USA: Officer held in crystal meth investigation

The suspect already was stripped of his badge during a terroristic-threatening probe

A Honolulu police officer who is already under investigation in two terroristic threatening cases was arrested yesterday by federal agents for allegedly conspiring to distribute crystal methamphetamine.

Officer James Corn Jr. was arrested as part of a joint operation by Honolulu police and federal Drug Enforcement Agency officials.

Sources close to the investigation said Corn allegedly was providing security for a drug deal in a parking lot near Auahi and Kamakee streets yesterday afternoon. Also arrested was a man identified by sources as Corn's cousin.

Corn had already been stripped of his police powers and was under investigation by HPD Internal Affairs for two incidents -- allegedly threatening the owner of a Waipahu auto shop on Feb. 21, and allegedly assaulting another man in Waianae on May 3, 2004.

Police sources said the victim in the 2004 case went to Corn's home and accused him of having an affair with his girlfriend. In response, Corn allegedly came out of his house with his gun and baton and threatened to kill the man, then swung his baton and broke the man's car window and struck him.

The victim fled and reported the case to police, who arrested Corn for first-degree terroristic threatening and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. He was placed on administrative leave and stripped of his police powers.

While on suspension, Corn allegedly threatened Larry Woodward, owner of Larry's Discount Wheel and Tire in Waipahu, over tire damage for a 20-inch tire Corn had bought for his Camaro.

Woodward told the Star-Bulletin in February that Corn became irate and pushed him with "both hands and his belly." At first, Woodward said, he did not know Corn was an officer.

But Woodward said he asked Corn to leave the shop, and Corn allegedly responded, "I'm a policeman. I can do anything I want."

"I asked for him to show me a badge, and he said, 'I'll show you a badge,' and he grabbed his genitals and said, 'This is all I need for identification,'" Woodward said. After Corn left, he allegedly called back and threatened several times to kill Woodward.

Police did not identify Corn as the officer under investigation for either case, and said only that he had been assigned to District 8 (Ewa Beach, Waianae) and had joined the department in December 2001.

In response to yesterday's arrest, Chief Boisse Correa said through a spokeswoman that he was "very disappointed and will continue to work hard to do whatever is necessary to maintain the department's integrity and the public's confidence."

Corn was in custody last night and is scheduled to appear in federal court tomorrow.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org/amphetablog.html
Pubdate: Fri, 26 Aug 2005
Source: The Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Author: Rod Antone
Copyright: 2005 The Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Contact: http://starbulletin.com/forms/letterform.html
Email: letters@starbulletin.com
Website: http://www.starbulletin.com/