01282013 - Former Sheriff Candidate Lance Laird - Jackson County

In 2012, Lance Laird ran for the position of Jackson County Sheriff. At the time, Laird was on probation for a domestic violence assault [August 28, 2010]. During the campaign, he was jailed for violating the terms of that probation. Laird lost the August 2012 primary for Jackson County Sheriff.

In January 2013, Laird was arrested for transporting $900,000 worth of  cocaine from Texas to Michigan.

"I find your client to be one of the most manipulative and controlling individuals that I have ever run across, according the report, according to the information, and according to the violation."
[Comment Jackson County Judge Mazur made to Lance Laird's attorney during Laird's hearing for the domestic violence charge and violation of bond].













Former Jackson County Sheriff Candidate Busted for Cocaine
By FOX 47 News
CREATED Jan. 30, 2013
http://www.fox47news.com/news/topstories/189007301.html

One of the same people who ran for Jackson County Sheriff last year has been busted for cocaine.


Lance Laird lost the August primary while sitting in jail. He got out, and cops say he was driving one of three vehicles stopped last week in Calhoun County.

More than four kilos were found inside a spare tire. Cops say the cars were coming back from Texas. Eight others are facing charges for possession with intent to sell.







Lance Laird, former candidate for Jackson County sheriff, among those arrested after large cocaine bust
By Danielle Salisbury
The Jackson Patriot
January 28, 2013 at 6:36 PM
Updated January 30, 2013 at 6:43 PM
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2013/01/lance_laird_former_candidate_f.html

TEKONSHA, MI – A former candidate for Jackson County sheriff was among eight people arrested last week when police found 4.5 kilograms of cocaine in a GMC Yukon near Tekonsha.

Lance Laird, who lost in the August Democratic primary, was driving one of three vehicles stopped Wednesday on M-60 near 19 ½ Mile Road in Calhoun County, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.

The vehicles had gone to Texas and were returning to Michigan. Laird, in a Pontiac Grand Prix, was accompanying the Yukon, where police said they found the cocaine inside a spare tire. The tire was attached beneath the SUV, according to the complaint, filed Friday in the Western District of Michigan in Grand Rapids.

Laird’s co-defendants are: Juan Guerrero Jr., Robert Paul Villarreal, Julio Cruz Pizano, Gonzalo Ramon Delarosa, Ryan Joshua Nice, Genoveva Pizano Villarreal and Abel Bernardo Villarreal.

Friday, the defendants appeared before a federal magistrate judge, and are in federal custody. A pretrial conference hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

They are charged with conspiring to possess cocaine with the intention of distributing it.

Driving the Yukon was Delarosa, 59, of Blackman Township, according to the complaint. Laird admitted to leaving Delarosa’s home on Rives Junction Road in the Grand Prix and heading to Texas.

Laird, 36, said he had made the same trip about two months ago, the complaint states.

A confidential informant led police to investigate the most recent trip.

The informant told a Lansing police officer that Guerrero, who lives in Lansing, has connections for illegal narcotics in Texas, according to the complaint.

The informant told the officer Guerrero would be planning a trek last week, and the informant gave a cell phone to Guerrero, which police then tracked.

Law enforcement personnel monitored the men's movements and state police first stopped the Grand Prix after it returned to Michigan. A white pickup, accompanying the Yukon and the Grand Prix, swerved at a trooper’s patrol vehicle as the trooper went after the Yukon.

The complaint alleges the pickup was a “bait vehicle,” used by drug traffickers to draw the attention of law enforcement away from the vehicle carrying the drugs, according to the complaint.

Police stopped the pickup and then pursued the Yukon, which had picked up its speed from about 35 mph to more than 60 mph in snowy, icy conditions in an apparent attempt to avoid a stop, the complaint states.

The three vehicles were traveling together, Pizano, 45, admitted to a deputy on the Jackson Narcotics Enforcement Team, according to the complaint.

The Jackson team is familiar with Pizano, Laird and Delarosa, said state police Detective Lt. Dave Cook, the team commander.

They are “known targets,” he said Monday.

During the primary in August, Laird was in jail for testing positive for cocaine while on probation for a domestic violence charge. He denied using the drug.

The jail stay was his 14th in Jackson County since 2006, jail records showed.

Lance lost the primary to Jackson reserve officer Kenneth Carpenter, but still earned more than 1,400 votes.

Sheriff Steve Rand, a Republican, beat Carpenter handily in the November general election.

The cocaine found last week has a value of about $900,000, state police reported.

"It's probably the biggest (bust) we have been involved in in a long time," Cook said of the Jackson team.

01152013 - Officer Jeff Smith - Eaton Rapids PD

At the trial for the domestic violence incident, Officer Jeff Smith admitted to pulling out his gun and holding it to his head! But the jurors found him not guilty of domestic violence...What were they thinking???

Coverage of Officer Jeff Smith's trial

Coverage update on Officer Jeff Smith's trial

On January 15, 2013 Eaton Rapids PD Sergeant Jeff Smith was arraigned on domestic violence charges, for an incident that took place on July 07, 2012.

Sgt. Charged of Domestic Violence Found Not Guilty
Posted: Apr 17, 2013 10:37 AM CDT
Updated: Apr 17, 2013 4:15 PM CDT
By Maria Hechanova
http://www.wlns.com/story/22002288/closing-arguments-heard-from-former-sgt-charged-of-domestic-violence

MASON, Mich. (WLNS) - A jury found Sgt. Jeff Smith with Eaton County to be not guilty of charges for domestic violence.

Sgt. Jeff Smith, a sergeant with the Eaton Rapids Police Department was accused of physically harming his ex-wife last summer. The two were married at the time, but court records in Jackson County show they divorced late last year.













Eaton Rapids Sgt. In Court For Domestic Violence
Posted: Apr 12, 2013 11:29 AM CDT
http://www.wlns.com/story/21955885/eaton-rapids-sgt-in-court-for-domestic-violence-charges

MASON, Mich. (WLNS) - A local cop and his ex-wife took to the witness stand today in a battle of "he said, she said" in 55th District Court.

Sgt. Jeff Smith, a sergeant with the Eaton Rapids Police Department is accused of physically harming Leslie Gill last summer. The two were married at the time, but court records in Jackson County show they divorced late last year.

Smith is charged with domestic violence. He testified in court today that the two got into an argument after attending a mutual friend's going away party back in July of 2012. While on the drive back to their Meridian Township home, Smith said the two started verbally fighting about a job Gill wanted to take.

Smith told the jury the heated conversation made him question his marriage. When the two arrived home, Smith said she wasn't welcome there. Smith then testified Gill became physical and "hit" him in the chest.

Smith said the two eventually made it inside the home and into one of the bedrooms where he pulled out a loaded gun.

"She was upset. I just continued to get verbally cut down," said Smith. "It's tough to talk about. I put the gun to my head & she said you're a coward again. I put the gun back down and said if you feel like I hurt you, why don't you pull the trigger?"

Smith says the gun never went off and he ended up removing the magazine and rounds.

When Gill took the witness stand today, she described Gill as "angry" and that she was "afraid" to report the alleged domestic violence incident to police.

"He pushed me. He told me you're not coming in. This is my house, you're not coming in," said Leslie Gill. "At that point, I said I am coming in. I live here & attempted to push past him to get into the house. He grabbed my right arm and started whipping me around."

Gill said she received bruises on her feet, her arm, and a scrape on her knee. She also told the jury Smith continued to say over and over that "If you report this, I'm in so much trouble. You can't leave."

She also mentioned the gun in her testimony saying Smith put it to his head and told her to pull the trigger. Gill told the jury that she didn't and convinced him to put the gun down. She then told the court she left the home and drove to her mother's house.

Smith's attorney told 6 News the domestic violence charge against him were brought to light, because one of his co-workers was trying to and advance her own career.

Smith is still employed with the Eaton Rapids Police Department, but is on paid administrative leave. He's an 11-year-veteran of the force.

If convicted of domestic violence, a misdemeanor, the prosecutor says Smith could face 93 days in jail.

The trial is expected to resume on Wednesday, April 17 at 9:00 a.m.

Police Sergeant Faces Domestic Violence Charges
Posted: Jan 15, 2013 3:03 PM CST
By Ann Emmerich -
http://www.wlns.com/story/20595118/police-sergeant-faces-domestic-violence-charges

Sergeant Jeff Smith from the Eaton Rapids Police Department is facing domestic violence charges.

City records show he's an 11 year veteran of the force and was promoted to sergeant last April.

Smith stood quiet at his arraignment Monday in Ingham County District Court. His charges stem from an incident last July against his then wife. Records out of Jackson County show they divorced late last year.

Smith serves on Eaton Rapids' Police Force, but lives in Meridian Township. Because the charge against him is a misdemeanor, he wasn't jailed and is out on a personal bond of $500. As part of that bond, the judge granted him permission to have a gun for work purposes only.

A sergeant with the Eaton Rapids Police Department said the chief is out of town for the next week and a half and no one there is authorized to speak about the charges against Smith. It's unknown if he is continuing to work or suspended.

He's due back in court in about two weeks.

Stay with 6 news as we continue to bring you the details of this story.