Carlton Moore, Civil Rights Violations, Tennessee 2009

A former Memphis police officer has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for stealing money from motorists while on duty, the Grimy Times has learned.

Court documents show that Carlton Moore, a former officer with the Memphis Police Department, pleaded guilty to stealing from three Hispanic drivers he pulled over on March 1, March 14, and May 4, 2009.

According to the indictment, Moore ordered the victims out of their vehicles, patted them down and removed personal items from them during the search. He then stole money from the victims before returning their personal items and releasing them.

Moore’s crimes were discovered after an investigation by the FBI and the Memphis Police Department, which worked together to capture the officer as he committed the crime.

In a statement, Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, said: ‘We place in police officers a great deal of trust, and the Civil Rights Division will aggressively prosecute those officers who violate the rights of others, and the public trust, for personal gain.’

Larry Laurenzi, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, added: ‘Officer Moore dishonored his badge and his fellow officers when he chose to steal from innocent people during traffic stops. Protecting the rights of every person from abuse committed by public officials is of the highest priority of this office.’

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Memphis Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Parker and Trial Attorney Jonathan Skrmetti from the Civil Rights Division prosecuting the case.

The Memphis Police Department, in a statement, said: ‘We police our own and criminals wearing our badge will be aggressively pursued just as any other criminal in Memphis.’

The case highlights the importance of holding law enforcement officials accountable for their actions and ensuring that the public trust is maintained.

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