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Massa Indicted on 4 Federal Charges

A federal grand jury indicted a former Piedmont, Missouri police officer Tuesday for alleged civil rights violations.

The indictment says Woodrow Massa, 66, participated in the arrest and detention of two people “despite the absence of an arrest warrant or probable cause,” denying the individuals their Constitutional right from unreasonable seizure.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said the first arrest occurred on Aug. 12, 2020, and the second took place on Dec. 22, 2020. Massa later lied about his involvement in the first arrest during two interviews with the FBI. In one instance, Massa claimed he was not present in the booking room while the detainee was being processed. However, a video recording clearly shows Massa is in the room.

Massa was charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of lying to the FBI.

Massa is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau on Oct. 13.

If convicted, each civil rights charge carries a maximum penalty of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Each false statement charge carries a sentence of up to five years and a $250,000 fine.

Massa was charged in November in Wayne County on two felony counts of sexual abuse and harassment. He has not had his day in court on those charges.

2 Comments

  1. Anonymous on October 8, 2022 at 8:40 pm

    Chief Sanders covered up Mayor Kirkpatrick’s drunk driving, in which he crashed into a house. Why wasn’t he arrested?
    They lied when the Piedmont PD said the charges were forwarded to the PA. I talked with both the PD and the PAs office. They never were filed. Plus, they handled the actual Mayor’s incident like they do not do for other DUIs, with Chief Sanders going on record defending the Mayor’s actions that night. No arrest. No bailing out of jail. When people are murdered by drunk drivers all of the time. It’s shameful and because of this, law enforcement around here is a joke.

    Bet you won‘t print this! Be the solution, not part of the problem, WCJB.

  2. Anonymous on October 8, 2022 at 8:39 pm

    Chief Sanders covered up Mayor Kirkpatrick’s drunk driving, in which he crashed into a house. Why wasn’t he arrested?
    They lied when the Piedmont PD said the charges were forwarded to the PA. I talked with both the PD and the PAs office. They never were filed. Plus, they handled the actual Mayor’s incident like they do not do for other DUIs, with Chief Sanders going on record defending the Mayor’s actions that night. No arrest. No bailing out of jail. When people are murdered by drunk drivers all of the time. It’s shameful and because of this, law enforcement around here is a joke.

    Bet you won‘t print this!

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