Miami Herald, The (FL)



Miami Herald, The (FL)

May 13, 1988

WOMAN'S DEATH SETS OFF PROBE OF FOUR OFFICERS

Author: ASSOCIATED PRESS

The sexual abuse and beating death of a woman has led to a state investigation of four Cocoa police officers on allegations including improper relationships with prostitutes and drug dealers.

The major target of the probe by agents of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is Clifford Johns, 34, who has been investigated repeatedly during his 15-year career in several police agencies.

State Attorney Norm Wolfinger said Wednesday that Johns could face criminal charges within the next few days, but neither Wolfinger nor Bruce McMann of the FDLE would be more specific.

The other officers were not immediately identified.

Unnamed sources told The Orlando Sentinel that the allegations involve illegal activities with prostitutes, battery against prisoners, stealing money from drug dealers and falsifying official police reports.

Johns, who was suspended with pay Tuesday, said that whatever the nature of the charges against him, "they have to prove it." He refused further comment.

Police Chief Gene Powers said Johns told him he knew Kim Sherree Howe, 31, who was sexually abused and beaten to death with a rock March 22. Her body was found in the woods by two children. Johns said he saw her in Cocoa while he was on duty the night before she was killed, the chief said.

"While investigating that, a lot of information was uncovered involving a lot of potentially illegal activities by Johns," Wolfinger said. "We're looking at several incidents. Many of them are criminal and many are departmental violations."

During his career as a deputy and police officer in Cocoa, Brevard County and Stuart, Johnson has been charged with solicitation to commit prostitution and has been accused of being a peeping tom, beating a juvenile prostitute, beating a suspect and stealing from a suspected drug dealer. He has been cited for contempt of court.

Wolfinger said two investigations of his conduct are being reopened as a result of the recent allegations.

They involve the accusation of beating a juvenile prostitute and forcing her to have sex with him, and battery on a suspect at the Cocoa Police Department. There was insufficient evidence to charge Johns in either case, according to investigators.

Johns' career began in June 1973 with the Stuart Police Department. He was fired less than a year later, according to personnel director Ann Craig.

Johns was rehired in November 1976 but was pressured to resign in 1978 because of accusations that he was peering into windows at an apartment complex. He later was rehired and again resigned under threat of being fired, said Stuart Police Chief Charles White.

Johns later served with the Brevard County sheriff's department, where he was forced to resign in 1985 after being charged with trying to solicit sex from an undercover police officer, said Brevard sheriff's spokeswoman Joan Heller.

He then went to work for the Cocoa police.

Copyright (c) 1988 The Miami Herald

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