Former University of Michigan police officer sentenced to probation for possessing cocaine
A former University of Michigan police officer who pleaded guilty to possessing less than 25 grams of cocaine was sentenced to 18 months of probation on Tuesday by Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Donald Shelton, authorities said.
Charles Eugene Beatty III, 42, also must complete 50 hours of community service, Washtenaw County Chief Deputy Assistant Prosecutor Steve Hiller said.
If Beatty successfully completes his probation, his conviction will be expunged.
On Jan. 13, Beatty was taken into custody and released after Ypsilanti police stopped his car on Kramer Street while he was off-duty at about 10:20 p.m., records show.
Officers recovered less than a gram of cocaine during the traffic stop and found an open alcoholic beverage in the car, records show.
Beatty was put on unpaid leave the next day, and his employment ended several weeks later.
The Livingston and Washtenaw Narcotics Enforcement Team led the investigation.
Comments
Sallyxyz
Fri, Nov 26, 2010 : 3 p.m.
Drug use and distribution are rampant everywhere, so this guy gets probation and continues his habit, though now he is unemployed and may need to turn to other crimes to support his habit. Great system. I certainly agree he needed to be fired, but without any mandatory drug rehab, these guys continue their "business as usual" lifestyle. Need much harsher sentences to start with, including some jail time for first time offenders (6 months). Unless consequences for crimes are painful to serve, nothing changes and lessons are not learned. Probation doesn't accomplish anything but a slap on the wrist.
uofm94
Sun, Oct 24, 2010 : 9:44 p.m.
jjc155: Thank you. Well put.
Milton Shift
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 3:01 p.m.
Anyone that goes around arresting people for things they do themselves deserves to be treated very harshly!
jjc155
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 8:20 a.m.
@Chuck I must have missed in the article where he got HYTA as part of his sentence, please point that out to me. His sentence is typical for first time drug offenders in Washtenaw County. Please provide cites to other cases where first time drug offenders, with less than a gram of Coke and NO criminal record did ANY jail time as part of a sentence.I'll save you the time, you can't. FYI anyone can get their felony record expunged, if they fit the criteria of non violent offender etc. My guess is the double standard that you are truely talking about is the fact that because he was a police officer he should be held to a HIGHER standard and thus be made an example of and be jailed for his first offense, unlike anyone in the "general" public, who would not be jailed for their first drug offense. Is everyone equal or not? Actually it is more common in washtenaw county that a first time drug offender, even for coke and heroin and other "hard" drugs are allowed to plea to a Misdemenor charge of "use of coccaine, etc" and the felony possesion is dropped. SOOO since he plead to the FELONY charge of possesion and did not get a reduced misd of use (which is typically a fine and a year probation), he in a sense has been treated more harshly than the typical washtenaw county first time drug offender, which should be satisfying to you? LOL
Killroy
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 7:27 a.m.
This is a serious black eye for the University of Michigan police staff which most Ann Arborites already regard as glorified rent-a-cops. So much for respect.
Chuck
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 7:14 a.m.
At 42 this police officer gets the youthful training act, where any other 42 year old would do more time and never get the record expunged. Talk about a double set of standards.
Milton Shift
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 5:52 a.m.
What a joke. I wonder what the sentence was for the guy he presumably seized cocaine from?