Officer First Class Megan Mattingly has been reassigned to administrative duties while authorities investigate allegations she committed perjury. Charges have been dropped against nine defendants in drug cases since allegations surfaced that a Frederick Police Department officer perjured herself on the witness stand during a May 20 preliminary hearing, according to court records. In addition, a 10th case, previously concluded with the sentencing of a defendant, has been reopened so a Frederick woman can try to withdraw her Alford plea of guilt, records state. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgment that had the case proceeded to trial, the state had sufficient evidence to convict. [continues 439 words]
Joining the Frederick Police Department's fight against illegal drugs is just a few keystrokes away. The drug enforcement unit has established an e-mail address for taking residents' tips on drug activity -- even photos or videos, said Sgt. Dwight Sommers, the unit's supervisor. Police aren't looking to identify tipsters, Sommers said. They don't plan to drag them into court. "Not to worry. That's not how this works," he said. "We simply want to elicit information from the community that will give us a start - a location, a tag number. We'll take it from there." [continues 117 words]
