A D.C. police officer used his squad car to drive an accomplice to the scene of a robbery, then watched as one of the robbers was fatally shot, according to court papers.
Officer Reggie Jones was handcuffed Tuesday by fellow officers and charged with felony murder. Police say he plotted and helped carry out a drug crew’s robbery of a rival dealer in Southeast on Dec. 1. During the incident, a member of the crew opened fire, accidentally killing fellow robber Arvel Alston.
Jones’ arrest is a nightmare for police and prosecutors, who are now poring over dozens of cases that Jones was involved in. Jones, 40, was a six-year veteran of the force and served in the gun recovery section of the Major Narcotics unit. He had wide-ranging access to criminal evidence, and authorities are worried that he might have tampered with evidence.
On Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Richard Ringall ordered Jones held without bond.
Former U.S. Attorney Joseph diGenova said Jones’ arrest is a rebuke to the “mediocre” police department.
“It’s all about recruitment,” he said. “You’ve got to check these guys out.”
According to a law enforcement source and court papers, on the night of the robbery:
Jones transported at least his cousin — identified in court papers as “L” — in his squad car to the 4300 block of Fourth Street SE.
The plan was to rob the rival, whose name was withheld by police because he’s a key witness, force him into his own car and drive him back to his apartment so the robbers could take even more.
Jones drove ahead of the crew in his squad car, hoping to clear out drug dealers from the block so the robbers would have an easier time.
With Jones parked a few feet away, the crew surrounded their rival and hit him, trying to rob him.
But the rival resisted and police say 19-year-old Arvel Crawford — Alston’s son — opened fire. A bullet struck 40-year-old Alston in the chest.
As he watched, Jones allegedly told one of the robbers, “I either need to get out of here or I need to start shooting.”
A neighbor saw the turmoil and tried to flag down Jones’ squad car. According to court papers, Jones sped off.
Both charged with felony murder, Jones and Crawford stood side by side in court Wednesday. Wearing blue jeans and a bright red Old Navy hooded sweatshirt, Jones stared blankly as prosecutor Glenn Kirschner called him “a danger to our community.” Crawford, dressed in dark jeans and a black winter coat, fidgeted and scowled through Wednesday’s hearing.
Crawford is due back in court next week; Jones will have a hearing next month.
