Former Burton police officer sentenced to probation in stalking case
by Shannon Murphy
The Flint Journal
Friday July 11, 2008, 7:32 AM
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/07/former_burton_police_officer_s_1.html
BURTON, Michigan -- Kyle Wilke doesn't view a person wearing a police badge as the safe haven she once did.
"You're taught as a child that if you see an officer you run to them for safety," she said. "I will never tell my children to do that."
Wilke was a victim of former Burton police officer Tracey House, who was sentenced to 18 months probation Thursday for misdemeanor stalking.
"This officer has destroyed what the badge means to me," Wilke said after the sentencing.
Police began investigating House in 2005 after allegations surfaced that she used the state's police records database to gather information on Wilke, her family and friends.
The stalking began, police said, because Wilke had dated someone House liked. The investigation also uncovered that House used social networking Web sites to find Wilke and other victims, as well as sent letters and called them.
House pleaded no contest in April to misdemeanor stalking in exchange for her agreement to never seek a police career again. She did not speak during her sentencing.
Her attorney, David J. Nickola, said she has not had any contact with the victims in two years.
"My client made a mistake," he told District Judge Richard Hughes. "As a result, she lost not only her job, but her career."
House left the Burton Police Department in 2007, after a 12-year career.
Wilke said she was disappointed by House's sentence and feels she was given special treatment because she was a police officer.
District Judge Richard Hughes disagreed, saying House most likely was investigated more thoroughly because of her law enforcement background.
Former Burton police officer sentenced to probation in stalking case
by Shannon Murphy
The Flint Journal
Thursday July 10, 2008, 10:15 AM
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/07/former_burton_police_officer_s.html
BURTON, Michigan -- A former Burton police officer accused of stalking another woman was sentenced today to 18 months probation.
Tracey House pleaded no contest in April to misdemeanor stalking in exchange for her agreement to never seek a job as a police officer again.
Police said she used the state's police records database to gather information on a woman who had dated a man House liked. She also used social networking sites, such as Myspace, to stalk the woman's family and friends.
House did not speak during the sentencing. Her attorney, David J. Nickola, said she has not had any contact with the victims in two years.
"My client made a mistake," he told District Judge Richard Hughes. "As a result, she lost not only her job, but her career."
House left the Burton police department in 2007, after a 12-year career.
Burton police officer pleads no contest in stalking case
by Shannon Murphy
The Flint Journal
Friday April 18, 2008, 6:45 PM
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/04/burton_police_officer_pleads_n.html
BURTON, Michigan -- A former Burton police officer misused the state's police records database to gather information on a romantic rival, a state police investigator said.
Tracey House this week pleaded no contest to misdemeanor stalking in exchange for her agreement to never seek a police career again.
Prosecutors also agreed not to pursue felony charges in the case.
If House reneges on the deal, she would potentially face felony charges of misusing the state's Law Enforcement Information Network.
State police Detective Sgt. Mark Krebs said the charges stem from 2005 allegations that House was looking for information on a woman who was pursuing a man who House liked.
"She was stalking this woman and causing havoc in her life because she had taken away one of her love interests," Krebs said.
He said that House also pulled over the woman's friends while on patrol at night to get information from them.
Her attorney, David J. Nickola, said House knows what she did was wrong but said she misused LEIN because she had been threatened on the Internet.
"She wanted to make sure this was not a psychopath with a criminal record," he said.
"The ends don't justify the means."
The Burton Police Department said they informed LEIN of the violation but were not sanctioned by the state. Police departments can risk losing their LEIN access if the state determines a pattern of misuse.
House left the Burton Police Department in January 2007 after a 12-year career.
Krebs, who began the investigation in 2005, said House also accessed the victims bank accounts and e-mail and would write letters to people with harsh criticism of the victim.
"She always knew where the victim moved to and any change of phone numbers," Krebs said.
Nickola disputed claims that House accessed any bank accounts and said she misused LEIN once.
House is studying for a career outside police work and just wants to put the matter behind her, said Nickola.
"Emotion got the best of her," said Nickola.
House is expected to be sentenced July 10 by Central District Judge Richard Hughes and faces a maximum of a year in jail.
Former Burton Michigan cop faces misdemeanor stalking charge
by Bryn Mickle
The Flint Journal
Friday March 14, 2008, 11:50 PM
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/03/former_burton_michigan_cop_fac.html
Burton -- A former Burton Michigan police officer is accused of using her law enforcement position to stalk a woman.
Tracey House, 34, is expected to turn herself in Wednesday for arraignment on a charge of misdemeanor stalking, which carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail.
A warrant for her arrest was sworn out this week, said Genesee County Prosecutor David S. Leyton.
The charge arose out of a February 2005 incident in Burton that was investigated by a state police detective from Bad Axe.
Leyton declined to elaborate on the allegations but said the alleged stalking involved a woman that House knew.
"Things just got out of hand," said Leyton.
House's attorney, David J. Nickola, said the situation arose after House and the woman "locked horns over a man."
"Both were overzealous in their pursuit of him and, unfortunately, emotions ran high," said Nickola.
House left the Burton Police Department in January 2007 after a 12-year career there and has not worked as a police officer since, said Nickola.
She is currently attending school and is unlikely to pursue another police job, he said.
"I believe she will be moving away from police work," said Nickola.
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