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Bond revoked for former Baton Rouge police officer facing numerous felonies

3 years 6 months 3 weeks ago Tuesday, June 01 2021 Jun 1, 2021 June 01, 2021 7:57 AM June 01, 2021 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - A judge called a former police officer facing a handful of various charges an imminent danger to the community and revoked one of the bonds associated with a recent arrest.

A hearing was held Tuesday morning at the request of the district attorney in East Baton Rouge following a fourth arrest for Jason Acree.

Acree has been arrested three times on charges tied to a corruption investigation within Baton Rouge Police and an unrelated arrest last week when State Police said troopers caught him drag racing with guns and drugs on I-10 in Ascension Parish.

Following Acree's latest arrest, prosecutors petitioned to have at least one bond revoked, keeping Acree locked up.

The bond revoked Tuesday was for one set in April after an arrest earlier this year.

In court, Judge Christopher Dassau told Acree he poses an imminent danger to the community which outweighs his right to bail. 

During the hearing, it was revealed Acree failed a drug test in March.  The drug test was part of his bond conditions from a previous arrest.  Acree was also required to sign up and submit to random drug tests but he did not comply, prosecutors said Tuesday.

"We are very concerned about his most recent arrest," prosecutor Tracey Barbera said. "As the judge said, we are very concerned about the community's safety; As well as Mr. Acree's safety."

The WBRZ Investigative Unit learned Baton Rouge Police supervisors had to retrieve BRPD items from Acree's personal car after his recent arrest.  When he resigned from the department in May, it seems he did not return all government property.  Baton Rouge Police declined to elaborate on what the items were that belonged to BRPD but said they were not weapons.

Acree resigned from the force in May after being tied to corruption within the drug unit which was first exposed by Chris Nakamoto and the WBRZ Investigative Unit. He was implicated in wrongdoing by a whistleblower in the department. Video obtained by the WBRZ Investigative Unit also showed Acree smashing evidence while investigating a 2018 drug case. 

His first arrest came in February of this year. 

Acree is still being held in Ascension Parish for his arrest there last week.

"It's sad to see anyone on the wrong side of the law, but when it's a law enforcement officer, it's disappointing," Babera said. "It reflects on the entire system, and there are a lot of good law enforcement officers out there."

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