The Fayette Advocate has obtained emails suggesting the recent arrest of adult film actress Stormy Daniels was planned in advance by police officers in Columbus, Ohio.

A whistleblower who is employed by the city of Columbus provided the emails to the Ohio-based publication. Detective Shana Keckley, who “was one of the lead-arresting officers” of the adult film entertainer, reportedly sent messages containing images of President Donald Trump with Daniels and a map to where Daniels would be performing in Columbus.

Daniels was arrested for allegedly touching undercover officers, but charges were dismissed the following day. The Columbus Police Department initially claimed Daniels’ arrest was part of a “long-term investigation into allegations of human trafficking, prostitution, and other vice related violations,” but Police Chief Kim Jacobs later apologized, saying “a mistake was made.”

However, some Columbus police officers reportedly enjoyed the apprehension of Daniels while they could, per the emails from Keckley that were provided to the Fayette Advocate:

After Daniels’ arrest that Wednesday night, the emails continue into the early morning hours of Thursday, but the contents are disturbing. “I got the elements…we arrested Stormy this morning, she is in jail.” “Elements” are the burden police officers must meet in order to make an arrest. In another email dated on July 12 at 3:50 a.m., Keckley writes to another police officer bragging about Daniels’ arrest — without mentioning her by name — saying, “You’re Welcome!!!!!… Thank me in person later.”

Daniels’ attorney, Michael Avenatti, has claimed the arrest of his client was politically motivated due to the alleged role of Trump–supporting officers in the incident


Trump allegedly had an affair with Daniels in 2006. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, reportedly made a $130,000 hush payment to Daniels right before the 2016 election. The FBI later raided Cohen’s office over the payment that wasn’t disclosed on financial election forms. Trump claimed he didn’t know about the payment, but Rudy Giuliani, his lawyer, said the president was aware. Trump also reportedly apologized to First Lady Melania Trump for the hush payment. Avenatti has alleged that at least six other women have similar agreements with Trump.

Despite numerous threats against her, Daniels has sued to get out of the nondisclosure agreement that she entered with David Dennison, a pseudonym used by Trump. Daniels also filed a lawsuit alleging her former lawyer secretly colluded with Trump and Cohen.

In addition to potential legal trouble over not disclosing the hush payment, it suggests the president of the United States is vulnerable to blackmail and extortion.