Man says he was Tasered by security because he has Tourette Syndrome www.privateofficer.com

RAPID CITY, S.D. July 12 2008

By:Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/ – A trip to the local hospital ended badly for a 27-year-old Rapid City man who got zapped with a security officers Taser and then arrested.
The man says he’ll fight assault charges filed against him after security guards at Rapid City Regional Hospital shocked him with a stun gun.
Nicholas Breining went to the emergency department Tuesday, saying he wanted to be treated for a viral throat and sinus infection.
Police said that he when he became loud and disorderly in the waiting area, he was asked to leave. A nurse said that she became irritated by the noise he was making in the waiting room.
Breining says he has Tourette (tuhr-EHT’) Syndrome, which makes him drum or tap involuntarily.
He says security guards were called and that he was refused treatment and asked to leave. Breining says when he tried to leave, 1 of the guards stopped him — and that pushing and shoving ensued. Security then grabbed him and began to wrestle with him, Breining stated.
When Breining refused to let the security handcuff him, he took a swing — and was then stunned with a Taser.
Police who arrived at the hospital to assist the security staff say the hospital guards probably used good judgment in the incident.

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Cross dressing shoplifters hit Wal-mart www.privateofficer.com

COVINGTON, Ga. July 12 2008 Authorities are investigating a case where some cross-dressers targeted a metro Atlanta Wal-Mart and walked away with high-priced televisions and computers, according to authorities.
“This video looks like three women,” said Daniel Seals with the Covington Police Department.
The three people in the surveillance video from a Covington Wal-Mart do look like women, with T-shirts, jeans, ball caps, long hair and purses. But Covington police said the three people are actually men dressed women and the video shows the men stealing flat-screen TVs and computers from the store off Industrial Boulevard.
Covington police looking into the theft said that the crime was committed in an area that is designated only as a stocking area for Wal-Mart employees.
Police said the men rolled the TVs from the store room floor with shopping carts into the back storage area and then fled through an exit door and out to the loading dock.
“They went through the back door, pulled up a U-Haul, threw open the doors of the U-Haul, put the TVs in there and left,” said Seals.

Aoo of this was done out in the open and went undetected at the time.
The men allegedly stole more than $4,500 in electronics.

Police said that they are continuing the investigation and if caught, the three will face grand theft charges.

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Cellphone sniffing dogs brought in to combat prison problem www.privateofficer.com

Cellphone sniffing dogs brought in to combat phones in prison www.privateofficer.com

JESSUP, Md. July 12 2008
Corrections officials across the country are trying to get cell phones out of prison cells.
Maryland and Virginia have become the first states to train dogs to sniff out phones hidden in socks and books and under mattresses. Other states have passed bills to punish guards and visitors who provide them to inmates.
Inmates sometimes call family and friends with contraband phones. But officials say they’re also used to orchestrate crimes, coordinate escapes and order retaliation against other prisoners.
In Nevada, a prison dental assistant was fired in 2005 for helping an inmate get a cell phone to plan a successful escape. In Florida, where authorities broke up a 2004 escape attempt involving a cell phone, prisoners have also been found using phones to threaten members of the public.
Texas has convicted more than a dozen officers in recent years for accepting bribes in exchange for cell phones or phone parts. And in Tennessee, prison officials banned jars of peanut butter after learning that an inmate accused in the shooting death of a guard had used one to hide the cell phone with which he coordinated his escape.
National statistics aren’t available on how many cell phones are seized in prisons each year, but legislatures across the country are paying attention.
Florida and Maryland passed laws toughening penalties for providing cell phones for inmates. Texas this year became the last state in the nation to allow prisoners to use regular telephones, in part because there was such a large problem with contraband cells.
“Inmates are using cell phones to conduct criminal business,” said Harlen Lambert, owner of All-States K9 Detection, a training facility in Fullerton, Calif. Lambert trained what are thought to be the nation’s first phone-sniffing dogs for Virginia last year.
Maryland’s three dogs, who were trained more recently, can even find cell phone SIM cards – which store phone numbers and text messages – and other components prisoners or guards may be hiding.
At a recent demonstration for reporters at a former state prison south of Baltimore, an English springer spaniel was able to find phones hidden under a mattress and stuck in a compartment carved into a book.
“I can’t even tell you how many cell phones are in here or what damage they’re doing,” said Maryland Maj. Peter Anderson, a Canine Unit commander.
States are also stiffening penalties for officers who help prisoners get cell phones. Maryland’s legislature made it a misdemeanor earlier this year, and Florida lawmakers made it a felony to possess cell phones improperly within a prison, a law that could apply to officers as well as inmates.
Texas officials say they have the nation’s worst contraband cell phone problem. That state now allows sentences of up to 40 years for contraband cell phones in prison. John Moriarty, inspector general of the prison system there, says an officer was recently sentenced to five years for furnishing a cell phone.
In that case, Moriarty says, an undercover officer was offered $200 for a cell phone – and only $50 for heroin.
“Five years ago, if you’d told me a cell phone would get more than heroin, I’d say you were crazy,” said Moriarty, who has some 400 pending cell phone contraband cases. “It’s a huge problem.”
Kim McGill, an organizer with the Youth Justice Coalition, which represents young prisoners and their families in California, said inmates may turn to contraband cell phones because collect calls home are prohibitively expensive.
Her group and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California are pushing Los Angeles County authorities to end a phone company contract that they say makes it prohibitively expensive for relatives to take collect calls from inmates.
“It’s not a good public safety move to disconnect people from their families like that, which makes people rely even more on an underground economy,” McGill said. “Any time you make something unaffordable to families and unfair and unjust, you’re going to contribute to contraband in prisons.”
But in Florida, where cell phones have been tossed over fences into prison laundry facilities, corrections spokeswoman Jo Ellyn Rackleff says they can be deadlier than weapons.
“We are constantly after the cell phones,” she said. “It really undermines the security for everyone there and for the public outside.”

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Sears loss prevention agents arrested for stealing from store www.privateofficer.com

VINELAND NJ July 12 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/ Two store security officers who worked for Sears on West Landis Avenue catching shoplifters now face charges that they allegedly stole several thousand dollars worth of televisions from the store over three months, according to police.

Gabriel Herrera, 19, of the 600 block of East Quince Street, and Ruben Marchand, 30, of the 1700 block of Magnolia Road, were charged with theft.
Herrera was charged July 30; Marchand was arrested July 1. Both were issued summonses and released.
Company loss prevention representatives investigated their own and found that Herrera and Marchand had been involved in the thefts and they were fired from their jobs after they admitted to stealing the items between early March and the end of May, authorities said. The two men agreed to repay the store, according to a police report.
Corey Rasion, the store’s loss-prevention manager, told police Herrera admitted stealing three television sets, a Blu-Ray DVD and two T-shirts. The total value of the items was $3,454.96.
Herrera told police he moved surveillance cameras to avoid detection as he left the store with the merchandise.
When he was arrested, Herrera told police he no longer had the items and would not say what happened to them.
Marchand admitted to stealing three televisions, valued at $2,199.97, according to police.
He told police he gave the televisions away as gifts, but would not say to whom, according to the report.

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Man arrested for stealing money to pay taxes www.privateofficer.com

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. July 12 2008

By: Rick McCann

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/ A Morgantown man can’t be accused of not paying his taxes but he can be and has been accused and arrested for stealing the money needed to pay his back taxes.
Police said that he is accused of embezzling more than $88,000 from his employer, and using some of the money to pay real estate taxes.
David Frabutt, 60, is charged with one count of felony embezzlement. He has a hearing in Monongalia County Magistrate Court scheduled for July 21.
State Police say Frabutt wrote 43 checks for his personal use from a2z Mobile Office Solutions, where he worked.
Forty of those checks were made out to himself, two to a local auto dealership, and one to the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department.
Chief Deputy Al Kisner said that check was for $856.59 in real estate taxes.
Frabutt is free on a $10,000 bond. Magistrate court officials did not know whether he has a lawyer.

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Teen gets Tasered by security, mother wants answers www.privateofficer.com

Cahokia IL July 12 2008
Kyle T. Greene

Ntl. Assoc. Private officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/
A mother claims her 13-year-old son was struck in the back with a Taser by a Cahokia park security officer, and she cannot get anyone with the city to address her concerns.
Among them, she said her son did nothing to provoke such an action, and that even if he did, she questioned whether it is proper for security guards to go around Tasering children.
“I want to know why the park ranger used the Taser on my son,” said Hallie Smith, 32, of Belleville. “I went to the ranger and he cursed me out. No one has even bothered to come to my home and discuss anything with me. My son is a juvenile … this is ridiculous. Who gives park rangers authority to use Tasers on juveniles?” Smith said.
In Cahokia, the park security guards are not under the Police Department but rather the mayor’s office. The security guard involved in the incident, which occurred about two weeks ago, was not identified.
Mayor Frank Bergman said he understands that allegations have been made, but he does not know all of the circumstances. He said his office is investigating.
“I don’t know whether he was tased. It’s an allegation. We will look at both sides, the park ranger’s and the alleged victim’s,” he said.
Bergman said park rangers are at Cahokia Park alone and have to determine whether their safety is threatened.
“Our No. 1 priority is safety for everyone who comes to the village,” he said. “Everything has to be based on what the threat is at the time. The ranger felt violated and threatened by them (Smith’s son and his friends) being there.”
Bergman said according to information he’s received, Smith’s son was saying inappropriate things to some girls on a swim team, then repeated them to the park ranger. He also allegedly was using racial slurs.
Smith gave a different account of what happened:
“He was there with other kids,” she said. “One of the older kids was cussing out one of the younger kids. The lady in charge of the pool heard the cussing. She turned around, looked at my son and asked him if he was talking to her. The lady called the park ranger over. A male park ranger came over to where the kids were. He used racial slurs and profanity in talking to the children. When my son got up to leave, the ranger hit him in the back with a Taser,” Smith said.
A Taser sends strong jolts of electrical shock currents through the body and can render an adult helpless for several minutes.
Smith said she has made numerous attempts to reach Bergman, but her calls have not been returned. Bergman said he will talk to Smith when he has all of the facts.

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TSA security officer busted in internet sex sting www.privateofficer.com

TSA security officer nabbed in internet sex sting www.privateofficer.com

Denver CO July 12 2008

A Transportation and Security Administration officer at Denver International Airport is in jail in connection with luring a child over the Internet.

Stanley Gantt, 52, was arrested on July 3 in a sting that involved a week of online conversations conducted by Detective Crystal Schwartz from the Fort Lupton Police Department. Gantt is being held at the Weld County Jail on suspicion of Internet sexual exploitation of a child, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and Internet luring of a child — all felonies.

Fort Lupton police also seized a desktop and laptop from Gantt’s residence in Fort Lupton, according to Fort Lupton Police Chief Ronald Grannis, who said seven officers assisted with the arrest.

“They’re doing a forensic analysis on the computer to see if we can identify any other victims that he may have been in contact with or if he’s into child porn or anything of that nature,” Grannis said in a telephone interview Thursday.

Schwartz recently completed training through the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Grannis said, and created an Internet account under the guise of a 14-year-old girl, posting pictures of a decoy officer who looks that age.

According to an arrest affidavit, Schwartz was instant messaged by person using the screen name, leesplace_56, who later identified himself as an employee of Denver International Airport. He reported he lived in Northglenn and did security for the airport and the federal government, the affidavit reported.

Carrie Harmon, spokesperson for the TSA, confirmed Gantt has been a TSA officer since 2004. She said in an e-mail to the Tribune that “personnel records and actions are protected by law, so I cannot comment on any individual employee. However, when TSA becomes aware of off-duty alleged misconduct, the agency conducts an internal investigation to determine if any employment action should be taken.”

During the conversation, police say Gantt often made sexual references, saying he could take bad pictures but he did not know “how it would be if someone saw them like mom,” an arrest affidavit stated. At 10:48 a.m. that day, Gantt sent the detective an explicit picture of himself below the waist without clothes, the affidavit reported.

Gantt repeatedly discussed pictures when the two chatted via instant message again on July 1, the affidavit stated, and he offered to buy the girl a prepaid minute phone card so they could speak over the telephone.

Gantt also asked about alcohol repeatedly during their conversations on June 26 and July 3, the affidavit said. According to the affidavit, he said he “could get me (the detective) a few (drinks) but told me I couldn’t be drunk when my mom came home.” In planning an upcoming meeting, the affidavit reported, “he was nervous if my mom and dad found out because he would go to jail.”

Upon meeting, Gantt made several passes around the park and got in and out of his red Ford Explorer many times before finally approaching the decoy. After briefly speaking with her at about noon, police arrested him.

Such mid-day meetings are common for sexual predators, Grannis said, as the majority of these meetings take place either immediately after school or during lunch breaks.

“The reason for this is mom and dad are at work,” Grannis said. “And these predators can pull children out when mommy and daddy are gone to meet with them.”

Officers found a cooler with strawberry daiquiris and beer in his Explorer, the affidavit reported. They also found two pairs of soccer-type shorts in the front seat for the girl to wear and a camera in Gantt’s jeans, the affidavit stated.

Gantt gave the Fort Lupton Police Department an extensive interview, but Grannis declined to comment further about it as the case is still under investigation.

Gantt is being held on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court at 8:30 a.m. on July 23.

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Police officer arrested for buying drugs on duty www.privateofficer.com

Police officer arrested for buying drugs while on duty www.privateofficer.com

Russellville AL July 12 2008

A Russellville Police Officer finds himself on the other side of the law. He’s been arrested on a felony drug charge.

Officer Gerald Wayne McClurg has been with the Russellville Police Department since 2002.

Wednesday night, the veteran officer was arrested. He’s charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, which is a Class C felony.

Police Chief Chris Hargett says McClurg was on duty when he allegedly tried to buy Loricet prescription pills.

“He purchased the pills from one of the undercover informants that we have here at the police department,” says Hargett.

Sources tells NewsChannel 19 that Officer McClurg has a history of medical problems and it’s likely he became addicted to the medicine.

Chief Hargett describes the incident as a “black eye” for the department, but is quick to point out that it will be handled the same way as any other case.

“We want the public to understand that we’re going to police the public as well as the police department,” says Hargett. “If someone in the police department crosses the line, then we’re going to be there to correct that also. We’re going to treat them the same way.”

Following his arrest, Officer McClurg was booked into the Franklin County Jail. He was released after posting his $2,000 bond.

The arrested officer is on administrative leave without pay until the internal investigation is complete.

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Multi-State Shoplifting Gang Busted www.privateofficer.com

TUPELO, Miss. July 12 2008

By: Bryan Hill

Ntl. Assoc. Private officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/ City police said that they have arrested four men in Tupelo, Miss., for what police are describing as a theft ring that hit Wal-Marts in Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama.
The police were notified by loss prevention agents at an area Walmart that they had taken several suspects into custody for theft. Whenofficers arrived at the store, they found the suspects – Corlexis D. Willams, Tawaina A. Hicks and Detoya Lainique McCoy, all of Columbus, Georgia and Lamar Dwayne Jolliff of Phenix City, Alabama in custody and security stated that they had all been involved in the thefts.
All of them have each been charged with grand larceny. They were being held Wednesday in the Tupelo jail on bonds of $500,000 each.
Tupelo Police Lieutenant Tim Tate says a Wal-Mart employees had suspect them of stealing this week saw the men take some items from the store and alerted authorities.
Tate said police in Alabama and Georgia also are investigating thefts reportedly committed at Wal-Marts by the suspects in their states.

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Security officers aid in capture of burglars www.privateofficer.com

OCEAN CITY MD July 12 2008

Kyle T. Greene

Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers

http://www.privateofficer.com/ Two Virginia men were arrested on burglary, theft and other charges last weekend after attempting to swipe a cash register from a roof-top store room of a resort nightclub during regular business hours.
Around 12:30 a.m. last Sunday, a police officer on routine patrol in the area of 17th Street was flagged down by members of the security staff of the Paddock nightclub who were chasing a man, who, along with another suspect, had attempted to steal a cash register from the establishment. OCPD officers caught up to the suspect, identified as Justin Michael Gibson, 24, of King George, Va., and questioned him about why he was running.
Gibson told police he was just going home, but when the officers presented a cell phone found at the Paddock near the spot where the chase began, Gibson identified it as his phone. The background picture on the phone was a photo of Gibson’s face, further connecting him to the Paddock and the attempted theft.
Back at the Paddock, security staff told police they had observed a man on the roof of the building and went up the back stairs to access the roof and question the man, later identified as Ali Nawef Abuelhawa, 29, of Ashburn, Va. When the security staff opened the door to the roof, they saw Abuelhawa cradling a stolen cash register in his arms. They also saw another man, later identified as Gibson, lurking in the shadows.
Gibson pushed his way past the security staff and ran down the stairs, which is when the foot pursuit began just before police arrived. Abuelhawa was unable to flee with the cash register in his hand, and dropped it causing it to break before being detained by security staff until police arrived.
The investigation revealed Gibson and Abuelhawa had gone up the back stairs of the establishment and used a flat tool, such as a credit card or license, to gain access to an attic storage area where they found the cash register. Both Abuelhawa and Gibson were charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property, theft and alcohol-related charges. Gibson was also charged with second-degree assault for pushing the security staff in his attempt to flee.

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Security company sends felon with gun to assignment www.privateofficer.com

Tunica MS July 12 2008
A local female has returned to her job but remains troubled after an incident at her workplace on July 2.

According to Tunica Police reports, an All Star guard sent to protect the woman at a local insurance agency was found to be a convicted felon.

All Star Security guard Antony Henderson was arrested by Tunica Police and charged with being a convicted felon with a firearm. Henderson posted bail later that day, and a hearing was set for Monday, July 7 in Tunica’s Municipal Court.

Those proceedings were postponed to a later date.The incident began when Steve Ward of Tunica, a former employee of All Star Security, called authorities to make a complaint that the guard sent to stand duty at North Delta Insurance Agency in Tunica was a convicted felon.

Police were dispatched to the business, where they found 45-year-old Antony Henderson standing duty and wearing a sidearm. Officers introduced themselves to the guard and informed him of the complaint. Tunica Police Chief Richard Veazey said that the incident was handled quickly and quietly.“Mr. Henderson was advised he was a felon,” Veazey said.

According to the offense report, Tunica Police Officer Melvin Carter then disarmed the guard and took his identification. A criminal history check was made, which verified that Henderson did have felony convictions. The report also stated that Henderson had also admitted to working as a security guard at Piggly Wiggly in Tunica.

Henderson was arrested and removed from the property, and the weapon was placed in evidence.The complainant and former All Star employee, Steve Ward of Tunica, stated to The Tunica Times that he was simply performing his civic duty of reporting a crime.

All Star Security officials said the incident was simply a mishap.“This was simply a mix-up with our scheduling and a disgruntled former employee wanting to start trouble,” said Skinner.“We run a legitimate company and are inspected regularly.

Henderson has been a very capable employee that normally stands a non-armed post and we had a scheduling problem and one of our office workers accidentally issued him a weapon and sent him to that post.

This officer is a guy that made some mistakes when he was younger, and we gave him a second chance.

This is very unfortunate, and our attorneys will represent Mr. Henderson in court.”

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