Police lieutenant charged in financial fraud case

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is investigating one of its officers for alleged financial crimes.

Lt. Warith Muhammad is charged with felony financial transaction card fraud and felony conspiracy to commit financial transaction card fraud, the department said in a news release.

Those charges stem from incidents that happened outside of work and “did not involve the functions of his job,” CMPD said. The department’s news release offered few other details, and arrest warrants weren’t immediately available on Wednesday morning.

Muhammad turned himself in at 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the department said.

He’s on unpaid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

Muhammad was hired on Oct. 18, 2010, and works in the Central Division.

“Warith’s position is simple,” his attorney, Noell Tin, said in a message. “He is innocent.”

Muhammad is scheduled for a first appearance in court Wednesday afternoon, according to court records.

“The arrest of our own lieutenant is a devastating blow to the trust we’ve worked tirelessly to build with this community,” Chief Johnny Jennings said in a statement. “We hold ourselves to an uncompromising standard of integrity, and any violation is a betrayal of that sacred oath. But let me be absolutely clear: the CMPD has zero tolerance for misconduct, regardless of rank or tenure.”

Last month, another CMPD officer, Henry Chapman, was arrested on an embezzlement charge. He pocketed $900 from a man in police custody, an affidavit alleges.

Ryan Oehrli: @oehrli