4 Oakland Officers Charged With 49 Felonies in Misconduct Probe

Four Oakland police officers were charged Thursday with felonies including assault, kidnapping and filing false reports in a crackdown on alleged police misconduct.

The officers, who called themselves “The Riders” on their late-night patrols through West Oakland, face a combined 49 felony charges for alleged misconduct.

Officers Frank Vazquez, 43, and Jude Siapno, 32, are charged with kidnapping and assaulting two men, including one who was allegedly beaten in the face, stomach, back and legs while handcuffed.

Prosecutors say Vazquez and Clarence Mabanag, 35, later intimidated the man when supervisors asked about his injuries.

The three and a fourth officer, Matthew Hornung, 28, also are charged with falsely accusing several men of possessing drugs and weapons between June 13 and July 3.

Alameda County Dist. Atty. Tom Orloff said 23 cases--mostly involving drug possession charges--in which the officers were involved have been dismissed.

Attorneys for the officers, who are on paid administrative leave, said there is no evidence to back up the charges.

Siapno, Mabanag and Hornung were arraigned Thursday in Oakland Superior Court. Vazquez was out of town and did not attend the hearing. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

None of the officers entered pleas. They were expected to be held in protective custody until a bail hearing Nov. 9.

The officers are “both sad and anxious to have their stories heard,” said Mabanag’s lawyer, Michael Rains.

Mabanag, a training officer, was accused of warning a trainee not to be a “snitch.” Vazquez allegedly told the same trainee he should “disregard all police training learned in the police academy, disregard probable cause and arrest suspects on contact without lawful reason,” the complaint said.

The investigation began after a rookie officer made allegations to his superiors in early July. Additional officers and citizens came forward during the investigation, Orloff said.

A separate FBI investigation into possible civil rights violations is in progress, FBI spokesman Andrew Black said.