Update: Robbins, Illinois (First reported 12-28-12): The
police chief, who retired after being charged with his second DUI in the past
three years, is continuing to be paid by the government into next month,
records show. ow.ly/jtCat
Update: Williamson County, Illinois (First reported
03-11-13): A 23-year veteran sheriff’s deputy, who was arrested on DUI charges,
resigned. It was his second DUI. ow.ly/jyj3C
Miami
cop convicted in civil rights case sentenced to four years in prison
Former Miami Police Sgt. Raul Iglesias will serve four years
in federal prison after his conviction for stealing drugs from traffickers,
planting cocaine on suspects and lying to federal agents.
He will surrender to begin his sentence on April 26.
In January, a jury convicted Iglesias, 40, of two counts of
civil rights violations, along with conspiracy to possess and possession with
the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine.
Jurors also found him guilty of obstruction of justice and
making false official statements. U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga on Friday
also sentenced Iglesias to an additional three years of supervised release.
A second detective, Roberto Asanza, pleaded guilty to
misdemeanor drug charges stemming from the same investigation. During a tense
trial attended by his supporters — members of Miami’s police union — Asanza
testified against Iglesias, as did four detectives who worked on his Crime
Suppression Team.
Federal prosecutors painted Iglesias, a former U.S. Marine,
as a rogue sergeant who over the course of five months in 2010 planted cocaine
on a suspect, stole drugs and money from dope dealers, and lied about a box of
money left in an abandoned car as part of an FBI sting.
According to court documents, Iglesias had faced a
recommended sentence of up to six years.
Prosecutors wanted a stiff sentence, saying Iglesias refused
to take responsibility for his actions, blaming other cops and after his
conviction engaging in a letter-writing “smear” campaign against those who
testified against him.
Iglesias’s “abuse of his badge and his supervisory authority
as sergeant in charge of a [crime suppression unit] team made it possible for
him to easily steal money and drugs, distribute drugs to [confidential
informants], and plant drugs to frame a citizen,” prosecutors wrote in court
filings. “He further abused his position of authority by using his subordinates
as pawns in his crimes.”
A harsh penalty would “send a clear message” to potentially
crooked cops, federal prosecutor Ricardo Del Toro wrote in a sentencing memo.
But Iglesias’s attorney, Rick Diaz, argued for probation,
saying that the ex-sergeant had already lost his career.
“He really poses no danger to the public,” Diaz wrote in a
court document.
Iglesias was sentenced as the Miami Police Department has
been beset by a string of misconduct allegations against its cops.
Earlier this month, two Miami cops were arrested on federal
ID-theft and tax-refund fraud related charges. A group of cops also have been
charged in connection with an alleged protection racket for a Liberty City
gambling house.
So far, 11 cops have been relieved of duty, and two others
were also charged.
In another case, Miami Cop Luis Hernandez was arrested by
state authorities in January for allegedly raping a woman he was supposed to
transport to jail. He has pleaded not guilty.
Honolulu
cop charged with drunk driving
A Honolulu Police lieutenant was arrested early Saturday
morning on suspicion of drunk driving. Police say Lt. Colin Wong crashed into a
parked car near the Modern Hotel in Waikiki around 2:30 Saturday morning. He
was off-duty at the time.
Wong was arrested for operating a vehicle under the
influence of an intoxicant and for refusing to submit to a breath or blood
test. He's a lieutenant in the police department's specialized services
division and specifically the SWAT team. He was charged Saturday morning and
was released after posting a $1,000 dollars bail.
Cop
charged in drug-buying scheme
An East Texas cop has been charged with using his law
enforcement position to acquire hydrocodone by fraud.
Federal prosecutors say 32-year-old Canton cop James Melvin
Bradshaw faces six counts of acquiring a controlled substance by
misrepresentation. Bradshaw was arrested Thursday — a day after being indicted
— and made an initial court appearance in Tyler.
The indictment says Bradshaw allegedly used his job to
obtain hydrocodone by fraud, deception or misrepresentation from people with
legitimate prescriptions six times last year.
Prosecutors and Canton police on Friday didn't immediately
provide additional details on the case.
If convicted, Bradshaw faces up to four years in prison on
each count. An attorney for Bradshaw couldn't immediately be located.
Officials:
Palmer cop charged with drunk driving no longer with department
The veteran Palmer Township cop arrested last year for
drunken driving is no longer with the department, township officials confirmed
Tuesday.
Senior patrolman Susan Siegfried, 49, of Easton, was on paid
administrative leave pending an internal investigation but left the department
on Monday, Township manager Christopher Christman said.
Christman said that because it is a personnel matter he
could not say whether she resigned or was fired.
Last month, Siegfried, 49, of Easton, was placed in the
Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for first-time offenders. She
had a blood-alcohol content four times the legal limit after she crashed into a
tree in the township on Nov. 24, police said.
Police said her sport utility vehicle went off the road in
the 300 block of S. Nulton Avenue and hit a tree. Siegfried was found outside
the vehicle and appeared to be drunk, police said.
Police did not detail whether Siegfried suffered any
injuries, but said she was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.
She was charged with drunken driving and traffic violations
Palmer Cop
Charged with DUI Leaves Force
Veteran Palmer Township cop Susan Siegfried is no longer on
the force, Chief Larry Palmer said Tuesday.
A veteran Palmer Township cop charged with DUI in late
November is no longer with the force, township officials said Tuesday.
Susan E. Siegfried, 49, of the 300 block of S. Nulton Avenue
in the township, had been placed on administrative leave following a night of
drinking in which she had blood-alcohol content four times the legal limit,
court records indicated at the time of the incident.
Township officials Tuesday would not confirm a report that
Siegfried had been fired.
"Since it is a personnel matter I cannot speak to
that," Palmer Police Chief Larry Palmer said. "She is no longer with
the force."
Chief Palmer passed on inquiries to Township Manager
Christopher Christman.
"I can only confirm that she is no longer employed with
Palmer Township," Christman said. "As this is a personnel matter, I
cannot comment any further on this topic."
Siegfried was placed in the state's ARD program by
Northampton County Judge Emil Giordano on Feb. 25. The Accelerated
Rehabilitative Disposition program is for those facing first-offense charges.
Siegfried had admitted to a night of beer drinking, but said
she couldn't recall what happened when the Jeep Wrangler she was driving
slammed into a tree not far from her home, shearing off the tree completely and
uprooting it, court records indicated.
At the time, her blood-alcohol content was 0.32 percent –
four times the legal limit, court records stated.
Siegfried had been charged with two counts of DUI – one for
property damage and one for the 0.32 percent blood-alcohol content. Both DUIs
were first-time offenses. She was also charged with careless driving, Palmer
police said in a statement in late November.
Former
HPD cop charged with 2nd DWI in 6 weeks
HOUSTON -- The suspected drunk driver who slammed his car
into a light store last week appeared in court on Monday.
Harold Clayton is a former cop. The 60-year-old retired from
the Houston Police Department four years ago.
He’s now accused of two drunken driving offences in the last
six weeks. The first was February 1. The latest was last Thursday night when
witnesses say he drove his Tahoe through the front windows of the Lighting
Gallery on FM 1960, backed in and out several times trying to get out and then
fled the scene.
In court on Monday, Clayton said nothing to the judge
“Mr. Clayton is not going to have anything to say at this
point," said his attorney, Doug Murphy.
Defense attorney Doug Murphy said medical issues may have
something to do with Clayton’s recent DWI troubles.
"The cop has been retired four years and has had a
number of medical problems,” said Murphy. “At one point, he was hospitalized
for over a month in a coma."
That hospitalization was two years ago.
Clayton is free on $5,000 bond and was ordered to not
consumer alcohol.
He was also ordered to use an at home testing monitor four
times a day and enroll in a substance abuse evaluation program.
"He has got some medical problems that we are trying to
get to the bottom of,” said Murphy. “The customary protections are in place and
we will deal with those as things progress."
Meanwhile, the owners at the Lighting Gallery are still
trying to pick up the pieces from last week’s accident. As clean up and
rebuilding continues, the business plans to reopen its doors on Wednesday.
