LMPD detective suspended 30 days for driving officers who threw drinks at people in west end

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Another Louisville Metro Police officer was suspended for his role in the so-called "slushy-gate," in which officers threw drinks at citizens in the west end and recorded their actions in 2018-19.

On Sept. 8, Detective Jonathan Robbins was suspended for 30 days for driving a police vehicle from which drinks were thrown at people on three separate occasions on Oct. 4-5, 2018, according to a memo from Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel. The drinks struck or almost struck civilians, the chief wrote.

In addition, Robbins never reported that other officers had thrown the drinks.

A police investigation concluded Robbins had violated conduct unbecoming and reporting of violations procedures.

Robbins had a pre-termination meeting with Gwinn-Villaroel on Aug. 21, according to the memo obtained through the open records law. The 30-day suspension is the stiffest short of termination.

"At the pre-termination meeting ... you accepted full responsibility for your actions and recognized that you brought discredit upon the department," Gwinn-Villaroel wrote. "However, you also showed genuine remorse for this conduct. Since the time of these incidents, your performance as an LMPD officer has been exemplary and you have shown yourself to be an asset to this department."

So far, at least five officers have been suspended for their roles in the incidents, and two former officers were convicted in federal court.

Last October, a federal judge called the actions of former officers Curtis Flynn and Bryan Wilson "egregious, conscious, shocking behavior," before sending both to prison.

During the sentencing, prosecutors played about a half-dozen of 40 videos Flynn and Wilson made of throwing drinks and containers at citizens.

In addition, the judge asked whether other officers who knew about the actions or participated had been punished. The prosecution said other officers would be disciplined but she could not say when.

In August, police released documents showing four other officers suspended:

Sgt. Kevin Casper, who received a 30-day suspension, a demotion and an involuntary unit transfer
Detective John Benzing, who received a 15-day suspension
Detective Beau Gadegaard, who received a 10-day suspension
Detective Joseph Howell, who received a 10-day suspension

Casper knew "subordinates in your chain of command were throwing drinks and/or splashing puddles on civilians, recording the events, and/or watching videos of the acts" and he failed to report or stop the misconduct, Gwinn-Villaroel wrote in a July 20 letter.

Gadegaard, on at least one occasion, was following Flynn and Wilson when they threw a drink at a citizen but did not report or attempt to stop the behavior, according to the records.

Benzing was seen in one of the videos in which a drink was thrown, according to the chief.

All of the suspended officers participated in a "chat thread" where a video of at least one instance of misconduct was shared.

The misconduct was carried out by members of the Ninth Mobile Division, which was disbanded in 2019.

In one video, after hitting a man with a drink, one of the convicted officers said, "Dude fell down" and they both laughed.

In another, one of the officers threw a filled container at a woman holding an umbrella in the rain and said, "how about a drink?"

Prosecutors said many other incidents were not recorded and that the officers also drove through puddles to splash citizens.

Flynn was sentenced to three months in prison, three years of supervised release and 120 hours of community service.

Wilson was sentenced to 30 months in prison, three years of supervised release and 120 hours of community service. He also faced a separate count of conspiracy to commit cyber stalking for harassing and extorting at least 25 women and threatening to release stolen photos and videos.

This story may be updated.