COPS GONE WILD

US Capitol Police Officer Thomas Smith Indicted on Federal Charges for Georgetown Hit-And-Run Traffic Crash and Cover-Up

What exactly did a Capitol Police Officer think was going to happen when he violated the policy of his agency when he was doing routine security checks for homes of members of Congress in Georgetown and gave chase to subjects on motorcycles?

 The Capitol Police have a policy for officers to not engage in chases outside their scope of authority but Officer Thomas Smith did so anyway and gave chase to a biker, and rammed one of the motorcycles at the busy intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M. Street in Georgetown, flipping the biker into the air for a flight that ended when the man, identified by police only as W.W. crashed to the pavement.

Officer Smith then took off like a coward and a lout, perhaps unaware that the intersection might have more video cameras than prosecutors may ever desire to prove their case in court.  Back at the Capitol Police Garage, he undertook classic coverup moves that are typical in Washington as criminals in both the White House and Congress have shown over the years.

U.S. Capitol Police Officer Thomas Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating a man’s civil rights and for obstructing justice. Smith, 44, is expected to be arraigned on these charges in the District of Columbia within the next week, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Mathew Graves, in a statement released on June 3, 2022.

The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2020, Smith drove his police vehicle in a reckless and dangerous manner and was deliberately indifferent to the risk of harm he created, which resulted in Smith crashing his car into the victim and injuring him. Smith then knowingly drove away from the scene of the crash without rendering aid, alerting medical authorities, and taking any other reasonable steps to obtain help for the victim. Following the crash, Smith falsified U.S. Capitol Police records to cover up his misconduct.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

 The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

Marmet Police Officer Christopher Osborne Pleads Guilty to Rape of 16-Year-Old Girl in Firehouse

A West Virginia former police officer and firefighter pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a 16-year-old victim by forcibly raping her in a bunk room at the Danville Fire Department in Danville, West Virginia. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement.

During the plea hearing in federal court in the Southern District of West Virginia, Christopher Osborne, 26, admitted that on or about Jan. 19, 2021, while he was an officer with the Marmet Police Department in Marmet, West Virginia, and a firefighter with both the Charleston Fire Department in Charleston, West Virginia, and the Danville Volunteer Fire Department, he used his position, authority and status as a firefighter to forcibly sexually assault the victim. Specifically, Osborne admitted that the victim told him that she did not want to have sex, but he held her down inside the bunk room at the fire station and sexually assaulted her anyway, causing her pain and bodily injury.

“The defendant abused his official authority and position of power to perpetrate a violent sexual assault on a 16-year-old girl,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “Officials who carry out sexual assaults on vulnerable people will be held accountable. The Civil Rights Division will continue to use our criminal civil rights laws to stand up for the survivors of these heinous crimes.”

“As the plea in this case demonstrates, Osborne used his official authority to commit a violent sexual assault on a 16-year-old victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Johnston. “Osborne’s unlawful conduct constitutes a clear deprivation of the minor’s civil rights. Such an egregious abuse of power will not be tolerated. We continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stand up for victims of such crimes. I want to thank the FBI, the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Fire Marshal’s Office for their outstanding investigative efforts in this case.”  

“The facts of this case are troubling,” said Special Agent in Charge Nordwall. “No one is not above the law. As a public servant, Osborne violated his oath and victimized those he swore to protect. The FBI will not look the other way.”

With his guilty plea, the defendant faces a 14-year prison sentence, with a maximum of five years of supervised release, and registration as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

A sentencing date has been set for July 13.

This case was investigated by the Pittsburgh Division of the FBI with the support of the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia State Fire Marshals. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Julie White for the Southern District of West Virginia.

The Charleston Gazette reported that at the time of his arrest in February, 2021, Osborne was a probationary member of the Charleston Fire Department and part-time Marmet police officer. The fire department hired Osborne as a probationary member in October 2020, Chief Shawn Wanner said at the time. The department placed Osborne on unpaid leave after learning of the criminal investigation on Jan. 26.

Marmet Police Chief John J. Perrine told the Gazette that Osborne had been working a few days a month for the department and was suspended without pay as soon as he learned of the investigation.

Rockville Police Officer Admits to Stash of over 12,000 child porn images

Defendant Discarded Computer and Factory Reset Smartphone in Anticipation of an Interview with Federal Law Enforcement

Baltimore, Maryland – Daniel Morozewicz, 38, of Frederick, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of child pornography.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith; and Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins.

According to his guilty plea, from September 2020 to January 2021, while employed as a Rockville Police Officer and an Army National Guardsman, Morozewicz received, possessed, and distributed child pornography on the BitTorrent file-sharing network.  Morozewicz also used multiple electronic devices to download and distribute child pornography involving prepubescent minors.

During that time, Morozewicz repeatedly distributed child pornography to undercover law enforcement officers.  On at least four instances in 2020, investigators determined that the devices associated with Morozewicz’s IP address downloaded and shared child pornographic files on the BitTorrent; including eight packages of child pornography.

A forensic examination of Morozewicz’s devices revealed that he possessed over 12,300 depictions of child pornography and erotica, including over 200 depicts involving the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, and over 90 child pornographic images involving sadomasochistic conduct.

As stated in his guilty plea, on March 4, 2021, Morozewicz received a tip that federal law enforcement wished to conduct an in-person interview with him.  The next day, on March 5, 2021, law enforcement executed a series of search and seizure warrants on Morozewicz’s residence, vehicle, and his person.  As a result of the search of Morozewicz’s person, law enforcement seized a smartphone that had been recently factory reset and erased in light of the impending visit from federal law enforcement.  He also admitted that he discarded his computer in anticipation of a visit from law enforcement.  Morozewicz’s actions were viewed as an attempt to impede the investigation and prosecution of his child pornography offenses.

Multiple electronic devices were seized in connection the warrants executed at Morozewicz’s residence and in his vehicle.  A forensic examination of Morozewicz’s devices revealed that he possessed over 12,300 depictions of child pornography and erotica, including over 200 depicts involving the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, and over 90 child pornographic images involving sadomasochistic conduct.

Morozewicz faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography.   U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has scheduled sentencing for September 8, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.      

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, Chief Counsel with the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, who prosecuted the federal case.

ABC7 reported the following statement from the Rockville Police:
The Rockville City Police Department was notified by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office of the arrest and charging of Rockville City Police Corporal Daniel Morozewicz. Corporal Morozewicz was suspended from our agency in October 2020 and his police powers were revoked regarding an unrelated personnel matter. We are fully cooperating with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Offices and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit’s investigation. Corporal Morozewicz has been with the Rockville City Police Department since July 2013. As this is an ongoing investigation and personnel matter, all inquiries regarding this arrest should be directed to the Frederick County Sherriff’s Office.

PLEA DEAL FOR CHILD PORN OFFENDER DANIEL MOROZEWIEZ