The story you are about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
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You're a detective sergeant, you're assigned to Wilshire Division, vice detail.
An informant sends you word about an extortion racket going on in your area.
The victim, a bookmaker.
The suspect, a police officer.
Your job, check it out.
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Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime.
For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will
travel step-by-step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official
police files.
From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force
in action.
It was Tuesday, October 18th.
It was hot in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out of Wilshire Division, vice detail.
My partner's Frank Smith.
The boss is Captain Hayes.
My name's Friday.
We were on the way downtown from the office, and it was 9.35 a.m. when we got to the felony
section of the main jail, the interview room.
Sit down, Mr. Lawrence.
Thanks.
Got your message when we checked in this morning.
What's it about?
Well, I finally made up my mind.
I've had enough of this.
Say, either one of you got a cigarette, I'll left mine back in the cell.
Yeah, sure.
Here you are, Lawrence.
Oh, thanks.
I bet.
Here's a match for you.
Now, what's the story?
What's on your mind?
Well, I've been thinking about it most of the night.
I didn't get very much sleep.
So you were going to be yesterday, I mean, when you arrested me?
Yeah.
Well, it's just like I told you then.
I'm not trying to kid anybody.
I admit it.
I've been taking a few bets.
It wasn't any big operation, though.
You know, I was just laying off a few bets with my friends and all people in the neighborhood.
We know all that, Lawrence.
We went through that yesterday.
Yeah, I know.
I just wanted to make sure we got it straight.
We're not any big operators.
We just ran the bookmaking as a sideline.
This hasn't been too good lately.
Had to make it up somehow.
Sorry, Lawrence.
We can't feel bad about it.
You were tagged for making the book before.
You should have learned your lesson.
Oh, I know.
I know.
I'm not singing the blues.
I'm not playing alibi.
I didn't call you down here for that.
Well, now, what's this all about?
Well, like I told you, I've been thinking about it a lot.
I didn't sleep hard at all last night.
I finally made up my mind, though.
I'm going to get it off my chest if it kills me.
All right.
What's that?
I know, Stuley.
I don't want to get anybody in trouble, but there's one thing I believe in, and that's
playing it square.
It doesn't matter what you do.
Just like now, Sergeant, I ain't beating about the rest.
You know, man.
What do you get, man?
What do you want to tell us?
Oh, all right.
Here it is.
You know what the record is.
I stood a pinch for bookmaking a year and a half ago.
I got the thing all squared away, and it came back from my business.
I learned my lesson.
I didn't want any more trouble, so I laid off the books.
All right.
Fill us in.
What about this policeman?
I'm getting to it.
Just a minute.
Hey, I'm sorry.
You have a cigarette, please.
I'm a little jumpy this morning.
Yeah, well, I'll show you.
Thanks.
Oh, thanks a lot.
Well, like I was saying, you know, when I kid up the last beef, I've begun all about
the horses.
I was off them for good.
My wife made me promise.
I wouldn't have anything more to do with them.
We'd just run the business, you know, live on what they made, and we'd get along fine.
All right.
Go ahead.
Everything was going fine, too.
The business wasn't too good, but we made out.
Then the trouble started.
My oldest boy, that's Harry Jr.
He had an accident on the job, and he broke his hip.
I had to help his family out while he was in the hospital.
Like I say, the business wasn't making too much money, but we made out, though.
Go ahead.
Yeah, well, then just as soon as Harry got well, the wife came down, gallbladder.
She had to have an operation.
Really cost money, you know.
Well, the wife was resting at home.
She didn't come down to the store.
I started with the books again, you know, just taking a few bets on the side, just a
few.
I didn't really want to do it.
Just one of those things, you know.
I didn't have anybody to go to.
The bills had to be paid.
Where does this policeman fit in with this Ray Williams?
Well, I'm just coming to it.
Well, he came in the store.
He said he wanted to make a bet.
I didn't know him from Adam, so I played careful, you know.
I told him I wasn't making books.
Then he said he was a good friend of Myra's.
Myra, that's a gal who runs a beauty parlor on Crenshaw.
She used to make books, but she isn't now.
Yeah, we know the spot.
Well, when he said that he knew Myra, I figured it was all right, so I took the bet.
That's when it started.
As soon as he makes the bet, he comes out and says he's a cop working for Vice.
I thought he was just kidding, and he flashes this identification.
What kind of identification?
Bag?
What kind of a bag?
Well, I don't know.
Just a bag.
It looked all right.
All right, have a look.
This one here, was it like this one?
I don't know.
I didn't get too good a look at it.
It might have been something like that.
I don't know.
Did you ask for any other identification?
Did you volunteer to show you any?
No.
Well, I didn't ask for any.
I was scared.
I just figured I was arrested again.
That's all.
He seemed to know all about the first pinch.
I stood there making books.
He told me that I'd been operating for about a month and a half.
He said he had his eye on me.
What did he do after he told you he was a policeman?
Well, I started to explain to him how the thing shaped up
while I was making books again, how I had to pay off those doctor bills.
I tried to beg off.
I told him that I quit right now.
Then he turns around and tells me I don't have to.
What do you mean?
Well, that's just what he said.
He didn't make sense to me either.
And he went on.
He told me I was operating in his district.
He said it'd be okay if I went along the way I was.
He'd see to it that I didn't stand any pinches.
Yes, sir.
What else did he say?
Well, he said he wasn't the only one who'd have to be taken care of.
He said there was his partner.
A couple of guys over him they'd have to be taken care of too.
He said the juice would cost me 100 bucks a week.
I tried to explain to him.
Well, I told him I wasn't operating big.
I was just on the side.
I said I wasn't making that much a week.
Not all I was doing was about 50.
That's all.
Just 50.
Then he said, well, he says, all right.
If that's the way you feel about it, I'll just take you down, book you now.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I told him I didn't want to stand a pinch again.
I'd do the best that I could.
So he finally said, I'll give you two weeks to go ahead and open this thing up.
He said I'd have to do more business because the juice was just going to cost me 100 a week.
He didn't care how high I got it.
This policeman told you to go ahead and open up, huh?
For 100 a week, you can go ahead and make book and nobody bother you.
Yeah.
Did your wife ever see this policeman, this fellow Williams?
Yeah, she saw him.
She saw him a couple of times.
She saw me give him the money.
But when did all this start?
About the 1st of July.
Paid him $100 every week since then.
Yeah, I'm all over the spot.
Your fellas picked me up on a stand.
He was running me to the ground.
He had me in the bind.
You say the man's name was Ray Williams, is that right?
Yeah, that's right.
You said he had a partner.
Did you ever see him?
No.
I never did.
Did Williams ever come in with anybody?
Did you ever see him with anybody?
No.
As a matter of fact, I never did.
One time I asked him who his partner was.
He said, none of my business.
What kind of a car does he drive?
I don't know.
Never came to my place in the car.
He always walked.
He came on foot.
Do you know anything else about him?
Where does he live?
I don't know.
He never told me.
He never told me anything.
You see?
Nothing.
Once I asked him what station he was working out of, who his boss was.
He got a little hard with me.
He told me not to get nosy, not to ask so many questions.
Is there anything else you can tell us about Williams?
Maybe where he hangs out, people he knows.
Anything you figure will help us?
Well, works out well, sir.
You ought to know it.
Ray Williams.
Yeah, Ray Williams.
He was a policeman.
Not in my book.
Frank and I continued questioning the prisoner, Harold Lawrence, and he gave us a complete
description of the extortionist, the man he knew as Officer Ray Williams.
Frank got on the phone, notified the commander of the internal affairs division of the latest
development, and he advised us to bring the prisoner to his office immediately.
We signed Lawrence out of the main jail for investigation and took him to the city hall,
room 37.
With the help of Sergeants Lloyd Reiner and Floyd Phillips, we started checking through
the personnel files for the suspect.
Neither Frank nor myself recognized the name or the description of Williams as given us
by Lawrence.
The first step was to show the prisoner photographs of every police officer in the department,
regardless of rank or detail.
He was unable to make an identification.
We then showed him photographs of all police officers, retired or otherwise.
He failed to identify any of them as Williams.
We showed him photographs of all civilian employees of the department.
Again, no identification.
He was unable to find anyone who even closely resembled the extortionist.
Not satisfied with this, the prisoner was shown photographs of all law enforcement agency
personnel in the area.
The same results.
No identification.
4.18 p.m. While Reiner and Phillips continued checking on their end, we returned the prisoner
to the main jail and then Frank and I drove out to see his wife, Mrs. Mildred Lawrence.
We located her at Lawrence's place of business, a small pet shop just off Wilshire Boulevard.
What is it this time?
Haven't we got enough trouble?
What do you want now?
We just got through talking to your husband, ma'am.
A few things we'd like to clear up.
I'd like to talk to you a few minutes if we could.
You talked to Harry?
How is he?
He's all right, ma'am.
We've been with him all day.
We're still looking into the case.
Why can't you let him alone?
He was doing what he was doing.
He wasn't lying.
He told you everything.
Yes, ma'am.
We appreciate that.
You wanted to let him alone.
Let me alone.
Trouble.
That's all we've had.
Sickness and trouble.
No end of it.
Well, we realize that, Miss Lawrence.
We don't like to bother you, but there's something we have to straighten out here.
I haven't anything to tell you.
I'm busy.
Left alone here to run the store.
No help.
I'm sick.
Shouldn't even be down here.
Let us alone.
Let me alone.
Harry was wrong.
He'll pay for it.
We're not asking you for anything.
We're asking you for something, ma'am.
We'd like you to help us.
Help you?
Why?
Policemen all alike.
As far as I'm concerned, you're nothing but trouble.
Reason for all our trouble.
Well, that's what we'd like to talk to you about, ma'am.
I haven't anything to say, I told you.
I'm a sick woman.
Got a lot of work to do.
You mind stepping aside there?
Got this whole bin of dogs with the package up.
Can't just stand around and talk.
Poor little pups have to be fed.
Haven't even cleaned their litter yet.
We appreciate how you feel, Miss Lawrence.
We won't take up too much of your time.
Can't you give us just a few minutes, please?
Now, you listen to me.
I've tried to be nice to you.
I've gotten my way.
I've tried to be nice to you.
I've gotten my way.
I've tried to be nice to you.
I've gotten my way.
I've tried to be nice to you.
I've got no reason to either.
I could tell you a lot of things about policemen, things you wouldn't want to listen to.
I don't think you're so smart.
Maybe Harry was doing wrong, but he's not the only one.
I could tell you plenty if I wanted to.
Well, that's what we're here for, ma'am.
We told you we were with your husband all day.
Well, that's what we're here for, ma'am.
We told you we were with your husband all day.
Then why don't you let me alone?
I talked to one cop already today.
I told him to stay away and you do the same.
I told him just what I thought of him.
Low down thief.
Who was this policeman you talked to today?
You know who he is.
He was the same place with you.
Big, honest policeman.
You never do anything wrong.
That Ray Williams ought to be in jail just like Harry is.
Ray Williams?
That the man who was here today?
That's what I said, wasn't it?
Now, will you get out of here?
Now, look, Miss Lawrence, just a minute, please.
We talked to your husband and he told us all about this man, Williams.
Then why don't you do something about it?
Go get him and put him in jail just like you did Harry.
That's what we're trying to do if you'll just help us.
Williams isn't a policeman.
What do you mean?
Yes, ma'am.
That's what we've been trying to tell you.
We talked to your husband and he told us the whole story.
How can you tell?
How do you know he's not a policeman?
He's not, ma'am.
We're sure of that.
Harry said he was.
Showed Harry his badge.
Well, that doesn't make him a policeman, ma'am.
We had your husband look at pictures of every officer in this area.
He convinced himself that Williams isn't a policeman.
Well, if he isn't a policeman, who is he?
That's what we want to find out.
Will you help us, Mrs. Lawrence?
You don't have to excuse me.
I didn't mean to be nasty.
I guess that I've been sick.
I was troubled, Harry in jail.
Yes, ma'am.
We understand that.
Now, you say Williams was here today.
About what time was that?
It was before lunch, about 11.30, quarter to 12, I think.
He came here to get money.
That's what he always came for.
Did he say he'd be back?
No, I told him never to come back.
I told him Harry was in jail.
All the money we gave him.
What good did it do?
Said I'd go to the city hall if he ever came back.
What did he say to that?
He said Harry had to expect an arrest now and then.
I told him Harry wasn't going to get arrested anymore.
He was through with all that junk.
People like him, too.
And then he swore at me.
He called me some real nasty names.
Told me I'd better keep my mouth shut or I'd get worse than Harry did.
Then he went out and slammed the door.
Was he driving a car? Did you notice?
No, I never saw him in one.
Is there anything you know about Williams at all?
I mean, anything that would help us locate him, maybe?
No, I don't think so.
All I know is he said he was a policeman.
His name was Ray Williams.
Couldn't Harry tell you anything? Maybe he knows.
No, ma'am, he couldn't tell us much.
Oh, excuse me, please.
Yes, ma'am.
My aunt's pet shop.
Yes? What's that?
Old man?
Hello?
He hung up.
Ma'am?
It was Ray Williams.
Said he just drove by here. He saw us.
What did he want?
He saw me talking to you. He knows you're a policeman.
Told me to keep my mouth shut. Said if I don't, he's coming back.
Yeah.
Said he'd kill me.
Before we left, we called in and arranged for a 24-hour stakeout on Lawrence's pet shop and also on the Lawrence home.
Until the suspect was apprehended, she would be given a 24-hour protection.
The next day, we picked up Mrs. Lawrence and brought her downtown to the City Hall, Room 23.
We went through the same procedure with her as we had with her husband.
Like her husband, she was unable to identify any of the photographs of police officers in the area.
In addition to the personnel photographs, Mrs. Lawrence also went through a group of pictures
which Sergeants Reiner and Phillips came up with.
They'd had a run made through the staff's office on all known extortionists using the same ammo Williams used,
posing as a police officer.
From this group, both Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence gave us two partial identifications.
Both men were picked up, questioned, and eliminated.
Meantime, we'd gotten out a local broadcast and a teletype was sent to George Brereton, C.I.I. Sacramento,
asking for assistance in identifying the extortion suspect.
The investigation went on.
Two days passed. No leads on the suspect.
In checking on other possible victims of the extortionists, Ray Williams,
we drove to interview Myra Thomas, operator of a beauty shop out on Crenshaw.
She was a tall, good-looking brunette in her early thirties.
This man we're looking for is Thomas Ray Williams. We understand he's a friend of yours.
Please, Sergeant, you've described the man to me. You told me his name. It doesn't mean anything to me.
I don't know him.
Well, then how'd he get your name, Miss?
I'm sure I don't know. I'm sorry. I can't help you.
Well, now apparently the man knows you or he knows about you.
I don't think I understand you. It makes you think this man Williams knows me.
Well, we've already told you, ma'am. Mr. Lawrence says that when Ray Williams first approached him,
he used your name as a means of introduction.
Now, it's not a coincidence. I think you'll admit that.
I just don't understand what it has to do with me.
I know how you feel. I have an idea of what you're thinking.
I was in trouble once, that bookmaking thing.
I learned my lesson now. I'm through with that business.
We're not here about that old arrest, ma'am. We don't want to bother you.
Just thought you might be able to help us locate Williams.
I'm sorry. I don't think I can.
Possibly he might have been using another name, ma'am.
I still wouldn't know him. The description doesn't sound like anybody I ever knew.
You know the Lawrence's pretty well, do you?
Yes, I wouldn't say pretty well, but I do know them.
Have you seen them lately, either one of them?
No, I haven't.
You haven't talked with Mrs. Lawrence the last couple of days?
No, why?
We thought Mrs. Lawrence might have told you what kind of a man this Ray Williams is.
What do you mean? What's so bad about posing as a policeman?
Well, it's more than that, ma'am. He telephoned Mrs. Lawrence, threatened her if she talked to the police about him.
What?
Yes, ma'am. He said he'd kill her.
Oh, no. Yes, ma'am, that's right.
Couldn't be. He wouldn't do a thing like that.
You know him that well?
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The idea of an extortionist posing as a policeman to obtain money certainly was nothing new.
The idea is as old as crime itself.
It's one of the most vicious types of extortion in the eyes of law enforcement agencies
because so many such cases go unreported to proper authorities by the victims.
Usually, the victim is a person of circumstances with something to hide.
The extortionist discovers the person's secret by one means or another,
and he begins the never-ending process of draining the victim of his last dollar,
all under the guise of being a police officer.
If the victim's intelligent enough, at the first approach by the extortionist,
he takes the matter to the proper authorities.
If he isn't, and he's lucky enough eventually to escape the extortion trap,
he goes on for the rest of his life believing that a man who was hired to protect him
was the source of all his trouble.
And for the rest of his life, he hangs on to his idea, and he passes it on to others.
A complete disrespect for law and law enforcement officers.
Saturday, October 22, 2.15 p.m., Frank Smith and I continued questioning the beauty shop operator, Myra Thomas.
The more we talked with her, the more we were convinced that she was acquainted with the suspect, Ray Williams.
In order to convince her of the suspect's viciousness, we drove her over to see Mrs. Lawrence at the pet shop.
After their talk, we drove Myra Thomas back to the beauty shop, and she told us the story.
Guess I have to admit it, he certainly had me fooled. I thought he was a policeman.
You say he showed you his identification, ma'am, I mean when he first approached you.
Yes, he showed me a badge that looked authentic to me, and the way he talked, the things he said.
I thought he was a policeman, I really did.
Well, you've heard our end of the story, Miss Thomas. You've talked to Mrs. Lawrence. Are you willing to help us now?
We won't get around, will we? Won't we need newspapers?
They won't get it from us, no.
You won't tell my husband, will you? He doesn't have to know all about this.
No, ma'am, not unless you want him to.
Well, I don't. We're not getting along too well, as it is. Williams is in trouble, too.
Guess I should have told you when you first asked me.
What's that, miss?
Just like the Lawrence's, I was paying him off, too. A lot longer than the Lawrence's.
Every week I paid him, and I couldn't tell anyone. Couldn't even tell my husband.
What's that, ma'am?
Guess I thought I was smart, the bookmaking thing I need.
Started taking a few bets from the girls in the shop, just small ones.
I didn't mean anything by it, and Miss Williams came in one day.
Said his girlfriend made a bet with me, and wanted to place one, too.
Did you take it?
Yes, like I told you, I thought I was smart.
And if I took the bet, he showed me the badge, told me he was a police officer.
That's when it started. Same thing, just like the Lawrence's.
How about after you were arrested, Miss Thomas? What happened with Williams then?
Oh, after I got it settled, Williams came back to the shop again.
I told him then I was through with the horses. Wouldn't have anything to do with it again.
After that, I didn't see him for a while. I sure was glad.
You've seen him since? You know where we can locate him now?
Oh, no, I don't. I have seen him since, though.
You promised me my husband won't know about this. You're giving me your word.
Miss Thomas, if you don't want your husband to know about this, it's your business.
He'll never hear it from us.
Got to be that way, believe me. I love my husband.
Ray Williams has caused us nothing but trouble.
Can't tell you the worries he's caused me. I mean, besides all the money I paid him, too.
You mean you're still paying him?
Yes, that's right. Every week.
You know how low that man is. I can't begin to tell you.
I thought he was a policeman.
Why are you still paying him off, ma'am? You mind telling us that?
No, I guess I don't mind. I've gone this far.
All right.
It was while my husband and I were separated. We had a fight when we were separated.
I started going out on dates. Nothing serious.
One night, I was out with a fella from other town.
Nice fella. Ray Williams saw me.
A fella sitting in the car, parked him out right in the back of the bar.
We were necking. Williams came by and knew that I saw him.
I see.
Wasn't anything wrong, really. I love my husband.
He wouldn't understand about the fella that night, though.
I mean, if Williams ever told him.
That's what he's been holding over your head, Henry?
Yes. It's more than a year now. I pay him every week.
I'll tell you the truth, Sergeant. I can't go on much longer. I can't.
Well, you don't have to worry about it anymore.
Just help us locate the man. That's all you have to do now.
Well, I don't know where he lives, but I know he's gonna contact me. He always does.
That's what we'd like to know. How does he contact you?
He phones, usually once a week, maybe every other week.
He calls me and tells me to meet him someplace and bring the money. $50 every week.
And you have a regular time that he calls you?
No, almost any time. It's never the same day, never the same place I meet him.
I haven't heard from him in over a week now. He should be calling pretty soon, I guess.
Uh-huh. Easily call here. Does he phone you at home?
Both places. He always seems to know where to reach me.
I don't know what I'm gonna do this time. I just don't know.
Ma'am?
I haven't got the money for him. I'm broke. Four or five dollars, that's all I have.
Well, don't worry about it.
But he's gonna want his payoff. You know that. What am I gonna do?
This time it's on us.
BAND PLAYS
Before we left Myra Thomas at the beauty shop, we had a definite understanding
that as soon as she heard from the extortionist, Ray Williams,
she was to call us immediately, any time of the day or night.
Then we called the office and made arrangements for stake-outs
to be placed both at the beauty shop and at Myra Thomas' home
in case Williams decided to contact her in person.
The Thomas woman was given a plain envelope containing $50
and marked bills which she was to hand over to the suspect
the next time he demanded his regular payoff.
Two days went by. Tuesday, October 25th.
No word on the suspect. Thursday, the 27th.
Still no word. Saturday morning, October 29th.
PHONE RINGS
I got it. Right.
Vice-Detail Smith. How's that?
Oh, yeah. Uh-huh. I see. Hold on, huh? Pencil, Joe?
Yeah. Here you go.
Over to that place again? Okay.
The time? Mm-hmm.
Yeah, surely. In about half an hour.
Yes, ma'am. We'll be there. Goodbye.
What do you got, Frank? Anything? Yeah, Myra Thomas.
Yeah? He wants to see us. I told her we'd be over in about half an hour.
What's the deal? Williams called her. He wants his money.
PHONE RINGS
11.15 a.m.
Frank and I got in the car and drove out to see Myra Thomas at her apartment.
She told us that the suspect, Ray Williams, had telephoned her
shortly before 11 o'clock that morning and set up a date to meet her
for his regular payoff at 10 o'clock that night.
The designated meeting place was a small nightclub out on Santa Monica Boulevard.
The Thomas woman was to meet Williams at the bar.
We told her to get there a few minutes ahead of time,
and if she happened to spot Frank and I in the nightclub,
she was to give no sign of recognition.
As far as the actual payoff was concerned,
we instructed her to hand over the envelope containing the money
to the suspect when he demanded it without any argument.
Shortly after 9 o'clock that night,
Frank and I entered the nightclub and got a table directly adjoining the bar.
It was a modernistic affair, lighted from below with a blue fluorescent lamp.
A four-piece orchestra was playing at the rear of the place.
Nobody was dancing.
Only a few of the tables were occupied, but the bar was doing a good business.
We waited. 9.30. 9.45.
We spotted Myra Thomas as she entered the club.
She went to the far end of the bar, sat down on one of the stools,
and ordered a highball. 9.50. 10.00 p.m.
We kept waiting. 10.15. 10.30.
Still no sign of the suspect.
We watched Myra Thomas order another highball.
Getting late, Joe.
Yeah, what time you got?
25 to 11.
Joe?
Just came in, coming this way, gray suit.
Yeah.
What do you think?
Description fits, doesn't it?
It must be. Going up to Miss Thomas, talking to her.
All right.
He's got the envelope.
All right, just a minute. Let's give him room.
He's leaving. Going for the front door.
What do you say?
All right, let's go.
Not wasting any time.
Come on, let's hurry.
Down the street. Come on.
All right, Mr. Holden.
What's the matter? What do you want?
Police officers would like to talk to you.
Me? What about? What's the matter?
You got your identification?
Well, sure, right here. What do you want?
We'd like to look at it.
Oh, sure. I hear you.
Oh, excuse me.
That's your badge?
Oh, no, it's nothing.
Where'd you get that phony badge?
A friend of mine.
Why? What's the matter?
What do you got in your right-hand pocket?
Nothing. Just an envelope. Why?
Is there money in that envelope?
What's that?
I said, is there any money in that envelope?
Currency.
Yeah, I think so. Why? What's the difference?
You know the serial numbers on the bills in that envelope?
Look, I don't know what you mean, serial numbers on the money.
What are you getting at?
You got seven pieces of paper money in that envelope.
Three $10 bills and four fives.
Yeah, what about it?
Extortion, mister. You know the pitch.
Now, come on. Let's go.
Now, hold it. Wait a minute.
Let's get this straight, huh? So I got an envelope in my pocket, an ordinary envelope.
That's supposed to make me a criminal?
No. No more, and that badge makes you a cop. Come on.
The story you have just heard was true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On January 8th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 86,
City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
In a moment, the results of that trial.
Now, here is our star, Jack Webb.
Thank you, George Fenomen.
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Raymond Edward Williams was tried and convicted of extortion one count
and impersonating an officer one count.
He received sentences as prescribed by law and is now serving his term in the state penitentiary.
Extortion is punishable by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.
Impersonation of an officer is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000
or by imprisonment for not more than one year or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Friends, sometime during the next two weeks, you'll be asked to buy a poppy
in memory of those who fought to keep freedom alive.
Give generously when you're asked and wear your poppy proudly.
You have just heard Dragnet, the series of authentic cases from official files.
Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.
Technical advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Vance Frasier.
Heard tonight were Herb Ellis, Vic Rodman, June Whitley.
Script by Jim Mosig, music by Walter Schuman, Hal Gibney speaking.
King size Fatima, made by the same people who make popular Chesterfield cigarettes,
has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from Los Angeles.
Stay tuned for Counterspy next on NBC.