A DEA Agent stopped at a ranch in Texas

A DEA Agent stopped at a ranch in Texas and talked to an old rancher. He told the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs." The rancher said, "okay, but don't go into that field over there...", as he pointed out the location. The DEA Agent verbally exploded and said, "look mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me!" Reaching into his rear back pocket, the arrogant officer removed his badge and proudly displayed it to the rancher. ..."See this badge?! This badge means I can go wherever I want... On any land! No questions asked, no answers given! Do you understand old man?!"

The rancher kindly nodded, apologized, and went about his chores. Moments later the rancher heard loud screams, he looked up and saw the DEA agent running for his life, being chased by the ranchers big Santa Gertrudis Bull...... With every step the bull was gaining ground on the officer, and it was likely that he'd sure enough get gored before he reached safety. The officer was clearly terrified. The old rancher threw down his tools, ran as fast as he could to the fence, and yelled at the top of his lungs......
"YOUR BADGE! SHOW HIM YOUR BADGE!"

Interaction with Salt Lake City police after officer shot dog

Chesapeake officer sentenced for prostitute thefts

By Mike Connors

A former city police officer was sentenced to 30 days in jail Thursday for stealing more than $3,000 from three prostitutes.

Michael Mobley, a 30-year-old who also served on the department’s dive team, pleaded guilty in February to two counts of misdemeanor embezzlement. He faced up to two years in jail. He can serve his sentence on consecutive weekends.

According to prosecutors, Mobley approached prostitutes on two occasions in July 2012. He entered their Greenbrier hotel rooms and questioned them under the guise of a police investigation.

Mobley seized money from the three women and told them it would go to Chesapeake schools. Instead, he pocketed it.

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Derek Wagner said Thursday that Mobley’s actions were worse than other thefts because he “used his badge to steal money.”

Mobley declined to comment after sentencing, but he said in court that the past few years have been the hardest of his life.

Defense attorney Teddy Black said this was an isolated wrongdoing by Mobley, who resigned in February before his plea.

Since then, he has been a mate on boats and plans to go to dive school, Black said.

“He made a terrible mistake, and he’s going to pay for that mistake for the rest of his life,” Black said.

Ex-cop sentenced to 15 years in prison for leaking info to half-brother

BY JULIE SHAW

EX-COP RAFAEL CORDERO and his supporters passionately told a federal judge yesterday that Cordero swayed from his law-abiding ways to help a family member.

Cordero, 53, was convicted by a jury in December of passing sensitive law-enforcement information about drug investigations to his half brother, David Garcia, who was a member of a Kensington heroin drug-trafficking ring.

"This is a unique set of circumstances, dealing with a brother who [Cordero] has been tortured with over the years," defense attorney Jack McMahon told U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond.

Cordero tried to get Garcia on the right side of the law, McMahon said.

One police officer, dressed in his uniform, came to court to support Cordero. Officer Mario Santiago, of the traffic unit, told the judge: "Sometimes, we as a police officer think as a family first."

Cordero, rocking back and forth, tearfully told the judge that when he told the information to his half brother in 2011, he wasn't acting as the cop that he was, but was "looking at [Garcia] as my brother."

But Diamond saw the case much differently.

He said the jury rejected that Cordero was just trying to help his half brother.

Before sentencing Cordero to 15 years in prison, Diamond said Cordero "was not trying to help his brother stay alive," but "was trying to help his brother sell drugs."

The judge noted that Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey had submitted a letter asking for the maximum sentence allowed, 20 years in prison, for Cordero.

During the two-hour hearing, the judge and McMahon verbally sparred over elements of the case. At one point, McMahon told the judge he believed the government's portrayal of Cordero to be "disingenuous," prompting the judge to interrupt.

Cordero was aiding a drug organization that was "helping to kill the city he [Cordero] swore to protect," the judge said.

After McMahon heatedly disagreed, arguing that the facts didn't fit into a neat, little pattern, the judge called for a brief break.

During the government's turn, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Brenner called Cordero "deceptive, defiant and duplicitous," saying he lied to his fellow officers, to the FBI and to the jury at his trial.

The jury convicted Cordero of two counts each of obstruction of justice and of lying to the feds.

After the hearing, McMahon and Cordero's family were visibly upset by the judge's sentence. McMahon called the long prison term "unspeakably cruel."

Driver hurt by alleged drunk cop wants tougher charges...more drunk cops

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A driver who was rear-ended by an off-duty Bakersfield police officer wants tougher DUI charges filed in the case.

Officer Justin West was cited after allegedly plowing into five parked cars. The man he first hit now says he was hurt in the crash, and his attorney thinks felony charges should be filed against West.

"I feel the pain in my back, I feel pain and (I'm) sore," Arturo Jimenez told Eyewitness News on Thursday. But, just after the crash late Monday night, Jimenez told officers he was not hurt.

"At the moment, I just felt a burning sensation in my back," Jimenez described. "I didn't want to go to the hospital." The 32-year-old Jimenez says that's because he doesn't have health insurance.

Investigators say West, 21, had rear-ended Jimenez on Hageman Road, east of Jewetta Avenue. It was about 11 p.m. Officers say West lost control of his pickup at that point, and then hit four, unoccupied parked vehicles, and rolled over, landing on a fifth parked car.

"When I ran out, he was underneath the trunk of my car," neighbor Olwen West told Eyewitness News the next morning. She's not related to Officer West, and said all the damaged cars belong to her family. West is a nursing student, and she and a passing nurse tried to make sure West was OK until paramedics got there.

Police say West suffered moderate injuries and was taken to a local hospital where he was found to be under the influence. Officers say he was cited there for misdemeanor DUI.

Jimenez had just dropped off his girlfriend when he was hit, and she arrived soon after and took photos. Some show the badly damaged Honda Accord. Jimenez says it's lucky no one was in the back seat, it was demolished. He says officers told him the pickup was going some 80 miles an hour.

"I saw head lights coming fast, so I tried to avoid him," Jimenez says. He describes pulling to the right, but says he still got hit, the car spun around and stopped.

When officers got there Jimenez says he didn't feel too bad. But, his girlfriend eventually did take him to the hospital. "I ended up going, because the pain got worse," Jimenez says.

He says the doctor in the ER didn't think there were any broken bones, but Rodriguez says Jimenez was given pain medication and muscle relaxants. And, his attorney says the case should now be a felony charge.

"Felony drunk driving says, if you're driving under the influence and you cause bodily injuries," Daniel Rodriguez insists. "Any bodily injuries." The lawyer says they intend to contact the Kern County District Attorney's office and let them know Jimenez was hurt.

Chief Deputy D.A. Mark Pafford says this case hasn't come to them yet, and explains how DUI cases work.

"Generically, DUIs with injury are what we call 'wobblers,' they can be filed as misdemeanor or felonies," Pafford said. "And, we review any case like that on a case by case basis."

Pafford also says this driver should contact the investigating agency, which is the BPD.

On Thursday, Bakersfield Police Sgt. Joe Grubbs said the misdemeanor charge was filed because officers on the scene were told by Jimenez that he was not hurt. Asked about Officer West's current status, Grubbs said he is not currently on any type of leave. Police have reported West graduated from the police academy in December 2013.

Jimenez says when the crash happened, he saw beer cans that apparently flew out of the pickup truck, and also a gun. He says that landed on a nearby front yard.

West's brother had been following him, according to neighbors, and they say it was quickly clear that he is a policeman. And Jimenez' reaction to that?

"I was mad," he told Eyewitness News. "because those people are supposed to (provide) an example."

Rodriguez said they plan to file a civil claim against West, saying they hope he has auto insurance. No court dates have been set for the criminal case, but he and Jimenez want stronger charges.

"I just want justice," Jimenez said. "I want the person that caused the damage to be treated equally, to have the same punishment as everybody else."

Questions remain after officer shoots dog in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY – The fatal shooting of dog by a Salt Lake police officer has sparked outrage in this community, KATU's sister station KUTV reports.

The dog was shot and killed on Wednesday, while the officer was searching for a missing child. The officer is saying the dog was aggressive, but the dog's owner disagrees that his dog was a threat.

Sean Kendall says his dog was reacting like any dog would when an unknown person tried to enter their space. He believes the police had no reason to shoot him.

Kendall says his dog Geist, "was my best friend, you know we slept together, we went on hikes together."

On Wednesday, Sean Kendall arrived home from work to find his best friend was dead, shot twice by a police officer. Kendall describes the scene vividly, "it's almost like that image is burned into my eyes, everything from walking into my back door and seeing him lying on the grass."

The Salt Lake officer was looking for a missing, 3-year old-child when they shot the dog.

Police say they knocked on the front door and nobody was home, so the officer went into the backyard to look for the child. That's when they were approached by the dog, which made them feel threatened enough to open fire.

Gene Baerschmidt with the Humane Society of Utah says he wrote to the police department about the shooting. "We really question why lethal force was used in the first place, and why alternative methods such as pepper spray or an impact weapon or Taser wasn't used first."

Salt Lake police say they will investigate to determine whether the shooting was justified and reviewing officer training on dog encounters. The police chief will meet with Sean Kendall next week to discuss the shooting of his dog.