By Mike Glenn and Brian Rogers
The Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON — A retired Houston police officer and his former son-in-law were indicted Thursday on charges that they took money from the professional organization that once represented them both — the Houston Police Officers’ Union.
Ronald Martin, 51, the union’s former board secretary, and Houston police officer Jeff Larson, 39, are accused of stealing cash, cashing checks, using credit cards and pocketing profits from vehicle sales — all from the union’s coffers, Harris County prosecutors said.
The indictments were a bitter blow to the organization, the sole bargaining agent with the city for all Houston police officers.
“Both of these guys, I felt like, were friends,” HPOU President Gary Blankinship said. “They betrayed that trust.”
Larson could not be reached for comment Thursday. Martin’s lawyer, former Harris County prosecutor Tommy LaFon, declined to talk about the accusations.
Martin and Larson were indicted on charges of misapplication of fiduciary property. Larson was also indicted on charges of theft by a public servant.
The two are accused of taking about $100,000 to $200,000 from union coffers from December 2004 to January 2008, according to Harris County District Attorney Ken Magidson.
A 31-year HPD veteran, Martin retired after he and Larson were relieved of duty in mid-January. Larson, who remains off-duty with pay pending the outcome of the investigation, has been with HPD for 16 years and was the union’s treasurer.
Lack of accounting
Larson failed to account for union business transactions — including selling HPOU vehicles and converting police union checks to cash, prosecutors said. Also discovered missing were funds from office space that the union leased to tenants.
“They were intercepting the rent checks that had been sent to us,” Blankinship said.
Martin was assigned to HPD’s juvenile division when he retired. According to city records, he received a base pay of $68,512 in 2007 — his final full year on the force. Larson, an HPD accident investigator, last year received $70,128 in base pay and an additional $21,316 in overtime.
The only legal help Larson could expect to receive from the union would be for any HPD administrative proceedings against him, union officials said.
“We are under no obligation for their criminal defense,” Blankinship said.
The irregularities first came to light in November when HPOU conducted an internal review regarding the sale of union-owned vehicles by Martin and Larson. At the same time, Blankinship’s election as the HPOU’s president triggered a financial audit.
The audit identified financial breaches involving Martin and Larson, Blankinship said.
He said the union’s financial state was in trouble when he took over at HPOU — which has about 4,850 dues-paying members.
Larson, as treasurer, was essentially free to disperse union funds as he saw fit, Blankinship said.
“They (former union leaders) could have done a better job at checks and balances,” Blankinship said.
Former HPOU President Hans Marticiuc said the union’s board members received a financial report each month.
“There was an outside audit every year. It came back that we were in fine shape,” Marticiuc said. “I really think that it was a matter of trusting people.”
Since taking over, Blankinship said the union hired certified public accountants to audit the books.
“I personally countersign every check that leaves this union,” Blankinship said. “I think all the checks and balances are in place.”
More money missing
The alleged theft is at least the second time that money from law enforcement ranks has come up missing this year.
In May, FBI agents said they were investigating the disappearance of more than $100,000 from the Houston Police Federal Credit Union.
That incident is still under investigation, said Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Copyright 2008 The Houston Chronicle