A former Lowndes County sheriff’s deputy pleaded guilty this week to charges of shaking down Hispanic motorists at traffic stops with threats of arrest and deportation.
In August, Jason Stacks illegally detained at least four motorists, according to the FBI. Stacks’ two Spanish-speaking co-conspirators told one of those motorists he would be taken to jail or deported if he did not pay $500. The co-conspirators then drove the motorist to his home and took $300 from him before splitting the money with Stacks.
Stacks has pleaded guilty to conspiring to use his law enforcement authority to unlawfully detain and take money from motorists.
“Today’s guilty plea is another example of the zero tolerance the Department of Justice has for law enforcement officers who violate individuals’ civil rights,” U.S. attorney Michael Moore for the Middle District of Georgia said in a prepared statement Tuesday.
About the Author
