Officer’s dismissal linked to porn case
By Kareem Elgazzar, Staff Writer Updated 10:27 AM Thursday, December 29, 2011
CINCINNATI — a city police officer was dismissed from the force over allegations of dishonesty involving a child pornography case.
Jeremy Robison, 27, was dismissed Oct. 20 after an internal investigation allegedly determined he lied to investigators about his conduct in obtaining child pornography from a confidential informant,” according to police documents obtained by the JournalNews through a public records request.
Robison, who briefly worked as a grounds keeper at Liberty Bible Academy in Mason in 2005, allegedly sought out child pornography from the informant on several occasions between September 2010 and February 2011. from late February into March, Robison contacted colleagues and superiors for advice in handling a child pornography case and was told to notify a supervisor and follow proper procedure, police documents indicate.
Robison was advised “he was not permitted to conduct a child pornography investigation” and was referred to the central vice control section. Robison, however, continued seeking child pornography and received seven phone calls from his informant and met with her twice. his informant also told him of a possible sex slave operation, of which he did not notify superiors.
On March 22, Robison paid $100 of his money for a DVD believed to contain child pornography from his informant. he tried to watch the DVD, which contained 48 files, on his personal computer, but was unable to because the files were not supported on his machine. he tried to view 24 files, records show. The following day while he was off duty, Robison put the DVD in a police property room. on March 24, Robison told internal investigators he looked at the DVD to “satisfy his interest and curiosity in child pornography,” documents show. but two months later, he told investigators that “he did not look at the digital video disc to quell his personal curiosity about child pornography.”
That contradiction, coupled with a failed polygraph test, led the police department to relieve Robison of his duties.
“Officer Robison did this under the guise of conducting an official criminal investigation … and (he) enhanced this guise by conferring with numerous supervisors and officers about how he should handle a possible child pornography investigation,” according to a notice of disciplinary action obtained by the JournalNews.
In April, Robison passed an independent psychological fitness for duty evaluation.
Police investigators sought the advice from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office and were told there was no probable cause to proceed with criminal charges against Robison.
Robison was assigned to desk duties with pay during the investigation and is actively seeking reinstatement. an arbitration hearing is set for April 17, 2012, according to Chief James Craig.
