Former police officer charged with theft

      Cameron Cooksey, the former Fairfield police officer who resigned from the Fairfield Police Department Jan. 20 following allegations of misconduct, has been formally charged with stealing approximately $1,500 in cash from the police department.

      The charge was filed Monday in Iowa District Court for Jefferson County by Thomas Henry Miller, special assistant attorney general for the state of Iowa. Cooksey, 31, was charged with second-degree theft, a Class D felony.

      Miller said he cannot discuss the case in detail at this time, but said it concerns cash allegedly stolen from the police department after having been seized.

      Although seized property was involved, Miller said no pending cases are affected by the incident, which allegedly occurred on or around Dec. 9.

      Judge Daniel P. Wilson of the 8th Judicial District instructed the clerk of court to issue a summons ordering Cooksey to appear for an arraignment at 11 a.m. Feb. 23.

      Cooksey had been on paid administrative leave since December when he turned in his resignation. However, until criminal charges were filed, no information about the alleged misconduct was available because it was part of Cooksey's personnel file, which is confidential.

      Cooksey is the son of Fairfield police chief Randy Cooksey, who did not participate in the investigation due to the need for impartiality.

      A search of Iowa court records conducted by The Fairfield Ledger revealed Officer Cooksey had two prior brushes with the law prior to joining the Fairfield Police Department.

      For the complete story, read the Feb. 13 Fairfield Ledger.