Police officer convicted of attempted felony stealing

Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Deanna Coronado

Frankie Goins

A former Malden police officer, Frankie J. Goins, 36, was recently convicted by a Stoddard County jury of attempted felony stealing during a trial that occurred March 25, 2008.

According to information provided by the Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney, Stephen P. Sokoloff, the trial was held in Bloomfield, Mo., on a change of venue from Dunklin County.

"The jury of nine men and three women took approximately one and a half hours to find Goins guilty," Sokoloff said of the decision.

"After deliberation, the jury recommended the imposition of fine, with the amount to be determined by the court."

The maximum fine for the offense, according to Sokoloff, is $5,000.

Goins was charged with trying to steal $1,000, which was money that had been turned over to him by an 18-year-old Malden man who had received information that the money may have been the product of an Internet scam.

Officers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control participated in the investigation of the case.

Goins was represented by Stephen Walsh and Dan Moore of the Moore, Walsh, and Albright firm in Poplar Bluff.

The state was represented by Sokoloff, and assistant prosecutor, Jonce B. Chidister.

According to court records, the jury's verdict for "no imprisonment, but a fine in an amount to be determined by the Court", was accepted by the court with a hearing upon motion for new trial set at 10 a.m., May 7, 2008, and sentencing, if appropriate.

Comments

Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please Login or Create an account first, and then you will be able to flag a comment as objectionable. Please also note that those who post comments on dddnews.com may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

It's a shame that an officer of law that is suppose to be teaching our children not to steal turns around and does it. Were is our society going?

I hope he has to step down as an officer because how can you trust the law if they keep someone like that on force.

-- Posted by blondie27 on Wed, Apr 2, 2008, at 3:54 PM

It's a shame that an officer of law that is suppose to be teaching our children not to steal turns around and does it. Were is our society going?

-- Posted by blondie27 on Wed, Apr 2, 2008, at 3:55 PM

I hope he has to step down as an officer because how can you trust the law if they keep someone like that on force.

-- Posted by blondie27 on Wed, Apr 2, 2008, at 3:56 PM

As you can see, a slap on the wrist, just a fine no probation, the average citizen would have gotten probation. Just goes to show who can do what!

-- Posted by semo on Wed, Apr 2, 2008, at 10:44 PM

If he can steal then he is capable of murder.

-- Posted by P Jam on Fri, Apr 4, 2008, at 9:53 PM

i can,t believe that the judge did not do anything but let him go so it is a open market if you want to steal anything

-- Posted by tommyl on Mon, Apr 7, 2008, at 6:52 PM

WELL IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU CANT TRUST ANYONE. NOT EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING US.I CANT BELIEVE HE IS GETTING NOTHING I HOPE THEY FIRE HIM OR GIVE HIM MORE THAT A FINE B/C I REALLY DONT THINK I WANT SOME ONE WHO I THINK IS A COP AROUND BUT IS REALLY A THIEF!!!!

-- Posted by BANANA4 on Thu, Apr 10, 2008, at 12:43 PM

It is a pathetic time in our lives when a Police officer does the very crimes that he arrests others for. SHAME ON YOU! You should have been made an example of, not gotten off with a slap on the wrist.

-- Posted by whatithinkis on Thu, Apr 10, 2008, at 3:48 PM

Well i know his son fisher who is a god friend of mine and so i know for a fact he cant be a bad person he made a mistake.

-- Posted by peacemine on Sat, Aug 15, 2009, at 3:50 AM