posted September 15, 2016 05:00 PM                  

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ST. LOUIS • A St. Louis police sergeant who was president of an organization that represents black St. Louis police officers has been indicted on multiple fraud charges after misappropriating more than $80,000 from the group.

Sgt. Darren Wilson, 41, was suspended without pay in March 2015, amid ongoing internal and criminal investigations into “financial irregularities” discovered by the Ethical Society of Police in December. As much as $200,000 went missing from the organization.

A federal grand jury indicted Wilson on Thursday on nine felony counts of wire fraud. The indictment remained sealed until Monday when he turned himself in, according to a press release from the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.

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posted September 16, 2016 03:00 AM                  

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Wilson has been a city police officer since March 1997. He is not related to the former Ferguson police officer of the same name, whose shooting of Michael Brown sparked nationwide attention.

Wilson was president of the Ethical Society of Police in 2013 and 2014, which gave him signature authority over the group’s bank account and access to funds in the organization’s account with checks and an ATM/debit card, according to the indictment. The money came mostly from monthly dues from the group’s members.

The indictment alleges that between July 2013 and December 2014 Wilson used the money for his own purposes, and transmitted some of the misappropriated money byFed Wire, PayPal, and Western Union wire transfers. To conceal his fraudulent activity, Wilson presented false information to the group’s officers and members.

Each count of the indictment carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a fine up to $250,000.The Ethical Society of Police discovered irregularities in December 2014. They were reported to police the next month, and the department launched internal and criminal investigations. St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson said Wilson has been on unpaid leave.

“Criminal conduct by any employee will not be tolerated,” Dotson said in a statement. ”The actions of Wilson are not representative of the hard work and dedication of the men and women who serve the St. Louis community. We hold our officers to the highest standards and when they fall short of what we expect, we take action.”

Dotson has said that no public money was missing and that all of it came from dues of members of the Ethical Society.
Wilson’s attorney, Timothy J. Smith of Maplewood-based Rudman & Smith, characterized his client as an “outstanding citizen” with a “long history of being an outstanding police officer.”
He said he expects his client to be released on his own recognizance and said a hearing has been set for April 21.

“I would caution anyone to a rush to judgment regarding this,” he said. “Certainly if there’s anyone who deserves the benefit of the doubt, it’s certainly someone of Mr. Wilson’s character.”
‘NO OFFICER IS ABOVE THE LAW’

Sgt. Heather Taylor was appointed as president of the Ethical Society of Police after the organization removed Wilson from his position. She thanked the department for its investigation.

”We came forward to Internal Affairs to report one of our own officers for what we believed was wrongdoing, and they initiated an investigation which we believe was fair and comprehensive,” she said. “We’re in agreement with the indictment.

“What was done was wrong, and no officer is above the law,” she added. “We must adhere to the same laws we enforce.”

Taylor said the group has instituted changes to how its finances are handled to ensure “this never happens again.”

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