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Seven Charlotte officers named in racist-text inquiry; four of six facing termination have resigned
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police released the names of seven officers linked to racist messages, after community advocates demanded accountability. The department says four of the six officers it moved to fire have resigned; it has not identified which four.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department identified seven officers connected to a racist-text-message investigation on Monday, Oct. 19, naming Seth Elliott, Mateo Juarez, Joseph Kelly, Alexander Larsen, Tredan Maronic, Matthew Osborn and Jeremiah Todman.
The department had moved to terminate six officers on Oct. 9. Four of those six have since resigned, but police have not said which ones. The seventh officer, Elliott, resigned Aug. 4, after going on administrative leave and being arrested by state investigators over allegations that he illegally accessed a government computer in connection with misuse of the Flock camera network.
Police Chief Estella Patterson said an independent chain-of-command board unanimously recommended termination for the three officers who had not resigned as of Oct. 15. The department’s Civil Service Board has the authority to terminate sworn officers. Patterson said she agreed with the recommendation and that CMPD would seek to have the officers’ North Carolina law enforcement certifications revoked.
The messages came to light during the State Bureau of Investigation’s probe of Elliott, according to accounts from people familiar with the investigation. Anonymous sources have described a group text thread in which officers allegedly competed over who could stop the most Black drivers and used racist language while discussing force against Black residents. The officers’ alleged conduct remains under investigation.
Patterson said CMPD reviewed arrests, traffic stops and body-camera footage but had not found evidence that specifically targeted Black drivers. She said the messages showed racial, sexual and religious bias. The department said it released the names to make personnel records public and address misinformation; it said state law bars it from releasing employees’ race or ethnicity.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP had called for the officers’ names to be made public, saying the information could help determine whether people were unfairly targeted. Chapter President Minister Corine Mack also urged stronger hiring practices and training, including implicit-bias instruction and more thorough background and psychological screening.
Patterson has asked partner agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, to investigate. U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said his office is examining whether a civil-rights investigation may be warranted, while cautioning that such cases require a high level of proof. He said federal charges could follow if evidence of wrongdoing emerges.