Officers accused of planting evidence on drug suspects

[Lucinda F. Boyd]

CAMDEN — Two suspended city police officers are now in federal custody for their part in a rogue narcotics unit that allegedly arrested drug suspects with planted evidence.

Federal corruption charges were announced Thursday against Patrolmen Antonio Figueroa, 34, and Robert Bayard, 32. Both men, who entered not guilty pleas in separate arraignments Thursday afternoon, were indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday.

The charges are the last expected to stem from a two-year investigation into five officers that made up a special platoon that policed crime hot spots and carried out drug investigations across the city. The other three officers pleaded guilty earlier this year.

Authorities say from May 2007 until last year the men stole drugs and money from dealers, later using the drugs as planted evidence to arrest suspects, threaten arrests or to beef up charges against a suspect. The officers also allegedly lied on police reports and in court to support the charges, used excessive force and carried out illegal searches.

The corruption scandal has forced the Camden County Prosecutor's Office to toss out 210 drug cases in which at least one of the officers played a part. The dismissals overturned convictions and prompted the release of dozens of people from prison, as well as sparked a plethora of lawsuits against the city.

At a news conference announcing the latest charges on Thursday, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said the rogue officers "intentionally and systematically abused their authority" and carried out a "lengthy and frightening pattern of crimes."

While the corruption placed the five officers' previous drug arrests in question, Camden County Prosecutor Warren Faulk said there is no evidence the scheme went beyond those officers and shouldn't shed doubt on other investigations.

"We are confident in the integrity of the evidence that is produced in the ongoing prosecution of drug offenses here in the City of Camden," he said.

Fishman credited Camden Police Chief Scott Thomson for initiating the probe into the officers and for then passing it on to the FBI, prosecutor's office, and state Attorney General's Office.

Thomson said the prosecution should be an example that corruption won't be tolerated and added the officers aren't a reflection of the force.

"The actions of these individuals does not define the Camden City Police Department," Thomson said.

But authorities also acknowledged Thursday that police scandals erode the public's trust.

"There are always going to be negative repercussions from something as tragic as this," said state Attorney General Paula Dow. "It's a loss of confidence in the (legal) system -- a (loss of) confidence in our police officers."

In pleading guilty earlier this year, former Patrolmen Kevin Parry, 30, Jason Stetser, 32, and former Sgt. Dan Morris, 47, all admitted to specific incidents where the officers falsified arrests or searches. All three of those officers are awaiting sentencing and face up to 10 years in prison.

Figueroa and Bayard will remain in federal custody until the outcome of a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Figueroa, of Camden, faces eight charges; Bayard, of Pennsauken, faces five.

For both, the most serious is conspiracy to violate the civil rights of a citizen, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Fishman would not say whether the two officers were offered plea deals, or whether the other officers would testify against them...

Reach George Mast at [phone] at [e-mail]