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Drug corruption scandal puts Texas officers behind bars

On Behalf of | May 9, 2014 | Drug Charges

Police officers in Texas were sentenced recently on drug charges. All told, four different officers were given jail sentences, though nine were involved in the case. The shortest sentence was for eight years, while the longest was almost 12 years.

The unit that started the entire scandal was created to do just the opposite. They were supposed to work against drug trafficking, targeting small-scale cases at what is known as the street level.

Using their power in this position, the officers began stealing some of the drugs. At times, they would do this based on their own information, setting up operations on their own. In some cases, the officers were hired for the jobs. A police officer whose father was actually the sheriff at the time was the one leading the whole thing, according to court reports.

The officers ended up taking the drugs, which could then be put back into circulation when they sold them again. The drugs that they worked with were marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy. They also stole money, which the group then kept and divided, as they did with the proceeds from the drugs.

In some of the cases, officers would strap on their body armor, get their guns, and go into homes where they thought they could find drugs, with the express purpose of locating them and stealing them for their own use.

Regardless of the types of drug charges — or the related charges — that people are facing, it is imperative that they get a fair trial. This is especially true when they are members of the police force, as it could be hard to find an impartial jury due to the anger of the local community.

Source: ABC News, “South Texas Officers Sentenced on Drug Charges” Christopher Sherman, Associated Press, Apr. 30, 2014

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