Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

3 officers out on bail in mob sting case

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published February 24, 2007

FORT LAUDERDALE - A two-year FBI sting operation into corruption in the Hollywood Police Department has resulted in federal charges against four veteran officers accused of protecting what they thought were mob shipments of drugs, as well as stolen art, diamonds and watches.

Three of the four officers made initial appearances Friday in federal court and were ordered released on bail. They are Detective Kevin Companion, 41, Sgt. Jeffry Courtney, 51, and Officer Stephen Harrison, 46.

A fourth detective, 50-year-old Thomas Simcox, was in the process of turning himself in and will probably appear in court next week, federal prosecutors said.

An FBI affidavit filed in federal court accuses the four of agreeing to "protect and facilitate" a wide range of illegal activities for a group they thought was a "criminal organization based out of New York." In fact, the "criminal organization" was made up of undercover FBI agents posing as mobsters.

According to the FBI, Companion, a 20-year police veteran described as the ringleader in court papers, was paid $42,000 over two years. Courtney got $22,000, Simcox was paid $16,000, and Harrison got $12,000, the FBI said.

Among their alleged "protection" activities was escorting a load of heroin from Miami Beach to Hollywood. On another occasion, Courtney used his Hollywood police motorcycle to escort a trucker carrying $400,000 from the sale of purportedly stolen diamonds, investigators said.

Another job called for delivery of $1-million in supposedly stolen diamonds from Florida to Atlantic City, N.J., investigators said. There were other deals involving purportedly stolen bearer bonds, valuable watches and expensive paintings.

The four officers face possible life imprisonment if convicted on charges of drug trafficking conspiracy. They also face up to 20 years in prison each if convicted of conspiracy to violate the Hobbs Act, which involves extortion through use of official government powers.

None of the four has yet entered a plea, but all have been placed on administrative leave without pay.

[Last modified February 24, 2007, 01:17:19]