Texas DPS Trooper Charged With Indecency With A Minor

Brownesville, Texas

The Cameron County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper accused of having sexual relations with an underage relative.

Adan Rostro, 32, was arrested Friday evening at his San Benito residence on a warrant charging him with two counts of indecency with a minor, said Sheriff Omar Lucio. The location of Rostro’s arrest couldn’t be released because the home addresses of peace officers are not public record.

The victim is a female in her early teens, Lucio said. The relationship between the two was not released because it could identify the victim, the sheriff said.

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Texas DPS Trooper Guilty of Illegally Selling Drivers Licenses To Unqualified Applicants

Houston, Texas

A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper from Houston pleaded guilty today to selling driver's licenses to unqualified applicants, federal officials said.

Trooper Mark DeArza, 39, is the second DPS employee to plead guilty in a case that involved the operator of a gas station on Almeda-Genoa who acted as a middle man to sell the licenses, officials said.

DPS clerk Lidia Gutierrez, 37, of Galena Park pleaded guilty on Sept. 30.

Both face up to 15 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Both are out on bond awaiting sentencing.

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Feds: Many In FBI Cheated On Test On Your Rights

WASHINGTON — A Justice Department investigation has found that FBI agents, including several supervisors, cheated on an important test covering the bureau’s policies for conducting surveillance on Americans.

Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine said Monday that his limited review of allegations that agents improperly took the open-book test together or had access to an answer sheet has turned up “significant abuses and cheating.”

All of those who cheated “falsely certified” that they did the work themselves, without the help of others.

“This report reinforces that the FBI cannot police itself,” said Michael German, policy counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union. “There needs to be stronger oversight and stronger controls over the bureau’s use of its investigative powers.”

German also expressed concern about the surveillance guidelines themselves, saying they enable the targeting of people for investigation when there is “no factual basis to support that speculative belief.”

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Houston Cop Who Conspired With Other Cop To Defraud Hurricane Evacuee Kids Charity Out of $176k Sentenced To 16yrs

Houston, Texas

A Houston police officer who tried to bilk $435,000 via a bogus basketball league for hurricane evacuees has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Tracie Denise Bell, 41, had been with HPD for a dozen years when, prosecutors say, she conspired with a rookie cop to defraud the Houston Area Urban League. She eventually got almost $167,000 out of HAUL by billing it for expenses for several evacuee basketball leagues and camps that were non-existent.

The other former cop accused in the scheme, Kirshondra K. Richardson, 28, has yet to go to trial.

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Great Reference Guide - Tips on Recording Police Misconduct

How to Record Police Misconduct

Here at Disgraced Texas Badges, where we believe a bad cop or a dirty cop deserves to be called out, we are always on the lookout for new technology and those brave citizens that assist in pointing out dirty cops. Fortunately, over the past year, there has been a number of instances where dirty cops caught on tape have protected a few people, cases where our justice system has worked the way it was intended. So, we are proud to present a helpful tool in catching crooked cops.

A guide to the technology for keeping government accountable and creating a record of police misconduct.

http://reason.com/archives/2010/09/20/how-to-record-the-cops

Dallas County Deputy Constable Under Investigation For Lying Under Oath

Dallas, Texas

A judge has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of aggravated perjury against an elected Dallas County constable who is accused of lying under oath during a federal civil trial last year.

Judge Don Adams appointed local criminal defense attorney George E. Ashford III to investigate the allegations against Precinct 2 Constable Michael Gothard, court records show.

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2 Dallas Cops Fired Day After 5 Others Fired For False Reporting & Excessive Force

Dallas, Texas

Dallas Police Chief David Brown fired two more officers Friday, a day after he fired five others on unrelated matters.

Officer Clayton Woods, a nine-year veteran, was fired Friday for allegedly giving false information to supervisors and being absent without leave in December.

Officer Robert Dorst is accused of using "indecent or profane language" while performing his duties in late May 2009, according to the department. He also is accused of falsifying paperwork and using excessive force. Dorst was hired two years ago.

On Thursday, Brown fired Dwight Govan, Keith Ashley, Tayana McElrath, Daniel Babb and David Aguilar for a variety of infractions.

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