FOUR COPS FACE FELONY CHARGES Oakland Officers Victimized 8, Sources Say OAKLAND -- Fifty-nine criminal charges -- including conspiracy, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and falsifying reports -- were filed Wednesday against four Oakland police officers who allegedly beat suspects, planted evidence and lied on reports. The four officers who allegedly called themselves "The Riders," Frank Vazquez, 43, Jude Siapno, 32, Clarence Mabanag, 35, and Matthew Hornung, 28, are expected to surrender to authorities today to be arrested. They have been on paid administrative leave since the alleged misconduct was brought to light in July. The city has informed the officers it intends to fire them, but they are appealing the action. The Oakland Tribune has learned the Alameda County District Attorney will allege the four committed 48 felony and 11 misdemeanor crimes between June 13 and July 3 while working late-night shifts together in West Oakland. At no other time in recent memory have so many Oakland police officers faced criminal charges at one time. If convicted of all charges, the officers face prison terms ranging from nine years to more than 20. At least eight individuals were victimized, sources said. Among the charges filed are counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, assault under color of authority, false imprisonment, filing false reports, and false arrest. In some instances, all of the officers were allegedly involved. In others, just one or a combination of two or three, authorities said. Attorney Mike Rains, who represents Mabanag and is familiar with the cases against the others, had not seen the specific charges Wednesday. He declined to discuss specifics. "You have here four very fine police officers who went out on the streets of Oakland every night for a combined total of over two decades and performed crime fighting activities in a flawless fashion and made the City of Oakland a better and safer place to live," Rains said. "I don't think they turned their back on the citizens of the city or on their oath to protect and serve in a three-week period." Attorney William Rapoport, who represents Siapno, added: "They are only charges at this point. We take them very seriously, as everyone should, but charges are made all the time and not always proven." Alameda County District Attorney Tom Orloff declined to comment Wednesday. The charges have hit Chief of Police Richard Word particularly hard. The scandal blemishes his department, which has reduced crime in the city almost 20 percent so far this year, and could impact community relations. "Reducing crime, fear and disorder means nothing if by doing so you lose community confidence, trust and support," Word said. Word asked the community not to judge the entire department by the actions of a few officers. "The charges are disturbing and the nature of the activity alleged is disturbing," Word said. "But I'd like to say that there are hundreds of officers angry about what these officers have done to the reputation of this department and angry that it makes our job so much more difficult. "We have hundreds of dedicated and committed officers who love the people (of Oakland) and love the work and understand you can be pro-active but also courteous and professional and that there is a significant benefit when you do that. "We've learned from this. We'll move forward, we have to. The people of Oakland deserve nothing less," Word said. The most serious charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon and assault under color of authority were lodged against Vazquez and Siapno, who authorities allege on two occasions abducted and beat two suspects, one a juvenile. According to authorities, the adult allegedly beaten June 27 was falsely arrested by the four in West Oakland for drinking in public and discarding drugs. After being arrested, he was allegedly driven by Vazquez and Siapno in handcuffs to another part of the city where he was beaten about the face, stomach, back and legs. Vazquez and Mabanag later allegedly tried to intimidate the man during an interview with their supervisor, who was investigating the injuries he received. Two weeks earlier on June 13, the two officers allegedly falsely arrested a then 16-year-old boy and beat him, authorities said. Other incidents the four officers were allegedly involved in include: Mabanang arrested someone he falsely claimed attacked him and twice ordered another officer to write false reports that he saw a person try and discard some drugs. Hornung allegedly falsely claimed he saw someone drop narcotics and that the person later let him search his car, where more drugs were found. Vazquez allegedly falsely reported he saw one man discard some drugs and another discard a pistol. The investigation began after a rookie officer, who worked with the four, came forward to his superiors in early July. At the time, none of the alleged victims had notified the police Internal Affairs Unit. The rookie, who authorities allege was warned by Mabanag not to be a "snitch" and was allegedly threatened with bodily injury by Vazquez, has since resigned from the department. The sergeant who supervised the officers has also been recommended for demotion, but is fighting that. After the rookie came forward, an Internal Affairs Unit investigation began and was soon joined by the district attorney's office, which has one prosecutor and an inspector assigned to the case full-time. City Manager Robert Bobb said: "I believe that the police department and everyone involved did exactly what they are supposed to do when allegations like this are made. They investigated thoroughly, and if the individuals involved have committed a criminal act, they will be prosecuted just like anyone else." The FBI has also been conducting a civil rights violation investigation since the case was referred to them by the U.S. Attorney's Office. That investigation is on-going, a spokesman said Wednesday.
No member comments available...
|