Pubdate: Tue, 05 Dec 2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2006 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact:  http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Frank Main, Eric Herman

CORRUPTION PROBE NETS 3 MORE COPS

Join 4 Others Charged From Elite Unit

A Chicago  Police sergeant and two officers were arrested Monday  in 
a widening corruption investigation of the elite  Special Operations 
Section -- bringing the total number  of officers charged in the case to seven.

Sgt. James McGovern, 40, was charged with official  misconduct, and 
his bond was set at $50,000. He's been  on the force for 13 years.

Officers Margaret Hopkins, 32, and Frank Villareal, 38,  were charged 
with home invasion and official  misconduct, and Villareal was 
charged with armed  violence. They will appear in bond court today. 
Hopkins joined the department seven years ago and Villareal, 12  years ago.

Officers Jerome Finnigan, Carl Suchocki, Keith Herrera  and Thomas 
Sherry were charged in September with a list  of felonies in 11 
separate incidents dating to 2003.

On Monday, Finnigan, Suchocki and Herrera were charged  in three 
additional incidents, authorities said. They  also will appear in 
bond court today. They have been  free on bail since September.

Attorney Robert Kuzas downplayed the new charges  against his client, 
Herrera. "These are nothing more  than mirror allegations," Kuzas 
said. "We are looking  forward to the opportunity to address these 
issues in  court."

The investigation by the police Internal Affairs  Division and Cook 
County state's attorney's office --  called Operation Broken Oath -- 
ranks as one of the  most significant of its kind. The last time 
seven Chicago Police officers were charged with corruption  was 
during a federal investigation of the Austin  District in 1996.

Additional officers have been stripped of their police  powers, but 
they have not been criminally charged.

More charges possible "This may reach the double  digits" in the 
number of arrested officers, one law  enforcement source said.

The Special Operations Section is a citywide unit that  makes gun and 
drug arrests. Finnigan allegedly was the  ringleader of a robbery 
ring that operated out of the  unit, preying on drug dealers and 
ordinary citizens  alike.

Hopkins and Villareal -- like their co-defendants --  also face 
lawsuits in federal court alleging police  misconduct.

This year, Hopkins and other officers were sued by  Seneca Adams, who 
alleged brutality, and by Noel  Padilla, who claimed he was framed on 
drug charges that  were later dropped. Villareal was among officers 
sued  last year by Laneer Winder, who won a $20,000  settlement from 
the city after claiming he was framed.

The city has paid out $178,500 in legal settlements  involving 
Finnigan for eight incidents dating to 1995.
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