Iola Volunteer Fire Fighting Family Charged With Embezzlement

Iola, Texas

Three members of the Iola Volunteer Fire Department, including the now-former fire chief, have been arrested after a January review by the Grimes County Auditor’s Office revealed numerous discrepancies.

According to deputies with the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office, auditors discovered some of the department’s funds were used to purchase personal items. In the days that followed the internal audit, sheriff’s investigators along with the Texas Rangers began to look into the alleged misappropriation of funds. During the investigation, authorities say they discovered three members of the Iola Volunteer Fire Department — Chief Earl Sword, along with the department’s accountant, Wanda Sword (who is also the chief’s mother), and the department’s secretary, Samantha Kimich (who is also the sister of the the former fire chief) — had used the money for personal gain. Sword has resigned as chief as a result. He had been in the position for about four years.

Arrests records indicate that collectively, the trio is accused of embezzling nearly $40,000 of department money. County officials say the investigation goes back at least two years. Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell confirms the Swords and Kimich are charged with Theft by a Public Servant, a second degree felony. Sowell says the investigation remains open and additional arrests could still be made, and that all three have confessed to the embezzlement. Tuesday night, an emergency meeting of the Iola Fire Department is being held at the fire station. It’s expected new officers will be elected at this time."

Houston Police Department: Burglary and Theft Cases Not Top Priority

Houston, Texas

The Houston Police Department has been accused of a number of things, brutality, corruption, misconduct...

And now there is another deficiency on the table -- low scores whenever it comes to solving burglary and theft cases. In fact, the problem is so wide-spread, KPRC-TV in Houston has taken a closer look and the statistics are disturbing.

HPD records show between January and October of last year the department's Burglary and Theft division "received" more than 100,000 cases. Of those cases, HPD records show only about 11 percent were solved.

"Did you actually speak to any detective on your cases?" asked Local 2 Investigator Robert Arnold. "I've never spoken to a detective on my case," one victim answered. She told Local 2 her home was burglarized twice.

Her sense of frustration is shared by many Local 2 spoke with and said they never spoke to a detective about their case. HPD records show out of the cases received by the burglary and theft division between January and October of last year, only approximately 8 percent were assigned to a detective.

"It was suggested I check pawn shops," the woman said.
"HPD told you, yourself, to go out and start checking pawn shops for your stuff?" Arnold asked.

"Yes," she answered.

There are only 50 investigators in HPD's burglary and theft division and HPD Lieutenant Mike Osina said each investigator gets one to two new cases every day, even when they're on vacation or out sick.

HPD records show even if there is a clue as to who committed the crime there may not be a detective available to work the case all the way to an arrest. HPD records how between January and October of last year about 16 percent of cases where "suspended" even though there were clues as to who committed the crime.

"Some of these cases can take a month to solve, some may take a year," said Osina.
"If your car is burglarized in Small Town, Texas where they have one burglary a day it's probably going to be solved. If it's burglarized in Houston, Texas it's probably not going to get solved," said Hunt. "I hate to say that but that's the reality of a department."

Dalworthington Gardens Police Sergeant Bobby Beasley Indicted For Sexual Assault

Sgt. Bobby L. Beasley

Dalworthington Gardens,Texas

A police sergeant in Dalworthington Gardens has been indicted in the sexual assault of a woman he reportedly had arrested and offered help.

Bobby L. Beasley, 51, was indicted by a Tarrant County grand jury Wednesday on a charge of sexual assault, a second-degree felony.

Beasley's attorney, Terri Moore, said her client maintains his innocence.

"Mr. Beasley looks forward to having his day in court," Moore said.

Investigators say the sexual assault occurred in December 2010, when Beasley went to serve an arrest warrant on a woman with outstanding traffic citations.

The woman did not report the incident until April, however, saying her family had told her that no one would believe her because she is black and Beasley is white, according to a sworn statement by police in seeking a warrant for Beasley's arrest.

According to the sworn statement, Beasley was wearing civilian clothing but had his badge and gun in plain view when he drove to the woman's house in Fort Worth to make an arrest.

While driving the woman to Dalworthington Gardens, Beasley reportedly told her that he would help her and offered to drive her home. The woman said Beasley touched her inappropriately while they were driving to Fort Worth, according to police.

Beasley was a member of the Dalworthington Gardens Police Department for three years.

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

Jury Speaks: Houston Police Officer Leslie Aikens Guilty on Corruption Charges

Houston Police Officer Leslie Aikens

Houston, Texas

After a two-day trial and less than two hours of deliberation, a jury found a former Houston police officer guilty of corruption.

According to authorities, Leslie Aikens, 46, provided an escort for drug runners carrying 7 kilograms of cocaine through the Houston area in his official HPD vehicle back in March. Those drug runners were undercover agents, officials said. Investigators said Aikens accepted a $2,000 bribe for his services.

Evidence included a video as well as audio tapes of the transaction.

The defense tried convincing the jury that Aikens had no knowledge of the cocaine. The jury didn’t buy it and found Aikens guilty on all counts.

Aikens faces 10 years to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million.

Whitehouse Police Chief and Deputy Included in Financial Fraud Investigation

Whitehouse Police Chief Rick Waller

(Image courtesy KYTX CBS 19)

Whitehouse, Texas

A number of officials in Whitehouse are under investigation for financial irregularities and other undisclosed charges, according to Constable Dustin Rust, Smith County Precinct 3.

“We have been conducting the investigation for pretty close to five months now,” Rust said. “The only reason we released the information is because we had to notify the city [of Whitehouse].”

The list of those under investigation includes Ronny Fite, Chief of the Whitehouse Volunteer Fire Department, Whitehouse Police Chief Rick Waller, and other police personnel.

The focus of the investigation, as of today, involves fuel usage. Whitehouse has for more than a year used a program that dispenses fuel electronically and all use is tracked by computer, which includes the vehicle’s odometer reading and other data.

“Because of the complexity of the case, we have focused on one charge out of several at this time,” Rust said in a news release.

Rust said other charges for other officials, some possibly in the fire department, may be pending and that his office will forward the evidence to the Smith County District Attorney.

“We’ll turn it into the D.A. and grand jury to decide what they want to do with it,” he said.

Waller is being investigated for acquiring fuel in his personal vehicle from city pumps while being reimbursed by the city for a vehicle allowance. He was allegedly getting reimbursement from the city while using city fuel.

Dallas Police Officer Andrew Maldonado Arrested For Driving Drunk and Crashing Vehicle

Dallas Police Officer Andrew Maldonado

Dallas, Texas

In what seems to be an ongoing trend of police officers who like to hit the sauce before getting behind the wheel, Dallas Police Officer Andrew Maldonado is no exception. Maldonado was arrested for driving while intoxicated over the weekend.

The four-year veteran was driving near Love Field Airport and wrecked his car at the intersection of Lemmon Ave. and Lovers Ln. No one else was involved in the collision.

Maldonado is assigned to the Northeast Patrol Division. The officer is suspended pending a criminal investigation in addition to one from the Internal Affairs division.

Austin Police Department’s Attempt To Hide Citizen’s Panel Ruling Against Officer In Fatal Shooting Failing

Austin, Texas

An independent citizen’s panel reviewed evidence in the fatal shooting of a man by an Austin police officer last May. After reviewing the evidence, the panel recommended that the officer be fired.

However, that opinion has remained secret since being sent to Police Chief Art Acevedo late last year, and it stands in contrast to public statements that Acevedo has made about the death of Byron Carter Jr.

In fact, following the fatal shooting, Acevedo defended the actions of Officer Nathan Wagner. According to the chief, Wagner appeared to be within state law and departmental policies. In a recent interview, he said that he has seen no additional information that "would cause me to retract any previous statements."

A Travis County grand jury will review the case this month.

According to police accounts of the incident, Wagner shot Carter, 20, on May 30 east of downtown Austin after a car in which Carter was riding charged toward Wagner and his partner, Officer Jeffrey Rodriguez. The car struck Rodriguez, who was treated for a ruptured Achilles tendon but has since returned to regular duty.

Minutes before the shooting, police have said, Carter and his 16-year-old companion were walking along East Seventh Street when Wagner and Rodriguez, who were looking for car burglars, began following them.

Police said they were acting suspiciously but have not explained those suspicions other than to say that Carter and the teen appeared to be "casing out the area."

Carter and his friend then got into a car that raced toward the officers, police have said. Wagner shot Carter four times, including once in the head, and shot the teen driver of the car in the arm. The teen recovered from the wound. A grand jury did not indict the teen on any charge.