Busted Martial Artists

[GeneChing]

Kimo Leopoldo...tsk tsk...

Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Martial arts fighter wearing police uniform held on meth charge
Kimo Leopoldo was seen by plainclothes detectives in Tustin parking lot in Long Beach police jumpsuit.
By ELYSSE JAMES
The Orange County Register

TUSTIN – Mixed martial arts fighter Kimo Leopoldo was arrested Monday afternoon on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine and wearing a stolen Long Beach Police Department uniform, according to Tustin police.

Two plainclothes detectives at about 3 p.m. saw the 6-foot-3, 235-pound man wearing a Long Beach Police Department jumpsuit, the kind worn by police special enforcement teams, along with flip-flop sandals, in the parking lot of a shopping center at Irvine Boulevard and Jamboree Road, across from the Marketplace mall, said Tustin police Sgt. Jeff Blair.

They approached the 41-year-old to find out if he was a Long Beach policeman, and if he wasn't, why he was wearing a police uniform, Blair said. Leopoldo gave the officers conflicting statements about where he had gotten the jumpsuit.

When the officers searched his car, they found a glass pipe, which can be used to smoke methamphetamine, and a small amount of meth, according to Blair. Leopoldo was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, having drug paraphernalia and having stolen property.

The UFC and PRIDE fighter, who lost to Royce Gracie in Ultimate Fighting Championship 3, had been campaigning to be executive officer for the California State Athletic Commission, which regulates professional boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts, and amateur kickboxing in California, according to the commission's Web site. Leopoldo's most recent fight was in 2006.

[Chief_Suicide]

The part that kills me about this one is the fact that he was applying to be CSAC commission officer.

Talk about brass balls.

[BoulderDawg]

I'm of the opinion of why in hell would anyone want to look like a cop???? I know I have no yearnings to do so.

That said as long as that is not an official uniform that was stolen no crime has been committed. Maybe he had someone make to look just like the real thing....who knows.

Personally I see no reason to search the man's car. I think if he has a good lawyer the drug charge will be dropped.

I will say, having spent some time in Socal, that it's real easy to party too much , get stupid and lax and forget about the cops.

[GeneChing]

I wonder what becomes of the victims - what they think of the martial arts in the wake of the crime...

Karate instructor charged with sexual assault of girl

OLD BRIDGE — A local karate school instructor has been arrested on charges that he sexually assaulted a female student.

Patrick Betterton, 24, of Marlboro Road in Old Bridge, was arrested at his studio, Tristar Martial Arts, on Feb. 19, announced Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan and Old Bridge Police Chief Thomas Collow. Betterton was charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

An investigation by Old Bridge Police Detective Richard Tulko and Investigator Daniel Ruschak of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office led to the arrest. Authorities said the investigation determined that Betterton allegedly sexually abused the girl on various occasions in his studio and in his home between March 2007 and March 2008, when the girl was 15 years old.

Betterton was being held on $250,000 bail at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick.

Anyone with information on the accusations or any similar alleged activity is asked to call Detective Tulko at 732-721- 5600 or Investigator Ruschak at 732-745- 3600.