Four Cops Charged with Perjury After Suppressing Evidence in Drug Case

CHICAGO — Four police officers are facing charges of obstruction of justice, perjury, and official misconduct after allegedly lying under oath in a drug case.

Narcotics officers James Padar, Vince Morgan, and William Pruente, from the Chicago Police Department, as well as James Horn from the Glenview Police Department, were arrested and later released after posting bail for $10,000. None of the officers have entered pleas.

In March 2014, Pruente stopped Joseph Sperling, 23, after Sperling allegedly failed to use a turn signal. A dashboard camera shows Pruente then immediately arrested and handcuffed Sperling and placed him in the back of his police cruiser, then searched Sperling’s car and found marijuana.

Sperling’s attorney, Steven Goldman, subpoenaed the video and played it at the hearing in a rebuttal to the officers’ testimony. Cook County Circuit Judge Catherine Haberkorn determined that officers lied and suppressed evidence, resulting in prosecutors dropping charges against Sperling.

Daniel Herbert, Officer Horn’s attorney, said his client made mistakes when testifying, but did not commit perjury.

“There’s a huge difference between a mistaken testimony and perjury,” Herbert said. “Mistaken testimony happens dozens of times every single day in this building alone.”

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez disagreed saying Officer horn’s testimony “clearly is perjury.”

“It’s a sad day when we have to do this. I respect and appreciate every job that police officers do each and every day here in the city of Chicago and all of Cook County.” Alvarez added that when it comes to testimony, “we have to hold all of our witnesses to the same standard.”

Officers Padar, Morgan, and Pruente from the Chicago Police Department have been assigned to desk duty as a result of the charges, and Glenview Police Officer Horn has been placed on paid administrative leave.