Spanish Cop Sentenced for Gambling With Stolen Crime Scene Money

Posted on: November 22, 2023, 06:44h. 

Last updated on: November 22, 2023, 11:22h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

A police officer in Spain is off the force for breaking the very rules he was supposed to uphold. Some may say his sentence is light compared to the crime, but any chance of a life in law enforcement is over.

A member of Spain's Guardia Civil in uniform
A member of Spain’s Guardia Civil in uniform. One officer received a suspended prison sentence for gambling with funds he stole from a crime scene. (Image: Radio y Televisión Espa?ola)

Last week, the Provincial Court of Alicante sentenced a member of the Civil Guard in Spain to five months in prison and a 10-month disqualification from office. The unnamed officer was found guilty of embezzling €9,000 (US$9,795) during an anti-drug operation, and subsequently gambling the money on roulette at a local casino.

The incident dates back to the summer of 2020, when the officer discovered bags of marijuana and cash while inspecting a truck during the operation. He reportedly succumbed to temptation and stashed the cash for himself.

Easy Money

Amid the chaos of the crime scene investigation, the officer was entrusted with the seized items while investigators collected evidence and gathered more information.

Instead of safeguarding the money, he pocketed it. He then headed to a gambling hall about eight hours later and hit the roulette tables. It proved to be a losing proposition, as according to court documents, he walked away empty-handed.

Unaware of the officer’s actions, authorities later requested the return of the seized items. When the officer handed over only the drugs and not the money, suspicion arose. Subsequently, the Civil Guard self-reported the incident to the Spanish justice system, which set off an investigation into the embezzlement of public funds.

While local media initially reported that the authorities sought nearly two years of imprisonment for the officer, an agreement was reached. In exchange for returning the money, which has reportedly already happened, he received a much lighter sentence. The five-month sentence was suspended as long as he doesn’t get into trouble for the next two years.

The ruling isn’t final. Prosecutors could appeal if they want to try to force the officer to spend time behind bars.

When Good Cops Go Bad

The Spanish officer isn’t the only cop to go rogue: former Las Vegas police officer Caleb Rogers landed in jail for heists at three casinos. As he tried to take down the sportsbook at the Rio in his last heist, security guards took him out like a blitzing NFL linebacker going after a QB.

The Spanish cop and Rogers are in good (bad) company with other rotten cops. Another incident thousands of miles away in Peru recently landed two officers in jail.

Local media reported Tuesday that two police officers are in custody for their roles in an assault on a Peruvian slot parlor. They make up half of the squad that hit the venue last summer and stole almost SOL29,000 (US$7,747).

Soon after that heist, investigators were able to capture one of the crooks. He wasted no time in making a deal, identifying his three accomplices and explaining how the whole ordeal played out.

One of the officers was in charge of surveillance in order to alert if any other officers were in the area. The other officer and the remaining two crooks entered the casino and orchestrated the robbery. All four now face charges of aggravated robbery.