Tami McGinty appears before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A Chehalis area woman was jailed this week for allegedly demanding property she believed she should have been awarded in divorce proceedings from her ex-husband, a law enforcement officer, and telling him she’d “hate” to turn him in to internal affairs at his workplace.
Tami McGinty, 42, was charged yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court with second-degree extortion as well as a violation of a civil anti-harassment order.
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer told a judge the order had been served in November out of Lewis County District and McGinty violated it the same day.
“After that, she escalates her conduct,” Meyer said.
Charging papers in the case state the court order allowed contact via text message regarding the children.
Chehalis police were called just after 9 a.m. on Tuesday to the 300 block of West Main Street where the ex-husband reported she had been repeatedly violating the order.
Among the text messages shown to police were ones in which she suggested she wanted a table, her dog and then a riding lawn mower, according to the documents.
“Because I know a LOT. So do the right thing and bring them to us,” McGinty allegedly texted.
When Chehalis officers contacted McGinty on Thursday, she reportedly said their child was mentioned in a text exchange so it wasn’t a violation.
She denied threatening to contact internal affairs, but then indicated she was “giving notice” about being honest on paperwork, Prosecutor Meyer wrote in charging documents. She was booked into the Lewis County Jail.
Lewis County Superior Court Judge Andrew Toynbee yesterday afternoon imposed a no contact order. Defense attorney Kevin Nelson was appointed to represent McGinty.
Her arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 18.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
The cop sounds like a real whiny bitch. Of course he got everything, he is friends with the lawyers and prosecutor. Pathetic
Well I would say that the same procedures should be followed as any other person that isn’t an officer if not more since almost all cops would definitely listen to whatever accusations were being made by any other person even if she has been charged with a crime, this is what they rely on in most all of there cases, either strong arming or threatening someone into telling on whoever else or in other cases people decide to inform the police for whatever reason but either way only a fool would believe its not possible for her to actually have some dirt on him. Also if this was my ex wife I would probably give her the table and the lawn mower but my dog would probably not happen.
I’d give her my lawnmower… mmmm.
Seriously though, I think this is a conflict of interest. Should be moved to a different county as well as the previous divorce precedings. Sounds like deputy dingdong has a phone a friend in the court house. Sounds like she has some serious dirt. It could probably disrupt and cause a big scandal who knows. No one will listen to her behind bars I seriously want to know what the moral/corruption accusation is. It sounds like they are attempting to threaten and silence her. Just because you are arrested doesn’t make her story any less credible. Makes you wonder. Blow the whistle Tami!
Internal Affairs???
Someone has been watching way too much cop drama television. Lewis County has an internal affairs office in the same vane as KELA Radio has a foreign bureau office.
I’m with the deputy on this one. She just sounds mean.
It appears she is such a great conversationalist, it’s no wonder the anti-harassment order was granted. Cleary she’s not very intelligent. I, too, know him and he’s a good man. Law enforcement arrest people all the time for breaking these orders regardless of the parties involved. As far as publishing things, I bet if you were to ask him, he would have preferred to not have this aired publicly. Get a clue.
I’m sorry but if she told him that “she’d hate to go to internal affairs just because she didn’t get what she wanted in divorce proceedings is just as much of extortion as it is threatening a person.. Still punishable I think.. Law Enforcement or not it doesn’t make it right…Shame on her.. And I’ll bet it would’ve happened whether or not he was a cop or not..because people are like that.. She wasn’t even in jail that long.. gee whiz..
Gotta love how these legal favors work.
And people wonder why there is no respect for our officers.
Youre obviously partial in the case wth just cause she wants it doesnt mean the judge gave it to her in the decree which alreadywas granted or should a male just bow down
Love how everybody’s judging him because he’s in law enforcement , she broke the law and hes to blame , thats BS , I know these people personally and know darn well that he has given her chance after chance after chance before finally having enough . She agreed to the divorce she signed the papers she knew what she was getting so there’s absolutely no reason for her to be harassing .
So true! And we wouldn’t hear about it either!
Big deal. She wants her stuff all divorces there’s crap they want!! So she’s in jail cuz she wanted her stuff and he’s a cop. I’m sure he’s innocent too!! It’s hard enough on kids why publish thier mothers in jail now too cuz thier dad is a cop?? He probably is hiding something but Jst call in a favor and arrest her that’s cool
Would have never happened if her husband wasn’t a cop.