no further details, but said he had been removed from supervisory duties. Sullivan, who was the Pacific area's chief of response since May 2007, supervised the operation of 20 major Coast Guard cutters and directed law enforcement units that protect ports and fisheries and fight drug trafficking and illegal immigration, according to his official biography.

In Benton, Louisiana, an already convicted ex-cop pleaded guilty Monday to seven additional charges. Former Shreveport police officer Roderick Moore, 53, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to trading drugs for sex with a stripper in Caddo Parish in June. Now he has pleaded guilty to an additional seven counts of possessing drugs with the intent to distribute. The pleas in the drug cases come two days after he pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated. Although Moore theoretically faces up to 145 years in prison, his sentencing judge said the sentences would run concurrently. The maximum he faces for any one count is 30 years.

In Jackson, Mississippi, a Jackson code enforcement officer was arrested Sunday after being found with six packages of marijuana and $19,000 cash during a traffic stop. Code officer Britanny Arnold was a passenger in a vehicle driven by another man, who was carrying $670,000 in cash. Both Arnold and the driver are now charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Both have bailed out of jail.

In Rutland, Vermont, a former Vermont state prison guard was sentenced August 20 to seven months in jail on drug charges. Former guard Sheri Ann Fitzgerald, 44, had pleaded guilty in March to felony possession and sale charges involving cocaine as well as a misdemeanor charge of possessing a narcotic. Fitzgerald had been a prison guard since 1989, but was fired after being arrested. She has until September 4 to get her affairs in order and report to jail.

In Saginaw, Michigan, a jail guard at the Saginaw Correctional Facility was formally charged August 20 with supplying drugs to prisoners. John Singer, 45, now faces one count of delivery and manufacture of marijuana and one count of operating a drug house. He went down after a two-month investigation by the Bay Area Narcotics Team, one of whose members posed as a drug dealer willing to supply him for sales on the inside. He was arrested as he met with the officer in what he thought would be a drug transaction.

In Houston, a deputy constable was arrested August 18 for accosting drug dealers and stealing their money. Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Terrence Richardson is charged with engaging in organized crime and robbery. Word of Richardson's exploits percolated up from underground to the ears of the Houston Police Department, which set up a sting operation that snared him as he tried yet another rip-off. At last word, he was still in jail on a $200,000 bond. He is also now a former deputy constable, having been fired the night he was arrested.

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

Anonymous (not verified)

Get it right subby-that was $1,900, and $670 dollars.Damn,these jacklegs were just street,not Pablo Escobar.

Fri, 08/29/2008 - 2:05pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

Even a looser like me has had more than $1900, in walking around money. $670,000, is a bit difficult to explain, so how much was it? I'd like to know what i'm reading on this site is accurate. Nothing, however can justify the continuation of this idiotic drug war except to say that most voters are idiots or it would have ended years ago.

Sat, 08/30/2008 - 5:04pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

i am a victim of the same , mentioned above occurrance in Los Vegas, of being seduced by an under cover narc. officer to have sex in exchange for drugs except at one point an actual rape situation occurred... I;m pressing charges and anxious to see how the ' special police' try to get away with this situation...

Wed, 09/03/2008 - 9:39am Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

I respect your courage for posting that. One question what were you doing "streetwalking"?

Wed, 09/03/2008 - 5:45pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

You know, cops are people too, like my criminal justice professor told us. Times must be really tough for people these days. They go to school to catch criminals and turn into them theirselves.To become a law enforcement officer, you should have a higher set of moral standards. some people can go to school for years and once their education is obtained, they have another lesson to learn: the real world.
Lets take myself for instance, I am twenty eight years old, studying criminal justice with hopes of becoming a member of some law enforcement team. However about 10 years ago I committed a felony act thats still on my record. I know that will hinder me until I get it removed. On the other hand, due to my past experiences my morals are much higher than they were. Although I like money, there are just some things I would not do for cash, especially when it comes to the same garbage that destroyed my family and community as a child. My main point, probably out of haughtyness, is that you can learn alot from a dummy, buckle your safety belt.

Wed, 09/03/2008 - 5:42pm Permalink

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