Drugs, embezzlement and more revealed during hearing of Bossier City police officer

Bossier City Police sergeant will remain in detention until Sept. 14, for his next hearing.

Sergeant Harold ‘BJ’ Sanford Jr., 52, will remain at Caddo Correctional Center until his next hearing following Thursday afternoon’s detention hearing ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Hornsby.

“All he needs is a telephone,” said Hornsby.

On Thursday just after 2 p.m. Sanford and his co-defendant Mitch Morehead sat in CCC jumpsuits in front of Hornsby as Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Raquel Mobley gave her testimony. During that time Mobley explained the believed relationship between Sanford and Morehead through phone calls via wiretap.

It was disclosed through phone calls that Sanford was buying fraudulently obtained prescription painkillers from Morehead.

Morehead who is not from the Shreveport-Bossier area and has been living in the Crown Inn in Bossier City was making phone calls for the union out of his hotel room and receiving rides from Sanford in his city vehicle to go to the doctor.

Sgt. BJ Sanford speaks about the Showdown at Boomtown that occurred on Thursday afternoon, December 16, 2021.

The investigation into the actions of Morehead and Sanford began in Jan. after the FBI received tips about money embezzlement within the police union. Sanford served as President of the Bossier City police union and Morehead was hired by Sanford to gather funds through solicitation for the union.

On June 23, the FBI wiretapped Morehead’s phone, and in the following days, agents intercepted a conversation between Morehead and Sanford about plans to get drugs. Morehead spoke of his plans to get prescription drugs from a Shreveport doctor and then sell them to Sanford.

In a phone call played during the hearing Morehead spoke about trying to get drugs but the pharmacy was out, and Sanford said, “drug stores out of drugs.”

Mobley indicated that Sanford was buying these drugs for his wife and in a phone conversation with Morehead, Sanford said, “she can take them early, but she can’t take them late.” Through pole cams, it was discovered that Sanford was using his city vehicle during these drug transactions with Morehead.

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On Aug. 28, Sanford was arrested by federal agents in response to the ongoing federal investigation into the police union. A search warrant was executed at the Bossier City Police headquarters for records related to the Bossier City Police Local 645 International Union of Police Association.

This arrest came after Morehead was called to the FBI’s office. Agents arrived at Crown Inn Sunday asking Morehead if he would be willing to speak with them. Morehead agreed but asked to get ready and went back to his room, while there he called Sanford and said the FBI wanted to speak to him.

During that phone call Sanford said, “do not say a word—erase everything on your phone—tell them you need a lawyer. I will get you a lawyer.” While on the way to the FBI’s office Sanford called Morehead phone twice, the second was on speaker and he told the agents he was a Bossier City Police Officer and Morehead worked for him.

During Hornsby’s ruling, he said, “he did all of this while he was an active police officer.” Sanford’s use of authority and obstruction of justice were two key components in Hornsby’s decision Thursday afternoon.

Sanford and Morehead will remain at CCC until their next hearing on Sept. 14.

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Bossier City officer to remain in jail following Thursday hearing