An investigator from the Arkhangelsk region received a suspended sentence for putting on the wanted list and detaining a mother of two children who did not want to sign the protocol

The Plesetsk District Court of the Arkhangelsk Region imposed a four-year suspended sentence on Justice Major and former Investigative Committee investigator Valery Lantsov on charges of abuse of power and illegal detention of a person. As follows from the text of the verdict , which was discovered by Mediazona, Lantsov illegally detained the mother of minor children for nine hours.

According to the case materials, the major of justice was investigating a criminal case against the head of the investigation team of the Mirny police. She was accused of abuse of power and official forgery. In the fall of 2023, the one-year deadline for the investigation expired, and the accused and her defense attorney continued to familiarize themselves with the case materials.

As follows from the verdict, the investigator understood that he did not have time to initiate the procedure for extending the investigation period. The court concluded that Lantsov feared an official audit and liability for violations of the investigation deadline.

On the last day of the investigation, the accused said that she wanted to continue familiarizing herself with the materials and was not ready to sign a protocol on its completion. After talking with the investigator, she went home. Then Lantsov issued orders to search for her and to suspend the investigation, indicating that the woman had fled the investigation. The court found that he knew where she was.

Documents about the search were received by the police, FSB and other departments. Security forces found the woman at her home along with two minor children and took her to the investigative department. At night she was placed in a temporary detention facility, where she spent more than nine hours. The next day, on the instructions of the management of the Investigative Committee, she was released, and the search warrant was cancelled.

Lantsov did not admit guilt. According to him, the accused avoided completing her review of the case materials. The former investigator also referred to the coordination of his actions with his superiors. However, the court indicated that the investigator is an independent procedural person and is responsible for his decisions.

Lantsov, in addition to the suspended sentence, was given a probationary period of three years. The court also banned him from holding public office for two years.