Fox23.Com by Abbie Alford - August 3, 2011
A former Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms agent who has admitted he was a dirty cop and lied to his family and co-workers for years took the stand in the fourth day of the Tulsa Police corruption trial. It wasn’t until the federal government indicted Brandon McFadden that he admitted to stealing drugs and money and lying under oath and he says he didn’t do it alone. Officers Jeff Henderson and Bill Yelton are on trial facing 62 criminal counts. Yelton is accused of threatening McFadden if he snitched. Yelton is only charged with eight counts involving lying in court documents, coaching informants and threatening witnesses. Henderson is also charged with 12 drug counts. McFadden is the prosecution’s key witness saying he's, “wanted to come forward several times and not lie to anybody and that this indictment helped him do that.” He told the jury it was greed that lured himself along with officers Jeff Henderson and Bill Yelton to work well outside the law as they encountered drug dealers and informants. "I've made many mistakes in Tulsa. I was involved with criminal activity with TPD officers," says McFadden. He says he did not tell the U.S. Attorney, Jane Duke of Arkansas, this information to save himself. Most of the jury focused on McFadden while a few kept their eyes on the defendants. Officer Henderson whispered to his attorneys and kept notes, Officer Yelton watched with little expression and took notes. While the assistant U.S. Attorney and the defense questioned McFadden, U.S. Attorney Jane Duke smirked a few times. McFadden blames peer pressure and stupidity for his involvement specifically stealing drug money from dealers and informants. Several years into it he says he bought a truck with that money and other things to take care of his family and friends. He credits the investigation into TPD corruption and the indictments for giving him a way out and for saving his life. McFadden says while assisting TPD’s Investigations Division he worked a lot with Officer Henderson. On the stand he portrayed himself as a follower and Henderson as a leader. McFadden testified he met a key informant for Henderson only two times but says Henderson used that informant, Rochelle Martin, to secure search warrants, providing new opportunities to seize and steal drugs and drug money. He also claims they stole drugs from an informant and had another informant sell the stolen drugs back to the informant so they could make a profit. McFadden also claims Officer Yelton threatened him with a gun to keep his mouth shut. McFadden told the jury he lied under oath about a bogus drug buy to get search warrant in the Larry and Larita Barnes case that sent them to prison. They both have been freed from federal prison. Alleged illegal searches and arrests in the investigation have freed 36 other people from prison or had their charges dropped. Before the trial adjourned for the day the defense had about an hour to question McFadden. He will return to be cross-examined on Friday. Henderson’s informant Rochelle Martin will also be cross-examined Friday morning. Due to a medical appointment she couldn’t return to the stand on Thursday. The defense is expected to make the case that McFadden and Martin would say anything to save their own skin. Since McFadden pleaded guilty to lesser charges and if he tells the truth the U.S. Attorney will recommend the serve seven to nine years in prison. His charges carry a maximum of 40 years in prison. McFadden is out on bond. Yelton and Henderson have been denied bond have been in jail since July, 2010. Abbie Alford Email: aalford@fox23.com
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