{{Short description|American politician}} {{use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ray Mossey | office = Member of the [[Nebraska Legislature]] from the 3rd district | term_start = November 15, 2002 | term_end = January 5, 2005 | predecessor = [[Jon Bruning]] | successor = [[Gail Kopplin]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|6|16}} | birth_place = [[Bellevue, Nebraska]] | party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] | occupation = Police officer | allegiance = {{flag|United States}} | branch = {{air force|United States}} | service_years = 1986–1990 | mawards = [[Air Force Achievement Medal]]<br>[[Air Force Good Conduct Medal]]<br>[[Air Force Commendation Medal]] }}
'''Ray Mossey''' (born June 16, 1967) is a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician who served as a member of the [[Nebraska Legislature]] from 2002 to 2005.
==Early life== Mossey was born in [[Bellevue, Nebraska]], and grew up in [[Manitou Springs, Colorado]], graduating from [[Manitou Springs High School]].<ref name="blue book">{{cite book|title=Nebraska Blue Book 2002-03|editor-last1=Anderson|editor-first1=Ashley D.|publisher=Clerk of the Nebraska Legislature|date=2003|url=https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/l3000/D001-200203.pdf|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> He served in the [[United States Air Force Security Forces#Security Police|United States Air Force Security Police]] from 1986 1990. Mossey was stationed at [[RAF Mildenhall]] in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Davis–Monthan Air Force Base]] in [[Tucson, Arizona]].<ref name="blue book"/> After retiring from the Air Force, he returned to Nebraska, and served as a [[Sarpy County, Nebraska#Government and infrastructure|Sarpy County]] deputy sheriff from 1990 to 1992, and then as an officer in the [[Omaha Police Department]] from 1992 to 2001.<ref name="blue book"/> In 1998, Mossey was hit by a drunk driver and suffered a permanent back injury, and was awarded a service-connected disability in 2001.<ref name="goes to Mossey">{{cite news|last=Reed|first=Leslie|title=Bruning's seat goes to Mossey|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=November 15, 2002|location=|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191636753/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref>
==Nebraska Legislature== In 2002, State Senator [[Jon Bruning]] was elected [[Attorney General of Nebraska]], and resigned from his seat in the [[Nebraska Legislature]], which was based in Sarpy County, prior to a special legislative session to avoid a conflict of interest.<ref>{{cite news|last=von Kampen|first=Todd|title=Bruning resigns after win|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=November 6, 2002|location=|page=2SS|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191799119/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Mossey applied to fill the vacancy,<ref>{{cite news|last=Reed|first=Leslie|title=Nine Republicans seek Bruning's Legislature seat|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=November 13, 2002|location=|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191636648/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> and was appointed by Governor [[Mike Johanns]] to serve out the remainder of Bruning's term, which expired in 2005.<ref name="goes to Mossey"/>
Mossey ran for re-election in 2004. He was challenged by Gail Kopplin, the former superintendent of [[Gretna, Nebraska#Education|Gretna Public Schools]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Cordes|first=Henry J.|title=Kopplin will seek District 3 seat|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=February 26, 2004|location=|page=3B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191799578/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> and Pam Duin, a registered nurse. Though the race was formally nonpartisan, Mossey was a Republican and Duin and Kopplin were Democrats.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=District 3 sits astride booming Sarpy County|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=April 14, 2004|location=|page=5B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191799628/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> In the primary election, Mossey placed first with 42 percent of the vote, and advanced to the general election with Kopplin, who placed second with 36 percent.<ref>{{cite book|title=2004 Official Nebraska Primary Election Results|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State|date=2008|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2004/2004_primary_canvass_master.pdf|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Following Mossey's arrest for prescription fraud, he ended his re-election campaign on October 15, 2004, but his name remained on the ballot.<ref name="mossey drops out">{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Mossey drops out of legislative race|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=October 15, 2004|location=|page=1A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191799785/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Kopplin ultimately won the election in a landslide, receiving 62 percent of the vote to Mossey's 38 percent.<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, General Election, November 2, 2004|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State|date=2004|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/2004%20General.pdf|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref>
==Legal troubles== On June 25, 2004, Mossey was arrested for committing prescription fraud and carrying a concealed weapon.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Szalewski|first1=Susan|last2=Safranek|first2=Lynn|title=Sen. Mossey arrested in prescription fraud|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=June 26, 2004|location=|page=1A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191799754/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Mossey entered into a pretrial diversion program, which required that he complete a pain management program and complete community service in exchange for the dismissal of the criminal charges.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Sen. Mossey admitted to diversion program|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=October 8, 2004|location=|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191799830/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref>
After Mossey missed a filing deadline to report his campaign contributions and expenditures and the state Accountability and Disclosure Commission noticed discrepancies in his filings, they opened an audit of his campaign.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Mossey's campaign audited|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=October 13, 2004|location=|page=10B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191827088/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Mossey ultimately dropped his re-election campaign,<ref name="mossey drops out"/> and failed to respond to the commission's request for additional records.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Mossey records may take court order|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=October 23, 2004|location=|page=2B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191827141/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> The commission sent him a letter on November 30, 2002, requesting "clarification as to the campaign purpose" of over $7,000 in campaign expenditures, but Mossey failed to respond.<ref name="booted">{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Mossey booted out of pretrial diversion|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=February 11, 2005|location=|page=1A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191826929/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Mossey was later fined $14,000 for using campaign funds for illegitimate purposes, including on the dating site [[eHarmony]], an [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]] tattoo parlor, and medical expenses in Florida.<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Hanlon|first=Kevin|title=Ex-state senator fined $14,000 for violating campaign rules|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star]]|date=June 25, 2005|location=|page=2B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/191828073/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Though Mossey entered into a payment agreement, on April 14, 2006, the commission sued him for failure to pay.<ref>{{cite news|title=Former state Sen. Mossey sued over campaign violations|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star]]|date=April 15, 2006|location=|page=4B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/191829004/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 18, 2026}}</ref>
On February 7, 2005, Mossey got into a car accident and was cited for driving under the influence.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Mossey cited on suspicion of DWI|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=February 8, 2005|location=|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191799943/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Several days later, the county prosecutor's office concluded that, by consuming alcohol and failing to respond to the commission's questions regarding his campaign finances, Mossey violated the conditions of his diversion agreement, and resumed prosecution of his felony prescription fraud case.<ref name="booted"/> He was later charged with driving under the influence,<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Mossey charged in drunk-driving case|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=March 14, 2005|location=|page=2B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191827879/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> and he pleaded not guilty.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-senator pleads innocent to DUI charge|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star]]|date=March 18, 2005|location=|page=2B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/191827962/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 18, 2026}}</ref> On June 24, 2005, the trial court judge excluded evidence from the blood test that was administered of Mossey, concluding that the test had been unlawfully conducted.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Mossey case under review after blood test is tossed|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=June 28, 2005|location=|page=4B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191828294/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> On appeal, the judge's decision was reversed, and the blood test was admitted,<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Case against Mossey revived|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=October 26, 2005|location=|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191828562/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Mossey ultimately pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 12 months on probation.<ref name="plea ends">{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Plea ends Mossey case|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=December 13, 2005|location=|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191828663/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> Mossey also pleaded no contest to his prescription fraud charge, and was sentenced to two years on probation.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=Former lawmaker avoids prison|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=October 6, 2005|location=|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191828787/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref>
Mossey moved to [[Galveston, Texas]], to attend college,<ref name="plea ends"/> but after failing to attend a court hearing to demonstrate that he was abiding by the terms of his probation on November 21, 2006,<ref>{{cite news|last=Dejka|first=Joe|title=No-show Mossey ordered to jail|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=November 21, 2006|location=|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191829163/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref> he was sentenced to a ten-day jail term.<ref>{{cite news|last=Zagurski|first=Kristin|title=Mossey receives 10-day jail sentence|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=February 9, 2007|location=|page=1A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/191829406/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=February 21, 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
[[Category:1967 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Nebraska state senators]] [[Category:People from Bellevue, Nebraska]] [[Category:United States Air Force airmen]] [[Category:American police officers]] [[Category:Nebraska Republicans]] [[Category:21st-century Nebraska politicians]] [[Category:People from Manitou Springs, Colorado]]