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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — An ex-police officer in Memphis, Tennessee, has been charged with providing civilians with a badge and other police equipment so that they could pretend to be law enforcement officers and rob drug crews.
The U.S. attorney's office said Monday that former Memphis Police Department officer Sam Blue has been charged with criminal civil rights violations including robbery and kidnapping for crimes that took place from January 2014 through mid-July this year.
Prosecutors say the violations included taking property from people suspected to have drugs or drug money by using force, violence, and intimidation.
An indictment says Blue would provide co-conspirators with information about targeted victims, as well as police equipment including an official badge and a car dashboard blue light.
Online records do not show a lawyer for Blue.
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