Jump to content

Caught On Tape: Cops Talk About Stealing Man’S Property Over Bag Of Weed.

rafaeltoral

Recommended Posts

rafaeltoral Advanced Member

rafaeltoral

Posted
Posted

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/02/28/caught-on-tape-cops-talk-about-stealing-mans-property-over-bag-of-weed/

 

Police officers in Lansing, Michigan are in hot water after an investigative report [1] by local ABC News affiliate WXYZ.

 

According to the report's source, officers with the OMNI Drug Task Force executed a search warrant on the home of Rudy Simpson in June 2008, and found a small bag of marijuana and half a pain pill that he'd been prescribed.

 

While talking about what they should do, officers began to eye the expensive recording equipment around Simpson's home, ultimately deciding that they could very well take everything if they wanted thanks to the drugs they'd found.

 

What they didn't realize is that when they raided the home, Simpson and friends were in the middle of a recording session, and the microphones were live.

 

"Basically what I heard them talking about is what equipment, what materialistic stuff could they take out of my house," he told the ABC affiliate. "It seems like...that they were just trying to figure out what they could come out of here with."

 

After the incident, Simpson said prosecutors played hardball and even threatened to prosecute him for the medicine he'd been legally prescribed. He forfeited some property and spent time in a half-way home, according to the report.

 

Simpson also claimed officers were eating his food, and that they stole a gold ring.

 

Police ended up leaving Simpson's home that day in 2008 with "a 52” flat screen TV, a DVD player, two computers, a camera and a bunch of DVDs," reporter Scott Lewis wrote.

 

Now, two of the officers involved -- Lt. Luke Davis and Lt. Emmanuel Riopelle -- are facing "dozens" of charges. Both have been accused in a long-running scheme [2] to steal from drug suspects and profit from sales of their property.

 

In spite of the incident, drug task forces across the nation continue to operate with secret budgets [3] and the backing of laws that permit wanton seizure of property if drugs are discovered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest 1TokeOverLine

Guest 1TokeOverLine

Posted
Posted

I bet we never see this story on mlive. If our representatives in Lansing wanted to protect the rights of the citizens they would fix this in our state. They should at a minimum have to prove the items were purchased with ill gotten funds.

 

Corruption probe: Michigan State Police narcotics officers accused of stealing 22 cell phones, 30 designer purses, TVs, jewelry, motorcycles

Published: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 2:25 PM Updated: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 6:29 AM

By Julie Hoogland | The Grand Rapids Press

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/corruption_probe_michigan_stat.html

 

LANSING -- Two Michigan State Police lieutenants are facing corruption charges, accused of running a criminal enterprise out of the Monroe state police narcotics investigations office, the state attorney general and state police director announced today.

 

Lt. Luke Davis, 48, of Monroe and Lt. Emmanuel Riopelle, 42, of Grosse Ile are accused of running a scheme to systematically embezzle property and money seized from suspects between March 2006 and December 2008.

 

An MSP search of Davis' home on Dec. 4, 2008 revealed stolen property, as well as vicodin, oxycotin, steroids, a wall covered with a large quantity of men's and women's jewelry, 30 designer purses, 22 cell phones, computers, televisions, motorcycles, and a golf cart, among other property.

 

Also charged in the scheme is a Monroe County resident, Lawrence Dusseau, 42,

 

"Pursuing charges against members of your own department for this type of criminal activity is an embarrassment, but there is no doubt it's the right thing to do," State Police Director Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue said today.

 

"The MSP does not tolerate criminal behavior, especially within its ranks, and the resulting 34 criminal counts filed today are evidence of this fact."

 

The alleged embezzlement was uncovered by the MSP following a Nov. 28, 2008 complaint from a suspect alleging Davis stole property from his home, Etue said.

 

That kicked off an investigation showing Davis developed a system of embezzling seized property from the OMNI unit he commanded, according to Etue.

 

MSP policy requires seized property to be sold at public auction, put to official use, or destroyed. However, in March 2006, Davis with the help of Riopelle and Dusseau, began diverting some property for his own use or giving it away rather than selling it at auction, Etue said.

 

She also alleges Davis used Dusseau as a "straw buyer" at the auctions, falsifying receipts to show Dusseau purchased the property at auction. Then Dusseau would later sell the property to a third party and then split the profits with Davis, Etue said.

 

Embezzled items included flat-screen televisions, designer purses, furniture, cell phones, automobiles and electronics, according to the allegations.

 

The defendants were arrested by the MSP last night, and charges were filed against them with the 1st District Court in Monroe today. Davis and Riopelle are on unpaid suspension.

 

Here are the charges described by Etue and Attorney General Bill Schuette in a 2 p.m. news conference:

 

Luke Davis - 24 Counts:

--One count of Conducting Criminal Enterprises (Racketeering), a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine;

--Thirteen counts of Embezzlement by a Public Official, a felony punishable by up to10 years in prison;

--Five counts of Misconduct in Office, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison;

--Three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, a felony punishable by up to two years in prison;

--One count of Use Tax violation, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison; and

- One count of Forgery, a felony punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Emmanuel Riopelle - 11 Counts:

-- One count of conducting Criminal Enterprises (Racketeering), a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine;

--Three counts of Embezzlement by a Public Official, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison;

--Four counts of Misconduct in Office, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison; and

--Three counts of Forgery, a felony punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Lawrence Dusseau - 5 Counts:

-- One count of conducting Criminal Enterprises (Racketeering), a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine;

--Two counts of Use Tax violation, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison; and

-Two counts of Embezzlement by a Public Official, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

 

1T

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chicodog1 Advanced Member

Chicodog1

Posted
Posted

THese Narcotics cops are the real criminals. ....when will we see justice and these laws curbed. This is such a joke. It makes me so mad that these cops target homes and think it is like JP Morgan Chase.

 

It disgusts me that they turn on tax paying citizens and rob us right in front of us and they call this justice.

 

I call it organized crime...Cartels...syndicates. These cops are going to do jail time for the crimes they committed. Over a fuxin bag of weed.

 

This is a travesty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest knucklehead bob

Guest knucklehead bob

Posted
Posted

Just the tip of the iceberg people ! How long has this shizzle been going on unchecked , with absolutely no oversight whatsoever , or repercussions when they're wrong ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
EdwardGlen Advanced Member

+EdwardGlen

Posted
Posted

The Devil himself is good when he is pleased.

- Thomas Fuller

A dirty cop above all other crooked public officials is the slimiest? We are taught as children(used to be that is)the police officer is a person we can trust, they'll help us, its their job to protect us.

 

But like an honest politician an honest cop is getting hard to find and when you do, you can't trust them. And the issue of trust or lack of, was created and is perpetuated by the police still to this day.

 

Violations of our rights during an encounter with the police is a given and when you do demand your rights their aggressive behavior increases and more times than needed leads to unprovoked physical response by LEO.

 

Instead of teaching my child to respect a police officer.

 

I instructed her on how to behave during an encounter with LEO to lessen her chances of being murdered for making a 'sudden and threatening move and I was in fear of my life so I discharged my weapon at the suspect' after being stopped for not wearing her seat belt.

 

To Your Good Health

 

Ed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...