Former Cop Pleads Guilty To Obstructing FBI Investigation

CARTERSVILLE, GA — A former Cartersville police officer has pleaded guilty to allegations that he tipped off an informant of an active drug investigation undertaken by the FBI. Bryson-Taylor Wayne Banks notified drug traffickers that the federal agency was conducting a court-approved wiretap, and pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful notification of electronic surveillance, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

“The defendant made a decision to side with the drug dealers and sabotage an FBI investigation,” said U.S. Attorney BJay Pak. “He placed his fellow law enforcement officers in imminent danger, and sold out his oath to uphold the law.

According to prosecutors, Banks was assigned to a DEA task force and used police databases to aid the alleged law breakers. Banks served as a Cartersville police officer from October 2008 to August 2015 and used a confidential informant who allegedly provided the cop with inside information about drug traffickers.

Prosecutors said that in 2014, Banks started giving the informant details from a confidential law enforcement database, which allowed that person to warn alleged traffickers about an investigation and the presence of officers.

In 2014 and 2015, the FBI was investigating a drug trafficking organization, which included an inmate in a Georgia state prison who was using contraband cell phones to coordinate drug deals. In July 2015, the FBI obtained court authorization to wiretap two of the inmate's phones.

On multiple occasions, the inmate was recorded discussing drug trafficking activities with fellow drug trafficker Tomas Pineda Mendoza. On the morning of Aug. 11, 2015, the FBI told Banks of its investigation into the inmate, including that the inmate was allegedly arranging to distribute 2 kilograms of meth to Mendoza that afternoon.

Prosecutors said Banks allegedly warned his informant to "advise Mendoza not to pick up drugs that day, and if he did, he would go to jail," the U.S. Attorney's office previously said. Banks disclosed the FBI wiretap of the inmate's phone to his informant and later that day, the FBI intercepted communication that revealed the inmate became aware of the wiretap. The inmate discontinued the use of his cell phones, and the FBI's investigation was compromised.

The indictment also alleges that in July 2015, Banks sent his informant a photograph of another law enforcement confidential informant, and told his guy to "stay away from that individual because they worked with law enforcement," the U.S. Attorney's Office added.

With the arrest plan compromised, the surveillance team identified, and the wiretap exposed, the FBI agents had to take precautions for agents’ personal safety and try to rebuild the investigation. However, the renewed investigation was ultimately successful, resulting in Shorty and Mendoza being arrested and sentenced to 9 years, seven months, and 10 years, 10 months imprisonment, respectively, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Cartersville police spokesperson Lt. Mike Bettikofer said when the agency became aware of the allegations, it initiated an internal investigation. Within two weeks, Banks was terminated for issues related to conduct.

"The Cartersville Police Department has been in full cooperation with all agencies involved pertaining to this investigations conclusion," he previously said in a statement.

Sentencing for Banks, of Cartersville, is scheduled for May 11 before U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and assistant U.S. attorneys Michael Herskowitz and Garrett Bradford are prosecuting the case.

Image via Shutterstock