Fugitive police sergeant arrestedin Detroit after 15 years on the run
CHICAGO (AP) — A former Chicago police sergeant wanted on federal drug and conspiracy charges was arrested in Detroit after nearly 15 years on the run, the FBI announced Tuesday.
Eddie Hicks was apprehended in Detroit on Tuesday morning and appeared in U.S. District Court, where he was ordered held until he can be brought to Chicago to face charges filed against him.
During his appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge R. Steven Whalen, Hicks, 68, waived his right to a hearing to establish his identity and agreed to be brought immediately to Chicago, according to court records.
Hicks was the alleged ringleader of a street crew of five men that posed as federal drug agents to shake down drug dealers for cash and narcotics. He and other members of the crew were arrested in 2001.
Federal documents filed after his arrest quoted an unnamed cooperating witness as saying Hicks was part of a police "rip-off crew" that raided drug apartments, grabbing up cash and narcotics and leaving without arresting anyone.
The indictment also said Hicks and his co-defendants not only ripped off apartments but staged traffic-stop robberies, dealt drugs and used unmarked police cars for transportation.
It said they also used bogus search warrants and falsely identified themselves as members of a federal drug enforcement task force.
The FBI placed the drugs in apartments made to appear to look like drug houses, equipping them with hidden audio and video equipment. A drug dealer turned informant tipped Hicks off to the locations, the charges alleged, and two police civilian employees were captured on video breaking into the apartments and leaving with thousands of dollars.
A longtime narcotics officer, Hicks retired from the Chicago Police Department while under federal investigation in March 2000.
Michigan sued after gay couples are rejected for adoption
DETROIT (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union says Michigan is illegally allowing faith-based groups to reject gay couples who want to adopt kids or become foster parents.
Michigan pays groups such as Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services to place children with families. The ACLU filed a lawsuit Wednesday, saying Michigan is violating the U.S. Constitution by allowing the groups to use a religious test to carry out public services.
ACLU attorney Jay Kaplan says those services should be based on what's best for kids, not religious beliefs. The Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment.
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder signed a law in 2015 that says child-placement agencies aren't required to provide services that conflict with their beliefs.
It was signed before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage.
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