Posted on 11/04/2002 5:32:36 PM PST by Henrietta
When FBI agents arrested Seattle police Officer Steve Slaughter last week and accused him of stealing heroin from drug dealers while on duty, he asked to remove his uniform shirt in order to "not dishonor the Police Department any further."
So testified FBI Special Agent Maria Foster yesterday afternoon in U.S. District Court as Slaughter sat silently with downcast eyes and heard four federal felony charges lodged against him.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Monica Benton found there is probable cause to charge Slaughter with possession of heroin, intent to distribute that heroin and extortion. As Benton announced her decision, she called the extortion charge even "more alarming and more disturbing" than the others because it involved the threatened use of force while acting as a police officer.
Slaughter will remain in custody at least until Monday, when Benton will review his psychiatric records. The three-year member of the Seattle police force told FBI agents that he has thought of suicide, Foster told the court. Next week, Benton will decide whether Slaughter will remain imprisoned pending trial or be released under conditions such as electronic monitoring.
Foster painted a picture of an out-of-control officer who for weeks on end was stoned on marijuana while on duty.
Slaughter "would shake down drug dealers, take the drugs without arresting them and redistribute the drugs," Foster said.
One of the recipients of Slaughter's alleged largess with heroin was Karen Troiano, who "was bragging that she had an officer that was supplying her with drugs" and that she was supplying him with marijuana, Foster said.
Troiano yesterday was ordered held as a material witness against Slaughter.
As Troiano was led from the courtroom by deputy U.S. Marshals, George Fitzgerald, who identified himself as the man who "got Troiano away from bad people . . . crack heads, Asian gangs," exchanged "I love you" endearments with the agitated woman.
Fitzgerald said Troiano "didn't want Steve (Slaughter) to go down. He did it on his own. He's just a reckless guy."
Regardless of Troiano's intent, she was integral in the investigation that brought down the allegedly crooked officer. An undercover Seattle police detective was sent to visit Troiano and buy some heroin. While Troiano and the detective were waiting to get the narcotics, Troiano confided to him that "she had a police officer friend. Troiano also bragged that she had smoked drugs in the officer's patrol car and had received heroin from the officer which the officer had confiscated from a drug dealer," according to charging documents.
Agent Foster interviewed a friend of Troiano, identified only as confidential source 2, who told her that he had used drugs with Slaughter. And Slaughter allegedly offered source 2 the same deal as he had to Troiano: He would confiscate drugs from dealers identified by source 2 and give some of the drugs to source 2 in return.
Last Friday, source 2 was instructed by agents to call Slaughter and tell him that he knew of a drug dealer operating out of a telephone booth near a Safeway store on Capitol Hill. What Slaughter didn't know was the dealer was actually an undercover FBI agent carrying three Baggies of heroin and a heroin kit.
Slaughter allegedly drove his patrol car to the phone booth at Broadway and Mercer, got out and ordered the undercover agent to place his hands on the patrol car. Slaughter took the heroin and $64 in cash without arresting the agent, according to the charging documents. A little while later, Slaughter gave two of the heroin Baggies to source 2 and told him he had a needle if he wanted to shoot up.
Then, under instructions from the FBI, a Seattle police sergeant called Slaughter and told him to go to a nearby police community service office. When he got there, FBI agents placed him under arrest.
Well, it's sort of like what the RATS do to taxpayers.
Yeah, if I was headed towards spending time in the big house, I'd be having thoughts of suicide too..
The only thing prison inmates love (more than young inmates) is to have an ex-cop sentenced to prison.
Pookie & Me
11,247 more to go and we can respect the men in blue once again.
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