A police officer, sworn to uphold the law, was found guilty of using his badge to impersonate a federal agent, pull over drivers on the highway, steal their cannabis and cash, and then fake the paperwork to cover it all up. In some cases, the drugs simply vanished. This wasn’t a one-off incident—it was a years-long scheme, carried out under the color of law, while the victims were left without recourse and the system looked the other way. Until now.
In a long-awaited decision, former Rohnert Park Public Safety Officer Joseph Huffaker was found guilty today on all six federal charges stemming from his role in the illegal seizure of cannabis and cash from drivers traveling through Northern California. The verdict marks a major milestone in a case first brought to light by Redheaded Blackbelt. Our persistent reporting, along with the passion of one of the victims, Zeke Flatten, and the efforts of a myriad of other reporters, law enforcement staff, attorneys, and victims, helped bring a sprawling corruption scandal to public attention and federal court.
Huffaker was convicted of six charges: conspiracy to commit extortion by using his badge as cover to steal, conspiracy to deprive individuals of their civil rights under color of law, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, two counts of falsifying records in a federal investigation, and filing a false tax return. The case centered on a scheme where Huffaker, along with another officer, impersonated federal agents and stopped drivers on Highway 101, seizing cannabis and cash without legal authority. Then they covered their tracks with falsified paperwork and never reported the income…