Prosecutors said the two former Rohnert Park police officers threatened to arrest people they pulled over if they didn’t hand over their pot and cash. The officers did not report the stops or submit the seized items as evidence, officials said.
But the traffic stops made between 2015 and 2017 were recorded on video by the officers’ body cameras, investigators found.
Officials said the two continued to stop motorists even after the drug-seizure program ended when California legalized the recreational use of marijuana in 2016.
In December 2017, Tatum and an unnamed officer identified themselves as agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and took 23 pounds of marijuana from a driver, prosecutors said.
Tatum and Huffaker are charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of authority, and Tatum was charged with falsifying records in a federal investigation and tax evasion. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Both defendants resigned.
“The City of Rohnert Park does not tolerate corrupt and unethical practices within the ranks of its employees, particularly its sworn peace officers and those officers involved in today’s charges are no longer employed by the City,” city officials said in a statement Friday.
Yeah, no shit moron, but instead of firing them, or arresting them (appropriately) they took matters into their own hands (again, ironically) and quit without any help from the city, who did nothing to prove you claim of zero tolerance. Fucking hell, who are these idiots?
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