Former Atlanta Police Officer Sentenced to 12 Years for Corruption and Drug Trafficking

LUCIUS T. SOLOMON, III, 32, of Atlanta, formerly an officer with the Atlanta Police Department, was sentenced to prison December 16 by United States District Judge Richard W. Story on corruption and drug charges.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “This police officer took an oath to protect the public from criminals. Instead, he protected the criminals from law enforcement. Now he is headed to federal prison.”

Brian D. Lamkin, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Office, said, “Public corruption investigations are a high priority at the FBI given that the potential for damage and discredit to law enforcement is very high. While these corruption cases are a serious breach of the public trust, it should be noted that the vast majority of those working within law enforcement fully understand their oaths and reflect often on their commitment to public service.”

Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said, “The public simply must have confidence in its police officers. While I believe this incident is not indicative of the vast majority of hardworking, honest and dedicated officers out there on the streets of Atlanta day in and day out, today’s sentence sends a strong message to those who would stray from their mission to uphold and enforce the law.”

SOLOMON was sentenced to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. SOLOMON was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service. He pled guilty to the charges on September 2, 2010.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: On three occasions in 2009 and 2010, SOLOMON provided protection for what he believed to be multi-kilogram cocaine deals. For each deal, SOLOMON agreed to protect the people he thought were drug dealers in exchange for $2,000. On two of those occasions, SOLOMON was on duty, in uniform, and in his marked police vehicle when he provided the protection. SOLOMON’s participation in each of these three drug transactions forms the basis for both the corruption and the drug charges.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Atlanta Police Department.

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