Illinois sheriff admits misconduct in cyber stalking case, resigns

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Illinois sheriff admits misconduct in cyber stalking case, resigns
By Mary Wisniewski
CHICAGO Thu Sep 11, 2014 7:09pm EDT


(Reuters) - A western Illinois county sheriff pleaded guilty on Thursday to attempted official misconduct and agreed to resign for attempting to cyber stalk an undocumented immigrant woman, officials said on Thursday.

Rock Island County Sheriff Jeffrey Boyd, 48, resigned as part of his plea agreement and withdrew his re-election candidacy in the November election, according to a statement from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

He also forfeited his sheriff's pension, and is forbidden from contacting the woman, who is from Mexico.

Boyd, who has been with the sheriff's office for 24 years, allegedly used his position to intimidate and threaten the woman, who he met at a Rock Island gym, Madigan's office said.

Boyd pursued her with repeated text messages, according to Madigan's office. After she asked him to leave her alone, Boyd continued his pursuit, attempting to use his position as a law enforcement officer to intimidate and harass her, the statement said.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/11/us-usa-illinois-cyberstalking-idUSKBN0H62L420140911

[murielm99]

1. I saw his news conference on TV today,

purely by chance. I am close enough to the Quad Cities that I attend some of their Democratic Party events, and support their candidates. I am sure I have met this guy. This is a terrible blow to him, his family, the sheriff's office, and Democrats. He has only himself to blame. What a terrible shame.

[Live and Learn]

2. I agree with everything he suffered from his misconduct except for the taking of his pension.

After 24 years of service, he deserves his pay and pension for those years. I really don't understand how you can take what someone has already earned.

What next taking away private pensions, 401k's?

[rpannier]

3. ONe of those laws passed to appease the hysterical nuts out there

[Feral Child]

4. I don't have a problem

with his pension loss.

This is a sex crime. He sexually harassed this woman, apparently for quite some time, under color of law.

I'm willing to guess this isn't his first offense. How many women has he actually raped, using his badge as a bludgeon to force his will? We can't know.

We have to hold police officers to a higher standard than the general populace, lest they start thinking they're immune to prosecution.


This was a horrible crime. He deserves everything that's happened.

[Live and Learn]

11. Then I assume you are fine with taking a person's

and families savings, 401ks and private pensions away too for an offense. Why stop there? Why not take their house, cars and anything else of value?

That is what we need, more families living in abject poverty without any hope of climbing out because a family member once committed a crime.

I don't really wish to defend this guy and I do believe officers should be held to a high standard regarding following laws but I don't find presuming they have committed the crime many more times very helpful either. In fact, I thought we were supposed to presume innocence unless proven guilty.

[Feral Child]

14. That's quite dramatic.

Assume what you like. I don't play "gotcha".

In this instance, I approve jerking his pension. Dirty, rapist cops are a blight.

See you around, L&L, done w/ this topic for today.

[ga_girl]

15. Then I assume you are fine with roadside seizures

There's a problem with police pulling over drivers and seizing cash and other valuables from drivers who have committed nothing more than a traffic violation (if they've even committed that). Many governments seize thousands of dollars in cash, property, vehicles and other items under the presumption that those items are tainted by drug or other illegal activities, and are not accompanied by an arrest

In this case, an officer was arrested and charged with a criminal offense. It seems that losing his pension earnings during the time he was committing this crime is appropriate.

[Live and Learn]

17. Why would you make that assumption?

I am against taking anything away from people that they have earned. I have made many statements on DU ridiculing asset forfeiture.

[Helen Borg]

6. He should get back

What he paid intomthe system. Unless there are rules that say you lose everything inthese cases.

[ga_girl]

8. It wasn't his entire pension

Found an article that says the agreement was to forgo the pension he earned during his 4 years as sherriff. Doesn't say where his other 20 years of pension time was earned.

http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/FEATURE-NEWS/24-YEAR-VETERAN-LAWMAN-AND-COUNTY-SHERIFF-RESIGNS-AMID-CYBER-STALKING-SCANDAL-1857306

Also as part of the plea arrangement he forfeited the pension he has earned in his four years as sheriff and is forbidden from contacting the woman, who is reportedly from Mexico. In return, Boyd will do no jail time but will serve 12 months of probation.

[Live and Learn]

12. Thanks for the update. nt

[murielm99]

13. He was a lieutenant in the sheriff's

department, and with that department for twenty years. A lot of people, a lot of good Democrats, believed in him. He has ruined his life, and disappointed a lot of people.

[Helen Borg]

5. I wonder what he wanted from her ...

Let me guess.

[OneAngryDemocrat]

7. Representative Cheri Bustos' Spouse is the Temp. Sheriff

Good luck to the man.

[Orsino]

9. "Made a mistake," his lawyer says.

I'm about sick of that phrase's being used to minimize a pattern of deliberate misconduct like this.

Highlights the need for immigration reform. People who live in the in-between are vulnerable to abuse.

[passiveporcupine]

10. I wish he'd gotten some prison time

"But I still believe in my heart of hearts I have not committed a crime," he said during a news conference Thursday in front of the Rock Island County Justice Center.

In June Boyd sent her a vulgar message in Spanish, which caused the woman "emotional distress," according to court documents.

http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/FEATURE-NEWS/24-YEAR-VETERAN-LAWMAN-AND-COUNTY-SHERIFF-RESIGNS-AMID-CYBER-STALKING-SCANDAL-1857306

[Dont call me Shirley]

16. Another woman lover