PORTSMOUTH POLICE CHIEF CHARLES HORNER CONTINUES TO HIDE DRUG SEIZED MONEY AND PROPERTY REPORTS

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

(Posted 9:20 a.m., Friday July 25, 2003)

The Ohio Attorney Generals Office notified the Sentinel on July 11, 2003 that Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner  had not filed reports showing how much money and/or property the Portsmouth Police Department had seized in drug raids for fiscal years 2000, 2001 and 2002 as required by law.

Chief Charles Horner was sent a certified letter on June 25, 2003 by a local citizen requesting that the Chief make available for inspection the state mandated drug reports. Chief Horner constantly violates the Ohio Public Records Law 149.43 made for public documents.

Earlier this year Chief Horner was requested for personnel files for six officers of the Portsmouth Police Department, including Chief Horner’s file. Chief Horner wrote a citizen a letter saying the information would be available on July 9, 2003 but as of this date nothing has been made available to this citizen.

Chief Horner has shown a willingness to violate civil rights and other laws of the State of Ohio with so much ease one must wonder what Chief Horner has on those above him in city government.

The drug reports are state mandated, yet for at least three years, Chief Charles Horner or his predecessors have failed to do as the law required.

Failing to do these reports raises very serious questions. How much drug money was seized and what happened to that money.

Citizens, why don’t you just go to the Scioto County Courthouse and check out some of the values listed on Portsmouth Police Officers homes. Many of these officers have homes valued at close to $100,000 or more. Then there are officers that have been on the Portsmouth Police force for 20-25 years living in homes with a value around $50,000.00. There is definitely something wrong in the Portsmouth Police Department.

Another question now comes to mind concerning the fighting between Sgt. Matt Powell of New Boston and Portsmouth Police Chief Horner. That question is this; Did Sgt. Powell know that the Portsmouth Police Department wasn’t following state law with their reports, and if so, was this another reason why Chief Horner is out to get Sgt. Powell?

With no drug reports on file with the State of Ohio Attorney Generals Office or the Portsmouth Police Department, what proof does Chief Horner and his officers have to show that these men and women were not stealing cash or property from drug raids? They have absolutely no proof and that’s why this is so dangerous for all involved in this investigation.

Many of the officers tied closely to Chief Horner appear to live above their means, driving nice new automobiles, living in large homes, on very moderate incomes.

The Sentinel approached City Auditor Trent Williams and asked to see the financial records for drug seized funds for the City of Portsmouth. Auditor Williams informed the Sentinel that he (the City Auditor) did not have records on those funds. Auditor Williams told the Sentinel that Chief Horner could write his own checks and Chief Horner maintained his own set of records.

The Sentinel went to see Chief Horner about 2 months ago. While having a discussion with Captain Gray in the Portsmouth Police Department, Captain Gray confirmed to the Sentinel that all the financial records for drug money and property seized by the Portsmouth Police Department was maintained by the Chief of Police.

The only report given to the Sentinel concerning drug money was a report that showed approximately $13,000.00 in the seized drug money account. Considering that one case, the Dr. Lilly case, put over $244,000.00 into the City of Portsmouth’s drug fund, one has to wonder what happened to all that money.

Chief Horner has not provided any expenditures to either the Ohio State Attorney Generals Office or the Sentinel justifying where this money went.

Did this money go into the officers pockets? Until Chief Horner comes forward with proof of how this money was expended one must think he has something to hide.

Maybe that’s why Chief Horner, Captain Thoroughman, Lt. Brewer and others are out beating the bushes to find someone to testify about Sgt. Matt Powell. Maybe it’s these men that need to be investigated. Check out how many of them have nice big swimming pools in their back yards.

Like we at the Sentinel say, "it’s all about the money." This proves part of what we say just might be true.

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FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE SEEKS SGT. POWELL’S REMOVAL

Memo contains lies; Sentinel has evidence that clears Sgt. Powell.

Information will be provided to Attorney Banks, not the F.O.P.

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

(Posted 9:15 a.m., Tuesday, July 22, 2003)

The Fraternal Order of Police issued a letter to New Boston Sgt. Matt Powell informing Sgt. Powell that the "Lodge Ethics Committee" has met and felt that charges filed against Sgt. Powell, by the members of the lodge, have merit and that the charges should be brought before the lodge. The letter is signed by Laura Davis.

The letter contains charges against Sgt. Powell.  The Sentinel has evidence that will clear Sgt. Powell but the Sentinel is forwarding our information to Sgt. Powell’s attorney, James Banks, so that Banks can use our information to add the F.O.P. to Sgt. Powell’s retaliation lawsuit filed in United States Federal Court in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Two attorneys reviewed the F.O.P. letter sent to Sgt. Powell, and concluded that there are numerous civil violations found in the letter sent to Sgt. Powell.  Sgt. Powell’s attorney should be able to enjoin the F.O.P. in the federal lawsuit once the F.O.P. takes steps to expel Sgt. Powell from the local lodge.

Portsmouth Police Officers told the Sentinel that Lt. Lynn Brewer posted a notice/memo in the Portsmouth Police Department briefing room seeking information to get Sgt. Powell thrown out of the F.O.P.

One of the complaints against Sgt. Powell is that Sgt. Powell "attempted to obtain personal records of Lynn Brewer’s appointment history at a local business on 5/16/03, while stating that it was for an official investigation and that you (Powell) was accusing Lynn Brewer of making appointments on city time thus stealing from the taxpayers."

Sorry F.O.P., that was the Sentinel following Lynn Brewer.  It was an employee of Sun Spot that called the Sentinel and told us to come look at Brewer’s records.  Teresa Fraley was at Sun Spot that day and Sgt. Powell was there picking her up when Lynn Brewer’s tanning visits were reviewed. (You look cute all tanned, Lynn.)

The next allegation is "you (Powell) were following orders given by Carl Compton to strip search a prisoner in your custody (Melissa Lovely, December 2002).

Unless you throw Sgt. Aaron Elliot and other New Boston Officers out of the lodge, plus Portsmouth Police Officer Tommy Lancaster, this statement about Carl Compton is true.  

 New Boston Mayor Jim Warren is on tape telling the Sentinel that Sgt. Carl Compton was at the New Boston Jail and told Sgt. Aaron Elliot it was okay to do the search. (Carl Compton did leave before the strip search and nobody has said otherwise, but Carl Compton was there.)

Another allegation in the letter is "Quotes you made to the Portsmouth Daily Times and the Shawnee Sentinel stating that there is rampant corruption and dishonesty in the Portsmouth Police Department. Further stating in the 6/3/03 edition of the Portsmouth Daily Times "Officers of the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force were alleged to be warning drug dealers in advance before drug raids. They were giving three day warnings."

The Sentinel has the name of the Drug Task Force informant, and the Portsmouth Police Department is being led by a Chief that has violated numerous civil rights of citizens.  Officers in the department like Lt. Brewer and Captain Thoroughman have been video taped misusing city vehicles, so I think the word corrupt fits very nice with a few members of the Portsmouth Police Department.

There’s a complaint in the letter stating that Sgt. Powell "notified his dispatch and made an info only report stating that PPD Unit 180 nearly struck you."

You guys amaze me. The Sentinel has two eye witnesses, other than the Ironton man you all might have intimidated (but we had a phone conversation with him, too. What do you think we have?)  Witnesses say that Officer Kelly drove by Sgt. Powell at a high rate of speed, and nearly hitting Powell while he was talking to a driver of a car he stopped by the New Boston Coke Plant.  Officer Kelly did not have on overhead running lights.

The one complaint that is half true is that Sgt. Powell has been seen with a known convicted felon. But if that’s the criteria for kicking Sgt. Powell out of the F.O.P. then Officer Shipley, Lt. Barney, Lt. Brewer and numerous other officers of the Portsmouth Police should be expelled with Sgt. Powell. These men have all had numerous conversations with the same convicted felon as Sgt. Powell has had.

Furthermore, numerous elected officials have solicited this felon’s assistance in getting information about the Portsmouth Police Department and the corrupt cops in that department.

But the biggest joke of all is this complaint, "Publicly attempting to discredit Charles Horner and accusing him of improper conduct by stating that he refused you assistance in the performance of your duties as a police officer."

The 911 tape clears this up. Then again, there are memos written by Portsmouth Police Officers in the possession of the Sentinel that prove Horner did as Sgt. Powell stated he did.

Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner was discredited a long time ago. I’m sure glad they didn’t try to say Chief Horner had honor or integrity. Everyone would know that’s a lie.

The F.O.P. should stand for FREE OFFICER POWELL. Sgt. Powell’s expulsion from the F.O.P. is probably the best thing that could ever happen to him.  He won’t have to be associated with the crooked cops in the lodge anymore.

Maybe Sgt. Powell should start a new association: F.O.H.C.,  Fraternal Order of Honest Cops.

In this town the group membership would probably be less than half the current F.O.P.  membership.

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WILL FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE FOLLOW LT. LYNN BREWER’S LEAD IN ATTEMPTING TO GET SGT. MATT POWELL REMOVED FROM THE BROTHERHOOD?

FOP President Wayne Campbell being forced to vote Sgt. Powell out of FOP

Union could face being put in retaliation lawsuit by Sgt. Powell

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

(9:00 a.m., Monday, July 21, 2003)

It appears from sources very close to the Portsmouth Police Department that Lt. Lynn Brewer is leading the charge to have the Fraternal Order of Police vote to kick Sgt. Matt Powell out of the so called "brotherhood" of the local union.

From our sources we have learned that Lt. Lynn Brewer posted a memo up on a board in the Portsmouth Police Department briefing room attempting to get officers to come forward and assist with getting Sgt. Powell voted out of the F.O.P.

Considering Lt. Lynn Brewer’s track record this action is a complete joke. Maybe those sun tanning bulbs you lay under while supposedly on duty have you a little worried about that issue being brought out to the public. Sgt. Powell wasn’t the one that got that information Lt. Brewer, it was the Sentinel going to check you out when employees of Sun Spot called us and told us about your visits during duty hours.

Lt. Brewer, wasn’t it you in that city owned Silver Bonneville traveling south on Scioto Trail last week that we videoed? In that car was you, and two children, coming back into the City of Portsmouth from somewhere outside the city limits. What were you doing with children in the city owned car, one in the front seat and one in the back placing the City of Portsmouth at financial risk, not to say your breach of Portsmouth Police Department Policy and Procedures for use of a city vehicle. Maybe BCI & I should investigate you Lt. Brewer.

Lt. Brewer appears to be in dire need of protecting his boss Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner in an attempt to save his own job. Maybe if a new Chief of Police was brought in to head up the Portsmouth Police Department some of the corrupt deals that have gone on with the local force would be brought to light.

Here are a few things that the F.O.P. should consider before they take a vote on Sgt. Matt Powell because we will name names later this week on each instance of removal offenses by current F.O.P. members that were simply overlooked by the F.O.P.:

Extra marital affairs between members of the F.O.P.

Shooting a police weapon into a shower curtain by an F.O.P. member.

Shooting another officer in the leg.

Theft in office and being demoted from Lt. to Sgt.

Driving and wrecking your truck while drunk.

Falsifying information in an affidavit to a judge for a search warrant.

Kicking the wrong door in on a drug raid.

An officer accused of sexual crimes, supported with affidavits.

Being forced to use drugs while on a drug buy and actually doing it. (Wonder who this was?)

A captain misusing his car to go to his kid’s school for a party.

It appears nobody actually understands what is going on in the Sgt. Powell, Chief Horner issue. Or maybe the Portsmouth Police Officers do understand and that’s why they are willing to try to help Chief Horner cover up these crimes.

Sgt. Powell was a great undercover narcotics officer and he set his sight on Chief Horner’s son, an individual that just completed getting his criminal record expunged from prior drug cases.

Sgt. Powell was asking questions about the drug money in the hands of the Scioto County Drug Task Force. You’ll see in a matter of days, there wasn’t much in the accounts from the drug seizures. This leads one to believe that someone was taking things illegally.

It appears Sgt. Powell was on the road of uncovering the corruption within the Scioto County Drug Task Force and the men in charge of that program set out on a path to destroy Sgt. Powell.

I for one hope that Chief Prosecutor Randy Rumble and Assistant Prosecutor Rebecca Bennett allows Chief Horner to get an indictment against Sgt. Matt Powell. When Sgt. Powell is indicted that will allow him and his attorney to put all the local cops under oath before a judge and jury to get to the bottom of Horner’s corruption.

F.O.P. President Wayne Campbell, you’re on notice right now that if one of the complaints brought before the F.O.P. is a complaint by Officer Chris Kelly, there are witnesses that you are totally unaware of that Attorney James Banks knows about.

If one of the complaints is about the Harrisonville shooting, be very careful. The dispatch tapes and other information will prove that the Portsmouth Police Officer came back to assist Sgt. Powell after the second shot was fired. When this gets to court an "honest cop" will tell the truth under oath.

Finally, is the local F.O.P. going to be stupid enough to take a vote that will add this union into the "retaliation federal lawsuit" filed by Sgt. Powell? You are a part of a larger national union of the F.O.P. and I guarantee you that the minute there is a vote to remove Sgt. Powell, a dues paying member with the F.O.P., Attorney Banks will sue the F.O.P. and the officers in charge of that union for retaliation against Sgt. Powell.

Why the rush to kick out an officer that his only mistake was trying to catch a dope user and abuser with connections to the Portsmouth Police Department? If Sgt. Powell is indicted and convicted then you will have the proof you need to kick him out of the F.O.P. but if he’s innocent maybe you should consider kicking out Chief Horner and his henchmen. Just allow the legal system to take its course. That’s what Horner, Brewer and others know, the legal system will prove the corruption they are involved in together.

There’s a need to try to put Sgt. Powell in a bad light to the public. Even if it means destroying the F.O.P., these men will not stop. Isn’t this the same union that a certain member held up a vote when the members want to back Judge Marshall for Common Pleas Court Judge? Maybe they are afraid something will land in front of Judge Marshall.

Wayne Campbell and the other officers of the F.O.P. might just find themselves under suit after Tuesday nights vote. Good luck; you’ll need it.

Maybe this is why Captain David Thoroughman stood out in the middle of the road watching this reporter and tried to chase me down yesterday outside the Scioto County Common Pleas Court Building.

Captain Thoroughman, you at least got some exercise chasing me over to the next block. All you had to do was ask me to stop. I'd be glad to tell you to your face what I have found about all of you.

Sorry Chief Horner and Captain Thoroughman, we got the documents after all.

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TERESA BLANKENSHIP SUES PORTSMOUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SCIOTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Blankenship’s lawsuit filed today in Scioto County Common Pleas Court

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

(Posted 10:10 a.m., Wednesday, July 16, 2003)

Teresa Blankenship of 3009 Noddin Way, Portsmouth, Ohio filed a civil lawsuit today in Scioto County Common Pleas Court against the Portsmouth Police Department and the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office.

Blankenship’s lawsuit is being handled by Attorney James Banks, of Dublin, Ohio and the complaint alleges:

Blankenship a licensed bail bondsman claims "Since on or prior to September, 2002 plaintiff Blankenship has associated herself with Sgt. Matt Powell, a police officer employed by the New Boston Police Department in Scioto County, Ohio, who has spoken out on matters of public concern, including but not limited to misuse/misapplication of public funds and misfeasance and malfeasance in the Portsmouth Police Department and/or the Scioto County Sheriff Office."

"Since on or about September, 2002, when plaintiffs (Blankenship) association with Sgt. Powell became known to defendants, and up to the present time and into the foreseeable future, the plaintiff have and will be denied equal rights with their male contemporaries and/or with their contemporaries who do not associate with "whistleblowers" and/or who do not associate with police officers who exercise their constitutional right of freedom of speech and/or who investigate "leaks" and other issues in defendants’ respective departments and/or speak out on matters of public concern and in the public interest…"

The lawsuit goes on to allege that the Portsmouth Police Department and the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office are trying to put Blankenship out of business.

It continues, "Defendants have instructed plaintiff Blankenship not to tell Sgt. Powell when she learns the location of fugitives from justice and have become irate when they learn that Sgt. Powell is involved in pursuit of such fugitives; Defendants have and continue to question and caution plaintiff Blankenship as to her association with Sgt. Powell and have made it clear that her said association would be detrimental to her and her business."

"In fact, on or about March 26, 2003 Defendant City of Portsmouth caused to have a Memorandum posted in the Portsmouth Police Department instructing its officers to be wary of Sgt. Powell and to document any incidents involving Blankenship."

"Defendants have failed and refused to provide plaintiff Blankenship with documents and other information concerning bonds which are regularly provided to bail bondsmen who do not associate with "troublemakers" such as Sgt. Powell."

"Defendants have advised criminal defendants whom plaintiffs have arrested for "jumping bail" that they [the criminal defendants] should sue plaintiffs for making the arrest without a warrant despite the fact that Blankenship is authorized by law to make arrests in such cases."

"Defendants have and continue to treat Blankenship as if she were a convicted felon or was involved in some illegal activity as a result of her association with Sgt. Powell despite the fact that she has no criminal record and is/has been conducting her bail bond business in a lawful manner and in the same manner as her contemporaries in Scioto County."

"Defendants have followed Blankenship, interrogated her clients without cause, and have advised inmates to use other bondsmen instead of plaintiffs for their bond needs."

"Defendants have released suspects, both those charged with misdemeanors and felonies, on their own recognizance when they [defendants] learn that Blankenship will be writing the suspects bond despite the fact that the stated rules and regulations in such cases require that bond be posted."

"Defendants have failed and refused to allow Blankenship to interview inmates to determine whether bond will be written by Blankenship and have instead required Blankenship to write a bond for any inmate interviewed despite the inmate’s lack of qualification therefore, despite the fact that other bondsmen in Scioto County are permitted to interview inmates prior to writing bonds and are permitted to decline to do so after interview."

Blankenship’s lawsuit seeks compensatory damages in the amount of $500,000, attorney fees and an injunction to stop the unlawful acts by the Portsmouth Police and the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office.

Blankenship and her attorney were unavailable for comment.

NEW LAWSUIT(S) TO BE FILED AS EARLY AS TUESDAY AGAINST PORTSMOUTH POLICE CHIEF CHARLES HORNER

"Wonder what other officers will be in these suits."

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

(posted 2:00 p.m., Saturday, July 12, 2003)

The Sentinel has received information that there are at least two new lawsuits that are being prepared to be filed against Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner and other individuals as early at Tuesday, July 15, 2003.

The names of the plaintiffs are being withheld by the Sentinel to protect the individuals until the suits are filed. One of the lawsuits will be a surprise to even Chief Horner. It appears that Chief Horner messed up again.

It’s unclear what other Portsmouth Police Officers will be named in the new suits being prepared for filing.

Citizens of Portsmouth are slowly beginning to believe that there is a slow tide moving across the city to get the corruption out of the town and get the town booming again.

Each day more and more people are stepping forward to discuss the corruption going on in the city and provide the Sentinel with information to bring the corrupt officials to justice.

People are finally realizing that the Sentinel is not in this for any purpose other than exposing corruption. The writers and staff of this website are not paid, we work for free doing our investigations at our own risk of persecution by the corrupt politicians in this town.

Our information is coming from "honest police officers" that are tired of working for corrupt leaders, employees within the city and county offices that have lived under threats of losing their jobs if they talk and just every day citizens that have decided enough is enough.

Keep sending us the information and we will keep printing.

Have a nice weekend Chief Horner and your fellow officers, we know you are reading this. More suits coming.

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HAS BUREAU OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND IDENTIFICATION
INVESTIGATORS HIT PORTSMOUTH IN POLICE SCANDALS

Jim Jackson and other officials said to be helping Portsmouth Police Chief Horner in his campaign against New Boston Sgt. Matt Powell.

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

(Posted 10:00 a.m., Thursday, July 10, 2003)

The Sentinel has been informed by Portsmouth Police Officers that Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner has been working with the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Identification (BCII) Investigator Jim Jackson in Horner’s covert investigation of New Boston Police Sgt. Matt Powell. Another investigator with BCII named Kerry (it’s unclear if this is the first or last name) has been in the city working on some type of investigation with Investigator Jackson, according to Portsmouth Police Officers.

The Sentinel was told by Portsmouth Police Officers that Chief Horner is attempting to get drug informants to meet with Investigator Jackson to discuss New Boston drug cases. Numerous drug informants and police officers have come forth to discuss that they are angered and disgusted with the tactics being employed by Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner and his attempts to discredit New Boston Narcotics Sgt. Matt Powell.

Many officers, have called or met privately with Sgt. Powell to encourage Sgt. Powell and to let Powell know that the "beat cops" know that this is a personal vendetta against Powell by Chief Horner. The officers are encouraging Powell to hang tough and not lose faith. Many fellow officers say that Chief Horner knows that he will be in trouble in Powell’s civil law suits unless Horner can get Powell arrested. Chief Horner has stepped up his attempts to get known drug users and dealers to come forward on Powell.

Considering that the City of Portsmouth has suffered through three (3) murders in the last week, one must ask why so much emphasis is being placed on getting a police officer arrested by the Portsmouth Police Chief. This is proof that Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner cares about one person, Chief Charles Horner, and not the victims or the family members of the citizens of Portsmouth that have lost loved ones this week.

Many drug informants have stated to the Sentinel that Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner and other Portsmouth Police Officers are calling and harassing them about their drug informant cases with Sgt. Powell. Numerous calls were made today, July 9, 2003. Each informant that met with Sentinel reporters was asked by Sentinel reporters whether or not they had been witness to any illegal activity by Sgt. Powell. None of the informants indicated that they had ever seen Sgt. Powell commit a crime. No informant was ever offered a bribe by Sgt. Powell to lie on someone Sgt. Powell was investigating.

Chief Scioto County Prosecutor R. Randy Rumble confirmed that the Scioto County Grand Jury had heard testimony from a TST Wrecker Driver John Stewart concerning some type of complaint made by Chief Horner to the Scioto County Prosecutors Office about Sgt. Matt Powell. It’s obvious that Chief Horner is using the entire gambit of the legal process to get something filed against Sgt. Matt Powell and that nobody, including New Boston Village Officials are lifting a finger to stop him.

Inmates at the Scioto County Jail have stated that numerous Portsmouth Police Officers have been offering bribes to drug abusers or dealers to get information about Sgt. Matt Powell. Last week Chief Horner and Captain David Thoroughman sat in the back of Judge William Marshall’s courtroom while a New Boston drug informant was threatened with prison time even though she had a deal to work for the Village of New Boston to help get drug dealers.

Chief Horner and Captain Thoroughman had no reason to be in the courtroom except one, to try to get something from the drug informant if she was sent to jail. The drug informant had been taken down to see Chief Charles Horner at the Portsmouth Police Department after being lied to by a Portsmouth Police Detective who told the informant that the Portsmouth Police wanted the drug informant to help with a drug buy. The informant has stated publicly that Chief Horner wanted her to lie on Sgt. Matt Powell and that she reported this information to the New Boston Police Department. A video statement of that informant was taken by New Boston Police Chief Darrold Clark in the presence of the informant’s attorney.

Sgt. Powell was asking questions about the Scioto County Drug Task Force money and how the Village of New Boston was not receiving seized drug money at the time this investigation began on Sgt. Powell. Is that what this is all about? Money!

The Sentinel has information that a citizen filed certified letters to Scioto County Sheriff Marty Victor Donini and Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner on June 24, 2003 requesting copies of reports that their respective offices were to file with the Ohio Attorney Generals Office concerning the expenditures of seized drug money. As of today, July 10, 2003, neither Sheriff Donini nor Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner has provided the reports as demanded under Ohio Public Records Law 149.43.

This same citizen filed the same request with the Ohio Attorney Generals Office, (the Agency that BCII works for) demanding the same drug reports that Sheriff Donini and Chief Horner were required to file. The Ohio Attorney Generals Office has not called nor have they sent copies of the requested reports that are suppose to be filed with their office.

This leaves one question. Are there any reports to show the actual expenditures of the seized drug money by these law enforcement offices and were those expenditures legal?

Why hasn’t Chief Horner or Sheriff Donini produced reports that are to be readily available to the public? The deadlines for the preparation of the annual seized drug money receipts and expenditure reports are March and April of each year.

Considering Chief Horner’s checkered past one must wonder why Horner is being provided with so much help in his attempt to get individuals that are known drug dealers, users, crack heads, etc. to provide lies to bring down one of Scioto County’s best undercover narcotics officers.

Chief Horner, as a member of the Scioto County Drug Task Force, was at a raid where someone kicked down the wrong door of an elderly couple on Harrisonville Avenue in the early 1990’s. The elderly man was thrown to the floor and handcuffed. The man died a few days later.

Chief Horner had his professional immunity stripped by a United States Federal Judge for lying to a Portsmouth judge about information used in a search warrant in the Johnie and Nina Ruby case. The federal judge wrote in papers filed in federal court that Chief Horner and Officer Todd Bryant didn’t show the federal court anything that supported the information found in the affidavit for a search warrant.

(The Ruby case doesn’t appear to be the only case with a faulty search warrant. The Sentinel will be bringing other search warrants found illegal soon.)

Chief Horner has now shown an open willingness to reveal the identities of drug informants used by the Village of New Boston, placing the lives of the informants in jeopardy. The informants are receiving threats and many believe that they could be killed because of Chief Horner’s actions. What is scaring informants is the fact that BCII is assisting Chief Horner in his attempt to get them to tell lies on Sgt. Matt Powell.

Should one of these informants be killed, Chief Charles Horner and all the public official’s, including those working for BCII, that have either provided the names of the informants to drug users or dealers, or those officials that failed to act to stop Chief Charles Horner, should be held personally responsible.

The informants being called by Chief Horner believe that a former New Boston Police Officer that now works for the Portsmouth Police Department may be providing the names of informants to Chief Charles Horner.

Drug informants are being told by Chief Charles Horner that the Portsmouth Police Department and BCII have been asked by the New Boston Police Department to assist in the investigation of Sgt. Matt Powell. When informants call Mayor Jim Warren, New Boston Police Chief Darrold Clark or other New Boston Village Officials, the informants are told that New Boston did not request any investigation against Sgt. Matt Powell. If those statements are true, Chief Horner is telling lies to the informants in the presence of a BCII Investigator.

It’s time for either New Boston or Portsmouth Police Officials to publicly acknowledge who asked for BCII to assist in this investigation. The cat’s out of the bag now. Either Chief Horner is telling the truth about New Boston requesting BCII’s help or Chief Horner is lying to informants in the presence of Jim Jackson of BCII.

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QUESTIONS BEGIN TO SURFACE IN CITY OFFICIAL DEATH.

INFORMATION PROVIDED TO SENTINEL INDICATES THIS WAS NOT A RANDOM KILLING.

Did someone in the Burns family file a complaint on Psychiatrist Adams before Burns murder took place?

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

(Posted 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 9, 2003)

The Sentinel has received information that the shooting of Portsmouth City Official Bob Burns may be linked to some type of complaint filed by the Burns family against suspect John M. Adams.

Sources wishing anonymity claim that a member of the Burns family may have been under the care of Psychiatrist John M. Adams prior to the shooting of Bob Burns.

Two sources stated to the Sentinel that the Portsmouth Police Department and the Scioto County Prosecutors Office are seriously considering the death penalty against Adams. The death penalty could be invoked if the Prosecutors Office has evidence to prove premeditation.

Apparently, either Bob Burns or his wife may have filed, or was contemplating filing, some type of complaint against Adams prior to the shooting of Bob Burns at the Burn’s home on July 3, 2003. The Sentinel has not been able to locate if, or where, a complaint was filed but sources indicate that this may be the motive behind the shooting of Bob Burns.

Individuals close to the Burns family believe that Adams acted with premeditation in this shooting and believe that Adams should face the death penalty.

"He drove down here with a loaded gun went in their home and shot the man in cold blood, what else do you need", stated a neighbor of Burns.

Members of the Marshall University Community were shocked to learn that one of their former colleagues could have been involved in the shooting of Burns. The Sentinel attempted to find out the reason why Adams left his position as an associate professor in Marshall University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine in January of 2003 on sick leave. The only information provided to the Sentinel about Adams departure from Marshall University was that Adams was sick and his contract expired on June 30, 2003.

Adams is currently being held on $450,000 cash bond in the Greenup County, Kentucky Jail. An extradition hearing will be held on Monday, July 14, 2003. Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner will seek a Governors warrant should Adams fight extradition back to Ohio.

The Scioto County Grand Jury is expected to take up the Burns murder case as early as this Friday.

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NEW BOSTON POLICE SGT. CLAIMS CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES HAD INFORMED HIM THAT PORTSMOUTH POLICE CHIEF’S SON WAS DEALING AND USING ILLEGAL DRUGS.

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

New Boston Police Sgt. Matt Powell told the Sentinel and Portsmouth Daily Times that he believes the reason Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner is attempting to destroy Sgt. Powell’s reputation as a police officer is because Sgt. Powell had been investigating Chief Horner’s son for involvement in drug activity in the Portsmouth and New Boston area.

Sgt. Powell met with reporters on Friday, June 27, 2003 and stated, "I had information from reliable confidential sources that David Horner, Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner’s son, was involved in drug activity in the Village of New Boston. I had him under investigation off and on for about eight months and was just about two phone calls away from getting him." Sgt. Powell went on to say that former New Boston Police Officer, and current Portsmouth Police Officer Tommy Lancaster, told Sgt. Powell, "The first bag of pot I smoked when I was a teenager, I bought from David Horner." Sgt. Powell told reporters that Officer Lancaster had told him (Powell) that he had grown up with David Horner and had spent nights at Chief Horner’s home.

Sgt. Powell claims that Officer Lancaster told Sgt. Powell that when he (Lancaster) was interviewed for a job as a Portsmouth Police Officer in April 2003, Lancaster said that Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner asked Lancaster if he would have any problems writing up information about Sgt. Powell if asked to do so by Chief Horner. Officer Lancaster told this information to Sgt. Powell while Lancaster was still employed as a New Boston Police Officer in April of 2003.

According to Sgt. Powell, Officer Tommy Lancaster came to see Sgt. Powell when events started to begin to be revealed about the Chief Horner memo. Sgt. Powell told the Sentinel that Officer Lancaster had told him that he (Lancaster) felt he was going to lose his job unless he gave information to Chief Horner to use against Sgt. Powell.

On Wednesday, June 25, 2003, the Scioto County Grand Jury heard testimony about a case involving the arrest of a Donald Murphy. John Stewart of TST Wrecking was called to testify concerning the events around that arrest and the manner in which Sgt. Powell handled certain seized drugs. Sgt. Powell was assisted in that drug arrest by Officer Tommy Lancaster. Is this just a coincidence?

On March 26, 2003, Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner issued a directive to all Portsmouth Police Officers that required any Portsmouth Police Officer that had any contact with Sgt. Matt Powell, either on duty or off duty, to file a written report directly to Chief Charles Horner.

Chief Horner’s memo was brought to light after a homicide-suicide shootings on Harrisonville Avenue in Portsmouth on April 6, 2003. Sgt. Powell was sent to backup Portsmouth Police at the scene where a man held a hostage at gunpoint. Upon Sgt. Powell’s arrival on the scene Sgt. Powell was asked to go behind the house and watch the back door. Sgt. Powell radioed for assistance when the suspect and hostage came out on the back porch with the suspect waving a gun in the air. Sgt. Powell remained hidden while awaiting the arrival of Portsmouth Police Officers to assist, but no Portsmouth officers ever came to help.

After the suspect and hostage went back inside the house, the suspect shot and killed his hostage, and then killed himself. Sgt. Powell asked officers from the Portsmouth Police Department why nobody came around back to help him, and was told by Portsmouth Patrolman Brown that nobody came around because of the Horner memo.

Sgt. Powell got a copy of the memo on April 7, 2003.

Sgt. Powell then began to investigate other incidents where Portsmouth Police failed to back him up; particularly an incident on March 30, 2003, when Sgt. Powell asked for Portsmouth Police to back him up when he tried to serve a felony arrest warrant on Timothy J. Howell on 20^th Street in Portsmouth. ( 1. See note at end of this article)

Chief Horner ordered Portsmouth Police Officers on the scene to not back up Sgt. Powell. Sgt. Powell stated Friday, "It’s obvious what Chief Horner’s intentions were; he wanted something to happen to me to stop me from arresting his son, even if it meant putting me in harm’s way, and it looks like some of his officers were willing to help him."

Sgt. Powell has filed a lawsuit against Chief Horner in Scioto County Common Pleas Court. Rumor has it that another lawsuit is being contemplated by Sgt. Powell and his attorney, James Banks, of Dublin, Ohio. The new lawsuit may be filed in Federal Court in Cincinnati, Ohio; the names of the defendant(s) have yet to be disclosed by Sgt. Powell.

D D (posted 12:03 a.m. Monday, June 30, 2003)

PORTSMOUTH POLICE CHIEF CHARLES HORNER AND OFFICER TODD BRYANT TRY FOR A SECOND TIME TO BUY PERJURED TESTIMONY FROM SHERRY MUNION

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

There’s no longer any need to try to protect a drug informant that Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner is trying to get to give perjured testimony against New Boston Police Sgt. Matt Powell surrounding the arrest of Melissa Lovely in December 2002.

Yesterday afternoon, sources notified the Sentinel, that Sherry Munion, a drug informant used by both Portsmouth and New Boston, was picked up and taken to the Portsmouth Police Department and interrogated, (and Munion claims there is a tape recording) and asked to go public that Sgt. Matt Powell planted drugs on Melissa Lovely in her arrest in December 2002.

Munion met with the Sentinel last month and told the Sentinel about Officer Bryant and Chief Horner offering her cash money to go to the Daily Times and lie to the public about Sgt. Powell. Munion also stated that Chief Horner and Officer Bryant told her that they wanted to get her attorney, Eric Wrage, off her case. (Courthouse officials told the Sentinel Wrage was threatened with disciplinary action by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Randy Rumble if he didn’t drop the Munion case, see Doug Deepe Digs)

Munion went to the New Boston Police Department and gave a taped interview telling Chief Darrold Clark about the first interview by Chief Horner and Officer Bryant. Remember, Horner and Bryant was stripped of their immunity by a federal judge in the Johnie and Nina Ruby case. Chief Horner and Officer Bryant are proven liars.

It appears, once word leaked out yesterday, that New Boston Mayor Jim Warren and New Boston Police Chief Darrold Clark were about to announce their decision to suspend Sgt. Powell, for his part in the illegal strip search of Melissa Lovely, Chief Horner and Officer Bryant wasted no time going back to buy perjured testimony from a known drug informant, Munion, to use against Sgt. Matt Powell in Powell’s civil litigation against Chief Horner.

The Sentinel warned Mayor Warren that Chief Horner would waste little time jumping on any action taken against Sgt. Matt Powell. Other drug users and dealers have been offered bribes by Horner and Bryant including Jimmy Young and Melissa Lovely.

Why did Melissa Lovely suddenly ask Attorney Pat Apel to take over her case and drop her attorney Christine Scott? Is it possible that Melissa Lovely was so drugged up the night of her arrest that she was totally unaware that the strip search even happened? Lovely’s first attorney, Christine Scott, was unaware of the search. It’s obvious that Chief Horner went to Lovely to use her to get Sgt. Powell after Powell sued Chief Horner. The only problem with Chief Horner’s plan was that he forgot Portsmouth Police Sgt. Carl Compton was also a party to the strip search of Melissa Lovely.

Maybe it’s time for the Scioto County Prosecutors Office to use the Scioto County Grand Jury to investigate this mess. Oh, they can’t because we now know they are a player in this game. (See Doug Deepe Digs)

If there ever was a need for an outside investigation, it’s this mess. It will never happen because the Scioto County Prosecutors Office will never let the corruption be exposed publicly because of the embarrassment it will cause the region. Scioto County Grimshaw needs to be replaced next election unless he orders a special prosecutor.

D D