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A former South Lake Tahoe police officer was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 7 on multiple accounts of witness tampering and obstructing an official proceeding.
According to court documents, John Gerald Poland, 44, of South Lake Tahoe, interfered with a federal investigation of a gang member on June 29, 2011, a press release from U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner stated. Poland allegedly convinced the gang member’s girlfriend to hide and destroy evidence related to the investigation. The officer is alleged to have tampered with the witness again in October and November 2011, in relation to an investigation into Poland’s and the gang member’s conduct. Rather than provide evidence to the authorities, Poland allegedly instructed another witness to hide and destroy evidence. Poland is also charged with corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating, and concealing evidence material to an official proceeding.
Poland faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the counts.
The case was investigated by the FBI, SLTPD and the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (SLEDNET Task Force). Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Poland is to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman in Sacramento on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m.
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Tale Wags DogFebruary 11, 2013 - 5:42 am
Maybe the corruption at the Placerville PD will be next on the Feds list to investigate. Watch this YouTube video, it has a suspicious ring of facts relative to the PPD. http://youtu.be/ySatsAndJh0
1036-FrankFebruary 11, 2013 - 8:10 am
What is apparent is that the agencies involved took appropriate action without a local political decision making process. These same federal charges would have applied to the "Good ol' Boys" named in the federal lawsuit and would of resulted in terminations and prosecutions, not huge inflated retirements and retirement parties, I hope some of the local politicians who pretend to enforce the law are taking notes on how corruption is dealt with, it is not in allowing the perps to get away and pretending it didn't happen.
Walking TallFebruary 11, 2013 - 8:34 am
Frank, all true but what we have here is a faliure within the system when it's run by crooks for crooks it can not be investigated. The cover up goes far beyond those directly involved and the Federal authorities would only return it to the DA who wasn't going to do anything about it in the first place. Each one gaining power against those who were reporting the crimes, all benefiting with those nice retirements. It goes deep and when those still there train the New it just continues as we have seen, even when advised of the corruption those involved are promoted to keep them in line with the GOB's. All one has to do is follow the money and see who is getting it and the picture is clear, nothing will be done and we will suffer from those in power.
1036-FrankFebruary 11, 2013 - 9:30 am
If any charges regarding the Gob's were presented to the D.A. locally or Grand Jury I am sure we would see what has been seen many times before. In the current corruption case of this SLT P.D. Officer it was all done federally as I have suggested it be done locally to avoid political games, plus it is always funny what resources they will use to go after a line officer while the Gob's who had rank were allowed to escape. These local politicians are very intent to not have a federal Grand Jury in Sac get involved which raises suspicion of a few people or it would of been done in 2008 when the lawsuit was filed regarding a few of the Gob's actions. Since then, these Gob's retired out and most got away and are laughing still, all the way to the bank.