CRIME LEAD: A former Rohnert Park police officer, Joseph Huffaker, has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit extortion, impersonating a federal officer, and other charges related to a scheme involving the seizure of marijuana.
Huffaker, 40, was convicted by a federal jury after a week-long trial in San Francisco. The jury found that he conspired with fellow officer Brendan Jacy Tatum to extort drivers they suspected of possessing marijuana by falsely claiming to be ATF agents and threatening arrest if the seizures were contested.
The scheme involved creating false police reports, including one two months after the extortions, which was sent to the FBI. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian emphasized that such misconduct undermines public safety and cooperation with law enforcement.
Huffaker’s actions took place off-duty and in plain clothes, and he now faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. The FBI has vowed to continue rooting out corruption at all levels and holding those who abuse their authority accountable.
According to court documents, the pair extorted significant quantities of marijuana while on duty as part of an interdiction team between 2014 and early 2017. They falsely claimed ATF agent status during a traffic stop in December 2017, seizing 23 pounds of marijuana.
Huffaker is currently free on bond and awaits sentencing on October 15, 2025. Tatum was also implicated in the scheme but has not been sentenced.
RELATED: Ex-Cop Huffaker Nabbed in Marijuana Shakedown Scheme
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Public Corruption|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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