St. Louis cop pleads guilty to federal corruption charges

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St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Bobby Garrett pleaded guilty today to conspiracy, wire fraud, making false statements and theft of government funds.

Garrett and another officer, Vincent Carr, were indicted in December 2008, accused of planting evidence, stealing money and dealing drugs. Officer Leo Liston was also indicted in April 2009 for similar charges. Carr and Liston also pleaded guilty.

Garrett, Liston and Carr were police detectives employed by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and worked in the Crime Suppression Unit. Officers assigned to the Crime Suppression Unit typically handled investigations involving auto theft, burglary, illegal narcotics sales, and firearms offenses, and usually carried out their duties while working in plain clothes and unmarked cars.

Garrett’s attorney, Chet Pleban, of Pleban & Associates, had filed a motion in Garrett’s case accusing former U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway and St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce of prosecutorial misconduct after they talked to the media about the police corruption cases casting doubt on more than 1,000 convictions. U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber denied the motion because the statements were permitted under the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct and the U.S. Attorneys Manual.

Garrett is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 10.