Confidential Informant Down

Do Police Use Civilians As Confidential Informants

It is widely known that Law Enforcement does use innocent civilians as police informants, either for a reduction in charges for themselves or sometimes for monetary reimbursement, or some other reason, that is mutually agreed upon.

The Murder of Radames Guzman in Delaware

In the summer of 2011, Radames Guzman, a confidential informant for the Delaware State Police made several controlled drug buys from Dushaune Darling. Based on those buys, a search warrant was issued and executed for Darlings home in Dover, Delaware.

Darling was arrested, released on bond, but then "Disappeared", and failed to appear for trial.

Roughtly three years later on the night of August 2, 2014, Guzman was last seen by his family leaving his house in Magnolia Delaware. About three weeks after that on August 24, his partially decomposed and buried body was found in a wood area in a shallow grave near Linwood and Red Mill Roads in Dorchester County.

Guzman's wrists were bound behind his back with duct tape, and he had three gunshot wounds to the back of his head. He was identified by his finger prints. The medical examiner revealed the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death was homicide.

The Investigation

The investigation led them to facebook and his cell phone usage. This led them to a woman named Jessie Jo Stewart. At first she denied knowing Guzman, but later recanted her story.

Jessie Jo Stewart told authorities that she was a long time drug user and she had bought drugs from Darling for about a year prior to the murder. She paid for the drugs with money or sex. She told authorites that Darling asked her to contact Guzman through facebook and arrange to meet him on the evening of August 2. Her journey that night was that she drove to Delaware and picked up Guzman, and drove to a Royal Farms store in Felton Delaware.

The night led to a deserted back road, and Guzman was pulled out of the car screaming, and then was beat and hit in the face with a gun and two men beat Guzman with their fists. Guzman was placed in the trunk of a car with his hands and ankles bound with duct tape. Stewart testified that she heard kicking in the trunk.

Stewart testified that Darling drove to a migrant camp with Guzman in the truck of the car and sold drugs for several hours. Stewart said she heard kicking in the trunk when Darling dropped her off at her home in Cambridge.

Darling asked for Stewart's cell phone, and then gave her money to buy another one.

Darling Shot And Killed Guzman

After the dropped Stewart off at her home, Guzman was taken to the area of Red Hill Road in Linkwood, where he was shot three times in the head and killed. A hunter passing by found his body.

Darling Apprehended

Darling was arrested September 4, 2014, after leading police on a chase through Salisbury. When police tried to stop Darling on U.S. Route 13, he rammed an unmarked Maryland State Police vehicle, and from there, the pursuit continued on Route 13 and surrounding roads. Police caught up with him in a store parking lot in the 1300 block of North Salisbury Boulevard.

Deshaune Darling Sentenced

He was sentenced on Monday December 14, 2015 in the Circuit Court for Dorchester County for the August 2014 murder of Radamus Guzman.

In September 2015 Darling was convicted by a jury over a six-day trial for the murder of Radamus Guzman. He was sentenced to two consecutie life terms in prison and an additional 50 years in prison to be served consecutively to the life terms.

Individually, the sentences are life in prison for first-degree murder, a second life term for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, 20 years in prison for he use of a firearm in a felony or crime of violence, and 30 years in prison for kidnapping.

Jesse Joe Stewart Plea Bargains

Stewart entered into a pleas agreement with the State of Maryland, in which she agreed to plead guilty to a charge of kidnapping and testify truthfully at Darlings trial and in exchange the State would recommend a sentence of eight years.

Should Law Enforcement Use Confidential Informants

This is a question that will be debated by many people and perhaps by law enforcement itself.

Confidential Informants certainly are used freely. They are mostly innocent civilians that for some reason or another feel the need to help and cooperate with law enforcement. The problem is innocent civilians are not properly trained and they put their lives at risk.

Under Cover Police Officers

Under Cover Police Officers are also used to do the same things that Confidential Informants do, however they are highly trained skilled professionals. If a police officer went missing, Law Enforcement would be all over the disappearance.

The question is would the situation have been different with Mr. Guzman, if it was an under cover police officer had been used in the controlled buys that led to Mr. Darlings having been served a search warrant, that led to his arrest.

Would they have been looking more aggressively for Mr. Darling, after he failed to appear for court??

If it had been an under cover police officer that led to the arrest of Mr. Darling, would they have protected the under cover police officer for as long as it took? Apparently, they did not protect Mr.Guzman, because he was murdered.

Are Civilian Confidential Informants Treated As Disposables

That is exactly the question, "Are civilian Confidential Informants Treated As Disposables?"

Would society and law enforcement react differently if the informant killed was a Law Enforcement Officer?

Should a Special Elite Force Be Trained As Confidential Informants ?

Should Innocent Civilians That Have No Training Be Used To Assist Police?

YOU BE THE JUDGE!!!!!!!!