Cedar Rapids officer accused of taking dogs faces trespass charge

A Cedar Rapids police officer accused of entering a residence back porch and taking two dogs without permission was charged Tuesday with criminal trespass, a simple misdemeanor.

Officer Robyn Obadal, 36, was arrested last week after witnesses told police they saw her enter a property owned by Chad Ramsey, 1201 10th St. NW, and take his two dogs from a locked kennel inside the back porch, according to the criminal complaint.

If convicted, Obadal faces up to 30 days in jail.

Cedar Rapids Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said Wednesday Obadal remains on unpaid administrative leave, pending her trial.

Witnesses in the area told police that Obadal was on Ramsey's property in her uniform and she asked one of them for a screwdriver to let the dogs out, according to the criminal complaint. Obadal told the witness she was going to take the dogs home to clean and care for them.

One of the witnesses said Obadal then returned the screwdriver and said, "this never happened, please don't tell. I was never here," according to the complaint. She then put the dogs in her police vehicle and left.

After the department started a formal investigation of the incident, the dogs were found running at large near Ellis Park and were taken to animal control, according to the complaint.

Obadal never told police she was in service at the residence and her explanation to investigators about the incident was directly contradicted by the witnesses at the scene, according to the complaint.

Obadal, a Cedar Rapids officer for 14 years, denied the allegations when she was released from jail last Thursday. She was put on unpaid administrative leave, pending the investigation at that time.

“I did not break into a house, and I didn't steal somebody's dogs,” Obadal said. “Anybody who knows me knows I always do the right thing. I don't do the wrong thing.”

Obadal claimed last week animal control officers had been called to the residence several times, but had not seized the dogs. She said she took pictures of what she believed were unsanitary conditions earlier this month, and forwarded them to animal control.

“If I would have taken those dogs, they would have never come back, I can guarantee that,” Obadal said last week.

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden made the decision to charge Obadal with criminal trespass, instead of third-degree burglary, but he was out of the office and didn't respond to an e-mail on Wednesday.

First Assistant Linn Attorney Nick Maybanks said he couldn't explain Vander Sanden's exact reasoning for the lesser charge, but said the fundamental difference between a burglary charge and criminal trespass is that someone enters an occupied structure with the intent to commit a felony, theft or assault. There also has to be an  intent to “permanently deprive” the occupants of their property for it to warrant a burglary.

Criminal trespassing is when someone enters a property without the occupant's or owner's permission to remove an item or belonging, Maybanks said.

Maybanks said he didn't know if the police consulted with the county attorney's office regarding the charge last week before the arrest was made.

Police Chief Greg Graham said last Friday he had full confidence in the evidence that led to Obadal's arrest on suspicion of third-degree burglary but wouldn't share that evidence.

“We stand by what we've done,” Graham said last Friday.