Two former Houston police officers are facing federal charges related to providing false information in a January drug raid that left two people dead and several officers injured, authorities announced on Wednesday.
The federal counts follow state charges filed in the case in August, including two counts of felony murder against one of the officers.
Federal authorities said Wednesday that the charges against Gerald Goines, 55, and Steven Bryant, 45, are the result of a civil rights investigation begun by the FBI following the Jan. 28 raid.
The botched raid came under scrutiny after police alleged Goines lied to obtain a search warrant. Rhogena Nicholas, 58, and Dennis Tuttle, 59, were killed in the raid.
Goines and Bryant face charges in a nine-count indictment.
Attorneys for Goines and Bryant initially declined to comment, saying they haven’t seen the indictment.
The two officers were set to make an initial appearance in federal court Wednesday afternoon after being arrested at their homes early Wednesday morning.
Goines was charged with seven counts, including two charges in which he is accused of depriving the couple of their constitutional right to be secure against unreasonable searches. Prosecutors allege the search warrant Goines prepared contained false statements and led to the raid, which resulted in the couple’s deaths and injuries to officers.
Bryant faces one count related to obstructing justice by falsifying records. He’s accused of falsely claiming in a report after the raid that he had identified as heroin a substance that was bought at the home before the raid.
Authorities allege Goines lied in the search warrant about having a confidential informant buy heroin at the home. Goines later acknowledged there was no informant and that he bought the drugs himself, authorities said.
A civilian, Patricia Garcia, is accused of making fake 911 calls that led police to the home. She is facing one count of providing false information.
Federal prosecutors allege Garcia made several calls claiming her daughter was inside the couple’s home, that the couple were drug addicts, drug dealers and had guns inside their house.
Family and friends of Tuttle and Nicholas have continuously dismissed allegations that the couple sold drugs. Police found small amounts of marijuana and cocaine in the house, but no heroin.
Garcia was also set to appear in federal court Wednesday afternoon. Court records didn’t list an attorney for her.
Goines faces up to life in prison if convicted of the most serious charges related to depriving the couple of their constitutional right to be secure against unreasonable searches. Bryant faces up to 20 years in prison while Garcia faces up to five years if they’re convicted.
Following the shooting, prosecutors began reviewing more than 2,000 cases tied to Goines and Bryant. In June, prosecutors said their investigation had grown into a probe of 14,000 cases handled by the Houston Police Department's narcotics division.
Both Goines and Bryant were relieved of duty after the shooting and later retired.
