HPD Officers Arrested for Shady Coke Dealings, Face Life Imprisonment

By Steve Jansen Mon., Jan. 28 2013 at 1:00 PM

Yeah?

The coke game was kind to Houston Police Department officers until Sunday when the two 26-year-olds were arrested when they reported for duty.

Emerson Canizales of Kingwood and Michael Miceli of Humble have been accused of accepting $1,000 bribes and smuggling five kilos of cocaine with an intent to distribute the drugs in Houston.

According to the two-count federal indictment acquired by Hair Balls, Canizales and Miceli were engaged in the fishy business from about October 3 to December 26 of last year. They've been charged with conspiracy to violate the Hobbs Act and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance.

The United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas, says that if Canizales and Miceli are convicted on the possession of a controlled substance charge, the dudes are looking at ten years to life in the pokey as well as a $10 million fine.

For extortion under color of law (a.k.a. violation of the Hobbs Act), they're facing up to 20 years in the slammer and a $250,000 fine.

That's right. Their entire lives are potentially ruined over a measly $1,000 in bribes.

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Houston Police Department Headquarters

1200 Travis St., Houston, TX

Category: General

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Spitzberg

Conservatives always talk about economic incentives, like if you tax me too much I just won't be motivated to work. If you provide a safety net, the poor and disabled won't want to work. And so on and so on. What about the economic incentives that a lucrative black market offers? That sure seems to motivate plenty. Why not remove the incentives for amazing quick profits in the drug arena?

Photography by Stangu

This wouldn't be a problem if it was legal. There would be no rush to buy them.

Mason Rankin

Why doesn't this question get asked about civilians. Mandatory sentencing put thousands of people in prison for most of their lives, for the same or lesser occurrences.

Sergio R. Garcia

Well drugs shouldn't be illegal in the first place.

smkyle

@Sergio R. Garcia The bigger issue is the bribing of police officers,

vonEggers

1 Like

@smkyle No, that's the smaller issue. If the incentives weren't so tilted, and the profit potential so great, the motivation to take bribes or engage in drug illegalities wouldn't be there. The bigger issue really is the drug laws that make this stuff potentially worth killing for or disobeying your oath to the public.

smkyle

@ReginaDupuis @smkyle Bribing a police officer is illegal...look it up.

ReginaDupuis

@smkyle Great. So what's your solution? Make bribery illegal?

smkyle

@vonEggers @smkyle In my opinion, if officers are greedy enough to take incentives from drug trafficking, what will stop them from greater "sins" such as human trafficking?

Nicholas Dion

1 Like

Public officials and the likes such as law enforcement should be held to a HIGHER standard than the general public. Crucify them. Just call it their karma.

Christy Gregory

but did they deliver it, thats the question could be one word agianst anothers...snitches are shady you know lol

Daphne

1 Like

As long as we have laws that create a black market with super-high margins, you're going to see plenty of this stuff, even among cops. The incentives are stacked to get involved and make some quick money from a product that is in high demand and rather easily supplied. The only X factor is the risk.