Ronald Watts, Police Sergeant, And CPD Officer Charged With Stealing Fake Drug Money From FBI Sting

A Chicago police sergeant and a patrol officer are facing federal theft charges for allegedly stealing over $5,000 in undercover government funds from an FBI sting operation.

Sgt. Ronald Watts, 48, and officer Kallatt Mohammed, 47, allegedly took money from a cooperating FBI witness who told them he was transporting drug proceeds for narcotics traffickers, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Agents conducting surveillance related to the undercover operation recorded Watts and Mohammed take a bag containing $5,200 from the witness, later paying him $400 for allowing them to intercept the money, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Monday. Watts and Mohammed have each been charged with one count of theft of government funds.

The same cooperating witness testified that Watts had previously requested to be alerted to impending drug-related cash transactions, according to the release. Calls recorded between Watts and Mohammed after Watts contacted the witness reportedly discussed intercepting the money, and indicated that similar exchanges had happened before.

"Who always takes care of you?" Watts allegedly said to the cooperating witness after handing over $400, according to the affidavit. Additional calls were observed between Watts and Mohammed following this exchange, according to the release.

Watts, an 18-year veteran of the force, and Mohammed, who's been with CPD for nearly 15 years, were released on $10,000 unsecured bonds, according to the release. The charges against them carry maximum penalties of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Comments

[D Lay J]

09:26 PM on 02/14/2012

Wow, I've known Ron quite a while and I never would have associated him with this let alone him doing it. Some of his comrades, yes, but not him. The way they hung tight, there has to be more indictments coming. As Trick City said below, some of us have known what these Kats have been doing for years down on the Low End, this is not new. Goes to show ya, that you really never actually know people though.

[MANOFCOMMONSENSE]

12:33 PM on 02/14/2012

every city in the united states has some sort of corruption

[Leon Engelun]

11:00 AM on 02/14/2012

no pictures?

[AMlegion]

08:44 AM on 02/14/2012

Aside from the normal corruption here in the this fine city..............................................................................................................................................I guess I couldn't find my point.

[SellPuts]

12:58 AM on 02/14/2012

Chi town.

[ChicagoBlackRainbowWomen]

12:39 AM on 02/14/2012

Hope they made them pee in a cup before thier release.

[Jack Barron]

08:41 PM on 02/13/2012

Just Chicago's "finest" doing what they do best.

[Trick City]

09:30 PM on 02/13/2012

These two cops, along with a few other have been robbing people on the southside of Chicago for over 8 years. They also planted drugs on people and had them pay, so that they wouldn't go to jail. Ida B wells projects is where they made 1000's a day... Ask anybody from 35th street to 47th street about Watts and Mo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[D Lay J]

09:30 PM on 02/14/2012

U are soooo right Trick City. And they've been on this since the late 90's. Many think that the cops ruff up the thugs because they are doing illegal things but are unaware that they ruff them up for that cash or their cut of the guys profits for the day and when they don't comply, they plant the drugs on em and charge em. This happens all day every day around this city.

[Romano54]

07:54 PM on 02/13/2012

LOL!

[ray christl]

07:46 PM on 02/13/2012

Join LEAP Law Enforcement Against Prohibition,as most police that join these days want to get wealthy from drug war corruption. Let's get back to creating peace officers who care about helping people.

[Maurice D Randle]

08:23 PM on 02/13/2012

It's sad how rampant police corruption is! For real people, join/donate to LEAP today!

[bizlady08]

07:40 PM on 02/13/2012

Corruption in the Chicago Police Department? Naaaaaaaaaah...

[Necrotic Shade]

10:25 PM on 02/13/2012

NEVER, Chicago is the model of ideal behavior by both the police and the citizens whom they occasionally interact with

[ALFRED BEVILACQUA]

07:27 PM on 02/13/2012

How DEA have been aressted? Dennise Brennen is one from staten island. 1. Million dollars found in walls of his house and exotic car in garage.

[PedroVision]

03:14 AM on 02/14/2012

Googled "Dennise Brennen "...found nothing.

I'd like to check this out. Can you help?

[roald]

09:24 AM on 02/14/2012

I would like to find something also. I tried a search (Bing, not Google) on Brennen "Staten Island" and found nothing. I could not find a phone number for Dennise or Dennis Brennen on Staten Island.

I did find this, but it does not appear to be related.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/13/staten-island-pot-bust-po_n_848698.html

[Jerry Bourbon]

06:55 PM on 02/13/2012

Remember, this is the same CPD that wants to keep YOU from having a CCW permit.