Pubdate: Fri, 16 May 2003 Source: Columbia Missourian (MO) Copyright: 2003 Columbia Missourian Contact: http://www.digmo.org/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2282 Author: Allyson Longueira Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States) COLE COUNTY DEPUTY CHARGED WITH PERJURY Sheriff's department changes procedures as deputy faces jury. A mid-Missouri law enforcement agency is changing its reporting procedure after one of its deputies was charged with three counts of perjury last week. All Cole County Sheriff's Department deputies who respond to a call will now have to fill out a report and sign it, said Cole County Sheriff John C. Hemeyer. In the past, it was acceptable for one person to write the report for everyone, he said. If deputies do not follow the new procedure, Cole County prosecutors will not file charges against the suspects of the investigation, Hemeyer said. "That gives us an audit trail," Hemeyer said. Prosecuting Attorney William M. Tackett and Hemeyer are looking into other cases that Cpl. Michael Isenberg, the deputy charged with perjury, was involved in, Hemeyer said. "We've got no reason to believe that anyone else was involved with the deception," said Hemeyer, who has been sheriff since 1986. Isenberg, who had worked for the Cole County Sheriff's Department for about five years, resigned from the department on May 9, Hemeyer said. A warrant for his arrest was issued the same day. Isenberg surrendered to Hemeyer that afternoon and was placed under arrest. Isenberg, who was also a member of the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group, or MUSTANG, was charged May 9 with three counts of perjury, a Class B felony. In court documents, Cole County Prosecuting Attorney William M. Tackett said there is probable cause to believe Isenberg lied under oath during three trials. Tackett said Isenberg testified that he witnessed the distribution of controlled substances on several occasions when he was not actually in the building. The disputed testimony occurred at the trials of Roy G. Chism on April 8, Quentin R. Williams on May 7, 2002, and Randall Robinette on Sept. 5. The prosecutor's office filed the charges after interviewing a confidential informant who was involved in the case, according to the probable cause statement. They also interviewed another officer who was assisting Isenberg, the statement said. Both testified that Isenberg was not in the building when he said he was, according to the probable cause statement. Sgt. Curt Wirths of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said he worked with Isenberg on the MUSTANG task force, but refused to comment on any details until after he testifies at a grand jury hearing scheduled today. Wirths said the task force might make minor changes in response to Isenberg's arrest. But he emphasized that the nine local law enforcement agencies involved in the group follow their own protocol. MUSTANG participates in narcotics search roundups based on extensive undercover investigations, Wirths said. MUSTANG was created in 1996 and is funded by federal grants through the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Wirths said. It is run by a board composed of the sheriffs and police chiefs of its nine member agencies, he said. Each member agency assigns one or two people to the task force, Wirths said. This gives them multi-jurisdictional authority. Isenberg's preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. June 16. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh