Supervisors Tipped Off Feds on Crime Stoppers Cop

Aug. 27, 2009— -- Crime Stoppers aims to solve crimes, not become the victim of them.

However, Officer Wayne Fortella of Miami is accused of using the tip program as a piggy bank for friends, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in southern Florida District Court. The complaint accuses Fortella and two associates of scamming the Miami program for more than $14,000.

Fortella, an 11-year veteran of the Miami-Dade Police Department, allegedly provided reward claim codes to civilians Kurt Burgess and Ainsworth Stanley. Court documents allege Burgess and Stanley would then redeem the codes' claim rewards for tips they had not actually submitted.

Fortella is not accused in the complaint of pocketing any money himself.

"Any time a law enforcement officer is accused of tarnishing the badge, it is an embarrassment to all the honest, hard-working members of this profession who work day in and day out to protect and serve with integrity," said Miami Police Chief John Timoney in a statement.

The three defendants are accused of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Fortella faces 15 counts, Burgess faces eight counts and Stanley seven.

Fortella and Burgess appeared in court Wednesday, but according to the Department of Justice , Stanley remained at large. If convicted, the men could face as much as 20 years in prison for each count they face.

Both men in custody have filed requests for counsel, but it was unclear whether or not the men have been assigned attorneys.

MDPD officers supervising the Crime Stoppers program tipped off investigators to possible corruption within the unit when they suspected Fortella of abusing his position and manipulating rewards, according to court documents.

The Miami-Dade Police Department declined to comment on the case.

Michael J. Folmar, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Miami office, said the incident shouldn't undermine the integrity of the program.

"Crime Stoppers is a valuable and essential program that has assisted law enforcement in catching countless criminals," he said. "It is unfortunate that one police officer chose to take advantage of the anonymity that this program offers for personal gain. Nonetheless, the success of Crime Stoppers surpasses the acts of one police officer."