Marion police officer fired amid criminal charges

A Marion police officer has been fired because of criminal charges he faces, Marion Police Chief Willie L. Smith said.

Johnathin M. Rogers, 27, of Gresham was arrested May 11 by Marion County sheriff’s deputies on larceny, counterfeiting and forgery charges.

Rogers is accused of stealing a Social Security card and birth certificate from a woman’s purse, according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office incident report.

The report said Rogers admitted to claiming the victim’s daughter on his federal income tax. Rogers isn’t related to the victim and provided deputies with a copy of his 2008 tax returns.

Rogers was a police officer when he was arrested, but Smith said Rogers cannot serve on the force with those charges against him and was dismissed. Smith said he thought Rogers had been with the police department for about two years.