Former officer who set up fake
substation, got nude photos sentenced
Beavers sentenced to year in
prison
• By Brian Hamrick
• CINCINNATI —A former Cincinnati police officer is headed
to prison for a year after pleading guilty to charges that he swapped nude
pictures with a minor.
A Cincinnati police officer
accused of trading racy texts messages with a minor and setting up a fake
police substation entered a guilty plea.
After a Cincinnati police
officer was indicted on theft charges and allegations of receiving nude photos
of a teen, the department is tightening its procedures about operating
substations in neighborhoods.
A Cincinnati police officer has
been indicted on several charges.
• His attorney, Carl Lewis, said he expected Beavers to walk
out of the courthouse. Instead Beavers was handcuffed and taken into custody
immediately.
• “It was something that we were completely shocked that he
got prison time. I’ve been doing this for 27 years. I thought, at worst, he
would get (Hamilton County) justice center time,” Lewis said.
• Beavers previously pleaded guilty to one count of
tampering with evidence and one count of illegal use of a minor in
nudity-oriented material or performance.
• In addition to the charge that he exchanged nude pictures
with a 17-year-old Cincinnati Police Explorer, he also pleaded guilty to
attempting to destroy the phone he used to exchange the pictures.
• “I accept responsibility for my actions,” Beavers told
Judge Ralph Winkler. “I have the utmost respect for this court, and I have the
utmost respect for this community and once again, I apologize for letting them
down and the victim in this case down and my family down.”
• Winkler told Beavers he expected more of him because he
was an officer.
• “Some people actually believe if this wouldn’t have
happened he would have possibly been the chief of police,” Winkler said.
• Beavers will also have to spend four years on community
control and register as a sex offender for the next 15 years.
• He was ordered to pay $9,600 in restitution to the two
landlords who allowed Beavers space for a fake police substation.
• Officers testified that they found a bed, pornographic
videos and lubrication in one fake substation. They also said Beavers had
police night vision goggles used to record what happened in the room.
• The plea agreement will allow Beavers to be eligible for
his police pension from CPD.
• “I apologize to the victim, the victim’s family and
everyone else that’s involved in the situation. It’s a lapse of judgment. I’m
old enough I know I should know better,” Beavers said.
• Lewis said he will attempt to get a stay of the sentence.
• Beavers faced the possibility of up to 30 months in
prison.
