STUN-NING CHARGES
D.A.: HE GAVE POLICE TASER TO SUSPECT IN BOGUS EMAIL
Chester City Police Officer Donald Jackson, Jr., 44, has been arrested and charged with illegally delivering a police Taser device to a defendant in an unrelated records tampering case.
MEDIA COURTHOUSE >> A Chester City police officer has been arrested and charged with illegally delivering a police Taser device to a defendant in an unrelated records tampering case.
Donald Jackson, Jr., 44, is charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft by receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy to possession of an offensive weapon, all misdemeanors of the first degree, according to a release from Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland.
“Donald Jackson, Jr., used his position of trust and authority as a law enforcement officer to obtain a police issued weapon and then illegally transferred it to a convicted criminal, violating his sworn oath to uphold the laws of our commonwealth,” said Copeland.
Chester Police Chief James Nolan IV said in a statement that Jackson, a 16-year veteran of the force, has been relieved of duty and placed on administrative leave by Police Commissioner Otis Blair. The matter has been referred to the City of Chester solicitor’s office for further processing, Nolan said.
“The department was aware of an investigation stemming from the arrest of another individual and awaited action from the Office of the District Attorney,” Nolan said. “We will allow the affidavit of probable cause to speak for itself in relation to the accusations therein.”
Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division detectives arrested Nikolaos Tzima Hatziefstathiou, also known as “Nik the Hat,” last month for allegedly doctoring an email from his probation officer to make it appear as though a racist email had been sent out by a Delaware County Adult Probation and Parole supervisor to a prospective hire.
Hatziefstathiou, 25, of the 700 block of Cedar Grove Road in Broomall, posted the allegedly bogus email with a story to the online news outlet YC News, where he serves as editor in chief. The story created a firestorm of political controversy and sparked a criminal investigation that eventually resulted in Hatziefstathiou’s arrest July 24.
Hatziefstathiou is charged with tampering with public records, identity theft, forgery, attempted theft by deception, theft of property, receiving stolen property, prohibited offensive weapons and unsworn falsification to authorities. He has been released on $100,000 unsecured bail and is set for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge David Lang Aug. 29.
The prohibited offensive weapons, theft of property and receiving stolen property charges stem from the alleged discovery a police Taser inside Hatziefstathiou’s Broomall residence while CID detectives were serving a search warrant June 24.
Detectives recovered the Taser, with the number “14” carved into it, along with two firing cartridges, according to the release. Firing logs for the Taser show it was last discharged in June, according to authorities.
CID’s Special Investigations Unit determined the Taser was purchased by the Chester City Police Department in October 2011 for $805 and was last assigned to a retired Chester police captain.
Upon retirement, the captain returned the Taser to Jackson, who was assigned as the Special Project Officer, according to the release. The department allegedly confirmed with investigators that the recovered Taser was missing from their inventory and had been considered stolen.
A forensic examination of Hatziefstathiou’s cell phone by investigators with CID’s Cyber Crimes Unit allegedly revealed several text messages between Hatziefstathiou and Jackson about the Tazer beginning in January.
Hatziefstathiou allegedly sent a text to Jackson at 11:09 p.m. Jan. 24 asking, “Know anyone I can borrow a taser from? I’m going to be in some bad areas while I’m down there this weekend.” Jackson allegedly replied, “I have one. You can’t tell anyone where you got it though.” Hatziefstathiou allegedly came to Jackson’s home to collect the Tazer later that night, according to the release.
Jackson followed up with a text to Hatziefstathiou in April asking, “How did you make out with that taser?” according to the release. Hatziefstathiou allegedly replied, “Oh yeah! We have one more shoot was gonna use it just in case.” Hatziefstathiou later messaged Jackson, “Didn’t use it luckily lmao,” according to investigators.
When CID detectives confronted Jackson with the texts during an interview July 25, he allegedly admitted taking the Taser home from Chester P.D. and later delivering it to Hatziefstathiou. The release states that Hatziefstathiou is not legally permitted to possess the Taser or have it delivered to him.
Jackson was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Walter A. Strohl, who set bail at $20,000 unsecured. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 3.
Defense attorney Chuck Peruto, representing Hatziefstathiou, declined comment Wednesday.
Media attorney James McHugh is listed as Jackson’s counsel on court filings, but said Wednesday he is no longer representing him due to a conflict with another case. It was unknown whether Jackson had retained another attorney.
“Donald Jackson, Jr., used his position of trust and authority as a law enforcement officer to obtain a police issued weapon and then illegally transferred it to a convicted criminal, violating his sworn oath to uphold the laws of our commonwealth.”
— Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland