How A Phony Fed Fooled A Small Town

[308Mike]

Linkarooni

How A Phony Fed Fooled A Small Town
Fraudulent Law Enforcer Tells Katie Couric Illegal Arrests He Made Gave Him Adrenaline Rush, Sense Of Purpose

GERALD, Missouri, Nov. 2, 2008

(CBS) Like many small towns across the country, Gerald, Mo. was struggling with a tiny police force and a big drug problem. Then a man, known as "Sgt. Bill," showed up.

Bill Jakob flashed a badge and announced his credentials: an undercover federal agent sent to clean up the town in a county with one of the highest number of methamphetamine labs in the country.

He quickly helped police round up dozens of suspects and was welcomed like a conquering hero. As Katie Couric reports, it all seemed just a little too good to be true.

"I didn't just wake up one morning and decide I was Batman or Superman. I found myself in Gerald," Jakob says.

Jakob, driving his own undercover police car, arrived earlier this year in Gerald, a rural town so small there's only one traffic light for its 1,200 residents.

"I woke up everyday with the intention of, 'Hey, I'm really doin' some great things here.' And I fed off of it and I enjoyed it. And you know, I slept good at night. I really did. I thought, man, 'I'm putting drug dealers out of business,'" he tells Couric.

More of this story..............

[arkythehun]

I gotta say, I have mixed emotions on this one.

For the time being, I think I'll just laugh at the lot of them.

[workinwifdakids]

In the old days in places like Arizona, wasn't the Sheriff anyone who could clean up the town?

Well, there you go.

[mekender]

the question is, if you are actually doing the job of a LEO and doing it properly... should it still be impersonation?

[Jered]

This is a good argument for jury nullification.

[mekender]

especially since the guy was doing the job BETTER than the actual LEO's

[Steamforger]

I wonder how the confessions he got will stand up to review?

[cu74]

I wonder how the confessions he got will stand up to review?

That's the sad part about this whole thing. Lawyers are probably already lining up with appeals and I'd expect there will be a lot of convicted choirboys who will be back out in society soon.