Infinitesimal Reflections AKA Evidence Locker #3

(Left: ATF Agent Michael Moore
Center: CPD Detective Todd Lucas
Right: ATF Agent Dave Stone)

From my last court experience, I learned:

• The fantastic fanatic ATFer David Stone is purportedly in the Richmond VA area, not Washington DC as I’d been led to believe. Kinda cool since I don’t make many trips to DC, whereas I do venture over the Richmond way quite a bit these days. Now, let’s see, where, oh where, is that Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives office located again?
• Charlottesville Detective (and have I ever mentioned gang aficionado?) Todd Lucas is not merely good-natured, he’s borderline comedian.
• Scott Cox looks better in a Greene County Sheriff’s Office uniform than he did in an Albemarle County Police Department uniform. But he’s decidedly yummiest in Tac garb.
• Whom. Eons back, VSP Bureau of Criminal Investigations’ Special Agent Jason Trent blurted out to me that I’d published photographs of a car belonging to a Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement Task Force Confidential Informant. ‘Twas news to me. So, for the purpose of removing said images from I HeArTE JADE, I begged him to tell me which; he, being LEO-typical contrite to helpfulness, refused. Here it is, like, hello, over a year later, and thanks to Greene County Commonwealth Attorney Ron Morris and ATF Agent John Stoltz inadvertent rendering, I have the information! Only… I don’t want to delete pictures of the vehicle at this point because:

They’ve already been on the site for, like, hello, over a year.


They’re in a hilarious post, stemming from a hilarious event.


The victim of the CI is wise to who snitched him out anyway.


I don’t want to draw any more attention to them than, well, than I just did.

Speaking of crazy admissions by the CA and Mr. Stoltz, I was shocked to hear them acknowledge jastoltz is in fact the computer login user ID of the latter. I mean, sure, obviously I knew it was, but I didn’t think they would want anyone else to know I knew. And I almost laughed out loud when Mr. Morris woefully confessed to the courtroom they’re aware I have sources but were unable to unearth them. Yes, yes, yes! I protect my CIs better than policemen do theirs! Nah ner nah ner nah ner.

• Officers do a very good job of weaseling out of answering questions they don’t want to.
• Officers don’t do a very good job of appearing as if they aren’t trying to weasel out of answering questions they don’t want to.
• If I had a penny for every time one of the local rank and file cops as well as Federal Agents name-dropped C-ville’s Chief of Police, Tim Longo, I’d be able to pay off all my court costs.
• When I grow up I reallyreallyreally really want to be a Computer Forensic Expert. Or maybe a Fairy Princess.
• There are both advantages and disadvantages to not setting the time and date correctly on one’s camera.
• My court-appointed lawyer was the uber-awesomest.
• Finally, I learned that a Judge -- even one who’s a former State Trooper -- will not always side with members of Law Enforcement. ‘Specially if doing so puts him at risk of seeming plumb brainsick.

ROFL

Three complimentary-use items found in the men’s bathroom at the Virginia State Police Academy -- as photographed by a VSP acquaintance of mine:

1. POWERSTICK Deodorant

2. Bottle of “MACHO”

3. PETROLEUM JELLY



There’s gotta be a joke there somewhere...

Left, Left, Left Right Left

Virginia State Police Understaffed

Virginia State Police are heading into the holiday season with staffing levels some say are the worst in decades.

On January 1, Virginia State Police will be down 249 sworn officers. The money is there to pay their salaries, but $52 million in budget cuts since 2006 have held up schools to produce new troopers.

On Friday Governor Bob McDonnell asked legislators for funding for three new trooper schools over the next two years to replenish the agency's thinning ranks. The General Assembly convenes Jan. 12.

Because of the staffing levels, many jurisdictions have no troopers on duty overnight. Many others cover wide areas with limited or no backup.

State Police Superintendent Colonel Steven Flaherty said the staffing levels are putting troopers' lives at risk.

(Source)

Welcome The Newest Member Of...

The JADE Task Force Command Group!

Albemarle County Press Release:

Albemarle County is pleased to announce the hiring of Steve Sellers as its new Police Chief effective Tuesday, January 18th. Sellers is a 28 year veteran of the Fairfax County Police Department and most recently held the position of Deputy Chief of Police for Fairfax police.

"We are very happy to bring someone of Steve Sellers' caliber to Albemarle County to serve as our next police chief," said County Executive Bob Tucker in making the announcement. "His experience, expertise and proven leadership will certainly continue the outstanding accomplishments and innovative direction of the County's Police Department."

Among the many highlights of his career in Fairfax, Sellers was responsible for developing a plan to improve criminal intelligence and information sharing between local, state and federal law enforcement and helped to create the Northern Virginia Regional Intelligence Center following the events of September 11, 2001. He also led the Washington Area Sniper Prosecution Taskforce which was responsible for the successful prosecution of Lee Malvo and John Mohammed. In cooperation with his counterpart in Prince William County, Seller's role was to lead the 26 member team responsible for the investigation and prosecution of the Washington area snipers.

From 2004 to 2009, Sellers provided key leadership for a project team responsible for the design, development and implementation of a significant public safety IT system. In addition to this multi-million IT project, Sellers provided leadership for a multi-million project for the construction and design of a regional McConnell Public Safety Transportation Operations Center in Fairfax, VA.

"I am privileged and honored to be afforded with the opportunity to become a member of the County's leadership team, serving as the Chief of Police for Albemarle County," said Sellers in accepting the appointment. "I am thankful to the Board of Supervisors for allowing me the privilege of leading a progressive police agency with outstanding officers and civilian employees and I look forward to serving the citizens of Albemarle County in fighting crime and making our highways safer through collaboration and engagement. As Chief of Police it is my intention to be highly visible, accessible and community oriented and I look forward to building strong working relationships with our citizens, county staff, Board of Supervisors and community leaders as well as each member of the Police Department."

Sellers' family includes his wife Jennifer, twin daughters Jaimie & Justine and stepson Jon.

Sellers holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Virginia Tech. Additionally he is a graduate from the FBI National Academy and is a graduate and alumni of Leadership Fairfax. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, FBI National Academy Associates, Virginia Association of Chief's of Police and the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

9 Months Later, A Sentencing Is Born

December 2010

Woman gets time for cocaine charges

A Charlottesville woman whose family home was a center of drug activity has been sentenced to incarceration.

Judge Edward L. Hogshire sentenced Keisa Annette Bell on Friday in Charlottesville Circuit Court to 20 years in prison with all but 18 months suspended. Bell, 34, pleaded guilty in August to two counts of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Authorities have said the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement task force targeted Bell’s home after neighbors complained about traffic at the house. Bell’s charges related to a Feb. 24 cocaine sale to a police informant and her presence during a drug interaction by her boyfriend, Leandra Isiah Henderson.

Bell testified Friday that she has been involved in the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail’s Therapeutic Community. The mother of three said she understands why her neighbors were upset over the drug sales in their Rose Hill neighborhood and wouldn’t want her children living in or near a drug den.

Bell also must spend three years in supervised probation, be on good behavior for 20 years and pay $200 restitution to the task force.

Henderson, 21, faces up to 80 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 10 after previously pleading guilty to drug possession charges.

(Source)

I Just Noticed...

In the picture from my previous entry, CPD Detective Todd Lucas was captured in the reflection by his buddy Det. Rudman:

Image Courtesy Of Nicholas Rudman

The above photograph was taken on my camera by City of Charlottesville Detective Nick Rudman when he “accidentally” -- “accidentally” according to his and his fellow Detective Todd Lucas’ sworn testimony -- rifled through the device the day it was seized. ‘Twas snapped 17 minutes and 16 seconds after the last image I captured, to be precise.

What disturbs me most about this is that apparently Mr. Rudman’s unintentional pictures turn out better than my intentional ones.

Trooperman

The Verdict Is In

NOT GUILTY.

So there!