Fired: Two officers fired over misconduct, sexual allegations

FERRIS - Two Ferris officers were fired recently over misconduct.

City Manager Eric Strong said Sgt. Jeffrey Kent’s internal affairs investigation had to be done by an outside source because of his “retaliation” to other city employees. Kent had been with the department since February 2009.

Thursday, Oct. 7 Kent was placed on paid leave pending the outcome of an investigation of complaints made against him for improper conduct and violating the city of Ferris’ and Ferris PD’s policies.

According to the investigation letter from Mark E. Goldstucker, there were six issues investigated with multiple interviews conducted for each.

According to one issue, Thursday, Sept. 23, Kent instructed an unidentified female to search for and view a sexually explicit video on the police dispatch computer identified as “American Hero Puppet Sex” on YouTube.

The video, described as two minutes long, shows a male and female in various sexual positions as well as the male puppet urinating on the female’s face and the female puppet defecating on the male puppets face.

Also uncovered was Kent allowing females to go into unauthorized parts of the police department to make sandwiches, being sexually suggestive with female employees and making sexually explicit gestures.

The investigation found Kent committing the acts as accused in the allegations and found him violating the city of Ferris and FPD policies.

Three year veteran Brad Lindsey, a 1998 Ferris High School graduate, was notified by Chief Sam Love on Friday, Nov. 12 an internal affairs investigation was being conducted into allegations he was committing in violation of the city of Ferris policies and procedures and/or the FPD policy and possible violation of criminal law.

According to the investigation, Lindsey, a father and husband, was caught various different times meeting with another female while on duty.

Alisha Beightol was acknowledged as being arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver during an assist with Lindsey and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force in February 2008.

A written response from Lindsey on the affair with Beightol on record with the city of Ferris states,” we would hug each other, occasionally kiss (pecks on the cheek or lips) but the majority of the time spent with this person we would have conversations.”

Lindsey opening the gate to allow an unauthorized person on The Storage Place’s property caused Beightol to commit criminal trespassing.

Chief Love, in a letter to Lindsey states,” You have violated the Ferris Police Department policy by associating with a person known by you to be of questionable moral character.”

In response, Lindsey is stated as saying he did not know Alisha Beightol was a person of questionable character even though he said he knew she told him she has been in prison.

In addition to the affair claims, Love stated Lindsey has a lack of good work performance being late for work causing officers to work over on several occasions.