CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer accused of stealing hundreds of dollars from a man he arrested in March appeared in court on Wednesday, April 3. At his court appearance, his case was continued.
Officer Henry Chapman is accused of stealing $900 and hiding it in his patrol car. An affidavit of the incident from March 14 reveals new details witnessed by another CMPD officer and the man who was arrested.
It all started with a traffic stop.
The affidavit doesn't disclose where the traffic stop happened, but alleges Chapman stole from a man he was arresting for speeding and an outstanding federal arrest warrant. He took the man to the University City Division Team Office, and an assisting officer was called to help transport the man to jail, according to the documents.
At the office, the assisting officer was searching the man when they heard a rubber band snap, and allegedly saw Chapman stealing money. While being taken to the office, the man had nearly $8,000 in his possession, according to the affidavit.
The assisting officer and the man who was being arrested told officials Chapman was shifting the money between his legs and moving it over to the driver door pocket of his patrol car. When a CMPD sergeant confronted Chapman, he was found to have $900 stowed inside, according to the affidavit.
Chapman allegedly denied knowing the money was there, but the affidavit says it was captured on body camera video. Chapman later admitted to taking the money, but not intending to steal it. He was charged with one count of embezzlement.
CMPD's internal affairs department has been conducting its own investigation into the incident. Chapman was placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of CMPD's investigation.
Chief Johnny Jennings issued the following statement in March following Chapman's arrest:
“This is deeply disappointing for our organization. We hold ourselves to the highest standards, and a violation of that trust is a serious offense. However, I want to assure the public that we take all allegations seriously, and we will not tolerate misconduct within our ranks. I’m proud that the supervisor and other officers on scene took immediate and decisive action to investigate the situation and determine that our officer needed to be arrested. No CMPD employee is above the law."
Chapman joined CMPD in 2009 and has been assigned to the University City division.
The district attorney provided the following statement to WCNC Charlotte regarding Chapman's status as a potential witness in other cases:
“The state is legally prohibited from commenting on any defendant with pending criminal charges. It is the practice of the DA’s Office to vet the availability and credibility of witnesses in any case before proceeding forward, and to disclose any new evidence having a substantial bearing on prior adjudications. This practice will persist.”
Contact Destiny Richards at drichards5@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Note: WCNC instituted a policy in March 2021 regarding the broadcast or posting of mugshots.
WCNC will only air or post a mugshot if the person has been formally charged with a crime and in a few other cases. The exceptions include: If it appears the person could be a danger to themselves or others or if they are wanted by authorities; to differentiate between people with a common name; if the photos could encourage more victims to come forward. The news-editorial leadership may also decide to use a mugshot based on the severity of the crime(s) committed and/or the level of public interest in the crime and ensuing criminal proceedings.
WCNC Charlotte is choosing to show the mugshot of the suspect in this case due to his public-facing position and allegations of abusing his power.