4 MORE COPS JOIN 'SAD' LIST

Latest Stings Cite Stereo Theft, Robbery Of 'Drug Couriers'

In what the local FBI chief called a "sad chapter" in a series of
stings, three Memphis police officers and a Shelby County sheriff's
deputy are accused of on-the-job corruption.

Memphis officers Deshone Skinner, 32, and Roderick K. Smith, 37, are
charged with robbing people they thought were drug couriers of several
thousand dollars in dope money.

The couriers were actually FBI informants.

"In the book of public corruption, this is a sad chapter, and the
chapter is called Tarnished Blue," FBI agent-in-charge My Harrison
said.

She reeled off the list: a dozen Shelby County deputy jailers charged
with trying to smuggle drugs into the jail; the Tennessee Waltz
investigation that charged former state senator John Ford and four
other former or current state legislators with bribe-taking; the
"Tarnished Badge" investigation of Cookeville, Tenn., police, and now
"Tarnished Blue."

"The Memphis Police Department is not corrupt," Police Director Larry
Godwin said, noting that his department's been part of the
investigation from the start. "We have some individuals who chose to
take another path."

Memphis officer Charles Smith, 39, is charged with obstructing justice
and lying to agents. Smith tipped the FBI to another officer he
suspected of robbing dope dealers, then told the officer the FBI was
watching, according to the charges.

Deputy Marvin Wilson, 40, is accused of taking $1,000 worth of stereo
equipment that didn't belong to him.

Two civilians, Geno Bonds and Michael Wortham, are accused with
Skinner of taking $8,000 from an informant.

Here's how their plan worked, federal agents said:

An informant told Skinner he worked for a Mexican drug trafficking
group and would have the group's drugs and money while driving through
Memphis.

The informant would give them a heads up about how and when the drugs
and money would be in Memphis; the men would then stage what would
look like a genuine traffic stop, take any money found in the car, and
let the informant leave with the drugs.

The informant and the three men would then split the stolen
money.

During the stops, Bonds and Wortham pretended to be law enforcement
officers and Skinner was the lookout.

During a July 1, 2004 stop, Bonds even wore a jacket with "POLICE" on
the back and used a blue light.

Federal agents say the plan Roderick Smith hatched with the informant
was similar:

The informant told him he worked for Mexican drug traffickers and
would be traveling through Memphis with the organization's drugs and
money.

Smith agreed to stop the car, take money from the informant, but leave
the drugs alone.

The informant was to sell the drugs and split the proceeds with
Smith.

According to the indictment, on Oct. 12, 2004, Smith -- using his
patrol car -- did just that, taking $7,123 and letting the informant
leave with marijuana and what Smith thought was cocaine.

U.S. Atty. Terry Harris wouldn't say if more officers will be
charged.

"There have been way too many of these press conferences in the past
few years," Sheriff Mark Luttrell said.

"It's not a pretty day for those of us who have our officers locked
up, but those who don't meet the standard have to be rooted out," the
sheriff said.

All were arrested over the weekend, except Bonds, who's still being
sought, Harris said.

Charles Smith received a $5,000 bond, Skinner a $10,000 bond, and
Wilson a $5,000.

Prosecutors asked that Roderick Smith, also charged with trying to get
two ounces of crack cocaine, be held without bond.

A hearing will be held Wednesday morning.

Wortham is in custody in Mississippi, Harris said.

When will it end?

It's been one bad-apple headline after another for local law
enforcement the last couple of years. Aggressive federal investigators
have been busy; it seems there's an informant around every corner.

January 2004: Former police evidence room chief Kenneth Dansberry
pleads guilty to looting it of drugs and money. Dansberry is one of
several workers busted. A 1999 audit warned that the property room
could prove an Achilles heel.

February 2005: Eight officers are suspended 21/2 years after a botched
drug drug raid ends in a deadly shooting. State officials investigate
if evidence was faked or hidden. Earlier, a jury said officers not
only mistakenly killed a 41-year-old gravedigger, but covered their
tracks.

February 2005: Two officers file suit against police, saying their
names are sullied during a hit-and-run investigation. The week before,
the parents of the 12-year-old boy who died sued, saying the two
officers regularly loaned personal cars to an informant in exchange
for tips.

March 2005: Sheriff's officials say 11 jailers took money to sneak
what they thought was Oxycontin and crack cocaine in to jail inmates.
A former jail security guard later pleads guilty to selling heroin to
undercover agents.

June 2005: TBI officials confirm they're looking at whether two
high-ranking police traffic officials fixed cases. They're suspended
with pay.

July 2005: Former Memphis officer David Tate gets a 14-year prison
term for extortion, conspiracy, transporting drugs and prostitutes
across state lines and plotting to burglarize pro wrestler Jerry
Lawler's home.