San Leandro Narcotics Detective Pleads Not Guilty To Dealing Pot
SAN LEANDRO (CBS/AP) -- A San Leandro vice and narcotics police officer pleaded not guilty Friday to a felony count of transporting and furnishing marijuana for sale, according to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.
Officer Jason Fredriksson, 38, surrendered to authorities at the Hayward Hall of Justice at 12:30 p.m. Friday on a $50,000 warrant.
KCBS' Susan Kennedy Reports:
District Attorney spokeswoman Teresa Drenick said prosecutors asked that Fredriksson's bail be kept at $50,000, but the judge who presided over his brief arraignment hearing lowered his bail to $40,000. The judge's name was not immediately available.
Fredriksson is scheduled to return to court on June 14 for a pretrial hearing.
San Leandro police said they began an investigation in March when they learned that Fredriksson could be involved in marijuana sales. The District Attorney's Office assisted in the month-long investigation.
Police said they also are conducting an administrative investigation and reviewing the operations of their vice/narcotics unit.
Fredriksson, who has been with the San Leandro Police Department since 2002, was placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation, police said. Prior to joining the San Leandro police force, Fredriksson worked for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.
"The San Leandro Police Department will not tolerate and deplores the conduct that has been alleged to have been engaged in by Officer Fredriksson," San Leandro Police Chief Sandra Spagnoli said in a statement. "As an organization, the department takes great pride in professional service to the community and places a high priority on public trust."
Spagnoli said, "The criminal charges filed against Officer Fredriksson are not consistent with the organizational values and performance of the dedicated men and women of the San Leandro Police Department."
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