TPD officers under investigation - Grand Jury?

[DowntownNow]

So many in here have been floating this rumor for months....now seems there is some truth to it but only time will tell of the real outcome...but good thing its being made public in a sense, harder to sweep under a rug once the cats out of the bag so to speak.

Reported this morning by the Tulsa World.

TPD officers under investigation
A federal agent is also being scrutinized by a grand jury for possible corruption


By OMER GILLHAM World Staff Writer
Published: 11/1/2009  2:30 AM
Last Modified: 11/1/2009  3:25 AM

Several Tulsa police officers and at least one federal agent are under investigation by a federal grand jury for possible corruption, the Tulsa World has learned.

The grand jury is meeting in a secret location and is being led by federal prosecutors from out of state, an anonymous source said.

Prosecutors appear to be focusing on several Tulsa police officers assigned to the Special Investigations Division. Additionally, an agent either currently or formerly employed with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is a target of the probe, sources said.

Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Woodward said he could not confirm or deny the existence of a grand jury.

Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor said she could not comment specifically on any ongoing investigation but said she would fully cooperate with any probe into public corruption.

"I support our hard-working public servants, prosecutors and police officers," the mayor said in a prepared statement. "But I will not tolerate corruption involving any public servant, particularly with those who have taken an oath to uphold the law.

"If it is determined that any officer of TPD has broken the law, they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Taylor said.

Tulsa Police Chief Ron Palmer said last week that he has received no official notification of an investigation.

"I have heard the rumors. The rumors that I have heard are all from the legal community about people being called before the grand jury."

Some individuals contacted by the World said a federal gag order is in place, prohibiting them from speaking about the specifics of the grand jury or its proceedings.

"I have talked to multiple attorneys who have talked to Arkansas prosecutors and acknowledged that a grand jury is taking place and that prisoners are being brought in to testify," said Tulsa attorney Joe Norwood.

Norwood said he is not bound by the gag order.

Tulsa County District Court records show that Norwood has filed a motion to produce discovery in two cases involving clients accused of drug crimes. Norwood is seeking the employment and disciplinary files of Tulsa police officers who could be the target of the federal grand jury, he said.

A source who asked to remain anonymous said: "This grand jury and its secrecy is done for a purpose, and that is the protection of these people who are powerless to be able to deal with this. I am not in the least bit joking. These guys are dangerous. The people that are being exploited by these officers are in the first place criminals, and these folks are in peril."

The officers remain employed by the Tulsa Police Department, records show.

ATF officials said they could not confirm or deny the employment of the ATF agent believed to be a focus of the investigation.

Sources said one of the cases being reviewed by the grand jury is that of Larry Wayne Barnes Sr., 59, and his daughter Larita Annette Barnes, 33, of Tulsa.

The case was filed Aug. 10, 2007, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. The two were found guilty April 23, 2008, of two counts of selling methamphetamine and maintaining a home where meth was produced, records show.

U.S. Chief District Judge Claire Eagan was assigned to the Barnes case.

On June 26, 2009, while Barnes and his daughter were still in federal prison, U.S. Attorney David O'Meilia filed a motion to withdraw from the Barnes case, records show.

"The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has been recused from this matter due to a recently discovered conflict of interest," the pleading states. "Substitute counsel for the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas have entered their appearances in this appeal."

That same week, Jane W. Duke, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, asked the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for permission to file a pleading under seal in the Barnes case.

"The information to be contained in the pleading to be filed under seal is related to an ongoing investigation," Duke's pleading states.

"The United States further submits that the information contained in the pleading could jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation and/or jeopardize the safety of witnesses in that ongoing investigation.''

Records show that Larry Barnes was released from federal prison July 2, 2009, after serving about one year on two 5 1/2-year sentences, which were to run concurrently.

Larita Barnes was released from federal custody the same day, records show. She had received two concurrent 10-year sentences. Larita Barnes is currently in the custody of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections in another case.

The day before the two were released from federal prison, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals remanded their case back to federal district court in Tulsa, records show. That order is one of more than 35 sealed documents in the Barnes case.

However, some testimony in the case remains available.

Defense attorneys questioned procedures that Tulsa police and a federal agent used to provide money for an informant who allegedly bought a substantial amount of methamphetamine from Larry and Larita Barnes. Additionally, investigating officers faced questions on the lack of phone records between the informant and the defendants, records show.

Meanwhile, records show that at least eight inmates were taken to two area county jails last month with orders to hold them for the Northern District of Oklahoma or the U.S. Marshals Service.

One of the inmates was taken to a jail from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, where he is serving a 10-year sentence on a Tulsa County drug-trafficking conviction, records show. At least two inmates were taken to an area jail from federal prisons in El Reno and Texas, records show.

Sources said the inmates are being interviewed in the corruption probe, which involves alleged false testimony, theft and questionable handling of drugs and drugs proceeds.

[RecycleMichael]

...harder to sweep under a rug once the cats out of the bag so to speak...

what?

[shadows]

what?

Don't you think that it is quite coincidental that a mayor, planning for another trip around, would suddenly resign and change residence as well as jobs at the time of an ongoing investigation of corruption of one of their department by the fed's was underway??? 

[Hoss]

Don't you think that it is quite coincidental that a mayor, planning for another trip around, would suddenly resign and change residence as well as jobs at the time of an ongoing investigation of corruption of one of their department by the fed's was underway???  

She resigned?  Did I miss something?

Didn't she say she wasn't seeking re-election.

A little different, dontcha think?

Start lookin' for dem dere blak hellichopters!

[custosnox]

She resigned?  Did I miss something?

Didn't she say she wasn't seeking re-election.

A little different, dontcha think?

Start lookin' for dem dere blak hellichopters!

Can't she shut down the hellichopteres. lack of funding.  Remember?

[FOTD]

Don't you think that it is quite coincidental that a mayor, planning for another trip around, would suddenly resign and change residence as well as jobs at the time of an ongoing investigation of corruption of one of their department by the fed's was underway??? 

Enough. She gave %110 for free....while there are some issues of difference with her by all of us here, you can't deny she did her best.

You don't think her honor could possibly have micro managed the TPD to the point of busting the busters do you?

[patric]

From what im gathering, this is about a task force fabricating evidence to make a high-profile drug bust, and prosecutors later getting cold feet when the case started to fall apart. 

[shadows]

You don't think her honor could possibly have micro managed the TPD to the point of busting the busters do you?

Sorry I guess I used the wrong word again.   After the mayor made it know she would be a candidate to extend her term then suddenly makes an about face at a time when a whistle blower turns up tooting on corruption, it would seem a mayor would be informed of an investigation of further corruption under their watch.  (Article lll, Section 1.4, subsection O)

[waterboy]

Sorry I guess I used the wrong word again.   After the mayor made it know she would be a candidate to extend her term then suddenly makes an about face at a time when a whistle blower turns up tooting on corruption, it would seem a mayor would be informed of an investigation of further corruption under their watch.  (Article lll, Section 1.4, subsection O)

Maybe. Or maybe it was a combination of forces that she saw aligning. Poor national economy, unable to rent out glass palace, unable to sell old city hall for development, lawsuit over downtown fees for baseball park, heightened political partisanship, tax receipts reduced so much that basic services would have to be drastically reduced AND a potential investigation. Sort of like when LBJ read the signposts in '67 and realized it was time to move on.

[shadows]

Sort of like when LBJ read the signposts in '67 and realized it was time to move on.

And Reagan.   It could be bye bye for now.  That Arkansas  prosecutor made it known he was not subject to  gag orders issued by the NE District Courts.       

[shadows]

From what im gathering, this is about a task force fabricating evidence to make a high-profile drug bust, and prosecutors later getting cold feet when the case started to fall apart. 

I was under the assumption that a sincere federal grand jury was called mostly in crimes within subordinate governmental functions.  In the instant case it would seem that the focus is on a malfunction of the local system.  Within the scope there are many facets that can be looked into if such investigation goes on long enough.  One could believe that many pleadings are going on outside the court room. 

[waterboy]

Is this true? Someone told me that the mayor directed that a special drug squad be formed to blunt the drug fueled crime sprees we've been experiencing. She says its known as the mayor's goon squad. Apparently this squad can be pretty aggressive and abusive if they suspect that you are in the biz, even if hard evidence, legally obtained, cannot be found. Could it be that this investigation is related to this rumor?

[sgrizzle]

Don't you think that it is quite coincidental that a mayor, planning for another trip around, would suddenly resign and change residence as well as jobs at the time of an ongoing investigation of corruption of one of their department by the fed's was underway??? 

She didn't resign, move or change jobs.

[shadows]

She didn't resign, move or change jobs.

There goes that damn Tulsa World again reporting that she would be a candidate to extend her reign then reported that she reneged but she would take a job offered by the governor (which would require a long drive each day) or does the job have the perks like the library.  Yea she could use that personal jet that has been flaunted in their stories.   I suppose that I should save that 17 dollars a month I am paying for false information.     

[shadows]

Is this true? Someone told me that the mayor directed that a special drug squad be formed to blunt the drug fueled crime sprees we've been experiencing. She says its known as the mayor's goon squad. Apparently this squad can be pretty aggressive and abusive if they suspect that you are in the biz, even if hard evidence, legally obtained, cannot be found. Could it be that this investigation is related to this rumor?

If that is a true rumor I have a rental house that was a victim of a goon squad and has sat vacant for years since.  Man from the DA office came and looked at it.  A federal grand jury in sessions over a long period can find plenty of evidence.