Federal prosecutors have charged a Ruleville police officer with extortion — allegations stemming from a traffic stop of an immigrant.
Law enforcement officials arrested Antonio Artez Wade, 36, in Gulfport on Thursday for what Clay Joyner, U.S. attorney for the Northern District, described as a “shakedown.”
Federal officials said in a news release that on Sept. 17, Wade stopped a vehicle in the small Delta city in northern Sunflower County. The car’s occupant, an immigrant, admitted to lacking identification. Then Wade allegedly offered to “help” in exchange for $2,500, and the immigrant paid him.
“Corruption of the kind alleged here undermines public safety and trust in law enforcement, and it will simply not be tolerated,” Joyner said in a statement.
Wade remains in federal custody until his bond hearing. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He is being formally charged with blackmail, extortion and “deprivation of rights under color of law.” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced plans to file state charges as well.
The criminal investigation was a joint operation between federal prosecutors, the Department of Homeland Security, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the attorney general’s office. This marks the second joint investigation into corruption in Mississippi Delta law enforcement agencies in the last month.
On Oct. 30, 19 people, including officers from nine Delta law enforcement agencies, were indicted for illegally carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Those charged ranged from patrol officers to sheriffs and police chiefs. The U.S. Department of Justice had previously investigated law enforcement agencies in Rankin County, Noxubee County and Holmes County for torture, bribery and illegal searches respectively.
“We learned of the community’s distrust of select law enforcement officers due to concerns of corruption,” FBI Special Agent In-Charge Robert Eikhoff said at an Oct. 30 press conference. “Mississippians deserve and rightfully expect officers to obey their oath.”
“I’m glad that state and federal officials are speaking out against this because what is wrong is wrong, and what is right is right regardless of what your status is,” Ridgeland-based immigration attorney Assma Ali said. “In the United States, individuals are entitled to Fourth Amendment protections even if undocumented.”
“I do firmly believe that if extorted, the vast majority would pay the money because they fear arrest,” she added.
This is a developing story. More information will be added as it becomes available.
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