Sounds like roundtree was not as clean and standup guy as folks think...and he was getting him some prisonor booty..from a murder suspect!...nice guy
A high-profile investigator for the Richmond County Sheriff's Office was demoted Monday and placed on probation after an investigation determined he left behind case files and SWAT gear when he moved out of an apartment earlier this year.
Richard Roundtree, a sergeant in the Criminal Investigative Division who just returned to duty after extended training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., was stripped of his rank and forced to leave the violent crimes division after a review board hearing, Maj. Ken Autry said.
The case files, which included five open "cold case" homicide investigations and two closed ones from 1988 to 2003, were left by Investigator Roundtree after he moved out of a Telfair Street residence earlier this year. The files were discovered by its new owners in July. They also found a .22-caliber rifle, which was a personal firearm, Maj. Autry said.
Investigator Roundtree also was cited for a number of Sheriff's Office policy violations and also faces five days of unpaid suspension and 12 months of probation.
"These files, the fact that they were left there, was just totally unacceptable," said Maj. Autry, who supervises the Criminal Investigation Division.
Officials refused a request by The Augusta Chronicle to reveal the names of the cold case files, which had been unsecured in the uninhabited residence for about six months.
But one of two closed cases involved the shooting death of 57-year-old grandmother Margaret Ann King, who was killed during a robbery in 2003 at the Central Avenue gas station where she worked. The other involved the fatal shooting of Chris Michael Price in 1996.
Maj. Autry said an investigation conducted by Investigator Roundtree's supervisors, determined no cases were immediately affected by the missing case files.
The investigation also scrutinized allegations that Investigator Roundtree had inappropriate contact with a female inmate during a criminal investigation after several letters written to him by the woman were found in his office. However, Maj. Autry said no wrongdoing was found.
Documents obtained last month by The Chronicle under the Georgia Open Records law show that Investigator Roundtree checked Charlene Thatcher out of the Richmond County jail on at least seven occasions between January 2002 to August 2003. She had been arrested in the 2001 kidnapping and murder of 16-year-old Samuel James Stirrup.
Sgt. Roundtree brought her from the jail to the Criminal Investigation Division on several occasions, including weekends, without escort. Officials admit that not all conversations between the two were documented. There is no account for the time, sometimes hours, that the two spent together in other instances.
Investigator Roundtree was the lead investigator in Mr. Stirrup's homicide, and Maj. Autry said it is not unusual for investigators to take inmates to the CID for interviews.
Investigator Roundtree also investigated Ms. Thatcher for having sexual relations with Deputy Jaime Felipe Banda, a jailer, who later faced sexual assault charges.
Ms. Thatcher, who is serving an 18-year sentence at the Metro State Prison for Women for armed robbery and aggravated assault, denied any improper relationship with the homicide investigator and no other people were interviewed, Maj. Autry said.
Staff Writer Sandy Hodson contributed to this article.
Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Sounds like roundtree was not as clean and standup guy as folks think...and he was getting him some prisonor booty..from a murder suspect!...nice guy
I thought it said just the opposite, "no wrongdoing was found" with regards to this female inmate. I thought he was only in trouble for the files.
Sloppy sloppy policework, Sheriff Strength.
Seems like Roundtree was investigated for several situations that shouldn't have ever come up (and don't for most investigators). Apparently Roundtree is shady. Nothing was mentioned about why he left those files for six months. Didn't he wonder where the files were that he was working on? Roundtree was stripped of his rank for more then just the files.
looks like pretty boy floyd is gonna have to find a job! maybe he can model for the men's wearhouse commercials! why was he allowed to spend time with alone with a female inmate...as soon as she realize that she is sitting on a gold mine i am sure the city will have to pay big $$$$.....come on mr strength how many other male officers are allowed to spend time with female inmates or how many more peep holes does 401 walton way have
T.V. news reported that he has a history of job-related misadventures. An ordinary citizen with this many infractions of the law would have been in jail a long time ago.
Seems as if the contact with the inmate was swept under the rug. What went on during the hours she was with him and it could not be substantiated where they were. That alone sounds like a firing offense to me.
Some of you are idiots and read whatever you want to into an article. It clearly said there was no wrong doing and it clearly said that t was not uncomon for Investigators to take imates to CID. When Roundtree's name constantly appeared in the news for solving cases, not one word from this well informed group about a a rapist or muderer or child molestor had been taken off the streets of this community. It appeares he made a mistake but I guess no one here has ever been disiplined at work. Peaople are so quick t look at the negative and forget the good.
It is no secrete that I am a Roundtree supporter because he was the one who solved my son's murder but since all we can do is find fault in an individual, heres an excert from channel 12's story
"And during his 15 year career at the sheriff's office he's went above the call of duty mentoring families, teens, children and dads with his programs of Taking Back The Streets and most recently, Dads In Action. Also, hundreds of cases solved thanks to his work. Major Autry says his efforts were noted. "I think that's why the punishment wasn't anymore severe, because he's been an excellent employee."
God Bless you Roundtree and keep your head up
who's the cat that won't cop-out, when there's danger all about?
As someone previously stated, there appears to be alot of "shady" activity going on here - maybe more than what has been uncovered so far. What's ironic about this particular person is, he has been mentioned in the law enforcement community as possibly the next sheriff - once Sheriff Strength vacates the position, of course. So citizens of Augusta, if this isn't someone you want as sheriff, you better remember all this when or if his name ever appears on the ballot. Anyone known to be involved in "shady" activities has no business being a sheriff - regardless of their color. Augusta needs another "Ronnie Strength" but I don't believe this it.
I think Roundtree made some poor judgement calls and he is paying for them. I do, however, think his positive attributes should account for something. He has always appeard to be a positive and well respected part of the RCSD. I hope that he will learn from this and show that he is the man we all have believed he was and will in a short time be back to where he was and moving up from there. I do hope that he will not let all of the media criticism will bring him down. Take the punishment for the mistakes and move forward. I still think he has been and will continue to be an asset for the RCSD.
And here's and excert from a channel 26 story "Also in Roundtree's file, ten thank you letters from people in the community commending him for solving cases and protecting neighborhoods and 22 certificates of achievement.
Roundtree's been with the department for 15 years and has helped solve dozens of violent crimes
channel 26 story "
No matter how great of things you did in the past, and I do not think he really has done that much more than any other investigator, if you screw up and do things that are wrong you should pay for it not get a slap on the wrist like "TREE" got. What a joke this is and shame on the sheriff for not standing up and firing this arrogant so called dad in action. Wonder how he could explain to the kids what went on with him and the female inmate all those unsupervised stays in the isolated office. Anyone with half a brain knows a male should never put himself in that position to be accused of anything remotely close to inappropriate behavior. That is a 10 year sentence if he was found to have had sexual relations with that inmate. RCSO DROPPED THE BALL ON THIS ONE, NOW HE REALLY DOES THINK HE IS UNTOUCHABLE. If 99% of the other investigators would have done half of this they would have been called home from VA and fired on the spot then indicted but hey I guess when you dress like that you got to be slick. Good role model for the kids.
good call fd1962, I think he is ready for a higher political calling.
The man gets hung up on ONE mistake.....yes a big mistake, but he was also ON HIS WAY TO TRAINING IN QUANTICO. The man had a lot on his mind, so he forgets a few things about his job. It was about his JOB. How many of you people have forgotten a few things about your jobs??? YES, I know his job has to do with criminals and drug and punks and such....but I tell you what, Richmond County, you are lucky to have the man!!! When you get tired of him, send him on over here to McDuffie County!! I feel sure OUR sheriff will be happy to have the help he can offer!!! We need it too!!
Grateful mother, why can't he account for all those hours he was with the inmate and they were not at CID. That goes for you too cricketflea. He was doing something wrong in that case because he was required to have an escort. So, let's stop this one mistake BS. It is a pattern of mistakes and this is no put down by me against the positive things he has done!
Wrong!!!!!!! He was not on his way to Quantico these files were left months before he was headed to Quantico. One mistake? Talk to someone that works at RCSO and they will tell you it was not one mistake.
Why is it okay to follow most of the rules most of the time, but not all of the rules all of the time?? Especially for law enforcement personnel? How do you "forget" what you're supposed to be doing at your job?
Did he forget his toothbrush when he moved out? I would say that police files of on going cases are pretty important to keep up with. I hope the 22-caliber rifle wasn't left loaded in an unoccupied apartment......
Does Memphis or anyone else know how long it takes to interview a person in a murder investigation and IF he was required to have an escort why was he allowed to interview her 8 times. They have locked up deputies for relationaships with inmates the Sheriff's Office says he violated no policy or law regarding the inmate. They told you whathe was in trouble for, why can't that just be it whay must there always be something else. And to further that, the sherriff office has review board EVERY week for policy violations involving employees, it is strange but really it is not that this is the first time the media has followed an Internal Investigation. there are deputies working there who have DUIs and domestic complaints. Can you memphis tell me why this is so
He was NOT being repremanded for those hours to start with....AND if you will reread the article, the girl/woman DID say there was NOTHING going on with him during those times.....seems to me YOU are just trying to read something into things that may not be there. Perhaps he was using this woman as an informant...and when you meet with informants you DO NOT write things down nor do you record things. Perhaps this woman was using this as a means to reduce her jailtime. Did YOU ever think of that??? No, I doubt you did.....
I thought this man was on his way to becoming Sheriff of Richmond County. Guess he caught the Charles Walker syndrome. What a SHAME!!!!
Has anyone asked why the person with the files was not known? If there was a system of accountability there would have been a record of who had the files. I wonder how many other files are unaccounted for?
Oh, justus4, no one has said one racial word until YOU got here, so take YOUR racial slurs, fold 'em and stick 'em where the sun don't shine!!!! In other words, go away....
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