CHICAGO (WBBM) - Federal prosecutors have charged 17 people, including 15 police officers and sheriff's police personnel -- who allegedly provided armed security for large-scale drug deals.
All 17 are charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute large quantities of cocaine and heroin.
"The sad tale told today by eight criminal complaints is that, in an investigation that began a year ago, an undercover FBI agent was able to deal with not one, not two, but 15 different law enforcement officers who sold out their badge and agreed, for money, to help drug dealers do their business," said U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.
He said the officers would allegedly act as lookouts, move duffel bags they thought to be loaded with drugs, guard movements of cash and even provided security for a high-stakes poker game.
Two of the sheriff's police personnel -- Ahyetoro Taylor and Tavis Ramsey -- allegedly sold cocaine.
Taylor and fellow Cook County Correctional Officer Jermaine Bell have been on duty with the Illinois Army National Guard in Afghanistan. FBI Special Agent-in-charge Robert Grant said they are being relieved to duty and returned to Chicago to face charges.
Another of those charged, Harvey Police Officer Archie Stallworth, was arrested Nov. 19 but the charged remained under seal until Tuesday.
Fitzgerald said the "low point" was a May 13 flight into DuPage County Airport, in which Taylor and Correctional officer Raphael Manuel boarded an aircraft with the undercover FBI agent and began counting packages of what was purported to be at least 80 kilograms of cocaine, hidden inside of four duffel bags. The undercover FBI agent then allegedly paid Taylor and Manuel $4,000 apiece.
The undercover agent posed as an employee of a Harvey business and was the focal point of the operation.
“When drug dealers deal drugs, they ought to be afraid of the police, not turn to them as help," Fitzgerald said. "When an undercover FBI agent poses as a drug dealer, it ought to be difficult for him to find a police officer who will lend his badge and corrupt his badge to help out."
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said the sheriff's department has worked with federal investigators since January and withheld any action against the officers, pursuant to a request by the FBI. Dart said the FBI investigation had been underway for five months when sheriff's police uncovered their evidence.
Others charged include
-- Dwayne Williams, 42, of Country Club Hills;
-- Antoine D. Dudley, 28, of Harvey, Harvey police officer;
-- James Engram, Jr., 41, of Calumet City, Harvey police officer;
-- Kyle T. Wilson, 31, of Chicago, Chicago police officer;
-- Timothy Funches, 26, of Bellwood, sheriff's officer;
-- Diallo Mingo, 34, of Calumet City, sheriff's officer;
-- Antwon Funches, 34, of Chicago, sheriff’s officer:
-- Antonio B. McCaskill, 30, of Harvey:
-- Richard O. Hall Jr., 35, of Chicago, sheriff's officer;
-- Robert L. Kelly, 32, of Glenwood, sheriff’s officer:
-- Daniel L. Lee, 31, of Chicago, sheriff's officer: and
-- Julius L. Scott Jr. , 34, of Richton Park, sheriff’s officer.
Copyright 2008 STNG Wire, The Chicago Sun-Times. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
12/02/2008 12:05PM
Tell Us What You Think
Please refrain from using profanity.
12/02/2008 3:29PM
R. savannah
grew up in burnham, harvey has been like this for a long time
12/02/2008 4:22PM
Tom
While I realize that this investigation shows that officers from both the Cook County Sheriff's Department and the Harvey Police Department are involved in this mess, I want to comment on Harvey P.D.'s involvement, because of the continuous and well known problems within that agency. But what is even more troubling than the actions of some employees of Harvey P.D. is the lack of action by the city oouncil, citizens and business community of the City of Harvey. What have they done to demand change, reform and accountability from the very agency that represents them and serves them? The simple answer is nothing. Absolutely nothing. The city council, citizens and business community have elected to bury thier collectives heads in the sand and ignore what has been going on for years, which makes them part of the problem, and, to a degree, responsible at least in part for what has continued to happen for so long. So in sum, to the City Council, citizens and business community of Harvey, when you wonder aloud what happened and who is responsible for this, look no further than a mirror.
12/02/2008 6:33PM
Unemployed
Good. I need a job. I will cherish my good pay, benefits, pension and good name.
12/02/2008 6:50PM
The Doctor
It is sad very sad that but this type of action takes daily. The entire community is hurt by this as well as the officers who do their job and out their life on the line for the public each and every day. Who know if they were underpaid but cops & schoolteachers take so much pain for so little gain. I am just glad they caught these guys and lets hope they can put them away for a long, long time!
12/02/2008 7:02PM
It Starts at the TOP
I'm sure the Mayor knew all about this when it was happening. He was getting his "cut" too!
12/02/2008 8:08PM
Dr Feel Good
Drugs and money corrupt...look what is goin on in Mexico and in our own streets...time to make this stuff legal and tax it like booze and cigaretes sell to people over 21...it relives the prisons, courts, police to fight real crime and theses new terror gangs that are here the drugs only fuel them and give them money, cut the flow of money they retreat for lack of work, money....or stay the same path since 1932 war on drugs the total failure not elected official will admit to!
12/02/2008 8:55PM
Truth Hurts
Most people look forward to bad news like this. The people that are truly hurt in this type of event are the innocent officers that had absolutely nothing to do with it. Not all of the officers in Harvey and or Cook County are corrupt and yet they get lumped in by the media. Those who make blanket statements demonstrate just how shallow there minds are.
12/03/2008 3:19AM
Another black eye for cops
This just gives another black eye for good cops that work hard and try to keep the faith of the public.
12/03/2008 8:21AM
Tom Dart
Gee, I cannot fire them without asking King Lil Richie and the Toddler...after all I am just a puppet awaiting my orders....but they are good workers they show up every day!
12/03/2008 9:45AM
Obama the Messiah
Notice how all of them are black, where is Jesse and Rev. Al....Jena Six Jena Six.....all over again Jena Six
12/03/2008 6:54PM
Harvey Police Dirty??
Havery police have been corrupt for a while, not all there are some ok ones but most are BITCHES? and half of the murders are not solve because they are the ones involved. I stay in harvey and i see the corruption from alot of the officers and half of them are not even college grads or police trainning!!!!
12/13/2008 5:06PM
I know Archie Stallworth
He is the loud mouth conductor on the metric electric line who opens the doors and say, Good morning, how's everybody doing, come on nah, I said how's everybody doing, tickets please. I hated that, it was annoying. He would do the same thing in the evening. It's sad thought for his family to loose both jobs, I pray for his kids.
01/25/2009 5:42AM
Archie
I too know Archie and I have known him for a long time now. I was so shocked to stumble across this and many more articles of this horrible corruption. Archie, unfortunately isn't the only man on the list that I know that have gotten caught up in this mess. It's a sad day to their loved ones because they now have to walk around in shame for what they have done but it just goes to show you that it doesn't matter what the job is or how much it's paying you will eventually get caught doing wrong.
03/25/2009 10:25PM
B35
ANOTHER SAID DA IS RIGHT. BUT THE CORRUPTION DOESNT STOP THERE. A CONCERNED CITIZEN OF HARVEY .. HONESTY, AND QUALITY LEADERSHIP, WITH TRUE EQUALITY IS WHAT'S NEEDED IN THE CITY OF HARVEY TO SURVIVE ANOTHER 10 YEARS ...
How long does it take to bring a case to court in order that justice be done? Nothing has been said about this case since it first hit the news? Is there a coverup?
WBBM-AM 780 has been the consistent all news radio voice in Chicagoland for over 35 years and is now streaming online for free. Listen online to Chicago news as it happens around the clock, along with Chicago traffic, Chicago weather, Chicago sports and Chicago business. Subscribe to WBBM's free podcasts for additional Chicago business and Chicago community reports and listen to Chicago news on demand. WBBM news radio is also the home for Chicago Bears, Chicago Auto Show and Chicago Air & Water Show. www.wbbm780.com
E-Mail Story
Print Story
