PHOENIX (LAWFUEL) – Richard Michael Polk, 51, of Surprise, Ariz., pleaded guilty on Friday, April 3rd, to two counts of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, both Class 3 Felonies and Dangerous Crimes Against Children. Polk is a former homicide detective with the Phoenix Police Department.
Polk was initially identified because he purchased child pornography over the Internet. A subsequent search of Polk’s home revealed that he possessed numerous images and videos of child pornography. Polk faces between five and 15 years in the State of Arizona Department of Corrections followed by a term of lifetime supervised probation per the terms of the plea agreement. Sentencing is set for May 11, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. in front of Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Phoenix Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution is being handled by Dimitra Sampson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona who was cross-deputized as a Special Deputy County Attorney at the request of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office due to a conflict of interest in the case.
CASE NUMBER: CR 2008-126774-001-DT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2009-117(Polk)
