Pubdate: Thu, 02 Nov 2000
Source: Oakland Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2000 MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers
Contact:  66 Jack London Sq., Oakland, CA 94607
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Website: http://www.oaklandtribune.com/
Author: Harry Harris, Staff Writer

FOUR COPS FACE FELONY CHARGES

Oakland Officers Victimized 8, Sources Say

OAKLAND -- Fifty-nine criminal charges -- including conspiracy,
kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and falsifying reports --
were filed Wednesday against four Oakland police officers who
allegedly beat suspects, planted evidence and lied on reports.

The four officers who allegedly called themselves "The Riders," Frank
Vazquez, 43, Jude Siapno, 32, Clarence Mabanag, 35, and Matthew
Hornung, 28, are expected to surrender to authorities today to be arrested.

They have been on paid administrative leave since the alleged
misconduct was brought to light in July. The city has informed the
officers it intends to fire them, but they are appealing the action.

The Oakland Tribune has learned the Alameda County District Attorney
will allege the four committed 48 felony and 11 misdemeanor crimes
between June 13 and July 3 while working late-night shifts together in
West Oakland. At no other time in recent memory have so many Oakland
police officers faced criminal charges at one time.

If convicted of all charges, the officers face prison terms ranging
from nine years to more than 20.

At least eight individuals were victimized, sources said.

Among the charges filed are counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice,
kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, assault under color of
authority, false imprisonment, filing false reports, and false arrest.

In some instances, all of the officers were allegedly involved. In
others, just one or a combination of two or three, authorities said.

Attorney Mike Rains, who represents Mabanag and is familiar with the
cases against the others, had not seen the specific charges Wednesday.
He declined to discuss specifics.

"You have here four very fine police officers who went out on the
streets of Oakland every night for a combined total of over two
decades and performed crime fighting activities in a flawless fashion
and made the City of Oakland a better and safer place to live," Rains
said.

"I don't think they turned their back on the citizens of the city or
on their oath to protect and serve in a three-week period."

Attorney William Rapoport, who represents Siapno, added: "They are
only charges at this point. We take them very seriously, as everyone
should, but charges are made all the time and not always proven."

Alameda County District Attorney Tom Orloff declined to comment
Wednesday.

The charges have hit Chief of Police Richard Word particularly hard.
The scandal blemishes his department, which has reduced crime in the
city almost 20 percent so far this year, and could impact community
relations.

"Reducing crime, fear and disorder means nothing if by doing so you
lose community confidence, trust and support," Word said.

Word asked the community not to judge the entire department by the
actions of a few officers.

"The charges are disturbing and the nature of the activity alleged is
disturbing," Word said. "But I'd like to say that there are hundreds
of officers angry about what these officers have done to the
reputation of this department and angry that it makes our job so much
more difficult.

"We have hundreds of dedicated and committed officers who love the
people (of Oakland) and love the work and understand you can be
pro-active but also courteous and professional and that there is a
significant benefit when you do that.

"We've learned from this. We'll move forward, we have to. The people
of Oakland deserve nothing less," Word said.

The most serious charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault
with a deadly weapon and assault under color of authority were lodged
against Vazquez and Siapno, who authorities allege on two occasions
abducted and beat two suspects, one a juvenile.

According to authorities, the adult allegedly beaten June 27 was
falsely arrested by the four in West Oakland for drinking in public
and discarding drugs.

After being arrested, he was allegedly driven by Vazquez and Siapno in
handcuffs to another part of the city where he was beaten about the
face, stomach, back and legs.

Vazquez and Mabanag later allegedly tried to intimidate the man during
an interview with their supervisor, who was investigating the injuries
he received.

Two weeks earlier on June 13, the two officers allegedly falsely
arrested a then 16-year-old boy and beat him, authorities said.

Other incidents the four officers were allegedly involved in
include:

Mabanang arrested someone he falsely claimed attacked him and twice
ordered another officer to write false reports that he saw a person
try and discard some drugs.

Hornung allegedly falsely claimed he saw someone drop narcotics and
that the person later let him search his car, where more drugs were
found.

Vazquez allegedly falsely reported he saw one man discard some drugs
and another discard a pistol.

The investigation began after a rookie officer, who worked with the
four, came forward to his superiors in early July.

At the time, none of the alleged victims had notified the police
Internal Affairs Unit.

The rookie, who authorities allege was warned by Mabanag not to be a
"snitch" and was allegedly threatened with bodily injury by Vazquez,
has since resigned from the department.

The sergeant who supervised the officers has also been recommended for
demotion, but is fighting that.

After the rookie came forward, an Internal Affairs Unit investigation
began and was soon joined by the district attorney's office, which has
one prosecutor and an inspector assigned to the case full-time.

City Manager Robert Bobb said: "I believe that the police department
and everyone involved did exactly what they are supposed to do when
allegations like this are made. They investigated thoroughly, and if
the individuals involved have committed a criminal act, they will be
prosecuted just like anyone else."

The FBI has also been conducting a civil rights violation
investigation since the case was referred to them by the U.S.
Attorney's Office. That investigation is on-going, a spokesman said
Wednesday.
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