Ex-LAPD officer gets 102 years in prison in police raid case [Cops committing home invasions]

SJ Mercury News ^ | 5/19/2008 | AP

[ROP_RIP]

LOS ANGELES—A former Los Angeles police officer who participated in home invasion robberies staged to look like police raids was sentenced Monday to 102 years in prison.

William Ferguson, 35, was convicted of participating in more than 40 phony raids from early 1999 to June 2001 at homes in working-class neighborhoods while he worked at the department's scandal-ridden Rampart Division.

[ROP_RIP]

With great power comes great responsibility.

It's a good thing this bleeding heart judge wasn't allowed to let the perp off easy.

[lightman]

Tarnished badge ping.

[domenad]

U.S. District Judge Gary Allen Feess said that Congress passed such sentencing laws “because they don’t trust people like me.”

I wonder why.

[Charles Henrickson]

was sentenced Monday to 102 years in prison.

Coulda been worse, he coulda gotten life.

[cripplecreek]

"He's going to be 147-years-old when he gets out," Deitch said. "He's probably not going to see his children again."

LOL

[mdittmar]

Meow

[Charles Henrickson]

"He's going to be 147-years-old when he gets out,"

Then he should have committed his crimes when he was younger.

[SC Swamp Fox]

3.5 years per home invasion. That seems a little light.

[ops33]

And because he is a former police officer every day of that sentance will be spent in virtual solitary confinement.

[TigersEye]

Such a breach of the public trust, specifically using the color of his badge to commit armed home invasions? I would have no problem with the death penalty for that alone.

[SC Swamp Fox]

Oh, wait. 147 will be his age. He only got 102 years, 2.5 per home invasion, a mere slap on the wrist.

[Larry Lucido]

LOL!

[SC Swamp Fox]

I would love for them to publish the 40+ victim’s statements...lol.

[Larry Lucido]

Thanks

[Psycho_Bunny]

The judge should be removed from the bench for making such an idiot statement.

[SkyDancer]

“He’s going to be 147-years-old when he gets out,” Deitch said. “He’s probably not going to see his children again.”

He’ll have visitation rights, right?

[B4Ranch]

Now you’re thinking like I do.

[B4Ranch]

>U.S. District Judge Gary Allen Feess said that Congress passed such sentencing laws “because they don’t trust people like me.”<

I wonder if the judge is worried he’ll end up serving a fixed sentence someday.

[SKI NOW]

"He's going to be 147-years-old when he gets out," Deitch said.

I doubt it.

[Tammy8]

I don’t see this sentence as too severe- he was an officer of the law and used his position to be a serious criminal.

[Always A Marine]

The dirty cop should receive the death penalty — precisely the same sentence he would have meted out if anyone of the homeowners had resisted his armed robbery. Sadly, this cop’s only crime was that he was free-lancing on these occasions. Every no-knock warrant is a home invasion, and any thug who perpetrates such a horrific crime deserves whatever he gets.

[Tammy8]

I don’t see this sentence as too severe- he was an officer of the law and used his position to be a serious criminal.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Ferguson's attorney, Philip Deitch, said it was unfair and violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.

Yeah, well Ferguson violated a whole bunch of people's Constitutional rights and subjected them to cruel and unusual punishment even though they'd committed no crimes. Karma's a b!tch.

"He's going to be 147-years-old when he gets out," Deitch said. "He's probably not going to see his children again."

Then this sentence is probably the best thing that's ever happened to his children.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Nobody can force his kids to go see him, and I rather doubt they’ll be clamoring to do so.

[MileHi]

This is all well and good, but I hoped it was about botched swat raids....

[Oztrich Boy]

He's going to be 147-years-old when he gets out," Deitch said. "He's probably not going to see his children again."

Because they will probably be dead. right?

[Chode]

U.S. District Judge Gary Allen Feces said that Congress passed such sentencing laws "because they don't trust people like me." "It's not a reasonable sentence," he said.

and with GOOD reason i see...

[Ezekiel]

I don’t see this sentence as too severe- he was an officer of the law and used his position to be a serious criminal.

Because he knew that the victims... wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Therefore, what this perp needs in prison is his daily dose of (or fear and dread of) no knock raids. Yup, this guy deserves lots of surprise guests.

[Gilbo_3]

I hoped it was about botched swat raids....

well this does serve the purpose of illustrating the effectiveness of 'no knock type' home invasions...

40 robberies and no one was killed because homeowners thought [and were partially correct] it was a case for the wrong door brigade...

Any minute now we'll see legislation curbing the use of such raids by LE nationwide...

any minute now...

wait for it ...

/holding breath...

LFOD...

ps, this story gives new meaning to 'dynamic entry'...

[caver]

“He’s going to be 147-years-old when he gets out,” Deitch said. “He’s probably not going to see his children again.”

Call the Wambulance. Cops should get double the sentence anyway since they’ve been entrusted to enforce the law.

[BraveMan]

-snip-
Ferguson had five felony arrests for burglary- and theft-related offenses before being hired by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1996.

At one point, while trying to cite mitigating factors that might persuade Feess to impose a lesser sentence, Deitch told the judge that the incidents were not sufficiently serious to prevent him from being hired by the Police Department.

The judge shot back:

“To which I can only say, ‘Why?’ “

Feess added that he found it “stunning to me” that a prospective officer could be hired with even one criminal conviction.
-snip-

From:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-corrupt20-2008may20,0,4943929.story

[TalonDJ]

well this does serve the purpose of illustrating the effectiveness of 'no knock type' home invasions...

40 robberies and no one was killed because homeowners thought [and were partially correct] it was a case for the wrong door brigade...

That is one way of looking at it. I look at it as I should shoot everyone that kicks in the door regardless of what they are shouting. The only reason this guy was not raping and killing his victims is because he did not want to draw too much attention to what he was doing. A non-cop doing the same thing (it happens) would not resist doing that.

[wildbill]

They weren’t staged to look like police raids. They WERE police raids—just illegal ones.

[hiredhand]

Every able bodied person (male and female) should own, and know how to effectively OPERATE a serviceable weapon, such as an AR-15. They need to be sure that they have some simple devices designed for the sole purpose of causing intruders to make a lot of noise upon entry, and to slows intruders down enough for occupants to grab weapons, ascertain the threat and deliver deadly force. These "things" aren't difficult to make. You can get the lumber and hardware from Lowes. Or, go for broke and use steel.

I don't care if the intruders are covered in NIJ TL-IV kevlar, or tatoos. It doesn't matter. NOBODY wants to step in front of people holding the "home front" sending SS109 towards you, or something slightly bigger and faster.

It's interesting that they'll prosecute this turd for actually robbing people, but that they don't bring justice to those who served no-knocks on the wrong homes and injured and even killed the citizens within. Which is the worse crime? Abuse of power?...as in the case of this man. Or abuse of power?...as in the case of a no-knock on the wrong home?

I can't help but wonder how willing the jack booted thugs would be to serve warrants at o-dark-thirty with a battering ram if a kazillion rounds came in their direction just at the moment they breached the entrypoint. One must wonder.

[Gilbo_3]

sorry, by 'effectiveness' I meant its dumbs people down to hesitate...

my door shatters, whoever it is better be ducking and coverin...

[absalom01]

"Ferguson had five felony arrests for burglary- and theft-related offenses before being hired by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1996."

Remember, this was during the Willie L. "Fat Willie" Williams era, post Rodney King, when "diversity" trumped just about everything else when it came to hiring....

You might remember somme other notable names, with similarly, ah, unusual backgrounds prior to being hired...Rafael Perez, Nino Durden, Kevin Gaines, David Mack?