Michael Kilgore, a former Alabama police officer, has agreed to plead guilty to charges related to a scheme in which he planted drugs on innocent motorists to make drug arrests. Kilgore, who started as an officer in 2022, began the scheme in early 2023 by offering a driver a chance to avoid drug charges by working for him. The driver then became a co-conspirator in Kilgore’s drug-planting scheme. Kilgore was arrested in May 2023 and fired from the Centre Police Department.
Kilgore planned to make a methamphetamine case and worked with his co-conspirator to plant drugs on a female target’s vehicle during a sham traffic stop. The plan was repeated on another vehicle, but the co-conspirator discarded the drugs and reported the scheme to law enforcement. The Centre Police Department initiated an investigation into the allegations and Kilgore was arrested for criminal conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime distribution.
Kilgore’s conduct was condemned by Centre Police Chief Kirk Blankenship who stated that there was no excuse for an officer to violate the law in such a manner. One of the victims targeted in the scheme filed a lawsuit against Kilgore for wrongful arrest, claiming that he planted drugs in his vehicle and used a police dog to find them. The federal charge against Kilgore carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a financial penalty. Kilgore’s acceptance of personal responsibility and intention to plead guilty will be taken into consideration during sentencing.
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