This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by Phillip Smith
StopTheDrugWar.org
Jun. 11, 2015

Cops hauling pot, cops protecting loads of cocaine, cops selling ecstasy, and a whole bunch of cops with apparent prescription pill problems, Let's get to it:

In Pennsauken, New Jersey, a Camden County police officer was arrested in late April on drug charges, but his arrest wasn't made public until now. Officer Matthew Van Houten, 28, was one of 32 people arrested in the mass bust of two independent drug trafficking groups on the Jersey Shore. He is charged with possession of cocaine while employed as a police officer. He went down in Operation Tidal Wave, which netted 10 pounds of cocaine, three ounces of heroin, 16 pounds of marijuana, a thousand pills, seven vehicles, and $125,000 in cash.

In Sulphur, Louisiana, a Cameron County sheriff's deputy was arrested last Tuesday with 18 pounds of marijuana in his car. Deputy Derek Nothnagel had been pulled over on I-10 by state troopers. He is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, use and sale of drug paraphernalia, improper lane usage, following too closely and expired inspection decal. He was booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center. His bond was set at more than $27,000.

In Virginia Beach, Virginia, a Virginia Beach police officer was arrested last Wednesday for allegedly fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs. Officer Harry Kephart Jr. is accused of misrepresenting facts when he went to a medical facility after being denied drugs by an emergency room doctor the same day. He's out on bond now.

In Conway, Arkansas, a former assistant county jail administrator was arrested Monday for taking prescription drugs prescribed to an inmate. Capt. Lloyd Vincent, 40, resigned last year after an investigation into missing prescription drugs began and is now charged with fraud or deceit to obtain narcotic drugs. He has admitted taking the drugs and leading a nurse to believe that he was disposing of them. He was, but not in the way intended.

In Yulee, Florida, a Nassau County sheriff's deputy was arrested Tuesday for allegedly selling his prescription pain medications. Deputy Stuart James Raulerson went down after authorities received a tip he was selling hydrocodone that had been prescribed to him. He is charged with sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy to engage in trafficking hydrocodone, both felonies. He's also been fired.

In Savannah, Georgia, a former Savannah-Chatham police officer was sentenced last Wednesday to serve six months in jail for selling Ecstasy. Derrick Andre Fullmer had copped to one count each of possession and distribution of the drug. He also must pay a fine and do three years of supervised release.

In Miami, a former NYPD officer was sentenced last Friday to 10 years in federal prison after he provided armed security for a $200,000 cocaine deal that turned out to be a sting. Phillip Leroy, 28, had earlier pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking conspiracy charges. He went down in Sunrise, a Florida town notorious for its drug stings and asset forfeitures. He agreed to provide security for a load of 22 pounds of cocaine, but was busted when he went to a warehouse to get it.

In Pacific, Missouri, a former Pacific police officer was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for stealing drug evidence from the department. Arthur Tullock, 56, had pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing controlled substances. Local prosecutors said they had to throw out about a dozen drug cases because he consumed the evidence.