Chicago Cops Ordered Held Without Bond In Drug Shakedowns
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A federal judge in Hammond, Ind., has denied bond for two Chicago Police officers accused of using their badges and uniforms to help drug dealers steal money, drugs and guns.
As WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports, attorney Kevin Milner, representing Officer Alex Guerrero, 41, said in court there is absolutely no evidence his client committed the crimes. Milner said Guerrero has a wife and six children, and it will be hard for him to prepare for trial if he is in jail.
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Milner said he has known Guerrero for 15 years.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nozick argued that Guerrero told government officials he did not have a passport and he had never left the country when his wife told officials that they had traveled to Mexico about five years ago. Nozick also said that Guerrero has family in Mexico, making him a flight risk.
An attorney for Guerrero's partner on the beat, former Officer Antonio Martinez Jr., 40, did not fight detention for his client.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Rodovich ordered both defendants held without bond.
The Latin Kings street gang allegedly paid Guerrero and Martinez to use their status as Chicago Police officers to gain entry into the homes of rival gang members or suspected drug dealers. The two would then rob the houses and turn the goods over to the Latin Kings, according to the indictment against the officers.
Martinez retired in 2009 for medical reasons, but Guerrero was still on active duty until this week, authorities said.
Police Supt. Garry McCarthy denounced the officers' alleged actions when the indictment came down last week.
"I express our outrage and our disgust, of the entire Chicago Police Department for the alleged actions of Martinez and Guerrero," McCarthy said. "It's unspeakable. It's something that we cannot tolerate."
U.S. Attorney David Capp said six of the people indicted have been charged previously and already were in custody. Twelve others have been arrested and are in custody and police are still looking for two others. One indictment remained sealed.
Seven other defendants charged in the case have detention hearings scheduled for Tuesday.
The Northwest Indiana Post-Tribune contributed to this report, via the Sun-Times Media Wire.
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