A Dedham, Massachusetts, police officer is being held on $5,000 cash bail for his alleged role in connection to the New Year's Day kidnapping of a Avon man presumed dead, authorities said Wednesday.
Forty-year-old Michael Schoener of Dedham plead not guilty to being an accessory before the fact of kidnapping at his arraignment Wednesday afternoon in Norfolk Superior Court.
Prosecutors say Schoener gave his police issued badge, handcuffs and empty holster to James Feeney, the man allegedly behind the kidnapping of James Robertson.
Schoener also allegedly used police department equipment to give Feeney a photo and Robertson's board of probation record.
Feeney has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and is being held behind bars. Two others have also been charged in the case.
Robertson was last seen on Jan. 1 this year when two men posing as law enforcement officials came to Avon home and kidnapped him, saying Robertson had to be drug tested by probation.
Robertson has not been seen since and is presumed dead by authorities.
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His mother said off camera that she "can't talk about it" at Robertson's home on Wednesday.
She said she commends the hard work of the Mass State Police and the District Attorney's office.
With tears in her eyes, she also said, "I want my son home, I want my son home."
As for Officer Schoener, Dedham Police say in a statement, "There are on-going criminal and internal investigations under way. No further information on this matter will be made available at this time."
The District Attorney's Office made no mention of an alleged motive in the case.
Several Dedham police officers said the arrest of one of their own came as a bit of a shock.
Officer Michael Schoener has been placed on leave from the department. It's unclear if it's paid or unpaid leave.
Schoener returned to court Thursday and was outfitted with a GPS bracelet as part of a condition of his release. He must also stay away from drugs and alcohol. His next court date is Aug. 18.
