2 south suburban cops face federal corruption charges in traffic stop scheme
PHOENIX, Ill. - Two Phoenix, Illinois police officers have been charged with bribing occupants of vehicles during traffic stops to obtain cash and drugs.
The incidents occurred from 2020 to April 2022 in both south suburban Phoenix and Harvey. The two officers accused are Antoine Larry — a patrol officer — and Jarret Snowden — a sergeant.
According to charging documents, Larry and Snowden would obtain cash payments and other items of value, including controlled substances, during traffic stops in exchange for reducing, dropping or declining to file charges against the occupants of the stopped vehicles.
In some cases, if firearms or drugs were found in the vehicles, the officers would allegedly solicit cash payments in exchange for not pressing charges.
The officers would use "coded and vague language" when communicating with the occupants of stopped vehicles, documents state. In some cases, the officers would allegedly meet the occupants at a Phoenix gas station to obtain the cash bribe payments, or they would use a middle man — referred to as a "Bagman" — to collect the money.
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To hide their wrongdoing, it is alleged that Larry and Snowden falsified police reports so that the reports did not show what items were seized during traffic stops.
The charging documents also state the officers sold seized drugs to a drug dealer, and they would then split the proceeds of the sale.
It is also alleged that Larry and Snowden stole cash and drugs worth more than $5,000 that were in the custody of the Phoenix Police Department.
Phoenix Police Chief Roy Wells released the following statement regarding the indictment:
"It has come to the attention of my office that two of our officers were recently indicted by the U.S. Attorney. We have placed both officers on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the federal trial. To avoid compromising the integrity of the federal government’s investigation and the trial, we will offer no further comment."
Larry, 46, of Bolingbrook is charged with conspiracy, extortion, and attempted extortion.
Snowden, 34, of Lansing is charged with conspiracy and attempted extortion.