Former KY state trooper not charged yet...

Mods, if this isn't the right forum....it's my fault. Do what needs doing.
This is the type of story that absolutely makes my blood boil because it displays quite clearly to all that there is, not a "thin blue line", but a really thick barrier to the prosecution of crimes committed by police.
www.wpsdlocal6.com...

Lesser charges recommended amid Trooper investigation
That's what one prosecutor is recommending be brought against a former state trooper. Donald Crawford suddenly resigned from Kentucky State Police in August, after sex abuse allegations surfaced from a traffic stop involving a minor in Livingston County KSP conducted their own investigation recommending charges of official misconduct and sex abuse first degree and Commonwealth Attorney GL Ovey sees something else. 30 days later, Commonwealth Attorney, GL Ovey says his investigation is complete, finalizing his decision. Ovey reviewed the investigation documenting accusations of misconduct and sexual abuse in a Livingston County parking lot, "This officer made a serious mistake, a serious lapse in judgment."

From the report I heard from a family member of this young lady, this man should be charged with felony sexual abuse of a minor, abuse of his position as an officer and lying to investigators---at least those three if not more.
It is also exceedingly strange that three other complaints of the same type of behavior have been "misplaced" or "lost", something like the Lois Lerner emails....just disappeared into thin air.
But when the brothers investigate each other, it's a "mistake in judgement" while fellows who do far less damage get hung with the sex offender label for the rest of their lives.
No outside investigation, no special prosecutor, no grand jury---just the State Police saying "He made a mistake." NO NO NO---he knowingly broke the law and used his power in the abuse of a child. Think about it, if this complaint had been made against her boss or a teacher---would the results be the same?

a reply to: diggindirt

I think your ire is a bit misplaced. KSP did an investigation and recommended at least one felony charge. The commonwealth attorney is the one who didn't agree with the police. And the county attorney said he would likely recuse himself because he's interacted with the ex-trooper before. Is the commonwealth attorney doing something? Dunno, haven't seen any evidence one way or the other of the crimes the ex trooper is accused of. But I don't think its really fair to blame KSP for a prosecutor not agreeing with their recommended charges. Since the county attorney will "likely" recuse himself, you'll get a new prosecutor. You're attributing a lot of information, and quotes, to KSP when they actually belong to Ovey, who is a commonwealth attorney.

As for the grand jury, I'll just point out how so many people flipped out about other cases being sent to grand jury instead of a prosecutor bringing charges on their own.

So what did he do?

On the same site, I saw a story about a man convicted of possessing child pornography. 30 years in prison.
30. Years. Not trying belittle what he did, but why does he get that much time and a cop gets off practically free?
This piece of s@@t ex Trooper, actually had sex with a minor and they're going to recommend misdemeanor charges and his lawyer says he probably won't even be charged with that.

I spoke with Trooper Crawford's lawyer, Del Pruitt over the phone. He says although he hasn't received all the evidence, he didn't believe any felony charges would be recommended, and wasn't sure if Cawford would be guilty of any misdemeanors.

That tells us all we need to know about our "Justice" system. In some parts of Kentucky, like where I grew up, this guy wouldn't last a day before the family got their own brand of justice.

First let me state for the conclusion jumpers around here that I am in no way, shape, or form defending this guy.

originally posted by: DAVID64

This piece of s@@t ex Trooper, actually had sex with a minor and they're going to recommend misdemeanor charges and his lawyer says he probably won't even be charged with that.

The reporter and the article clearly stated that the details of the case are closed because it involves a minor, so where did you get your info?

originally posted by: diggindirt

From the report I heard from a family member of this young lady, this man should be charged with felony sexual abuse of a minor, abuse of his position as an officer and lying to investigators---at least those three if not more.

Could you kindly share that report with the rest of us?

a reply to: DAVID64

There's a big difference between "guilty of misdemeanor charges" and "won't even be charged with misdemeanor charges." Like....a huge difference. And it's comments like yours that add to the confusion, because you're inserting your own interpretation instead of sticking to what was actually said.

And honestly, it's a quote from the dudes DEFENSE attorney. What the crap do you expect him to say? "Well yea we sure dodged a bullet there and even though I haven't even seen any of the evidence or papers or files, dude is definitely guilty of some sort of misdemeanor charges at least." Come on

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: diggindirt

I think your ire is a bit misplaced. KSP did an investigation and recommended at least one felony charge. The commonwealth attorney is the one who didn't agree with the police. And the county attorney said he would likely recuse himself because he's interacted with the ex-trooper before. Is the commonwealth attorney doing something? Dunno, haven't seen any evidence one way or the other of the crimes the ex trooper is accused of. But I don't think its really fair to blame KSP for a prosecutor not agreeing with their recommended charges. Since the county attorney will "likely" recuse himself, you'll get a new prosecutor. You're attributing a lot of information, and quotes, to KSP when they actually belong to Ovey, who is a commonwealth attorney.

As for the grand jury, I'll just point out how so many people flipped out about other cases being sent to grand jury instead of a prosecutor bringing charges on their own.

You are right. I stand corrected. Thanks.
I had heard a report on local radio and understood them to say that KSP had determined that no crime had been committed. There has been precious little reported about this. WPSD-TV is really, really, really reluctant to report on anything that might reflect badly on law enforcement---or any governmental agency, for that matter.

Ovey is a scumbag in my opinion. He is retiring at the first of the year and none too soon but interesting in view of some of his upcoming responsibilities. However, that's a whole different thread on corruption in the local judicial system. (Scroll down the page on this site to see some of his recent history. wkms.org...)
Ovey suggested to the girl's parents that either she was the problem or the trooper was "joking" when he suggested that she might have to go to jail if she didn't agree to his sexual request.
This trooper was called Creepy Crawfish or Donnie the Perv by the teens in Marshall and Livingston counties, well known for his sexually-charged speech during stops of young ladies. A retired trooper friend of mine has been following this investigation as closely as possible because he was the one who sent a young lady to the Post One supervisor to file a complaint after Creepy stopped her. She managed to record a portion of the conversation and did go to the post and turn over a copy of the conversation. She and her parents were assured that the problem would be handled but that was months before the young lady that is involved in the reported story.
When Ovey is gone there may be more complaints come forward.

originally posted by: Bone75
So what did he do?

(My information comes from family members of the victim and from a retired KSP trooper who is a friend of mine and of the family of another young lady that filed a complaint against this trooper. What follows is second-hand, I did not hear it from the young lady herself but I have no reason to doubt the report.)

He threatened to take her to jail for speeding "or something I might find if I searched your car" if she didn't comply with his sexual demand. He got into her car and told her to remove her clothing below her waist and turn toward him and spread her legs. He masturbated himself to orgasm. Then he told her that if she told anyone her life wouldn't be the same.
This young lady was absolutely terrified. She was so upset that she couldn't drive herself home. This was her first-ever encounter with a police officer pulling her over. She admits that she was probably speeding because she had been driving in a higher speed zone. There is no reason not to believe her account. She was still distraught and bordering on hysterical when her relatives arrived on the scene after her call to them to please come and get her. She's a teen but she's not a drama queen, just a good kid, hard-working and a good student.
To me, his behavior deserves punishment that the law doesn't allow. I'm not a violent person and I don't usually condone violence but I am a mother and stepmother to girls and I do own a baseball bat.
However, charging him with felony sexual abuse of a minor under the statute used to prosecute teachers who abuse their authority, intimidation of a witness and lying to investigators would begin to address the issue.

a reply to: DAVID64
This family is not the type to go all extra-legal in search of justice. The only way I can think of to describe their condition the last time I spoke with them is totally disillusioned. Their interactions with law enforcement has always been positive, never negative. They have law enforcement in their family and in their heritage. Now they know what can happen after the blue lights go on behind a young woman in a car in a deserted area. They are distraught over the fact that the Commonwealth Attorney tried to pass over this kind of behavior by saying it was a "mistake" or a joke.
My opinion of that man is that he's a scumbag.

a reply to: diggindirt

Oh wow what a disgusting pervert! You should ask a mod to add that to your original post.

a reply to: Bone75
I've shared what I've been told above. I was contacted about this because of a speech I gave many years ago during a political campaign.
This family is totally disillusioned, that's the only way I could describe their condition when I last spoke with them. They are in a state of suspended disbelief that this could happen to their daughter, that the perp is a LEO, and that the Commonwealth Attorney could call such behavior "a mistake" or a joke.
This is a family that has LEOs in it, LEOs in their heritage. They have always put their full faith and trust in God, family and government.
Now they know what can happen to a young lady when the blue lights go on behind her.
They are astounded that her character was extensively questioned, her affidavit apparently didn't mean squat and that one division of KSP was allowed to investigate another division of the same organization. Would that be the pot shining the kettle?

ETA: I've been really distressed to see this case unfold and to learn of the behavior of the legal system. My emotion tends to over-ride my belief in letting the legal system take its course. And yet---KSP is allowed to investigate KSP---no matter their findings---that never should have happened! If that young lady had filed that complaint against a teacher he would have been arrested as soon as the ink was dry on her affidavit and they would have arrested him within hours. I've seen it happen---more than once. This article just confirmed what they had reported that Ovey said, "It was just a mistake."
See, I've got a niece the same age as this kid. She drives home from her job after dark along some really deserted highway.

a reply to: diggindirt

Please don't misunderstand any of my comments. What he did was absolutely wrong, terrible, and a complete abuse of power. I just want the anger to be directed at the appropriate parties. I understand the image of an agency investigating one of their own, but I think it's fair to say in this instance the agency got it right. I tell people on here all the time that as an officer, I can arrest whomever, but what happens beyond that arrest is out of my hands. And I think that's what happened here. For some reason Ovey is trying to minimize what happened. That blows my mind. All the more so since he's retiring soon, because what reason does he have to protect cops after January? He's done and gone, so why should he care? I'm just gobsmacked, and would love to know his reasons for reducing the charges. Given that the case involves a minor, I don't think we'll see any of that stuff released. Not knocking the girl or her family, but her statement obviously isn't all the evidence.

As an aside about your niece: if she's pulled over and feels uncomfortable, she can always call 911 (after putting her flashers on and slowing down a bit, but not stopping) and have them verify that it's a legitimate officer behind her. I know that in this case, it was a legit trooper, but typically what happens is that dispatch will contact the unit and verify they're conducting a stop, and then let the caller know that it is indeed a legit stop. She can also let them know that she wants to make it to the next gas station before pulling over, 7-11, whatever. Unless it's 20 miles down the road or its a suspected DUI or something, they will usually accommodate that request. And that could well be enough to keep a shady officer from choosing her as his victim.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Man you beat me to it.

It clearly states in the article the highway patrol wanted felony sexual abuse charges.

The assistant state attorney is the one who filed a lesser charge. Probably due to lack of evidence.

I think a lot of people don't understand that law enforcement and the court system are two separate branches of government.

That being said if he did such a thing he needs to be punished.

A serious mislap in judgement, thats what they consider happened to the trooper. Bull Sh@t, this guy is obviously a predator, if he is going after minors. Guess he has to go after minors, knowing they are weaker, and may not be as willing to speak up , for fear. THis piece of Sh@t needs to be sentenced to prison. The buddy system for police who comitt crimes is getting Very very old, and i feel they will be reaching a breaking point anytime now. What the Hell is wrong with these people.

a reply to: Shamrock6

We are in agreement on most points. However---if the investigation is flawed by conflict of interest from the beginning, the case can fly apart. Allowing KSP to investigate KSP is blatantly conflict of interest. There is an organization, can't recall the proper name right now but it took the place of the Kentucky Bureau of Investigations a few years ago that is set up to investigate just such matters when public officials are involved. The case could have been turned over to the local sheriff's department as well had the family even suspected that the KSP wouldn't hand it off to impartial investigators. (Yes, there is still an apparent conflict since they are all paid from the same pool of money but the investigators for the state don't work hand and glove with locals.)
The problems with Ovey are myriad and his retirement just means that his daughter is stepping into his job. Do you think for one moment she will expose her Daddy's shady dealings? This isn't the first time he's protected members of law enforcement for their crimes. He has refused to prosecute several times that I'm aware of and probably more of which I'm not aware because I don't live his district. His misdeeds could fill an entire thread here. But it would take a totally fearless, nothing to lose approach to expose him and in the current political climate, I don't see that happening. All I can do is hope for the system to work despite the corruption. Sometimes it does.
We had a county sheriff's deputy in the region who was a predator, much like this KSP perv. He preyed on young women who had a record of some sort. It went on for years until someone found an investigator that would believe the word and evidence of a woman who had a record. It took bringing in the FBI and getting him for other crimes but he was sent to jail. (Amazingly, this is the only report I can find of that conviction. www.enquirer.com...)
As for my niece and the other young ladies in the family, yep, they are told to call home immediately if the blue lights go on behind them. Call and leave the line open no matter who is behind the blue lights. These guys prey on young people because most of them don't know their rights. They don't know that a cop can't search their vehicle for a seat belt violation or a burned out headlight. They are easily intimidated because they think they will lose their license. They think that because the predators tell them that. See, it is okay for a cop to lie to a kid he has stopped on the side of the road but if that kid tells the cop a lie the kid can be charged with lying to a officer. Yeah, that's pretty crooked isn't it? When that cop pulls the kid over and says, "I've pulled you over, that gives me the right to search your car." what is the kid going to do if they don't know any better? Then, the cops goes back to his cruiser, gets something from the cruiser, puts on gloves and waaa-lahhh, finds a "roach" or maybe a loose Oxy pill and holds it up saying, "Maybe this is why you didn't want me to search your car. Now are you going to do as I tell you or are we going to jail?" And you know what happens to those predators when the bosses find out beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is happening.....they are allowed to resign and go elsewhere to practice their predatory behavior. You know as well as I do that this true.
At this point all we can do on this case is wait and hope that the evidence hasn't been "lost, misplaced or diluted" by the responsible agencies. This family's faith is the system is pretty much shattered after the treatment she and they have received by their elected public servants. They don't understand how a decent human being could hear the story and see the evidence and call this "a mistake in judgement." Neither do I.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

Yes, Torquey, I understand and this family understands that they are two separate branches. However, they work side by side and rely on each other every single day of business. For one Post of KSP to investigate another Post is a blatant conflict of interest, no matter what the findings are. A flawed investigation is flawed. If there is a "lack of evidence" it is because the evidence given to them has been lost, misplaced, diluted or simply not processed at the state crime lab. At this time that's the only comment that I can make on the issue of evidence.
According to my retired trooper friend, it may be that the evidence simply hasn't been processed and there is a chance that when it is there will be a different outcome. We must trust the system until all the remedies are exhausted.
At this time my hope and prayer is that once the evidence is processed, an indictment and trial will proceed. Perhaps that will encourage his other victims to come forth.

Just digging this case up to show the resolution.
The trooper was charged with misdemeanors. Entered a "not guilty" plea.
www.wpsdlocal6.com...

Now a plea deal has been reached. Thirty days in jail.
www.wpsdlocal6.com...

In my mind this guy should have been charged with sex crimes and should have to register as a predator but the prosecutor didn't see it that way.