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Arizona Judge Accused of Endangering Children Federal Complaint Alleges Collusion with Abusive cop [1]
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Date: 2025-06-13
ARIZONA FAMILY COURT UNDER FIRE: FEDERAL COMPLAINT ALLEGES JUDGE PLACED CHILDREN WITH ABUSERS, POLICE OFFICER USED BADGE TO HARASS AND CONTROL VICTIMS
A sweeping federal complaint filed this month is drawing national attention to what advocates are calling one of the most egregious cases of judicial failure and police abuse in recent memory—one that exposes systemic flaws in Arizona’s family court system.
At the heart of the complaint is Erin Gerlach, a protective mother who was criminalized, stripped of custody, and repeatedly silenced by a system that placed her daughter in the hands of an abuser—her ex-partner and father of the child, Mesa Police Officer Shawn Freeman.
The 60+ page formal complaint, submitted to the U.S. Attorney, details years of domestic violence, child abuse, harassment, fabricated evidence, stalking, and abuse of police power. It also accuses Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Charlene Jackson of knowingly placing children with abusers, ignoring overwhelming evidence, issuing orders contrary to Arizona law and violating constitutional rights including due process protections afforded under federal law.
Now, advocates and petitioners are calling for Judge Jackson’s immediate removal from the bench and a full federal investigation into Arizona’s judicial and law enforcement oversight systems.
“This isn’t a custody dispute—it’s a cover-up,” said Gerlach in a statement. “My daughter was placed with an abusive father who is protected by his badge, and the courts helped him do it. I tried everything to keep her safe. They punished me instead.”
A Pattern of Abuse—And a Shield of Power
According to the complaint, Officer Freeman—who serves as a SWAT operator with the Mesa Police Department—used his law enforcement status to fabricate evidence, file false police reports, lie to investigators, commit perjury, violate protective orders, and manipulate court proceedings across multiple jurisdictions.
Judicial Misconduct Allegations Against Judge Jackson
The complaint reserves some of its most serious accusations for Judge Charlene Jackson, who presided over the custody proceedings in Maricopa County. According to the filing, Jackson:
Ignored credible and documented evidence of domestic violence, child abuse and child endangerment
Refused to follow proper legal procedures, especially during the illegal procurement of jurisdiction
Issued orders removing the child from her mother’s care , based on patently false and intentionally misrepresented information presented to the court that Freeman directly contradicted repeatedly in his own filings.
Has a known pattern of awarding custody to parents with documented histories of abuse, including placing a child with a father who was indicted for being a pedophile
Gerlach and others claim that Judge Jackson has done this in multiple cases, prompting calls for a wider review of her judicial record and rulings.
“No child should be forced to live with someone the court knows is violent or abusive,” said a legal advocate familiar with the case. “Judge Jackson’s decisions are not just bad law—they’re dangerous. She has failed in her most basic duty: to protect children.”
Abuse of the Courts and the Constitution
The filing also highlights a disturbing trend of family courts being used to retaliate against survivors of domestic violence. In this case, Freeman filed fraudulent legal documents, misrepresented facts across different jurisdictions, blatantly lied under oath, and used ex-parte orders to intimidate and silence the mother.
Gerlach now faces criminal charges for custodial interference, a retaliatory action designed to scare her into silence. Freeman, by contrast, has never been charged with a single count of domestic abuse—even with law enforcement reports documenting physical violence, substance abuse, and threats made in front of the child.
Legal experts say the case represents a textbook example of what happens when abusers weaponize the legal system—and the courts allow it.
“We see this over and over again in family court,” said one Arizona attorney who has handled dozens of domestic violence cases. “Survivors are accused of being unstable, alienating the child, or fabricating abuse. Judges ignore trauma, and abusers use litigation as a tool to regain control.”
Public Response: “Remove Judge Jackson Now”
In response to the complaint, a petition demanding Judge Jackson’s removal has been launched online, quickly gaining hundreds of signatures. Another petition also calls for a DOJ civil rights investigation into Arizona’s family courts and law enforcement systems.
“We want the Department of Justice to intervene,” the petition states. “Judge Jackson must be removed from the bench immediately. She has repeatedly endangered children by placing them with abusers and ignoring credible evidence of harm. The Commission on Judicial Conduct has failed by leaving Judge Jackson on the bench. The Arizona POST has failed by leaving Freeman on the streets. If state institutions won’t protect families, federal oversight must.”
Erin Gerlach, whose voice was silenced in courtrooms, says she’s done being quiet.
“They tried to break me. They tried to bury the truth. But I’m not going anywhere,” she said. “I’m going to keep fighting—because my daughter deserves to be safe, and so does every other child that Judge Jackson failed. There is substantial evidence, in writing, that proves Shawn fraudulently obtained court orders from a judge with a significant history of misconduct and repeatedly fails to follow the law. Both me and my daughters constitutional rights have been violated by those who are supposed to uphold the law. Shawn put his lies in writing while identifying as a police officer, he cannot reasonably testify in any criminal case after this. Lying in writing, on the record, filing false police reports, lying to investigators, these are things that remain on the record. He may not be in jail today but he will be soon. The truth always comes out. Nobody is above the law, not Shawn Freeman and not Charlene Jackson. Victims have come crawling out of the woodwork. We will make sure they all get justice, starting with my daughter.”
If you have experienced similar misconduct in Arizona’s courts or law enforcement, contact
[email protected]
You can read more about Erin’s story here
You can view the Corruption Complaint submitted to the US Attorney here
Victims Rights form listing Shawn Freeman as a suspect of Disorderly Conduct and Child Abuse with Brooklyn Freeman listed as the Victim — Ignored by Judge Charlene Jackson
Victims Rights Form listing Shawn Freeman as the Suspect of Disorderly Conduct and Assault with Erin Gerlach listed as the Victim — Ignored by Judge Charlene Jackson
Police Report of Shawn Freeman the Suspect of Domestic Battery
Police Report Describing Disorderly Conduct, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Committed by Shawn Freeman — Ignored By Judge Charlene Jackson
Police Report Describing Disorderly Conduct, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Committed by Shawn Freeman — Ignored By Judge Charlene Jackson
Police Report Describing Disorderly Conduct, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Committed by Shawn Freeman — Ignored By Judge Charlene Jackson
Police Report Describing Disorderly Conduct, Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Committed by Shawn Freeman — Ignored By Judge Charlene Jackson
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