Bellingham Police detective charged with theft, misconduct

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A Bellingham Police detective is facing three criminal charges after an internal investigation led to the discovery of possible criminal conduct.

The internal investigation was opened in May over possible misconduct by Detective Adam “Bo” Stanton McGinty. It was claimed that McGinty was using a coworker’s name “to receive services in excess of what was permitted under a collective bargaining agreement,” a news release from the Mount Vernon Police Department said. The city of Bellingham paid for the services.

As the internal investigation progressed, BPD investigators believed there was possible criminal conduct involved.

Department officials asked the Mount Vernon Police Department to conduct a separate criminal investigation and also review BPD’s internal investigation from a criminal law viewpoint.

On Sept. 19, the case was sent to the Skagit County Prosecutor’s Office to determine possible charges. Referring such cases to a neighboring jurisdiction is a common practice to avoid possible bias, according to MVPD.

On Oct. 24 in Skagit County Superior Court, McGinty was charged with misappropriation or falsification of accounts by a public officer, official misconduct, and third-degree theft.

©2023 Cox Media Group