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Sep 15, 2009 9:57 am US/Central
Ex-Texas Police Chief Busted In Arlington
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Former Central Texas police chief Michael Meissner was arrested in Arlington on a variety of charges in September, 2009.
Dallas County Sheriff's Department
A former Central Texas police chief is behind bars in Dallas, charged with a laundry list of criminal activities.
Up until last month, Michael Meissner worked in the police department in Little River-Academy, a small town near Waco.
He was arrested in Arlington last night.
Detectives in Combine, just southeast of Dallas, say Meissner paid a blogger to launch cyber attacks against some of the city's officers using information obtained from a restricted law enforcement computer network.
Search warrants in that case then led to cell phone and email messages that connected Meissner to a disturbing list of accused crimes.
Detective Jay Hoskins of the Combine Police Department said, "These were very sexually graphic messages,including information regarding a pornography operation that he was engaging in as well as the aggravated promotion of prostitution."
Meissner is being held on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity, misuse of official information, and obstruction or retaliation. Bond has been set at a half million dollars on each count. Additional charges could be forthcoming.
He is also accused of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Detective Hoskins says the details are disturbing.
"I was really disgusted to read the type of email and cell phone text messages," he said, "knowing that a person is under 18 years of age and you're not only trying to get them to have sex with you, but get them on video having sex and this is a multiple occasion deal."
Detectives are concerned that there are additional victims, and they are being asked to come forward.
Meissner reportedly quit his job as chief in Little River-Academy following accusations of unprofessional conduct.
State records show Meissner has had 18 law enforcement jobs since 1990.
State law enforcement officials have also reprimanded Meissner at least four times since 2006.
The mayor of Little River-Academy, Ronnie White, tells us Meissner was not Police Chief there, but instead a regular police officer. But the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education shows he was appointed Police Chief there in February, 2009. The reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear.
White says he knew when he hired Meissner that he had a checkered past. "I knew he had a record," White said, "but I wanted to give him a chance and wanted us to form our own opinion."
The blogger who allegedly posted the online threats, Joseph Lynn Dobbins, is in custody in New Hampshire, and will be extradited to Texas to face charges.
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