Nov. 26--A Pierce County sheriff's deputy has been disciplined for failing to properly follow up when a convicted con artist reported being a crime victim.
A Sheriff's Department Internal Affairs investigation found deputy Chad Dickerson violated the agency's policies on timely submission of reports and processing evidence and property. A third complaint that Dickerson wasn't courteous to Hillary Walls-Stewart was unfounded.
Dickerson received verbal counseling in September, according to records of the investigation obtained by The News Tribune. Walls-Stewart was notified of the outcome earlier this month.
Walls-Stewart, a 36-year-old Spanaway resident, since has filed a claim with the county. The claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, alleges Dickerson violated Walls-Stewart's civil rights.
During his interview with department investigators, Dickerson admitted he told Walls-Stewart he wouldn't put a lot of time into writing a report on Walls-Stewart's allegations. He recognized Walls-Stewart and remembered his history. The deputy also said he didn't see any evidence of a crime.
"Based on this person's past ... I wasn't comfortable right away writing a report," Dickerson said during the interview. "I don't want to be part of helping someone file a false claim on a homeowner's insurance policy or on a vehicle policy or anything like that."
Walls-Stewart, who has portrayed himself as a woman, gained media attention in 2002 when he claimed he had won a $93 million Lotto jackpot and tried to buy a $141,000 Hummer at a Tacoma dealership.
Four years later, Walls-Stewart was accused of trying to con people out of money and services or duping them into thinking he was someone else. Among the allegations was that he took several business cards of the executive assistant for then-Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg and passed them out around town. Walls-Stewart has been convicted of 16 crimes -- including theft, identity theft and forgery -- since 1996. His most recent conviction was in March.
On April 20, Walls-Stewart reported he was the victim of a theft and forgery.
He called the Sheriff's Department to report he was missing several items from his car. He also suspected that another man had forged two prescriptions using Walls-Stewart's name.
Dickerson told Walls-Stewart to write a statement about what happened and fill out a theft inventory sheet. Dickerson picked up the forms four days later.
Walls-Stewart told Internal Affairs he assumed a police report would be filed, but it wasn't. Walls-Stewart called the Sheriff's Department on Aug. 2 after learning from his insurance company that no police report was written, records state.
Efforts to reach Walls-Stewart for comment on this story were unsuccessful.
Dickerson said he had questions about Walls-Stewart's statement and left a message in April. When Walls-Stewart didn't call back, Dickerson decided not to file a report.
Dickerson met with Walls-Stewart on Aug. 7 and got a copy of the statement and theft inventory sheets. Dickerson then filed a report.
Commanders ruled Dickerson should have filed a report within a week of getting Walls-Stewart's original statement.
No arrests have been made in the case.
Dickerson told investigators that he learned from the experience. He said he should have contacted his supervisor and presented the situation.
Dickerson received a verbal reprimand in 2007 after he was discourteous to a witness in a near-drowning at Lake Tapps. The witness claimed Dickerson had remained in his car when two youths were struggling in the water.
Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268
blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
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