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February 12,
2004
Contact:
Lynn Kimbrough, 720-913-9025
INTERNAL
INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN CHARGES
A lengthy
investigation by the Denver Police Department, the Denver
District Attorney’s Office and the FBI has resulted in charges
against a Denver patrol officer.
Denver District
Attorney Bill Ritter, Jr. has charged Damon
D. Finley (DOB: 1-12-73) with bribery (F3), theft
(F4), conspiracy to commit theft (F5) and conspiracy
to commit tampering with evidence (F6).
An allegation of
misconduct was made against Finley in June 2002, launching an
investigation by the Denver Police Department Internal Affairs
Bureau. The charges allege that Finley conspired with his
father to tamper with evidence in a pending drug case in
exchange for money. No evidence was ever actually tampered
with.
Finley was removed
from duty in July 2003 and his authority as a police officer was
removed at that time. Effective today he was formally suspended
without pay. The Denver Police Department’s internal
investigation continues.
As part of the joint
investigation, a federal grand jury in Denver returned a one
count indictment yesterday, February 11, 2004 charging Finley
with knowingly making a false statement to special agents of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Finley has been summoned
to appear before a federal magistrate judge on Wednesday,
February 25, 2004 at 1:30 p.m. in that case. If convicted on
the federal charge Finley faces up to 5 years in federal prison
and/or a $250,000 fine.
The presumptive
range for sentencing on the state charges is up to 12 years in
prison for a class 3 felony, up to 6 years for a class 4 felony,
up to 3 years for a class 5 felony and up to 18 months on a
class 6 felony.
Contact:
Virginia Lopez,
Denver Police Department, 303-760-5590
Lynn Kimbrough, Denver DA’s
Office, 720-913-9025
Jeff Dorschner, U.S.
Attorney's Office, 303-454-0243
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