Post by KC on Aug 11, 2006 23:19:18 GMT -5
August 11, 2006 - A former New Orleans police officer who abandoned his post after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city last year pleaded guilty Thursday to driving a pickup truck that was stolen from the Sewell Cadillac and Chevrolet dealership in the Central Business District.
Officer Willie Earl Bickham Jr., was arrested by Houston police in November while driving a black 2005 Chevrolet Silverado truck that was among about 200 vehicles looted from the dealership during or shortly after Katrina hit New Orleans. Sewell had paid $27,600 for the truck.
Federal authorities took Bickham's case after determining he had crossed state lines with the truck, which did not have a license plate or brake tag.
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said Bickham pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. Letten said Bickham, who resigned from the Police Department shortly after Katrina, admitted at the time of his arrest that he knew the truck had been stolen.
Bickham faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although maximum penalties are rare for first-time offenders. U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan is scheduled to sentence him Nov. 22.
Bickham is the only current or former officer charged in the theft of the vehicles, which became one of the most embarrassing incidents about the police in the aftermath of the storm.
"By no means is this case over. There are other cars that were stolen," Letten said. "This so far is the only New Orleans or former New Orleans police office who has been charged federally with any charge involving the (theft) of any motor vehicle from a dealership."
Should authorities come across anyone else who might have crossed state lines with one of the stolen Sewell vehicles, "we will bring the full force of law upon them," Letten said.
www.nola.com/news/t-p/neworleans/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1155276638129540.xml&coll=1
Officer Willie Earl Bickham Jr., was arrested by Houston police in November while driving a black 2005 Chevrolet Silverado truck that was among about 200 vehicles looted from the dealership during or shortly after Katrina hit New Orleans. Sewell had paid $27,600 for the truck.
Federal authorities took Bickham's case after determining he had crossed state lines with the truck, which did not have a license plate or brake tag.
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said Bickham pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. Letten said Bickham, who resigned from the Police Department shortly after Katrina, admitted at the time of his arrest that he knew the truck had been stolen.
Bickham faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although maximum penalties are rare for first-time offenders. U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan is scheduled to sentence him Nov. 22.
Bickham is the only current or former officer charged in the theft of the vehicles, which became one of the most embarrassing incidents about the police in the aftermath of the storm.
"By no means is this case over. There are other cars that were stolen," Letten said. "This so far is the only New Orleans or former New Orleans police office who has been charged federally with any charge involving the (theft) of any motor vehicle from a dealership."
Should authorities come across anyone else who might have crossed state lines with one of the stolen Sewell vehicles, "we will bring the full force of law upon them," Letten said.
www.nola.com/news/t-p/neworleans/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1155276638129540.xml&coll=1