By Dan Verbeck
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-978120.mp3
Kansas City, KS – Six months after the FBI staged a snare for selected Kansas City Kansas police officers, three have been charged with stealing. They are Jeffrey Bell, Darryl Forest and Dustin Sillings. The allegations date back more than a year.
Charges say the three special weapons team members helped themselves to electronics gear, ipods, cameras and cash when they served search warrants on homes.
The charges speak to a house search in July of 2010. The last time it allegedly happened, the FBI set it up as a sting. Arrests were immediate. Charges took half a year.
U.S. Attorney for Kansas Barry Grissom took his case to a federal grand jury and the indictments were unsealed today, saying , "These officers are being charged with violating the civil rights of people whose property they're alleged to have stolen. Our constitution guarantees that everyone has the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures."
A conviction on the civil rights charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and quarter million dollar fine.
A fourth police officer arrested with the group in January has not been charged.