Bureaucrats Behaving Badly -- SUPERSIZED!
Lowlights in 'public service' for the week ending 13 October
Know about a bureaucrat behaving badly? Got a link to a maddening, disturbing, or hilarious account of an out-of-control “public servant”? Contact me at dowd@dowdmuska.com or @dowdmuska.
Winter Springs High School teacher arrested for molesting student, faces judge (WFTV)
“During the investigation, detectives learned that Cridlebaugh inappropriately touched the teen five times, with all of the incidents happening in the classroom, except for one that happened in a nearby parking lot.”
Suburban KC teacher pleads guilty to sexually assaulting child, sending nudes to students (The Kansas City Star)
“She and several other middle schoolers communicated with Carey, who went by ‘thundergod714’ and ‘thunder_god7,’ during a Friday night sleepover. They were sent videos of Carey masturbating, according to charging documents.”
Former IDEA Rio Vista teacher arrested in eighth grade student sex case in Socorro (El Paso Times)
“When interviewed by investigators, the girl allegedly told them she sent Patterson nude photos and that she had sex with him twice, both times in his car behind the community center.”
Former Sacramento County middle school teacher sentenced to 5 years for child sexual assault (KCRA)
“The DA’s office said that he had invited students to his house often and provided them with alcohol and marijuana.”
Former teacher pleads not guilty in sex case (Chesterton Tribune)
“He would regularly hang out with the students, at times supplying alcohol and cigarettes, the court record says.”
“This isn’t the first time sexual abuse allegations have surfaced involving staff at Fairmont Junior High. In April, teacher and basketball coach Eric McDermott was arrested and accused of raping a teenage student.”
Vista Ridge High School teacher charged with indecency with a child (KXAN)
“[T]he adolescent involved ... told them he had a sexual interaction in Russell’s car after school one day.”
Edgecombe County school custodian charged with sex offenses against students, sheriff’s office says (WNCN)
“During that interview the student said there were two more students she witnessed Wells touch.”
Former southwest Iowa high school teacher charged with sex abuse takes plea deal (KCRG)
“Investigators say he abused a child for over a decade.”
Former Port St. Lucie teacher faces 5 counts of sexual battery on student (WPTV)
“Last month, he was charged with misdemeanor battery. … [H]e was arrested after an incident with his daughter’s boyfriend at a Dollar Tree.”
Former Arkansas high school principal & coach arrested, facing sexual assault charge (KARK)
“[H]e was accused of inappropriate behavior with female students.”
Teacher arrested, charged with inappropriate relationship with student (Weatherford Democrat)
“The student was interviewed and reported he and the teacher had sex in her car once during the summer of 2023.”
Moreno Valley school district hit with $135-million verdict in molestation case (Los Angeles Times)
“In their lawsuit, the two former students said they were repeatedly sexually abused by West from 1996 through 1999 at Vista Heights Middle School. They said West had previously faced charges of molesting his foster son, and that the district’s officials knew, or should have known, that West posed a threat to students.”
“Prosecutors may take another charge against Luna — possession of child pornography — to a grand jury.”
Ex-SRVUSD admin, embroiled in arrested teacher scandal, permanently ousted as principal in Lafayette (DanvilleSanRamon.com)
“Public records also revealed Moseby's original job application for SRVUSD listed Chaplan as a reference.”
Suspended UH professor had over 260 images of child porn, prosecutors say (KHOU)
“During his second court appearance, prosecutors said Chang had images of naked children as young as 8 years old. He also had videos showing a child performing sex acts, according to prosecutors.”
Mother outraged by Humble ISD teacher slipping melatonin gummies to nonverbal kindergarteners (KTRK-TV)
“The mother, who does not want her name used, said her 5-year-old son is nonverbal, and this is her worst nightmare: something happening at school, and her son is unable to communicate.”
Caldwell Parish High School teacher placed on leave following arrest (KNOE)
“The victim told officers Crockett threw the victim on the bed, got on top of the victim, and then put his hands around the victim’s throat while locking the victim’s legs between his legs.”
James Madison High School basketball coach accused of stealing money from school event (WUSA)
“In July, detectives began investigating the coach after receiving a tip from the Human Resources Section of Fairfax County Public Schools. That tip regarded ‘potential misappropriation of funds.’”
Gilmer ISD teacher placed on leave after allegations of inappropriate communication with student (KETK)
“Due to the District’s pending investigation and applicable privacy laws, the District is unable to share detailed information about this matter.”
Videos show former CT state worker opening fire inside Bristol police station (Hearst Connecticut Media)
“A state official confirmed to Hearst Connecticut Media that Laprise worked for 12 years for the state Department of Developmental Services, which helps people with disabilities.”
DA: Former Tulare Co. deputy charged with torture (KGPE/KSEE)
“Court records state during the alleged crime Ramirez was said to be on parole for a May 2021 domestic violence conviction.”
Fired Pierce County deputy sentenced to prison for stalking wife, violating no-contact order (KIRO)
“He fled to California after he trashed their home, according to court records.”
Off-duty Loudoun Co. sheriff’s deputy arrested for domestic assault (WTOP)
“[A]n investigation revealed that Kumar, according to police, assaulted a family member and prevented another family member from calling police.”
Snohomish County deputy prosecutor arrested on suspicion of DUI (The Everett Herald)
“A ‘very strong odor’ of alcohol emanated from inside the truck, according to police. Thomsen had a ‘blank stare’ on his face and seemed impaired, the deputy wrote.”
Former Rusk County employee accused of having inappropriate relationship with jail inmate (KLTV)
“She is charged with bringing prohibited items into a correctional facility and inappropriate relationship with a person in custody, carrying a collective bond total of $50,000.”
Former Maine corrections officer charged with bribery pleads not guilty (WABI)
“Merrill, [and] Melanie Ann High of Florida, were arrested in July for their alleged involvement in a scheme using state funds to purchase products from certain vendors in exchange for illegal kickback payments.”
Bemidji City Employee Charged with Felony Theft for Taking $3,400 in Ice Rental Payments (Lakeland PBS)
“Pederson is accused of taking $3,400 in cash last April that was paid for ice time rental at the arena. Pederson admitted to a Bemidji police investigator that he had the money.”
County Employee Who Was Arrested For Theft Is Terminated (Chattanoogan.com)
“Video footage at the different stations confirmed Dean was present and footage at one specific station captured him in a Hamilton County uniform stealing a weed eater.”
Lexington police records reveal more about incidents that led to 2 officer suspensions (Lexington Herald-Leader)
“The lieutenant who drove Stafford home after failing the alcohol test was also interviewed for the investigation. Police records say Stafford told the lieutenant he split two pitchers of beer and some wine with his wife as well as consuming some ‘sleepy time tea’ mixed with bourbon.”
Former St. Martin Parish sheriff’s deputy arrested, terminated from position (KLFY)
“She is being charged with possession of stolen things and malfeasance in office.”
DNR officer fired after incident with ‘Officer Hot Stuff’ of the Ankeny police (Iowa Capital Dispatch)
“During the discussion with police, Jansen allegedly asked one of the officers if he dated older women and referred to him as ‘Officer Hot Stuff,’ the DNR later alleged. In addition, she reportedly admitted more than once that it was likely that she was drunk at the time, and then informed the officers she had used a state database maintained by the DNR to determine the marital status of at least one person she was considering dating.”
Northeast Iowa Community College president placed on administrative leave (KCRG)
“The college did not specify the reason for placing Dr. Riedel on administrative leave but stated that the college would maintain its normal operations.”
Audit finds that USPS still doesn’t have a handle on arrow key thefts (WFTV)
“The Office of Inspector General found in a sampling of five states, including Florida, where there should have been a total of 550 arrow keys in service, nearly a third — 155 — were missing. Of that, a vast majority — 140 — were not listed in the Postal Inspection Service’s own report tracking missing keys.”
Audit calls NASA’s goal to reduce Artemis rocket costs ‘highly unrealistic,’ threat to deep space exploration (Orlando Sentinel)
“NASA’s aspirational goal to achieve a cost savings of 50% is highly unrealistic. Specifically, our review determined that cost saving initiatives in several SLS production contracts … were not significant.”
New Jersey’s watchdog presses towns over ‘improper’ payouts (The Center Square)
“The failure of the nine municipalities to prepare a corrective action plan, as directed by the Office of the State Comptroller, creates risks that taxpayer funds will be wasted and that unlawful policies will remain in effect.”
Aldermen enraged CPD officers with history of lying allowed to remain on force (WBBM-TV)
“Some of those officers instead have been promoted many times over.”
Game wardens describe retaliation and intimidation in a new audit report (Montana Public Radio)
“The audit also found issues with the department’s record keeping practices, the process for filing grievances and communication of wardens’ duties. The report provided recommendations to fix the problems and the FWP agreed to all of them.”
Audit finds NJ lost millions by not using own unemployment program during COVID-19 (North Jersey Media Group)
“Beyond the Shared Work Program, the audit identified several other weaknesses in the state’s management of the unemployment insurance fund during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chiefly among them was the unemployment insurance division’s lack of oversight and monitoring over the unemployment benefits call center it contracted in 2020 to handle an influx of calls.”
NLRB Inspector General Finds Agency Worked to Swing Election for Union, Followed by Cover-Up (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
“These allegations ... included NLRB officials making secret arrangements to allow pro-union voters to cast ballots in person (despite this being a mail-ballot election), providing extra mail ballots to certain voters, disclosing real-time details of how the balloting was unfolding to the union, mishandling ballots that had been cast, and attempting to conceal their activities intended to secure a union victory.”