Drug War Chronicle » Issue #870
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/21/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
A veteran cop gets caught with
his hands in the cookie jar, jail guards go wild, and two different ex-cops go
to prison for growing marijuana. Let's get to it:
In Prescott Valley, Arizona, a
Prescott Valley police commander resigned last Friday as he was being
investigated for stealing prescription drugs that had been turned in by the
public. Commander Arthur Askew is accused of stealing pills from the drug
storage fault in the evidence room, and police had video of him doing it. The
department has asked local prosecutors to conduct a criminal review of the case.
In East Madison, Maine, a
Somerset County Jail guard was arrested last Friday after an investigation into
contraband at the jail. Alexender Jordon, 21, went down after a search warrant
executed at his home turned up evidence he had supplied Suboxone strips to one
inmate and tobacco products to two others. He is charged with trafficking
Suboxone, a felony, and trafficking tobacco, a misdemeanor. At last report,
Jordon was residing at his former place of employment.
In Michigan City, Indiana, an
Indiana state prison guard was arrested last Saturday after he aroused
suspicions during a routine shakedown as he arrived at work. Officer Gordon
Dennis's car was then searched, and investigators found two cell phones, a cell
phone watch, and a substance that appeared to be synthetic marijuana. He is
charged with attempting to traffic with an offender. At last report, he was in
the LaPorte County Jail.
In Lutz, Florida, a former
Florida state prison guard was arrested Tuesday on charges he allowed inmates
on outside work crews to drink, use drugs, and have "conjugal visits in
the woods" with prostitutes. Henry Blackwelder went down after one of his
favored inmates escaped. Blackwelder didn't report the escape for three hours,
but investigators still found empty cans of margarita drinks and malt liquor
and empty packages of synthetic marijuana, as well as a blanket used for
hook-ups. Blackwelder resigned after the escape, but it later emerged that he
was using his work crews and a pair of strippers to smuggle the contraband into
the prison. He now faces charges of official misconduct, unlawful compensation
for official behavior and smuggling contraband into a state correctional
facility. He was released on bail Wednesday.
In Buffalo, New York, a former
Buffalo police officer was sentenced last Wednesday to five years in federal
prison for running a marijuana-growing operation while he was an officer. Jorge
Melendez oversaw a pot-growing operation of more than a thousand plants and
sometimes visited it while in uniform. Prosecutors said he made about $80,000
in the two years the grow was in operation, and he agreed to forfeit a Chevy
Suburban, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a speedboat, and seven firearms. He had
copped to one count of conspiracy to grow more than 99 marijuana plants.
In Hagatna, Guam, a former Guam
police officer was sentenced last Thursday to eight years in prison for growing
marijuana while employed as a cop. Roy Pablo had been arrested as part of an
investigation into a grow ring in November 2013 and was convicted on
cultivation charges in October.
Gerry Hyland killed police oversight after the cops gunned down unarmed citizens...you elected him now toss him out.
