He was already indicted on 52 charges last year.
Accused drug-planting deputy slapped with two dozen new charges
Prosecutors have leveled a host of new charges against the former Jackson County deputy accused of planting drugs on unwary drivers during bogus traffic stops recorded by his own body camera.
Zachary Wester, whose career in law enforcement came crashing down in 2018 after the allegations came to light, was indicted last year on a total of 52 counts, including charges of racketeering, official misconduct, perjury, fabricating evidence, false imprisonment and possession of drugs. The charges stemmed from Wester’s arrests of 11 different people.
Last month, prosecutors filed an amended information charging Wester with two dozen additional counts involving five more of his alleged victims. The charges stemmed from traffic stops in 2017 and 2018 in which drivers or passengers were arrested on drug charges including possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.
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In another of the new cases, Wester stopped a woman with two kids in the car because one of her brake lights was broken, according to arrest reports. After a search of the vehicle, Wester claimed several baggies with suspected meth were found on the front console under her wallet. She denied it was hers. But Wester arrested her for felony possession and — because kids were present — child endangerment.
Accused drug-planting deputy slapped with two dozen new charges
Prosecutors have leveled a host of new charges against the former Jackson County deputy accused of planting drugs on unwary drivers during bogus traffic stops recorded by his own body camera.
Zachary Wester, whose career in law enforcement came crashing down in 2018 after the allegations came to light, was indicted last year on a total of 52 counts, including charges of racketeering, official misconduct, perjury, fabricating evidence, false imprisonment and possession of drugs. The charges stemmed from Wester’s arrests of 11 different people.
Last month, prosecutors filed an amended information charging Wester with two dozen additional counts involving five more of his alleged victims. The charges stemmed from traffic stops in 2017 and 2018 in which drivers or passengers were arrested on drug charges including possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.
*snip*
In another of the new cases, Wester stopped a woman with two kids in the car because one of her brake lights was broken, according to arrest reports. After a search of the vehicle, Wester claimed several baggies with suspected meth were found on the front console under her wallet. She denied it was hers. But Wester arrested her for felony possession and — because kids were present — child endangerment.
