Arkansas: The downward spiral of former Hot Spring County Sheriff Derek “Scott” Finkbeiner, 47, continued with his fourth arrest on May 2, 2025, reported KATV out of Little Rock. The arrest stemmed from Finkbeiner’s attempt to contact a witness, co-­defendant Jordan Hammond, through the Signal app, violating a court order issued after his February 14, 2025, plea hearing. Finkbeiner ignored Chief District Judge Susan O. Hickey’s directive to avoid contact with any party involved in his case. Initially arrested by the FBI in November 2023 for obstruction of justice, Finkbeiner faced federal charges for concealing material facts in an FBI drug investigation. Disturbing details emerged about Finkbeiner’s interference in a federal drug sting by falsely portraying a drug dealer as an informant, withholding information, and engaging in illicit drug use and solicitation of a confidential informant. His legal troubles escalated with a second arrest in April 2023 on state charges of unauthorized access to the Arkansas Crime Information Center for personal gain and sexual solicitation. Following a third arrest in February 2025 and a guilty plea to a federal charge of misleading investigators, Finkbeiner resigned on February 18, 2025. As of May 8, 2025, judge Barry A. Bryant ordered Finkbeiner to remain in detention, finding him “unlikely to abide” by the conditions of release.

California: A post-­trial plea agreement offered to former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Trevor Kirk, convicted of felony excessive force against a Black woman, has ignited controversy. Atlanta Black Star reported that the new top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles proposed that Kirk plead guilty to a misdemeanor instead, prompting the resignation of several assistant U.S. Attorneys who secured the felony conviction. Kirk was found guilty on February 6, 2025, of one count of felony deprivation of rights under color of law for using unreasonable force against Jacy Houseton during a June 2023 arrest at a Lancaster grocery store. The incident involved Kirk throwing Houseton to the ground, placing his knee on her back and neck, and pepper-­spraying her in the face, causing injuries, including a blunt force head injury and chemical conjunctivitis. The proposed misdemeanor plea deal would have the U.S. Attorney’s Office move to strike the jury’s finding of injury, downgrading the charge from a felony, which carries a maximum of 10 years in prison, to a misdemeanor with a maximum one-­year sentence. The government agreed to recommend one year of probation and would not bar Kirk from future law enforcement employment. On May 27, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen V. Wilson rejected the post-­conviction plea deal but granted a separate motion to reduce the conviction to a misdemeanor, citing sufficient evidence from body camera footage and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department policy violations. Houseton’s attorney, Caree Harper, called the deal “a slap in the face of justice,” arguing it undermines a lawful jury verdict. The Los Angeles Sheriffs’ Professional Association praised the reduction. This unusual move, by newly appointed U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California, has raised eyebrows about the undermining of a jury’s decision in a civil rights case.

Colorado: On April 25, 2025, former LaSalle Police Officer Erik Hernandez, 36, was sentenced to six years in prison for the manslaughter of Juston M. Reffel. According to CBS News Colorado, Hernandez pleaded guilty in January 2025 to manslaughter after a mistrial in his second-­degree murder case in November 2024. The incident occurred in May 2023 outside a Family Dollar store in LaSalle, where Hernandez and another officer were investigating a suspicious vehicle. As Reffel, who was unarmed, attempted to drive away, Hernandez fired four shots, striking Reffel in the torso and killing him almost instantly. Hernandez, who had been on the job for three days, faced criticism from Weld District Judge Marcelo Kopcow, who stated that Hernandez “had no business being a police officer” due to the preventable, criminal nature of the shooting. Reffel’s family highlighted the profound impact of his death, noting that his 15-­year-­old son had not left his bedroom for over 763 days by the sentencing date. Prosecutors argued for the maximum sentence, citing “government overreach,” Hernandez’s recklessness, and the heavy impact on the community of the unlawful killing.

Florida: The family of a 17-­year-­old boy critically injured by a K9 attack during an arrest in May 2023 is suing the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), alleging excessive force and civil rights violations. WFTS Tampa reported that body camera footage showed Deputy Sarah Ernstes’ K9, Roy, biting Roderick Smith Jr. for 75 seconds while he was on the ground, even after being handcuffed. The lawsuit claims that Ernstes failed to issue a timely release command, resulting in Smith sustaining a severed femoral artery and requiring multiple surgeries. Attorney Anthony Halmon stated that the injuries have cost Smith’s family $250,000 in medical bills. An HCSO review found no policy violations, and Ernstes was promoted to corporal in 2024. The federal lawsuit, filed in April 2025, continues, with HCSO’s motions to dismiss unsuccessful as of May 2025. A court hearing is scheduled for July 15, 2025, to address pretrial motions. 

Florida: Former Tampa Police Department Sergeant Paul Leo Mumford, 64, who served for 29 years and led the sex crimes unit for 18 months, was sentenced on May 16, 2025, to 111 years in prison. FOX 13 Tampa reported that the sentence followed his January 2025 conviction on 100 counts of possessing child pornography. A March 2021 tip led to a search of Mumford’s devices, uncovering over 100 images of child sexual abuse and 61 Word documents with explicit stories involving children, some mirroring Mumford’s life. Prosecutors noted the exploitation of at least 162 children in the files, with evidence of multiple access and modification dates. The defense argued it was a single downloading act, citing no prior record, but Judge Robin L. Fuson rejected this, stating, “One does not find child pornography accidentally.” Mumford, a reserve officer at the time, was fired post-­arrest. The case remains closed with no appeals filed as of June 2025.

Indiana: Gregory Guilfoyle, a former Greenhills police officer, was sentenced to 100 years in prison on May 12, 2025, for a 2022 shooting spree. WKRC Cincinnati reported that Guilfoyle, 31 at the time, was found guilty but mentally ill on eight counts, including attempted murder and aggravated battery. In a disturbing incident on December 22, 2022, he shot his pregnant wife, Hannah Lynch, in the head at their Brookville home, dragged her into a blizzard, and left her to die, causing severe injuries, including frostbite and the loss of their unborn child. Carrying his 23-­month-­old daughter in a onesie, Guilfoyle then shot Franklin County Deputy Arin Bowers, who returned fire, rendering Guilfoyle a paraplegic. The child suffered frostbite. Guilfoyle’s PTSD defense, tied to a 2016 incident, was refuted by Lynch and colleagues. Judge Robin L. Fuson emphasized the intentional nature of the crimes. No appeals have been filed as of June 2025.

Massachusetts: Former Massachusetts State Police Sergeant Gary Cederquist was found guilty on May 2, 2025, of orchestrating a bribery scheme involving commercial driver’s license (CDL) tests. Boston.com reported that Cederquist was found guilty on 49 charges, including two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, one count of extortion, and six counts of honest services mail fraud. He accepted bribes, including premium beverages and a $10,000 driveway, in return for passing unqualified drivers. In a text exchange with a water company employee, Cederquist called an applicant “horrible” and “brain dead” but passed them in exchange for a $2,000 snowblower. Between May 2019 and January 2023, Cederquist and three troopers falsified records for at least 17 drivers, using the code word “golden” to mark passing scores despite poor performance. Four others involved pleaded guilty and await sentencing. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley condemned Cederquist’s actions, noting risks to public safety from unqualified drivers. Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2025. The scandal further tarnishes the Massachusetts State Police’s reputation, following a prior overtime fraud case.

Mississippi: Sinatra Jordan, 32, was released on March 11, 2025, after spending 940 days in Hinds County Detention Center awaiting trial for charges of firing at Mississippi Capitol Police officers, which he consistently denied. NBC News reported that the August 14, 2022, incident in Jackson saw officers Jeffery Walker and Michael Rhinewalt fire at Jordan’s vehicle, injuring his passenger, Sherita Harris, during an evening drive. Jordan maintained the officers shot without provocation. Delays from a COVID backlog and three ineffective public defenders stalled his case and he languished in jail for over two years with minimal updates. In February 2025, a fourth public defender, Andre de Gruy, director of the Mississippi Office of the Public Defender, uncovered evidence, including body camera footage, leading to a plea deal. Officers Walker and Rhinewalt were indicted for aggravated assault, prompting dismissal of Jordan’s shooting charges. Jordan pleaded guilty to fleeing and prior felony drug charges, receiving time served. Both officers pleaded not guilty. Their trial is set for August 12, 2025. Jordan has begun the process of rebuilding his life. 

Missouri: On March 26, 2025, Governor Mike Kehoe (R) signed House Bill 495, transferring control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department from the city to a state-­appointed board, effective immediately, due to an emergency clause. Bolts Magazine reported that the bill establishes a six-­member board, including Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and five governor-­appointed members, four of whom must be St. Louis residents, subject to Senate confirmation. Critics, including Jones, argue that the takeover undermines local reforms, such as the Civilian Oversight Board’s efforts to investigate police misconduct, and disregards a 2012 voter-­approved measure for local control. Supporters, including police unions, claim it addresses mismanagement and enhances public safety. The move echoes an 1861 state takeover during the Civil War, done in order to align St. Louis with Confederate interests. Kehoe must appoint a transition director by April 25, 2025, and commissioners by June 24, 2025. A lawsuit challenging the law’s constitutionality, filed by Aldermanic President Megan Green, is pending as of June 2025.

New York: On May 8, 2025, Oneida County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Alshaman, 20, was indicted on one count of second-­degree arson and four counts of first-­degree attempted murder, according to WKTV Utica. The charges stem from an April 9, 2025, house fire in Utica, which Alshaman’s former girlfriend, their infant, and her parents only narrowly escaped. Alshaman, served with custody papers days earlier, was identified via surveillance footage with a gas can at the scene and vehicle data placed his patrol car nearby at the time. Utica police also cited electronic evidence implicating him. Sheriff Robert Maciol expressed shock and dismay at the allegations, and placed Alshaman on unpaid leave, with termination proceedings initiated. On April 10, 2025, an Extreme Risk Protection Order was filed, barring Alshaman from possessing firearms due to mental health concerns. Alshaman pleaded not guilty; his next court date is July 15, 2025.

North Carolina: On May 2, 2025, an Ashe County grand jury declined to indict deputies involved in the September 13, 2024, death of Stuart Chad Mast, 48, during a traffic stop in Jefferson. WBTV reported that deputies stopped Mast for an expired tag on his motorcycle. Body camera footage, released on May 2 after a court petition by WBTV’s Nick Ochsner, shows deputies pulling Mast off his bike, activating his inflatable safety vest. A deputy is heard saying, “I’m going to choke you out.” After handcuffing Mast, deputies noted his purple face and unresponsiveness, attempting CPR and Narcan without success. An autopsy, released March 3, 2025, ruled the death a homicide by “compression asphyxia of the torso and neck,” with methamphetamine intoxication and heart disease as contributing factors. The report noted an officer’s arm was around Mast’s upper chest or neck during a brief struggle. Mast’s family called the death “preventable and tragic.” Mike Mast, Stuart’s brother, criticized Sheriff B. Phil Howell’s transparency claims, citing delayed information until the video’s release. On May 6, 2025, the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office removed its website and social media amid public outcry, restoring them by May 13. A civil lawsuit by Mast’s family is currently pending.

Oklahoma: On April 24, 2025, around 20 federal agents raided a northwest Oklahoma City home, terrifying a family of U.S. citizens who had moved from Maryland two weeks prior, KFOR reported. The mother, identified as Marisa in order to protect her privacy, said that agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with FBI assistance, entered at 5 a.m. with a search warrant naming prior residents tied to a human smuggling investigation. Despite Marisa’s protests that she and her three daughters were citizens, and that the names on the warrant related to the house’s previous residents, agents forced them outside in their underwear in the rain and seized their phones, laptops, and $8,000 in cash savings as “evidence.” The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the warrant targeted the property, not individuals, based on an 84-­page affidavit linking it to the Lima Lopez Transnational Criminal Organization. While the U.S. Marshals have denied direct involvement, the FBI initially stated that they assisted but later directed inquiries to the Homeland Security Department, which has yet to comment. The family, left without resources, filed a federal lawsuit on May 15.

Oregon: Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp, 52, was placed on the District Attorney’s Brady list after District Attorney Steve Gunnels determined he gave false testimony in multiple criminal cases. The Bend Bulletin reported that the DA’s office will no longer call van der Kamp as a witness and will notify defense attorneys of his status, potentially impacting dozens of past cases from 2012 to 2018 in which the Sherriff testified. The false testimony involved van der Kamp claiming degrees from universities he never attended. The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) found that he also concealed a 1997 termination from the police department of La Mesa, California, for misconduct. On May 22, 2025, DPSST’s Police Policy Committee unanimously recommended revoking his credentials, with a final decision set for July 27, 2025. Van der Kamp, elected in 2024 to reform a scandal-­plagued agency, announced his retirement by August 2025. The Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association expelled him on May 14, 2025.

Pennsylvania: According to CBS Pittsburgh, former Greensburg Police Chief Shawn Denning was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison by Judge Cathy Bissoon on May 1, 2025, for his role in a methamphetamine and cocaine distribution conspiracy spanning multiple states. Denning pleaded guilty in April 2024 to facilitating the trafficking of narcotics in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma over a 16-­month period. Authorities revealed Denning collaborated with at least three sources, even providing “menus” of drugs and prices. Denning conspired with a former officer, Regina McAtee, who pleaded guilty and received 36 months’ probation. The investigation revealed that drugs were sourced from states like California and Arizona and delivered via mail. Denning’s arrest in January 2023 at Greensburg City Hall resulted in his resignation from the post he had held for about a year. Denning, 44, had been with the department since 2008 and rose through the ranks to become chief. A county case involving missing evidence remains pending.

Tennessee: Former Metro Nashville Police Department Lieutenant Garet Davidson, who previously exposed alleged misconduct within the department, was arrested on May 6, 2025. He faces two indictments for illegally accessing and taking internal files. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) initiated the investigation at the request of the District Attorney. Davidson, who retired in January 2024, had filed a complaint detailing widespread misconduct and accusing officials of undermining police oversight. He is now accused of using his former position to access restricted areas and steal criminal case files, internal investigation documents, and other materials. One indictment includes theft, burglary, and 30 counts of official misconduct while a second charges him with six counts of official misconduct related to the Covenant School shooting documents. Davidson was released on a reduced $75,000 bond on May 8, 2025. Davidson’s attorney, Alex Little, claims that the arrest is a retaliatory effort to silence a whistleblower for exposing serious departmental issues.

Texas: On March 26, 2025, Harris County District Attorney’s Office intern Alex Macias, a third-­year law student, uncovered coding errors in up to 300 criminal cases, KHOU reported. Macias found defendants were charged with Class A instead of Class B misdemeanors in criminal trespass and terroristic threat cases, potentially leading to harsher punishments. District Attorney Sean Teare called it a “failure” by inexperienced intake prosecutors, and initiated an audit. Brady notices were filed for affected cases. On April 16, 2025, Macias was suspended for alleged misuse of confidential databases after alerting superiors and the Office of Managed Assigned Counsel. Macias awaits a follow-­up with HR. Teare insists the suspension is unrelated. As of June 2025, the audit continues, with no further suspensions reported. A federal lawsuit filed by Macias on May 20, 2025, alleges retaliatory suspension.  

Subscribe today

Already a subscriber? Login