On the Wrong Side of the Law?
Clayton Police Chief, Newfield Councilman, former State Assembly Candidate and activist for New Jersey's MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), Frank Winters - and his wife Beatrice - have been charged with stealing $150,000.00 from a non-profit organization.
The Chief was arrested in his police uniform as he was driving to work yesterday morning, and his wife was taken into custody shortly thereafter at their home. According to law enforcement sources, the Winters - who own a trinket company that provides organizations with keychains, pins, and other trinket-type items - charged the MADD organization for products which were never delivered. The Winters also allegedly did not advise MADD of their ownership of the company.
For at least part of the period in question, Chief Winters served on the MADD committee charged with providing oversight into the organization's financial matters. Police allege this position helped him commit the crime.
Both the Chief and his wife stopped participating in MADD 3 years ago.
If convicted, the Chief faces 10 years in state prison.
On a personal note, Chief Winters interjected himself into the controversy surrounding my former client Kenneth Powell, who was charged with manslaughter after he allegedly "permitted" a friend to drive drunk. The drunk driver later killed himself and John Elliot, a recent Naval Academy graduate, after a head-on collision. This case marked the first time in the history of the country that the person charged with the DWI death was not the driver of the automobile, but was allegedly an "accomplice" to the drunk driving. Mr. Powell was correctly found not quilty of the most serious charge, and the remaining charges against him were dismissed after 2 hung juries.
I debated the Chief on CourtTV in this matter, and it is a shame to think that Chief Winters may have simply been "posing" as a MADD officer concerned about drunk driving when in fact he may have been in it to line his own pocket.
Mr. and Mrs. Winters deny the allegations. They're innocent until proven guilty, so we'll give them their day in court. Which, interestingly, is a statement I don't recall Chief Winters making when Mr. Powell was facing a terrible injustice.
The Chief was arrested in his police uniform as he was driving to work yesterday morning, and his wife was taken into custody shortly thereafter at their home. According to law enforcement sources, the Winters - who own a trinket company that provides organizations with keychains, pins, and other trinket-type items - charged the MADD organization for products which were never delivered. The Winters also allegedly did not advise MADD of their ownership of the company.
For at least part of the period in question, Chief Winters served on the MADD committee charged with providing oversight into the organization's financial matters. Police allege this position helped him commit the crime.
Both the Chief and his wife stopped participating in MADD 3 years ago.
If convicted, the Chief faces 10 years in state prison.
On a personal note, Chief Winters interjected himself into the controversy surrounding my former client Kenneth Powell, who was charged with manslaughter after he allegedly "permitted" a friend to drive drunk. The drunk driver later killed himself and John Elliot, a recent Naval Academy graduate, after a head-on collision. This case marked the first time in the history of the country that the person charged with the DWI death was not the driver of the automobile, but was allegedly an "accomplice" to the drunk driving. Mr. Powell was correctly found not quilty of the most serious charge, and the remaining charges against him were dismissed after 2 hung juries.
I debated the Chief on CourtTV in this matter, and it is a shame to think that Chief Winters may have simply been "posing" as a MADD officer concerned about drunk driving when in fact he may have been in it to line his own pocket.
Mr. and Mrs. Winters deny the allegations. They're innocent until proven guilty, so we'll give them their day in court. Which, interestingly, is a statement I don't recall Chief Winters making when Mr. Powell was facing a terrible injustice.