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| NEWS > 11 October 2007 |
Other related articles:
'No evidence' of police corrup
Allegations that Australian police attempted to frame a mechanic accused of killing British backpacker Peter Falconio are "nothing more than offensive innuendo", a court in Darwin heard today.
Grant Algie, defending Bradley Murdoch, suggested on Monday that officers might have planted DNA evidence to frame the mechanic.
But Rex Wild, summing up the case for the prosecution, said there was no evidence to support the claim.
"I've found it difficult to be confronted with these allegations of corruption in the Northern Territory. You might have found it offensive, as one... Read more
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 Article sourced from
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Noblesville Daily Times, IN, U
11 October 2007
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.
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Westfield Police Department, I
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Officer faces 4 felonies
A Westfield Police officer would pull over Hispanic drivers with the sole purpose of bilking them out of cash, investigators said.
Lt. Scott Fross was arrested Tuesday and faces four counts of armed robbery, Class B felonies, each carrying a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Hamilton County Sheriff Doug Carter said Wednesday that more charges could be coming as an investigation continues.
“We’ll hold our own accountable at every level,” Carter said. “This type of behavior is unconscionable.”
Carter said he received a complaint two weeks ago from a member of the public saying they had heard that an acquaintance had been pulled over by a Westfield officer and threatened with a ticket or jail unless they paid him.
An investigation was launched immediately, Carter said. A Westfield town official was contacted Tuesday morning and told of similar allegations.
Fross was stopped by police around 11 p.m. Tuesday as he was entering his housing addition and was taken to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for questioning. Carter said the officer was questioned until about 3 a.m. Wednesday.
Fross has admitted to four incidents that occurred within the past two weeks, Carter said. Two of the instances were on Sept. 22, another was on Oct. 1 and another was on Oct. 4, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
The sheriff said investigators believe there are other victims, and are trying to verify that.
“We have currently identified multiple victims who all reside within the Westfield area,” Carter said in a release Wednesday morning. “Fross would stop the vehicles being driven by Hispanics and negotiate cash in lieu of enforcement action.”
It’s too early to say how long this has been going on, Carter said. Similar allegations were lodged against Fross in August 2006, but those were never substantiated, the sheriff said.
Carter said his department has had difficulty investigating these allegations because of the language barrier and trust issues that some of the victims have with police. He said the department is trying to set up a hotline so that people can call and talk directly to someone who speaks Spanish.
In the meantime, Carter encouraged anyone with information about the situation to contact the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office at 773-1872 or the Westfield Police Department at 896-5236.
Investigators believe Fross would actually target Hispanics he would spot driving and pull them over. The incidents typically occurred during the day, all within Westfield town borders and while Fross was in uniform, Sheriff Carter said.
While he never brandished his weapon, Fross was wearing his department-issued handgun while “negotiating” with the victims, Carter said. That is why the officer is facing armed robbery charges.
It is unclear how much money Fross has collected in total, Carter said, but in the four cases the officer has admitted, he received in excess of $100 each time.
Some of the victims would have cash on them, while other times Fross would follow them to a place to get money, Carter said.
Westfield Police Chief Bryan C. Foster said everyone in his department is shocked and saddened by the turn of events.
“It’s a horrible thing for the Hispanic community to experience,” Foster said.
He described Fross – a first-shift supervisor – as having an exemplary record in the past. Foster said the veteran officer – with nearly a decade of service in the department – had been experiencing financial problems.
Fross was released from Hamilton County jail Wednesday night on a $125,000 bond.
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