crooked cop gets sued by the city

SINCE CLAIMING last year that a black man had shot him in the shoulder, things just haven’t gone well for former Philadelphia police Sgt. Robert Ralston.

A little more than a month after the Overbrook shooting, the presumed hero became the department’s goat when he cracked under questioning and confessed that he had flat-out lied.

Ralston, 47, who is white, shot himself with his service weapon, possibly in a bid to get transferred, an embarrassed police Commissioner Charles Ramsey announced May 11, 2010, the day of the confession.

“It’s not a good time for us,” Ramsey said. “It’s embarrassing.”

Ralston, of Comly Road in the far Northeast, was allowed to resign without being criminally charged in exchange for the confession, District Attorney Seth Williams said at the time.

But the Police Department is not finished with him.

On Tuesday, the department filed a civil suit against Ralston seeking $11,203.09, plus unspecified punitive damages, court costs and attorney’s fees.

The department is asking for $4,887.95 to recoup the salary he was paid from the April 5, 2010, shooting to the time he confessed; and $6,315.14, is being sought to recover the medical expenses the department paid as a result of the shooting.

“Defendant Robert Ralston has no lawful justification for accepting monies equaling his full salary and benefits during a period of time that he was injured, when he knew at all times that his injury was self-inflicted,” reads the suit, filed on behalf of the department by city law firm of Kelly, Monaco and Naples.

“This is probably a first-ever move by the city to recover medical benefits,” said a city official who asked not to be named.

The suit accuses Ralston, who is married and a father of five, of conversion, fraud and unjust enrichment, and asks for unspecified punitive damages because his actions were “so outrageous and egregious.”

The phone number listed in the suit for Ralston’s Comly Road home was disconnected.

There is one bright spot for Ralston: As of April 23, he began receiving monthly pension payments.

Because the ex-cop was not convicted of a crime, he is eligible to pocket $2,177.26 a month, said Francis Bielli, executive director of the city’s Board of Pensions and Retirement.

“The operative word for us is, ‘if someone is convicted of an offense,’ ” Bielli said. “That’s pursuant to state law.”

Philly COP PLEADS GUILTY to operating drug ring

Philadelphia police officer pleads guilty in Steroid drug Ring????

An ex-Philadelphia cop implicated by the feds in April in an illegal anabolic steroid distribution ring pleaded guilty in federal district court Tuesday.

Joseph McIntyre, 36, of Atmore Road near Elnora in the far Northeast, remains free on bail. He is to be sentenced on Dec. 5.

McIntyre pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and two counts of possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.

The government’s plea memo said McIntyre, who was a 14-year veteran of the department and had worked most recently in the 26th District, bought steroids from fellow officer Keith Gidelson and resold them.

Authorities said Gidelson, who has pleaded not guilty, ran the steroid distribution ring out of his Northeast Philadelphia home on Waldemire Drive.

The plea memo said federal agents intercepted cellphone calls and text messages between Gidelson and McIntyre that demonstrated McIntyre discussed acquiring steroids from Gidelson’s suppliers, as well as specific types of steroids for McIntyre’s customers and their uses and effects.

Nicholas Pinto, an attorney for McIntyre, was not immediately available for comment.

A third ex-officer, George Sambuca, was also charged in the case. He, too, was accused of buying steroids from Gidelson and reselling them. He has also pleaded not guilty

2 people arrested for assault police found pipe bomb on suspects

A call early this morning by a woman saying she was beaten in a Sicklerville home left police negotiating with a man possibly armed with a pipe bomb.

Police involvement began after a 44-year-old woman appeared at the emergency room at Kennedy Health System in Stratford.

The woman told medical staff that she had been beaten and threatened at a home on Poplar Street in the Sicklerville Section of Gloucester Township.

The woman said that Joseph Marsh, 44, had punched her multiple times, and threatened to kill her while he was armed with a handgun.

She informed police that Marsh had a pipe bomb and hand grenade inside the home.

SWAT and negotiation teams were sent to the home. But Marsh still refused to leave. He came outside after about an hour of negotiations, police allege, then continued to resist arrest.

He was was eventually apprehended by the Gloucester Township Special Response Team and the Gloucester Township K-9 Unit. The Camden County Sheriff’s Dept. Bomb Disposal Unit also responded because of the possibility of explosives inside the home.

Marsh is charged with Terroristic Threats, Aggravated Assault (2 Counts), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Resisting Arrest. His bail is set at $135,000.00 full cash bail.

Another man, James Good, 21, of Raritan Ave., Atco, was also inside the house and arrested as he tried to flee, police say.

Good was found with, “a destructive device and a large capacity magazine,” according to police, and was charged with their possession.

Police say no hand grenade was found at the scene and that they were still evaluating the composition of the ‘destructive device.’

The incident remains under investigation and additional charges are pending.

Homeless man found dead in a creek

The man whose body was found in Cobbs Creek in Yeadon on Monday has been identified as that of 54-year-old Richard T. Dougherty.
Officials say Dougherty, who was homeless, drowned after falling into the rain-swollen, swiftly running waters of the creek over the weekend.
Dougherty was known to frequent the area near the creek at 63rd Street and Marshall Road in Philadelphia, said Detective Sgt. David Splain, of the Yeadon Police Department. There did not appear to be any foul play, said Splain.

Philadelphia Police Officer Sentenced to 16 yrs

Mark Williams, 28, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to 16 years and three months in prison for his role in a drug conspiracy in which a phony arrest was orchestrated in order to steal drugs from a drug dealer. At the time of the crime Williams was a Philadelphia Police Officer assigned to the 39th District. The theft scheme, orchestrated by then-officer Robert Snyder and his wife Christal, involved a phony arrest by Williams and another co-defendant, then-officer James Venziale. After the phony arrest, the defendants distributed the heroin to a person they thought was a drug dealer and money launderer, but who was actually an undercover special agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Williams went to trial and was convicted March 4, 2011, of conspiracy, possession with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin within 1,000 feet of a school, distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin, using a telephone in furtherance of a drug conspiracy, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Harvey Bartle ordered eight years of supervised release and a $600 special assessment. Co-defendants Robert and Christal Snyder and James Venziale pleaded guilty to charges ane were sentenced in May. Robert Snyder is serving 157 months in prison; Venziale is serving 42 months in prison; Christal Snyder is serving 126 months in prison.

In the second scheme, the defendants attempted to rob someone they believed was a member of the “Mafia,” but who in reality was an undercover FBI agent. Ortiz believed that the “Mafia” member routinely collected large amounts of gambling proceeds from individuals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and then delivered those proceeds to be laundered by who they believed was a drug dealer and money launderer, but who in reality was an undercover special agent with the DEA. A scheme was developed whereby defendant Williams and Robert Snyder, abused their positions as Philadelphia Police officers, by planning to have defendant Williams conduct a vehicle stop while defendant Ortiz was in possession of the United States Currency and a small amount of narcotics. After finding the narcotics and United States Currency, Williams would make it appear as if he was arresting Ortiz and seizing the money and drugs. To ensure that the “Mafia” member believed that the seizure was legitimate police activity, defendant Williams provided Ortiz with a Philadelphia Police Department property receipt.

On June 25, 2010 Williams was placed on restricted duty by the Philadelphia Police Department. As a result, he was not permitted to wear a police uniform, not permitted to carry a weapon on or off duty and was not permitted to take any police action. Additionally, Williams was required to, and did turn in his Police Department issued weapon. Despite these restrictions, an attempt to commit the robbery took place on July 9, 2010. Williams recruited another person, who drove a vehicle equipped with strobe lights, to pretend to be an undercover police officer to assist in the vehicle stop. Williams then, while off duty, and on restricted duty, armed himself with his personal handgun, and took, without authorization, a Philadelphia Police Department vehicle from the 39th Police district. After meeting with Ortiz and discussing the final arrangement, Williams and the other person took their positions to await the arrival of the “Mafia” member.

The case was investigated by The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the cooperation and assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen McCartney and Anthony Wzorek.

but wait theres more…..

Drexel Reid, 39, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for an insurance fraud scheme that cost insurance companies more than $450,000, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Reid pleaded guilty on June 22, 2009, to 11 counts of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of extortion under color of official right.

Reid was a Philadelphia Highway Patrol Officer at the time of the scheme. Between August 2003 and May 2007, Reid’s co defendant, tow truck driver Jerry Blassengale, Jr., solicited people to be involved in staged or completely fictitious accidents and fictitious vandalism claims for purposes of submitting fraudulent insurance claims. Reid would create false police reports to send to insurance companies for which Blassengale paid him. Blassengale staged a total of 11 phony events for which claims were sent to the respective insurance companies.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson ordered Reid to pay restitution in the amount of $211,709.22, a $1,300 special assessment, and to complete three years of supervised release.