Former BRPD narcotics officer with 4 arrests this year again denied bail by judge – The Advocate

A judge decided Thursday that a former Baton Rouge Police Department narcotics officer who has been arrested four times this year will remain jailed without bail, despite receiving what his lawyer called a favorable psychological evaluation.

Jason Acree's attorney asked state District Judge Christopher Dassau to reconsider his June 1 ruling that Acree is an "imminent threat" to the community and himself, and therefore must be held without bail following his fourth arrest in late May.

A former Baton Rouge police officer arrested for the fourth time this year will remain jailed for the foreseeable future after a judge revoked

"The doctor's report is pretty clear that he's not a danger to anyone else," John McLindon, who represents Acree, told the judge during a hearing Thursday.

McLindon argued that the stress from Acree's three prior arrests by BRPD in a corruption probe focused on the department's narcotics division contributed to his May 27 arrest in Ascension Parish on drug and gun charges stemming from an alleged drag racing incident.

East Baton Rouge Parish First Assistant District Attorney Tracey Barbera deferred to Dassau's discretion on whether Acree, 34, should be granted bail, but she reminded the judge that Acree's latest arrest occurred while he was out on $30,000 bond that Dassau had set in April.

Barbera said she was not asking the judge to treat Acree differently than any other defendant because of his former law enforcement status.

Dassau said in his estimation nothing has changed since June 1 when he ordered Acree held without bail.

"He's going to continue to be held without bond," the judge said.

McLindon said after court that he was very disappointed with the judge's latest ruling.

"I'm very surprised based on what the doctor wrote," he said.

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Dassau had recommended last month that Acree undergo counseling and drug treatment while locked up.

Acree had already been arrested three times by BRPD colleagues in recent months when he was booked into Ascension Parish jail May 27 after state troopers pulled him over for drag racing on Interstate 10 and found illegal painkillers and three guns one an assault-style rifle inside the car, arrest documents say. His bail in Ascension is $45,000.

Former Baton Rouge police officer Jason Acree, who has already been arrested three times by his BRPD colleagues in recent months amid an ongoi

Acree told troopers he was heading to New Orleans to work a private security job, according to his arrest report. He was booked on counts of possession of Schedule II drugs, illegal carrying of weapons with drugs, speeding and reckless driving.

Acree resigned from BRPD in May after his second arrest by the department, which came after internal investigators found evidence he stole marijuana from the narcotics evidence room. He had worked as a narcotics detective for several years.

His third arrest involved allegations he lied on a search warrant application, something investigators concluded during an audit.

The mounting accusations against Acree come amid a probe into the entire BRPD narcotics unit, which came under scrutiny for several reasons, including his alleged criminal behavior.

A BRPD detective, Cpl. Jacob Cowart, was fired Wednesday amid widening fallout from the probe. He was a relatively new member of the narcotics unit. He was found to have violated department policies.

Acree was one of two narcotics detectives who resigned earlier this year facing criminal charges; the other was Jeremiah Ardoin. BRPD also transferred four narcotics supervisors to street patrol.

After he was arrested twice in recent months and accused of stealing drugs from the evidence room, a narcotics detective resigned Monday from

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Former BRPD narcotics officer with 4 arrests this year again denied bail by judge - The Advocate