TheAgitator.com
Informant Revealed in Chesapeake Raid?
Monday, May 19th, 2008Some potentially big news in the Chesapeake,, Virginia drug raid this past January that resulted in the death of Chesapeake PD Det. Jarrod Shivers, and sent 28-year-old Ryan Frederick to jail on murder charges.
Local news station WTKR reporter Stacy Smith was given access to letters Frederick has written to friends and relatives. From those, she has determined that the informant in the case is 20-year-old named "Steven." The station isn’t yet reporting the man’s full name. Chesapeake PD refuses to confirm his identity.
The informant was apparently dating the sister of Frederick’s fiance. Prior to the raid, Frederick and the informant got into an argument after Frederick accused him of stealing something from his home. According to Frederick, the informant threateningly promised he’d be back—which may explain the break-in just prior to the raid.
The informant has a shady past, including arrest for trespassing, a spotty employment history, and—most interestingly—a grand larceny arrest for credit card theft and credit card fraud just prior to the raid. After the raid, the grand larceny charge against the informant was dismissed. The fraud charge was set aside. The fraud charge was later reinstated. "Steven" was due in court to face that charge last week, but didn’t show. He’s now considered a fugitive.
Smith writes:
According to the affidavit for the search warrant that informant is the only source for the raid. There were no corroborating confidential informants. There was no surveillance. There were no undercover dope buys.
If Smith is correct, the police took the word of an unemployed guy with a grudge, a criminal record, and who had just been arrested for stealing credit cards, all in order to conduct a nighttime raid on a guy who had no prior record, and for whom neighbors and former employers have nothing but praise. They apparently did no corroborating investigation. A cop died as a result. And now they want to bring the hammer down on Ryan Frederick to account for their mistakes.
It’s increasingly looking like Ryan Frederick is not only innocent, but that he has a compelling civil rights suit against the city of Chesapeake and its police department.
Compelling, yes. Chance of success, not so much, I am afraid.
As long as “Steven” stays a fugitive, it weakens the prosecutions’ case. Judges tend to look less kindly on hearsay evidence–they want the witness in court to corroborate his/her testimony. So the prosecution will probably offer ‘Steven’ some kind of ‘olly, olly in free’ deal if he comes out of hiding. Let’s hope he doesn’t.
I imagine the Chesapeake area isnt too safe of a place for “Steven” after that little stunt.
Everyone kind of figured this wasn’t based on much but to find out it was based on absolutely nothing but the word of this guy is incredible. Not only should the PD be liable but lets not forget the judge that signed his name on a warrant based on nothing.
[...] result. And now they want to bring the hammer down on Ryan Frederick to account for their mistakes.”Radley Balko, rolling on Another Drug Raid Nightmare. If only there were a God and prayer were real. That’s [...]
I would think that “Steven” could be held responsible for the officer’s death. After all, he is the reason that cops raided Ryan’s house in the first place. If prosecutor’s can, and do, charge women for making a false rape claim, why can’t they charge this guy with felony murder for making a false claim that resulted in a police officer’s death? It seems much more likely to get a conviction than charging Ryan Fredericks!
[...] slants. Anyways, here’s a little information on the informant the cops decided to use… The Agitator
[...] slants. Anyways, here’s a little information on the informant the cops decided to use… The Agitator
They should charge the informant with murder or manslaughter. Simple is that you give bad information you pay the piper.