[KY] LMPD Detective Arterburn cop database high-tech stalking, harassment of estranged wife - and her friends

A Crimes Against Children Unit detective [Louisville Metro Police Detective Michael Arterburn] was indicted by a grand jury on Monday on charges of official misconduct, unlawful access to a computer and harassing communications stemming from a domestic dispute...



...Arterburn is accused of taking his wife's iPhone and hiding it from her, and then allegedly taking it to the Kentucky Regional Computer Forensics Lab. There, he allegedly asked investigators to extract information regarding her private communications. Arterburn then allegedly used department computer programs to obtain personal information about the people he learned were communicating with her. "We do believe it was completely domestic-related in nature. We can't tolerate this type of thing... It's an invasion of privacy. It's certainly something that can't be tolerated and we need to insure that if our officers are engaged in any activity that is unlawful that we take corrective action," said [LMPD Spokesman Sgt. Robert] Biven...

WHEN YOU KEEP A DISHONEST OFFICER ON THE FORCE WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO GET IN RETURN?:

...Arterburn was suspended for five days in January 2004 for conduct unbecoming an officer for "unprofessional, intimidating and threatening chat comments" he made to a woman... And during the internal investigation, he was found to have lied about knowing her or having her cell phone number...

LMPD DETECTIVE ACCUSED OF USING POWERS TO SPY ON WIFE PLEADS NOT GUILTY
by WHAS11
February 21, 2011
A Louisville Metro police officer indicted for using his police power to check up on his wife pleaded not guilty Monday in court. Detective Michael Arterburn is charged with official misconduct, unlawful access to a computer and harassing communications. Arterburn is accused of using a police forensic lab to analyze content on his wife's cell phone at least five times and using that information to run background checks on people communicating with his wife. Arterburn is on administrative leave. [LINK]

LMPD OFFICER ORDERED TO STAY AWAY FROM HIS WIFE
WDRB Fox 41
Feb 21, 2011
[Excerpts] A Louisville Metro Police officer is ordered to stay away from his wife. Monday morning, Officer Michael Arterburn pleaded not guilty to several charges including official misconduct, harassing his wife, and unlawful access to a computer... The judge ordered Arterburn to stay away from his wife and her family. Prosecutor John Balliet says, "It's not unusual that police officers break the law like other people. When they do, they should be treated the same." Arterburn's police powers are suspended and he's been reassigned to administrative duties... [Full article here]

LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE OFFICER FACES JUDGE
WLKY
By Andy Alcock
February 21, 2011
[Excerpts] A Louisville Metro police officer appeared in court for the first time Monday to face a seven count indictment against him. Detective Michael Arterburn did not speak during his brief appearance in court... Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney John Balliet said it will be two to three weeks before that evidence is submitted to the court file. "I'm not in a position right now where I can, you know, talk about those things because they're really not public record yet," Balliet said. Balliet said the five counts of official misconduct against Arterburn are related to his job with LMPD's Crimes Against Children Unit. Arterburn has been with the Louisville Metro Police Department since 1997... He was released on his own recognizance Monday... Arterburn's next court date is a pre-trial hearing is March 28. [Full article here]

NEWS FROM THE 15TH

LMPD DETECTIVE INDICTED FOR ALLEGEDLY USING WORK COMPUTER PROGRAMS TO SPY ON ESTRANGED WIFE
WHAS11
by Adam Walser
February 15, 2011
[Excerpts] A police officer is facing charges after he allegedly he used the powers of his office to spy on his estranged wife... Arterburn was indicted Monday on five counts of Official Misconduct, one count of Unauthorized Access to a Computer and one count of Harassing Communications. "This detective has been placed on administrative duty. His police powers are suspended," said LMPD Spokesman Sgt. Robert Biven. WHAS11 has learned that Arterburn is accused of taking his wife's iPhone and hiding it from her, and then allegedly taking it to the Kentucky Regional Computer Forensics Lab. There, he allegedly asked investigators to extract information regarding her private communications. Arterburn then allegedly used department computer programs to obtain personal information about the people he learned were communicating with her. "We do believe it was completely domestic-related in nature. We can't tolerate this type of thing... It's an invasion of privacy. It's certainly something that can't be tolerated and we need to insure that if our officers are engaged in any activity that is unlawful that we take corrective action," said Biven... [Full article here]

LMPD OFFICER INDICTED ON MISCONDUCT, HARASSMENT CHARGES
WDRB Fox 41
Feb 15, 2011
[Excerpts] [Excerpts] ...[Louisville Metro Police Detective Michael] Arterburn is part of the metro police department's crimes against children's unit, but his police powers have been stripped. "We uncovered this through our internal audits, our internal reviews it was brought to the chief's attention," says Sgt. Robert Biven, with LMPD. Right now, police won't say exactly what Arterburn is accused of doing, however, according to a circuit court indictment, he's charged with unlawful access to a computer, official misconduct and harassing communications... "Chief White took immediate action, ordered a criminal investigation to be conducted by our public integrity unit. Once that was completed they felt it was serious enough to have the commonwealth's attorney's office take a look at it," says Biven. And on Monday a grand jury returned an indictment against Arterburn; the case is now in the hands of the commonwealth's attorney's office... [Full article here]

LMPD DETECTIVE INDICTED
February 15, 2011
[Excerpts] ..."We have problems just like any other organization. I can say that the overwhelming majority of officers on this department did the right thing every single day. They go out and put their lives on the line for these citizens, but that said, we do have from time to time officers that make bad decisions, make bad choices and engage in things that may be improper," said LMPD Sgt. Robert Biven... [Full article here]

LMPD DETECTIVE INDICTED ON CHARGES OF OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT AND HARASSMENT
The Courier-Journal
Chris Quay
Feb. 15, 2011
[Excerpts] A Crimes Against Children Unit detective [Michael Arterburn] was indicted by a grand jury on Monday on charges of official misconduct, unlawful access to a computer and harassing communications stemming from a domestic dispute last summer, a Louisville Metro Police spokesman said... He was indicted on one count each of first-degree unlawful access to a computer, a felony, and harassing communications, a Class B misdemeanor. He also faces five counts of official misconduct. Steve Schroering, who is representing Arterburn, said his client "maintains his innocence of all the criminal charges against him"... Arterburn, a 13-year veteran of the department, was suspended for five days in January 2004 for conduct unbecoming an officer for "unprofessional, intimidating and threatening chat comments" he made to a woman named Sherrie Berry, according to police records. And during the internal investigation, he was found to have lied about knowing Berry or having her cell phone number... [Full article here]
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