Pubdate: Wed, 19 Dec 2001
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2001 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact:  http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Curtis Lawrence

NORTH SIDE OFFICERS ACCUSED OF ILLEGAL SEARCH, COVER-UP

New federal charges were filed Tuesday against three Chicago police 
officers already accused in a lawsuit of illegally searching the homes of 
suspected drug dealers and lying on police reports to cover their tracks.

The indictment names Foster District officers Xavier Castro, 52, Matthew 
Craig, 39, and Robert Gloeckler, 38, who were charged with illegally 
searching a home in the 4600 block of North Sheridan without a warrant in 
February 1996, authorities said. Castro and Craig allegedly conducted a 
similar raid in the 2400 block of North Kostner in November 1996, in which 
they seized cocaine.

In both cases, they allegedly filed false reports to cover up that they 
were outside their district without approval, the indictment says.

All three also are charged with lying to a grand jury about arrests they made.

A 1997 civil rights lawsuit contradicted the officers' claims that they saw 
two men conducting a drug deal in the 5400 block of North Lincoln and 
raided the address. The suit alleged the officers didn't have a warrant and 
were miles from the apartment. In fact, one suspect was equipped with an 
electronic monitoring device that proved he was five miles away.

Only Castro was named in a federal indictment filed in February in that case.
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