Spanish policeman convicted of using crime scene proceeds for gambling
A police officer in Spain has been fired for breaking the rules he was supposed to follow. One might say his punishment was light compared to the crime, but any chance of survival by law enforcement was gone.
Last week, an Alicante provincial court sentenced a member of the Spanish National Guard to five months in prison and disqualified him from serving for ten months. The unnamed officer was found guilty of embezzling 9,000 euros ($9,795) during an anti-drug operation and then using the money to play roulette at a local casino.
The incident dates back to the summer of 2020, when officers discovered bags of marijuana and cash while checking a truck. He reportedly succumbed to temptation and hid the money.
Fast money
Amid the chaos of the crime scene investigation, the officer was entrusted with the custody of the seized items while investigators gathered evidence and gathered more information.
Instead of saving the money, he pocketed it. About eight hours later, he arrived at an amusement park and sat down at a roulette table. His venture proved hopeless as he returned empty-handed, court documents show.
Since authorities were unaware of the officer's actions, they later requested the return of the confiscated items. Suspicion was aroused when police handed over only drugs and not money. The Civil Guard subsequently reported the incident to Spanish justice, which launched an investigation into the misappropriation of public funds.
Although local media initially reported that authorities were seeking to jail the officer for nearly two years, a deal was eventually reached. In exchange for returning the money, he reportedly received a much lighter sentence. The five-month sentence was suspended as long as he stayed out of trouble for the next two years.
This judgment is not final. Prosecutors can appeal if they want to force the officer to go to jail.
When Good Cops Go Bad
The Hispanic officer wasn't the only one out of control: former Las Vegas cop Caleb Rogers was jailed for robbing three casinos. During his last robbery, when he tried to break into a sportsbook in Rio de Janeiro, security shot at him like an NFL linebacker rushing toward the quarterback.
The Spanish cops and Rogers get along well with other bad cops (bad). More recently, another incident thousands of miles away in Peru resulted in two police officers being sent to prison.
Two police officers have been detained for their role in a raid on a slot machine shop in Peru, local media reported on Tuesday. They made up half of the people who visited the site last summer and stole nearly 29,000 SOL ($7,747).
Shortly after the attack, investigators were able to capture one of the scammers. He immediately struck a deal, identified his three accomplices and explained the entire ordeal.
One of the officers was on surveillance to alert other officers if there were any in the area. Another police officer and two remaining crooks entered the casino and planned the robbery. All four now face charges of aggravated robbery.
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Source: www.casino.org
