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Detective Is Cleared Of Forgery Allegation

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By RAY REYES

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 28, 2008

Updated: 05/28/2008 12:01 am

TAMPA - An undercover detective accused of forging a judge's initials on a search warrant was cleared Tuesday of any wrongdoing after investigators concluded the judge had initialed the document.

The allegations by defense attorney Paul Carr against Hillsborough County sheriff's Detective Ronnie Cooper are "absolutely unfounded" and Cooper "has been fully vindicated," sheriff's Chief Deputy Jose Docobo said.

The criminal investigation lasted two weeks.

The sheriff's office released 109 pages of investigative documents Tuesday, including statements from Cooper and the judge whose initials were called into question, Circuit Judge Chet A. Tharpe.

Investigators determined Cooper had not forged Tharpe's initials, the sheriff's office said.

Tharpe apologized to Cooper during his statements to investigators, the sheriff's office said.

A handwriting expert from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement analyzed the judge's initials on the search warrant issued in October 2006, Docobo said.

"It's clear the judge himself modified the affidavit," Docobo said.

Carr hired his own handwriting expert, who said the initials on the warrant "was consistent with someone other than Judge Chet Tharpe," according to investigators.

Carr's expert only had the search warrant while FDLE's analysis included not only the warrant but a variety of documents signed by Tharpe for comparison, Docobo said.

The search warrant was related to an undercover drug operation in which Carr's client, Christopher Snipes, was arrested.

Carr filed a request earlier this month that Circuit Judge Daniel Sleet throw out charges against Snipes based on what he said is the forged warrant and subsequent false arrest.

Carr could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Snipes is awaiting trial and is being held in Orient Road Jail. Snipes' mother, Brenda, said her family is devastated that Cooper was cleared and that she believes there is a cover-up.

According to a transcript of interviews released Tuesday, Cooper said he "screwed up the last digit on the number" of the apartment in Brandon for which the search warrant was issued.

Cooper had written the number 203 instead of 208, the documents said. He said he went to Tharpe's home that night to have the search warrant amended.

Tharpe, who signed the original warrant, corrected the apartment number and placed his initials on the amended version, Cooper told investigators. Cell phone records confirm Cooper called the judge a second time that night to have the warrant corrected, Docobo said.

Tharpe stated in a sworn affidavit filed May 13 that the apartment number crossed out, changed and initialed in the search warrant was "not my handwriting" and the changes "were not placed there by me."

When he was interviewed by detectives May 14, Tharpe said he has "absolutely no recollection" of the night the search warrant was modified and that he did not dispute the findings of FDLE's handwriting expert.

Tharpe said he had "second-guessed myself over and over" after the sworn affidavit was filed and that it would be "absolutely impossible" for him to remember every detail of every judicial action he has taken.

Docobo said the allegations have been hard on Cooper.

"This has been very, very difficult for him to have his integrity and reputation put into question," Docobo said.

News Channel 8 reporter Claudia DoCampo and Tribune reporter Valerie Kalfrin contributed to this report. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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