Former Hico police chief pleads guilty in stun-gun case

Aug. 1, 2006, 8:39PM
Former Hico police chief pleads guilty in stun-gun case

By HARVEY RICE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

A former Central Texas police chief pleaded guilty in a Houston court today to illegally obtaining and transferring 78 unregistered stun grenades, the U.S. Attorney's Office reported.
Charles A. Malouff Jr., 49, of Austin, acknowledged transferring the explosive devices to someone who stored them in Houston. U.S. District Judge David Hittner scheduled Malouff's sentencing for Oct. 25.
A police official in Hico, about 70 miles northwest of Waco, was unable to say when Malouff was that town's chief. He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
An official with the Cypress Creek Emergency Medical Service found 78 stun grenades, high-explosive detonating cord and six improvised electric detonators in the office of a terminated employee in August 2004, according to a criminal complaint filed by an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Agents traced the stun grenades to Malouff, who said they were used to train officers in the use of ballistic shields sold by his company, AP&T International Inc., according to the complaint.
Investigators said Malouff told them that, after being fired from the Bertram Police Department in October 2002, he removed stun grenades belonging to the department. He also said he removed stun grenades while employed by the Bosque County Sheriff's Department in August 2003.

harvey.rice@chron.com

source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/4088023.html