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Hammond Police Officer Indicted in Federal Witness Retaliation Case Tied to Cockfighting Investigation
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Hammond Police Officer Indicted in Federal Witness Retaliation Case Tied to Cockfighting Investigation
A Hammond police officer has been federally indicted after prosecutors accused him of using his position in law enforcement to retaliate against an informant connected to a Mississippi cockfighting investigation.
According to federal court records, 37-year-old Denver Keith Golmon is charged with retaliating against a witness, victim, or informant. Investigators allege the conduct occurred between May 2025 and April 2026.
Golmon appeared in federal court this week, where he waived his arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty. He remains in custody without bond while awaiting a trial that is currently expected to begin in August.
Federal investigators allege Golmon improperly used his authority as a Hammond police officer during the investigation. Prosecutors claim he accessed law enforcement resources and his city-issued computer to identify the confidential informant involved in the Hancock County cockfighting case.
Authorities further allege that Golmon persuaded fellow officers assigned to an immigration enforcement task force to arrest the informant on an alleged immigration violation in retaliation for cooperating with investigators.
The federal investigation also alleges Golmon was personally involved in cockfighting events and owned gamecocks that were intended for competition. His uncle, Bert Lester, was previously arrested during a large cockfighting operation in Hancock County and has since been convicted. Sentencing in that case is still pending.
Investigators claim Golmon abused access to restricted law enforcement databases by conducting unauthorized background checks on individuals who were not part of active investigations. Prosecutors also allege that information obtained through those searches was later used to create fraudulent immigration documents for certain undocumented immigrants.
The case reportedly expanded after investigators learned that evidence gathered during the cockfighting investigation had been recorded from a city-issued laptop and circulated on social media. Authorities allege Golmon encouraged others to distribute the video in an effort to identify and expose the confidential informant.
If convicted of the federal witness retaliation charge, Golmon faces up to 10 years in federal prison, fines of up to $250,000, and additional sentencing considerations because the alleged offense occurred while he was serving as a law enforcement officer.
The allegations remain accusations, and Golmon is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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