Dallas police officer, 2 other department employees indicted in alleged pyramid scheme
Dallas TX Feb 16, 2022 A Dallas police officer, a reserve officer and a civilian employee with the department have been indicted on charges of promoting a pyramid promotional scheme, according to court records.
A Dallas County grand jury handed up the indictments last week for Dallas police Officer Reginald Jones, Reserve Officer Brad Deason and civilian employee Sonja Davis. It was unclear whether Deason and Davis had attorneys.
Chris Knox, Jones’ attorney, said in a prepared statement “this is an unfortunate case, and one where the officers charged did not do anything different than thousands of other people did during the pandemic.”
He said the prosecution was based on “a novel reading of the Texas Business Code” that was inconsistent with how the statute has been applied since 1995.
“Officer Jones has been an exemplary officer during his career with the Dallas Police Department and is looking forward to getting back to work so he can continue to serve and protect the people of Dallas like he has for over 20 years,” Knox said.
Jones is accused of receiving about $48,000 in the scheme, which involved multiple officers and at least 159 participants, according to court records. He called the alleged scheme a “gifting program,” an arrest-warrant affidavit said. The nature of Deason’s and Davis’ alleged involvement was unclear.
Dallas police announced in October that they obtained an arrest warrant for Jones, who has been with the department about 20 years and is assigned to the South Central Patrol Division. The department also had placed 12 other officers from the same division on administrative leave on accusations they participated in and promoted the pyramid scheme, but those officers weren’t listed in records as facing criminal charges.
In a pyramid scheme, participants are promised big returns on their investments if they are able to recruit new participants. New members pay upfront costs, which are funneled up the chain to earlier recruits situated above them in the scheme. The promoters at the top of the pyramid tend to profit, while the newer members at the bottom are likely to lose money.
Pyramid schemes differ from Ponzi schemes, in which people give their money to an organizer who pays out earlier investors with money from new investors.
Under Texas law, operating a pyramid scheme or recruiting people to take part is a state jail felony, punishable by six months to two years in state jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
In alphabetical order, these were the other officers placed on leave in connection with the alleged scheme:
Maj. David Davis, hired in May 2018
Officer Anthony Edmond, hired in August 1992
Sgt. Constance Lewis, hired in January 1990
Officer Paul Logan, hired in December 2004
Sr. Cpl. Pearl McDowell, hired in June 2007
Sgt. Latasha Moore, hired in June 2007
Sgt. Rachel Moore, hired in September 2005
Officer Carlton Nelson, hired in November 2007
Sr. Cpl. Raquel Oliver, hired in August 2005
Sr. Cpl. Aaron Rucker, hired in December 2006
Lt. Giovanni Wells, hired in January 2007
Sgt. Jennifer Wells, hired in January 2007
