This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by Phillip Smith
StoptheDrugWar.org
Nov. 06, 2014

Trouble is brewing in Detroit and DC, a Texas narc gets in trouble, so does a Miami cop, so does a Camden cop and a suburban St. Louis one. Let's get to it:

In Washington, DC, a probe into a possibly crooked FBI agent led to at least a dozen convicts being released from prison by last Friday. The as yet unnamed agent was assigned to a DC police task force, and officials said that more cases, including one with 21 defendants, could be in jeopardy. Those freed so far have not yet had their convictions dropped; that awaits the outcome of the investigation.

In Detroit, four dope squad officers were suspended last Friday amidst an ongoing investigation into the now disbanded unit. Both the FBI and Detroit Police Internal Affairs Investigation are looking into the matter, and criminal charges could be coming. Among other things, the officers are accused of stealing big-screen TVs and video game consoles from drug dealers they raided.

In Grapevine, Texas, a Grapevine K-9 officer was on administrative leave Tuesday after being accused of stealing a case of training drugs and doing some of them. Senior Officer Danny Machio reported on October 7 that someone had broken into his patrol/K-9 vehicle and stolen the drugs, which included heroin, cocaine, and meth. An internal investigation ensued, and Macchio went missing the day he was supposed to take a drug test. He was found in the Panhandle and returned to the Dallas metro area. He now faces possible criminal drug possession and other charges.

In Miami, a Miami police officer was arrested Wednesday on charges he took money to protect drug dealers. Officer Jose Maldonaldo-Dick went down in a sting in which he oversaw drug deals involving half-pounds of cocaine and offered protection to a man he thought was a drug dealer. He got paid $1,900 for his efforts. He is now charged with two counts of cocaine trafficking and two counts of being unlawfully rewarded while working as a police officer. He's looking at to life in prison.

In Camden, New Jersey, a Camden County police officer was arrested last Wednesday in the roundup of more than 40 people allegedly involved in a drug trafficking network. Officer Ashley Bailey, whose husband was part of the network, is accused of accessing confidential law enforcement information and alerting targets of the investigation. She is charged with official misconduct, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, and making unlawful threats.

In St. Louis, a former suburban Hillsdale police officer was sentenced last Thursday to nearly four years in prison for helping a drug dealer rob a rival drug courier. Parrish Swanson pleaded guilty to one count of felony conspiracy to distribute heroin and attempt to distribute heroin.