Former Safety Officer Accused in Crime Syndicate

Published January 14, 2015

Law enforcement agencies are accusing a former Department of Public Safety officer of playing a key role in a Phoenix-area crime syndicate.

After years of investigating, Phoenix police forwarded the case Tuesday to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for prosecution.

Authorities said 36-year-old Blaine McNeese left DPS in 2004 after an internal investigation.

DPS Director Roger Vanderpool said the syndicate eventually took advantage of the officer's access to law enforcement databases to track and plot to kill a deputy county attorney.

McNeese faces charges of assisting a criminal syndicate and unlawfully accessing criminal record history.

Police said that for his role in the syndicate, McNeese received cash and sexual favors.

Three alleged syndicate members are locked up and a fourth remains at large.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/story/former-safety-officer-accused-in-crime-syndicate