Botched Drug Raid: Charges Dropped Against Houston Police Officers
On the anniversary of the botched drug raid that led to the deaths of Dennis and Rhogena Tuttle, a candlelight vigil was held on the doorstep of their home. Photo taken on Jan. 28, 2020.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday moved to dismiss 17 charges against eight former Houston Police Department officers — some involved in the botched 2019 Harding Street raid — for cases related to an alleged overtime pay scheme.
In a statement Thursday, District Attorney Sean Teare said the decision was made after a thorough review of the facts "clearly demonstrated that there was insufficient evidence to prove that any of these crimes were committed beyond a reasonable doubt."
"As the chief law enforcement officer of Harris County, I want people to know that we remain steadfast in our commitment to uncovering and addressing corruption wherever it may be found- but we will always be guided by the facts, not politics," Teare said.
The dismissals come months after a Harris County grand jury moved to re-indict the officers for the scheme to receive unearned overtime pay ranging from $30,000 up to $150,000 from the city, according to court records.
Charges were originally filed against Felipe Gallegos, Frank Medina, Oscar Pardo, Nadeem Ashraf, Griff Maxwell, Clemente Reyna, Thomas Wood, Cedell Lovings and Hodgie Armstrong in 2021 for the alleged pay scheme. Charges were then dropped in June last year before the former officers were again indicted by a grand jury on the charges four months later.
Absent from the re-indictment charges in October was Lovings, who was left paralyzed following the deadly raid and initially charged alongside the eight other officers until his case was dropped in June.
Documents reflecting the most recent dismissals were not immediately available on the Harris County District Clerk’s Office website Thursday.
RELATED: Harding Street raid: Ex-Houston cops reindicted for alleged overtime scheme
Teare said that nothing about the dismissals changes the fact that the botched drug raid should have never happened.
"These charges were kept on life-support by the previous District Attorney to generate headlines, damaging the reputations of the officers and the Houston Police Department, and they inevitably fell apart under the weight of the truth," Teare said.
In a statement to Houston Public Media Thursday, former District Attorney Kim Ogg decried the dismissals.
"This pattern of dismissing corruption cases without letting a Harris County jury hear the facts is shaping up to be an epic failure in public accountability, courtesy of the new DA, Sean Teare," Ogg said.
On Jan. 28, 2019, officers involved in the scheme executed a no-knock search warrant on the home of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas. Shots were fired shortly after officers entered the house. The drug raid left the couple dead and multiple officers wounded.
An internal investigation in the wake of the incident found that former Houston cop Gerald Goines, who led the raid, fabricated a story about a confidential informant purchasing heroin from the couple’s home in order to obtain the no-knock warrant. Investigators found no heroin in the home during the raid. The investigation led to several charges being filed against Goines and other officers involved in the raid.
The shooting also prompted relatives of Tuttle and Nicholas to file a pair of civil lawsuits against the city, then-police chief Art Acevedo and 13 police officers. Goines also was sued last year by a man who claimed he was falsely convicted of drug possession because of dishonest statements made by Goines.
In 2024, the murder charges against Goines were dropped after his attorneys argued they were non-specific and did not provide a "meaningful opportunity to present a complete defense." About a week later, he was re-indicted.
"A Harris County jury sentenced former HPD Officer Gerald Goines to 60 years in prison and a $10k fine for the murders of Dennis Tuttle and Regina Nichols," Ogg said Thursday. "A grand jury indicted ten of Goines’ fellow narcotics squad members who actually killed the couple during the botched drug raid for related police corruption crimes, all of which were dismissed today."
Hai Bui, founder of Houston-based activist group We the People Organize, on Thursday called the dismissals deeply disappointing.
"Now, with the charges once again dismissed, we believe politics have played a role," Bui said. "It appears that HPD and the Houston Police Officers’ Union have a ‘go along, get along’ district attorney— one who refused to challenge the police and hold them accountable."
Conclusion
The botched drug raid that led to the deaths of Dennis and Rhogena Tuttle will always be remembered as a tragic event that resulted in the loss of two innocent lives. The dismissals of charges against the eight former Houston Police Department officers involved in the raid is a disappointing outcome that raises questions about the accountability and transparency of the district attorney’s office.
FAQs
Q: Why were the charges against the eight former Houston Police Department officers dismissed?
A: The charges were dismissed after a thorough review of the facts "clearly demonstrated that there was insufficient evidence to prove that any of these crimes were committed beyond a reasonable doubt."
Q: Why did the previous District Attorney keep the charges on life-support?
A: The previous District Attorney kept the charges on life-support to generate headlines, damaging the reputations of the officers and the Houston Police Department, and they inevitably fell apart under the weight of the truth.
Q: What does this mean for the families of Dennis and Rhogena Tuttle?
A: The dismissals are a disappointment for the families of Dennis and Rhogena Tuttle, who will always remember the botched drug raid that led to their loved ones’ deaths. The lack of accountability and transparency in the district attorney’s office only adds to their pain and suffering.
