Illinois Trooper Guilty Of Assault In Roadside Strip Search

Illinois State Trooper Corey Alberson has been found guilty of assault. Trooper Alberson originally faced one felony charge of aggravated battery, however, a St. Clair County judge found him guilty of the lesser charge of abuse. Trooper Alberson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22, 2015.

The victim, Anthony Campbell, was stopped based on an informant’s tip about possible drugs on Campbell.  Trooper Alberson came up empty on the initial search and refused to leave empty-handed. That’s when he forced Campbell to pull his pants and underwear down, while the trooper examined his ‘buttocks and genitals’.

Prosecutors say Trooper Alberson pulled down Campbell’s without the man’s consent. Campbell said that the experience was humiliating and that he felt insulted and disrespected by the encounter.

Campbell wasn’t charged with any violations during the traffic stop, and shockingly, he never complained about the illegal strip search to police. Criminal charges were instead filed after an Illinois State Police supervisor found the videotape during a routine review.

Circuit Judge Jan Fiss said the police video clearly showed that Trooper Alberson crossed the line in conducting the illegal strip search contrary to state law. State law only allows such searches after an arrest and in cases where suspects are believed to have drugs or weapons. Trooper Chris Currier, who was riding with Alberson, had done a pat-down search of Campbell 11 minutes earlier.

Trooper Alberson has been suspended since June 2014, without pay, pending the outcome of the trial.

As citizens, I think we should all rejoice, somewhat, at the troopers conviction. However, he physically and sexually assaulted an innocent person and should have been convicted on felony charges. Yes, I called it sexual assault. If you or I were to do the same thing to anyone else (pulling down their pants and  underwear, against their will, and ‘inspect’ their genitals), we’d be charged with sexual assault. However, because the pervert in this case is a cop, they simply call it ‘assault’.

For more stories of police abusing citizens by performing illegal strip searches, please click here.

Illinois Trooper Guilty Of Assault In Roadside Strip Search is a post from Cop Block – Badges Don’t Grant Extra Rights