Former Harrison Cop Tancredi Arrested
The Journal News by Gerald McKinstry - August 15, 2010
PORT CHESTER, NY — A former Harrison police officer with a history of trouble is facing drug-possession and impersonation charges after an apparent altercation at a village bar. Ralph Tancredi, a former Harrison PBA president who ran for town supervisor and was fired by the town last year, is being held without bail in Westchester County jail after an incident outside an Adee Street bar. Police told News 12 that Tancredi was found with the powerful painkiller Oxycontin, another unidentified drug and a forged Harrison police identification card. Port Chester police would say only that they charged Tancredi with criminal possession of a controlled substance, impersonating a police officer, forgery and disorderly conduct. Tancredi was arrested Saturday by Port Chester police and arraigned in Village Court. Tancredi's legal troubles go back several years when he got into a bar scuffle and was accused of harassing a girlfriend before being suspended with pay in 2007. He was eventually fired in 2009. He had sued the Harrison Police Department several times alleging civil rights violations, and this year the state approved his 207-c disability pension.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Two Cops Charged in 2005 Death
Justice for Raymond Robair
The Times-Picayune - EDITORIAL - August 3, 2010
For five years now, relatives and friends of Raymond Robair have insisted that the Treme resident's death was not an accident, as New Orleans police and the coroner's office concluded in 2005. Treme resident Raymond Robair was 48 when he died. Now a federal grand jury has agreed, charging New Orleans police Officer Melvin Williams with beating Mr. Robair to death and Officer Matthew Dean Moore with covering up the killing. The officers maintain they are innocent, and they are entitled to the legal presumption of innocence. But the allegations cited in the indictment are repugnant -- and the FBI and federal prosecutors deserve credit for staying on the case all this time. The officers have said they encountered Mr. Robair on Dumaine Street the morning of July 30, 2005. Their "medical incident" report, which did not even identify Mr. Robair by name, said they found a man "stumbling and holding his upper chest area." The man ran away from the officers and collapsed on the ground, according to the report, whereupon the officers took him to Charity Hospital. Mr. Robair was pronounced dead there. That's not what Treme residents, including some who testified in front of the grand jury, said they witnessed. According to the indictment, Officer Williams kicked Mr. Robair and struck him with his police baton with such "unreasonable force" that it caused Mr. Robair's death. The two officers did take Mr. Robair to Charity Hospital, but the indictment said "they failed to tell medical personnel that Robair had been struck by defendant Williams." The coroner's office found that Mr. Robair had fractured ribs, with one lacerating his liver and another his spleen. The federal grand jury also charged Officers Williams and Moore with filing their "false" police report in order to obstruct an investigation into the incident. It also accused Officer Moore of lying to FBI agents during two separate interviews in March. The document said Officer Moore falsely told the agents that Officer Williams never hit or kicked Robair. Orleans Parish Coroner Frank Minyard ruled in 2005 that Mr. Robair's death was "accidental," based in part, he said, on the police version of events. A Police Department internal investigation cleared the officers, citing the coroner's conclusion. Those circular explanations are troubling. The charges in this case make it 18 current and former New Orleans officers charged with either killing civilians or covering up the killings. Five of those officers have admitted to their part in covering up the shooting of six innocent civilians at the Danziger Bridge. Eighteen officers charged with such serious crimes is a sickening tally -- and more indictments are expected as federal agents probe additional police killings after Katrina. This has been a dark period for the Police Department, and shining light on officers' many alleged crimes has been painful for our community. But the real and intolerable shame would be to let killers and other criminals wear the uniform. Authorities should not rest until every officer who broke the law has been brought to justice.
For five years now, relatives and friends of Raymond Robair have insisted that the Treme resident's death was not an accident, as New Orleans police and the coroner's office concluded in 2005. Treme resident Raymond Robair was 48 when he died. Now a federal grand jury has agreed, charging New Orleans police Officer Melvin Williams with beating Mr. Robair to death and Officer Matthew Dean Moore with covering up the killing. The officers maintain they are innocent, and they are entitled to the legal presumption of innocence. But the allegations cited in the indictment are repugnant -- and the FBI and federal prosecutors deserve credit for staying on the case all this time. The officers have said they encountered Mr. Robair on Dumaine Street the morning of July 30, 2005. Their "medical incident" report, which did not even identify Mr. Robair by name, said they found a man "stumbling and holding his upper chest area." The man ran away from the officers and collapsed on the ground, according to the report, whereupon the officers took him to Charity Hospital. Mr. Robair was pronounced dead there. That's not what Treme residents, including some who testified in front of the grand jury, said they witnessed. According to the indictment, Officer Williams kicked Mr. Robair and struck him with his police baton with such "unreasonable force" that it caused Mr. Robair's death. The two officers did take Mr. Robair to Charity Hospital, but the indictment said "they failed to tell medical personnel that Robair had been struck by defendant Williams." The coroner's office found that Mr. Robair had fractured ribs, with one lacerating his liver and another his spleen. The federal grand jury also charged Officers Williams and Moore with filing their "false" police report in order to obstruct an investigation into the incident. It also accused Officer Moore of lying to FBI agents during two separate interviews in March. The document said Officer Moore falsely told the agents that Officer Williams never hit or kicked Robair. Orleans Parish Coroner Frank Minyard ruled in 2005 that Mr. Robair's death was "accidental," based in part, he said, on the police version of events. A Police Department internal investigation cleared the officers, citing the coroner's conclusion. Those circular explanations are troubling. The charges in this case make it 18 current and former New Orleans officers charged with either killing civilians or covering up the killings. Five of those officers have admitted to their part in covering up the shooting of six innocent civilians at the Danziger Bridge. Eighteen officers charged with such serious crimes is a sickening tally -- and more indictments are expected as federal agents probe additional police killings after Katrina. This has been a dark period for the Police Department, and shining light on officers' many alleged crimes has been painful for our community. But the real and intolerable shame would be to let killers and other criminals wear the uniform. Authorities should not rest until every officer who broke the law has been brought to justice.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Cop Arrested for Arresting Cop
Sting target was 3rd cop
The New York Post by Edmund Demarch - July 31, 2010
Brooklyn cops charged with barging into sting operation, arresting a fellow officer on bogus charges
The New York Daily News by John Marzulli - July 30, 2010
Two cops from Brooklyn's embattled 81st Precinct were charged Friday with making a trumped-up arrest - in a sting operation caught on video. Like a couple of Keystone Kops, Sgt. Raymond Stukes and Officer Hector Tirado barged in on an Internal Affairs Bureau integrity test actually targeting another cop, sources said. The undercover IAB officer, carrying a backpack filled with packs of cigarettes, was talking to the intended target when Stukes and Tirado showed up at the corner of Chauncey St. and Howard Ave. in Brownsville on Sept. 3. Unaware that IAB was videotaping the action, Stukes and Tirado began questioning the undercover cop conducting the sting. He told them the cigarettes had legitimate tax stamps, but they hauled him into stationhouse and ended up hitting him with bogus charges: that he tried to sell bootleg cigarettes to two people. "The (arrest) paperwork was inconsistent with the events that took place on that date," said Assistant District Attorney Gregory Marshall at an arraignment in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Stukes and Tirado pleaded not guilty to felony perjury charges and were released on their own recognizance. Their lawyers declined to comment. NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the integrity test was unrelated to allegations by suspended cop Adrian Schoolcraft that police supervisors at the 81st Precinct fudged crimes statistics and violated the civil rights of nieghborhood residents. The precinct's commander was recently transferred and the NYPD is looking into Schoolcraft's claims. Stukes was the defendant in a federal lawsuit alleging false arrest in which plaintiff Andre Owens received a $25,000 settlement from the city in April.
The New York Post by Edmund Demarch - July 31, 2010
Two Brooklyn cops busted for allegedly trumping up charges against an undercover Internal Affairs investigator were not the intended targets of the sting, sources told The Post yesterday.
The original target was an unnamed officer who, while talking with the undercover, attracted the attention of Sgt. Raymond Stukes and Officer Hector Tirado, who took over the interaction, the sources said. Stukes and Tirado, both of the 81st Precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant, pleaded not guilty yesterday to perjury for falsely charging the IAB cop with selling untaxed cigarettes. Both refused to answer reporters' questions.
The original target was an unnamed officer who, while talking with the undercover, attracted the attention of Sgt. Raymond Stukes and Officer Hector Tirado, who took over the interaction, the sources said. Stukes and Tirado, both of the 81st Precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant, pleaded not guilty yesterday to perjury for falsely charging the IAB cop with selling untaxed cigarettes. Both refused to answer reporters' questions.
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Brooklyn cops charged with barging into sting operation, arresting a fellow officer on bogus charges
The New York Daily News by John Marzulli - July 30, 2010
Two cops from Brooklyn's embattled 81st Precinct were charged Friday with making a trumped-up arrest - in a sting operation caught on video. Like a couple of Keystone Kops, Sgt. Raymond Stukes and Officer Hector Tirado barged in on an Internal Affairs Bureau integrity test actually targeting another cop, sources said. The undercover IAB officer, carrying a backpack filled with packs of cigarettes, was talking to the intended target when Stukes and Tirado showed up at the corner of Chauncey St. and Howard Ave. in Brownsville on Sept. 3. Unaware that IAB was videotaping the action, Stukes and Tirado began questioning the undercover cop conducting the sting. He told them the cigarettes had legitimate tax stamps, but they hauled him into stationhouse and ended up hitting him with bogus charges: that he tried to sell bootleg cigarettes to two people. "The (arrest) paperwork was inconsistent with the events that took place on that date," said Assistant District Attorney Gregory Marshall at an arraignment in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Stukes and Tirado pleaded not guilty to felony perjury charges and were released on their own recognizance. Their lawyers declined to comment. NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the integrity test was unrelated to allegations by suspended cop Adrian Schoolcraft that police supervisors at the 81st Precinct fudged crimes statistics and violated the civil rights of nieghborhood residents. The precinct's commander was recently transferred and the NYPD is looking into Schoolcraft's claims. Stukes was the defendant in a federal lawsuit alleging false arrest in which plaintiff Andre Owens received a $25,000 settlement from the city in April.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Another Cop Arrested for Prostitution
Farmington police officer arrested in prostitution sting
The Salt Lake Tribune by Lindsay Whitehurst and Sheena Mcfarland - July 3, 2010
An off-duty Farmington police officer was arrested during a prostitution sting in Layton on Thursday, police said. Lt. Shane Whitaker, 41, of Syracuse, was one of eight men arrested after Layton police placed a prostitution ad on a website, said Layton police Lt. Quinn Moyes. Undercover officers scheduled appointments with johns, then set up a female decoy at a local hotel. The eight were arrested after offering money for sex acts. Six of the eight were booked into the Davis County jail. Whitaker was not booked because he has brought people to that jail as police officer, and he may not have been safe there, Moyes said. Whitaker was arrested about 1:30 p.m. He was cited for patronizing a prostitute, a class B misdemeanor,fingerprinted and released. One other john, a Salt Lake City man, was also cited and released because police were arresting another man. Whitaker is now on paid suspension until an internal affairs investigation determines what consequences will come from the charges, said Farmington Police Chief Wayne Hansen. “We’re just in total shock and dismay,” he said. The Farmington Police Department has only 18 officers, and Whitaker’s actions “rocked the whole department.” Whitaker has been on the squad for 18 years, and served as interim police chief for about two months in 2001 when then-chief Jeff Jacobson died. Hansen took over afterward. “We’re all really close,” Hansen said. “It’s been devastating.”
The Salt Lake Tribune by Lindsay Whitehurst and Sheena Mcfarland - July 3, 2010
An off-duty Farmington police officer was arrested during a prostitution sting in Layton on Thursday, police said. Lt. Shane Whitaker, 41, of Syracuse, was one of eight men arrested after Layton police placed a prostitution ad on a website, said Layton police Lt. Quinn Moyes. Undercover officers scheduled appointments with johns, then set up a female decoy at a local hotel. The eight were arrested after offering money for sex acts. Six of the eight were booked into the Davis County jail. Whitaker was not booked because he has brought people to that jail as police officer, and he may not have been safe there, Moyes said. Whitaker was arrested about 1:30 p.m. He was cited for patronizing a prostitute, a class B misdemeanor,fingerprinted and released. One other john, a Salt Lake City man, was also cited and released because police were arresting another man. Whitaker is now on paid suspension until an internal affairs investigation determines what consequences will come from the charges, said Farmington Police Chief Wayne Hansen. “We’re just in total shock and dismay,” he said. The Farmington Police Department has only 18 officers, and Whitaker’s actions “rocked the whole department.” Whitaker has been on the squad for 18 years, and served as interim police chief for about two months in 2001 when then-chief Jeff Jacobson died. Hansen took over afterward. “We’re all really close,” Hansen said. “It’s been devastating.”
Cop Arrested for Prostitution
Henderson police officer arrested in prostitution incident
The Las Vegas Review-Journal by Lawrence Mower - August 26, 2010
The Las Vegas Review-Journal by Lawrence Mower - August 26, 2010
A Henderson police officer was arrested over the weekend for soliciting or engaging in prostitution. Michael Stevens, a 34-year-old patrol officer who has been with the department for five years, was booked into Clark County Detention Center early Sunday morning. Las Vegas police Sgt. John Sheahan confirmed that the department arrested Stevens, but did not have more details surrounding the incident. Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul said Stevens is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the department's internal investigation. Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Another Cop Pleads Guilty
Third guilty plea entered in Camden police probe
The Associated Press - August 26, 2010
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Another former Camden police officer has admitted that he and other officers conducted illegal searches, stole money they found and falsified police reports to cover their actions. Forty-seven-year-old Dan Morris of Moorestown, who had been a sergeant, pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal complaint that charged him with conspiring with other Camden officers to deprive citizens of their civil rights. Morris had been a Camden police officer since 1986. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he's sentenced in December. He is the third former officer to plead guilty to participating in the conspiracy. Morris supervised the two others. They are awaiting sentencing.
Department of Justice Press Release
For Immediate Release - August 26, 2010 United States Attorney's Office
District of New Jersey - Contact: (856) 757-5026
Former Camden Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Deprive Others of Civil Rights
CAMDEN, NJ—A former Camden, N.J. police sergeant pleaded guilty today to conspiring with other Camden police officers to deprive others of their civil rights, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. Dan E. Morris, 47, of Moorestown, NJ, pled guilty to an Information before United States District Judge Robert B. Kugler, admitting that he engaged in a conspiracy with at least four other Camden police officers to deprive individuals of their due process rights while on duty as a uniformed police officer with the Camden Police Department. Morris admitted that between May 2007 and September 2008, he conducted illegal searches without a search warrant or consent; obtained coerced consents to search residences based on threats and undue pressure; stole money during illegal searches and arrests; and allowed officers he supervised to include facts in police reports that were false. Morris is the third to plead guilty to participating in this conspiracy while serving as a Camden police officer. Kevin Parry and Jason Stetser entered guilty pleas before Judge Kugler on March 19, 2010, and June 29, 2010, respectively. Both await sentencing. Two other officers referenced in court documents have not been identified by name. U.S. Attorney Fishman stated: “As a supervisor, Morris had an obligation to hold other officers to the highest standards of behavior. He opted instead to condone and commit a series of crimes. Our Office remains focused on rooting out such corruption, which insidiously eats away at the public’s confidence in those sworn to protect the rights of our citizens.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in Camden federal court: Morris became an officer with the Camden Police Department in 1986 and served as a sergeant during the relevant period. Morris supervised Parry, Stetser and officers identified in court documents as Officers #2 and #4. Morris admitted that he and other members of the conspiracy conducted illegal searches of residences without warrants or valid consent and that he and other members of the conspiracy stole money during searches. Morris also admitted that the members of the conspiracy he supervised falsified police reports and testified falsely under oath in an endeavor to conceal their actions. During his guilty plea, Morris detailed specific examples of his illegal conduct in support of the conspiracy: In August 2008, Morris and other officers conducted an illegal search of a Camden residence that uncovered drugs which were used to charge a person identified as A.C. Morris also kept a portion of the money found during this search rather than turning it in as evidence. Stetser then falsified a police report in connection with the arrest. In September 2008, Morris, Stetser, and Parry conducted a search of a residence located in the area of Ferry Avenue in Camden. Morris admitted that while conducting the search, he stole a quantity of money he found in a bedroom dresser, sharing $800 with Stetser after the search. On another occasion in the summer of 2008, Morris and Officer #4 stole approximately $1,000 from a car in the area of Washington Park in Camden that Morris and Officer #4 were waiting with until it could be towed away. Morris admitted that he and Officer #4 split the money and he told Officer #4 not to put the money in the bank. Morris pled guilty to conspiring to deprive persons in New Jersey of the free exercise and enjoyment of rights, privileges and immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, a crime which carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Kugler scheduled sentencing for December 2, 2010. Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Resident Agency in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jayne L. Challman; investigators and prosecutors of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Warren W. Faulk; the Camden Police Department, under the direction of Chief John S. Thomson; and deputy attorney generals from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Division of Criminal Justice, under the direction of Attorney General Paula T. Dow, with developing the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin T. Smith and Matthew J. Skahill of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Kase, a Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Chief of the Public Corruption Unit with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office on special assignment for purposes of this investigation. Defense counsel: Paul A. Sarmousakis, Esq., Avalon, N.J.
The Associated Press - August 26, 2010
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Another former Camden police officer has admitted that he and other officers conducted illegal searches, stole money they found and falsified police reports to cover their actions. Forty-seven-year-old Dan Morris of Moorestown, who had been a sergeant, pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal complaint that charged him with conspiring with other Camden officers to deprive citizens of their civil rights. Morris had been a Camden police officer since 1986. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he's sentenced in December. He is the third former officer to plead guilty to participating in the conspiracy. Morris supervised the two others. They are awaiting sentencing.
Department of Justice Press Release
For Immediate Release - August 26, 2010 United States Attorney's Office
District of New Jersey - Contact: (856) 757-5026
Former Camden Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Deprive Others of Civil Rights
CAMDEN, NJ—A former Camden, N.J. police sergeant pleaded guilty today to conspiring with other Camden police officers to deprive others of their civil rights, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. Dan E. Morris, 47, of Moorestown, NJ, pled guilty to an Information before United States District Judge Robert B. Kugler, admitting that he engaged in a conspiracy with at least four other Camden police officers to deprive individuals of their due process rights while on duty as a uniformed police officer with the Camden Police Department. Morris admitted that between May 2007 and September 2008, he conducted illegal searches without a search warrant or consent; obtained coerced consents to search residences based on threats and undue pressure; stole money during illegal searches and arrests; and allowed officers he supervised to include facts in police reports that were false. Morris is the third to plead guilty to participating in this conspiracy while serving as a Camden police officer. Kevin Parry and Jason Stetser entered guilty pleas before Judge Kugler on March 19, 2010, and June 29, 2010, respectively. Both await sentencing. Two other officers referenced in court documents have not been identified by name. U.S. Attorney Fishman stated: “As a supervisor, Morris had an obligation to hold other officers to the highest standards of behavior. He opted instead to condone and commit a series of crimes. Our Office remains focused on rooting out such corruption, which insidiously eats away at the public’s confidence in those sworn to protect the rights of our citizens.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in Camden federal court: Morris became an officer with the Camden Police Department in 1986 and served as a sergeant during the relevant period. Morris supervised Parry, Stetser and officers identified in court documents as Officers #2 and #4. Morris admitted that he and other members of the conspiracy conducted illegal searches of residences without warrants or valid consent and that he and other members of the conspiracy stole money during searches. Morris also admitted that the members of the conspiracy he supervised falsified police reports and testified falsely under oath in an endeavor to conceal their actions. During his guilty plea, Morris detailed specific examples of his illegal conduct in support of the conspiracy: In August 2008, Morris and other officers conducted an illegal search of a Camden residence that uncovered drugs which were used to charge a person identified as A.C. Morris also kept a portion of the money found during this search rather than turning it in as evidence. Stetser then falsified a police report in connection with the arrest. In September 2008, Morris, Stetser, and Parry conducted a search of a residence located in the area of Ferry Avenue in Camden. Morris admitted that while conducting the search, he stole a quantity of money he found in a bedroom dresser, sharing $800 with Stetser after the search. On another occasion in the summer of 2008, Morris and Officer #4 stole approximately $1,000 from a car in the area of Washington Park in Camden that Morris and Officer #4 were waiting with until it could be towed away. Morris admitted that he and Officer #4 split the money and he told Officer #4 not to put the money in the bank. Morris pled guilty to conspiring to deprive persons in New Jersey of the free exercise and enjoyment of rights, privileges and immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, a crime which carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Kugler scheduled sentencing for December 2, 2010. Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Resident Agency in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jayne L. Challman; investigators and prosecutors of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Warren W. Faulk; the Camden Police Department, under the direction of Chief John S. Thomson; and deputy attorney generals from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Division of Criminal Justice, under the direction of Attorney General Paula T. Dow, with developing the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin T. Smith and Matthew J. Skahill of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Kase, a Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Chief of the Public Corruption Unit with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office on special assignment for purposes of this investigation. Defense counsel: Paul A. Sarmousakis, Esq., Avalon, N.J.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Video Shows Trooper Chatting With Boss He Pulled Over For Speeding
Video shows trooper chatting with boss he pulled over for speeding
The Star-Ledger by Chris Megerian - August 25, 2010
A photo of video taken by the officer's dashcam, State Police Staff Sgt. William Walsh chats with his boss, whom he caught doing 10 mph over the speed limit on Aug. 13.
TRENTON, NJ — State Police Staff Sgt. William Walsh called in the motor vehicle stop in much the same way he did so many others in his 22-year career. "Black Chevy, tinted windows, looks like one white male," he told the dispatcher on Aug. 13. The driver had been clocked at 75 mph, 10 miles over the speed limit on the Garden State Parkway in Paramus at about 11:30 a.m. Walsh didn’t realize whom he pulled over until he got to the window. Then he quickly reached into the sport utility vehicle to shake hands with the driver: his boss, State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes. "I didn’t realize it was you," Walsh said. Today, The Star-Ledger reviewed audio and dashboard video recordings from the motor vehicle stop, as well as related documents. Much of the conversation between Walsh and Fuentes, recorded by a standard-issue microphone worn by Walsh, was drowned out by wind and the sound of cars whizzing by on the highway. The two men were clearly friendly. They could be heard trading niceties such as "How have you been?" At one point Fuentes apologized, saying, "Sorry about that." The entire stop lasted two minutes. Walsh did not try to give Fuentes a ticket, and Fuentes did not ask for one during the stop. But State Police spokesman Capt. Gerald Lewis said the superintendent reported the stop to the Office of Professional Standards that afternoon to request a ticket. "He was adamant about wanting to receive the summons," Lewis said. "There was no discussion."
N.J. State Police superintendent is pulled over for speeding on Garden State Parkway
When asked why Fuentes did not request a ticket during the stop, Lewis said the superintendent made the right call. "He was trying to remove the trooper from a difficult decision," he said. "Anyone put in that position would find it difficult to have to consider writing their boss a ticket." Five days later, on Aug. 18, a ranking internal affairs officer issued Fuentes a $160 ticket, which he paid Monday. The ticket also added two points to his license. Fuentes, who was driving a state-issued SUV, was clocked driving 75 mph in a 65 mph zone at milepost 164.1, Lewis said. Just one mile earlier, the speed limit is 55 mph, meaning Fuentes would have faced a four-point ticket costing $200. In addition to his ticket, Fuentes received a written reprimand as a disciplinary action. "As the leader of the New Jersey State Police I am held to a higher standard and obligated to lead by example," Fuentes said in a statement. "My insistence on receiving a motor vehicle summons for speeding was a matter of accepting responsibility." Fuentes last received a ticket in 1976 for driving less than 10 mph over the speed limit, Motor Vehicle Commission spokesman Mike Horan said. Fuentes joined the State Police in 1978 and has been superintendent for seven years. Lewis said Walsh pulled over nine drivers, including Fuentes, on Aug. 13. He issued tickets during two of those stops. Overall, Lewis said, 30 percent of all State Police motor vehicle stops end without any enforcement action, such as an arrest, ticket or warning.
The Star-Ledger by Chris Megerian - August 25, 2010
A photo of video taken by the officer's dashcam, State Police Staff Sgt. William Walsh chats with his boss, whom he caught doing 10 mph over the speed limit on Aug. 13.
TRENTON, NJ — State Police Staff Sgt. William Walsh called in the motor vehicle stop in much the same way he did so many others in his 22-year career. "Black Chevy, tinted windows, looks like one white male," he told the dispatcher on Aug. 13. The driver had been clocked at 75 mph, 10 miles over the speed limit on the Garden State Parkway in Paramus at about 11:30 a.m. Walsh didn’t realize whom he pulled over until he got to the window. Then he quickly reached into the sport utility vehicle to shake hands with the driver: his boss, State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes. "I didn’t realize it was you," Walsh said. Today, The Star-Ledger reviewed audio and dashboard video recordings from the motor vehicle stop, as well as related documents. Much of the conversation between Walsh and Fuentes, recorded by a standard-issue microphone worn by Walsh, was drowned out by wind and the sound of cars whizzing by on the highway. The two men were clearly friendly. They could be heard trading niceties such as "How have you been?" At one point Fuentes apologized, saying, "Sorry about that." The entire stop lasted two minutes. Walsh did not try to give Fuentes a ticket, and Fuentes did not ask for one during the stop. But State Police spokesman Capt. Gerald Lewis said the superintendent reported the stop to the Office of Professional Standards that afternoon to request a ticket. "He was adamant about wanting to receive the summons," Lewis said. "There was no discussion."
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N.J. State Police superintendent is pulled over for speeding on Garden State Parkway
When asked why Fuentes did not request a ticket during the stop, Lewis said the superintendent made the right call. "He was trying to remove the trooper from a difficult decision," he said. "Anyone put in that position would find it difficult to have to consider writing their boss a ticket." Five days later, on Aug. 18, a ranking internal affairs officer issued Fuentes a $160 ticket, which he paid Monday. The ticket also added two points to his license. Fuentes, who was driving a state-issued SUV, was clocked driving 75 mph in a 65 mph zone at milepost 164.1, Lewis said. Just one mile earlier, the speed limit is 55 mph, meaning Fuentes would have faced a four-point ticket costing $200. In addition to his ticket, Fuentes received a written reprimand as a disciplinary action. "As the leader of the New Jersey State Police I am held to a higher standard and obligated to lead by example," Fuentes said in a statement. "My insistence on receiving a motor vehicle summons for speeding was a matter of accepting responsibility." Fuentes last received a ticket in 1976 for driving less than 10 mph over the speed limit, Motor Vehicle Commission spokesman Mike Horan said. Fuentes joined the State Police in 1978 and has been superintendent for seven years. Lewis said Walsh pulled over nine drivers, including Fuentes, on Aug. 13. He issued tickets during two of those stops. Overall, Lewis said, 30 percent of all State Police motor vehicle stops end without any enforcement action, such as an arrest, ticket or warning.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Ex-Cop, Convicted of Perjury, Escapes Jail
James Sutera, ex-cop convicted of perjury, escapes jail time because he's 'suffered enough'
The New York Daily News by Melissa Grace - August 11, 2010
An ex-cop convicted of perjury avoided jail time Wednesday when a Manhattan judge said he'd "suffered enough." Instead, he was sentenced to five years probation for lying about offering to help a co-worker cheat on an exam to become a Waterfront Commission detective. Sutera, who was also accused of cheating on the exam, vows to appeal. His lawyer says he's a low-level fall guy in a wider corruption investigation. "Not a single executive from that place faced any charges at all, they all walked away with their nice pensions and their reputations intact. They're probably on some beach," he said of the former commission brass. The charges against Sutera were the only ones that resulted from a two-year investigation of the commission by the state Inspector General's office. While he was convicted of one perjury count, the jury cleared Sutera of charges he also lied when he told probers he didn't cheat and didn't get test answers from ex-Jersey Commissioner Michael Madonna. Madonna - who was fired in August 2009 by the- Gov. Jon Corzine after a report showed rampant corruption at the commission - was never charged. Prosecutors demanded Sutera be caged to show the justice system is tough on cops who commit perjury. The judge disagreed. "I do believe you've suffered enough because of this case," Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Bruce Allen told Sutera.
The New York Daily News by Melissa Grace - August 11, 2010
An ex-cop convicted of perjury avoided jail time Wednesday when a Manhattan judge said he'd "suffered enough." Instead, he was sentenced to five years probation for lying about offering to help a co-worker cheat on an exam to become a Waterfront Commission detective. Sutera, who was also accused of cheating on the exam, vows to appeal. His lawyer says he's a low-level fall guy in a wider corruption investigation. "Not a single executive from that place faced any charges at all, they all walked away with their nice pensions and their reputations intact. They're probably on some beach," he said of the former commission brass. The charges against Sutera were the only ones that resulted from a two-year investigation of the commission by the state Inspector General's office. While he was convicted of one perjury count, the jury cleared Sutera of charges he also lied when he told probers he didn't cheat and didn't get test answers from ex-Jersey Commissioner Michael Madonna. Madonna - who was fired in August 2009 by the- Gov. Jon Corzine after a report showed rampant corruption at the commission - was never charged. Prosecutors demanded Sutera be caged to show the justice system is tough on cops who commit perjury. The judge disagreed. "I do believe you've suffered enough because of this case," Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Bruce Allen told Sutera.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Bad Cops' Guarantee'
Bad cops' 'guarantee'
By PHILIP MESSING and REUVEN BLAU
It's the deal of a lifetime. A controversial bill now before Gov. Paterson would guarantee cops and firefighters generous pensions after 20 years on the job -- even if they get in trouble. The proposal, backed by the city's uniformed unions and criticized by Mayor Bloomberg, has passed the Senate and Assembly. "The practical effect of this legislation would be to insulate those with over 20 years in service from the consequences of serious misconduct," Micha Lasher, Bloomberg's director of state legislative affairs, wrote Thursday in a letter to Paterson obtained by The Post. Currently, New York City cops and firefighters who survive 20 years of service face losing their pensions if cited for any misdeed leading to dismissal. In the last 3½ years, a source said, the NYPD has axed six employees with more than 20 years' time, thus stripping them of benefits. Detective Christopher Perino, a 22-year vet, lost $2 million in projected pension payouts to a perjury conviction. He had testified that he did not interrogate a murder suspect, who later produced a secretly recorded tape of Perino grilling him. To avoid the so-called "pension roulette" that sealed such disgraced cops and firefighters' fates, many now retire after their 20th year. After two decades of service, they can immediately start collecting half-pay pensions, usually while still in their early 40s, young enough to start second careers. And if they get in trouble after they've left the NYPD or FDNY, they keep their benefits. So-called "Mafia cops" Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa are cases in point. Both collect NYPD pensions while serving life sentences for committing a string of contract murders for the Lucchese crime family. All of which prompted the controversial measure's sponsor, state Sen. Diane Savino (D-SI), to predict that "this bill will actually provide an incentive for [cops and firefighters] to stay after 20 years." "It does not protect anyone from discipline and merely seeks to protect vested pension rights accumulated over decades of service," said Roy Richter, president of the Captains Benevolent Association. The NYPD did not return a call, but Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano has stated that he doesn't like the idea. "We oppose this bill because it takes away from the commissioner's discretion in these cases," said FDNY spokesman Steve Ritea. As of last night. the bill's fate remained unclear. "[The governor] will certainly review it and solicit input from various stakeholders," said spokeswoman Maggie McKeon. philip.messing@ nypost.com
By PHILIP MESSING and REUVEN BLAU
It's the deal of a lifetime. A controversial bill now before Gov. Paterson would guarantee cops and firefighters generous pensions after 20 years on the job -- even if they get in trouble. The proposal, backed by the city's uniformed unions and criticized by Mayor Bloomberg, has passed the Senate and Assembly. "The practical effect of this legislation would be to insulate those with over 20 years in service from the consequences of serious misconduct," Micha Lasher, Bloomberg's director of state legislative affairs, wrote Thursday in a letter to Paterson obtained by The Post. Currently, New York City cops and firefighters who survive 20 years of service face losing their pensions if cited for any misdeed leading to dismissal. In the last 3½ years, a source said, the NYPD has axed six employees with more than 20 years' time, thus stripping them of benefits. Detective Christopher Perino, a 22-year vet, lost $2 million in projected pension payouts to a perjury conviction. He had testified that he did not interrogate a murder suspect, who later produced a secretly recorded tape of Perino grilling him. To avoid the so-called "pension roulette" that sealed such disgraced cops and firefighters' fates, many now retire after their 20th year. After two decades of service, they can immediately start collecting half-pay pensions, usually while still in their early 40s, young enough to start second careers. And if they get in trouble after they've left the NYPD or FDNY, they keep their benefits. So-called "Mafia cops" Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa are cases in point. Both collect NYPD pensions while serving life sentences for committing a string of contract murders for the Lucchese crime family. All of which prompted the controversial measure's sponsor, state Sen. Diane Savino (D-SI), to predict that "this bill will actually provide an incentive for [cops and firefighters] to stay after 20 years." "It does not protect anyone from discipline and merely seeks to protect vested pension rights accumulated over decades of service," said Roy Richter, president of the Captains Benevolent Association. The NYPD did not return a call, but Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano has stated that he doesn't like the idea. "We oppose this bill because it takes away from the commissioner's discretion in these cases," said FDNY spokesman Steve Ritea. As of last night. the bill's fate remained unclear. "[The governor] will certainly review it and solicit input from various stakeholders," said spokeswoman Maggie McKeon. philip.messing@ nypost.com
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Police Officers File Corruption Lawsuit
New Carrollton Police Officers File Lawsuit
MyFoxDC.com by Maureen Umeh - July 13, 2010
NEW CARROLLTON, Md. - Four former New Carrollton Police officers say their careers were ruined after they reported corruption inside the department. Now, they have filed a lawsuit . The former officers say they thought they did the right thing by coming forward with information about alleged illegal activity inside the police department. They say instead of being protected, they ended up losing their jobs. They are now fighting to get their reputations back. Jeff Hamilton worked for the New Carrollton Police Department from February 2008 for a year. A lifelong cop, he says he was recruited to help the relatively young police department grow. "I love police work," Hamilton said. "I love the integrity, professionalism and the honor. And a lot of it was lost." But he and three other former officers say there were problems inside the department. "When you get caught in the middle of police corruption, you're stuck, especially if it involves your commanders or your supervisors,” said Hamilton. Hamilton says that reporting the problems ended up costing them their jobs. Attorney Ellen Opper-Weiner represents the four former officers now suing the city. The lawsuit also names Mayor Andrew Hanko, City Administrator Michael Downes and Police Chief David Rice. "They're sworn police officers to uphold the law, and that's what they were trying to do,” said Opper-Weiner. "Three of the officers actually went to the mayor. The mayor did nothing." Court documents say the four reported "illegal activities engaged in by the police officers' superiors” and that eventually three of them "were forced to sign resignation letters after receiving retaliatory threats from their superiors.” The fourth officer, according to the suit, was terminated because of some "very minor rule violations." "One officer witnessed police brutality and did report to her superior,” said Opper-Weiner. The suit does not go into much detail about the alleged criminal activity. The mayor did place Chief Rice on administrative leave back in October 2008 while the Maryland State Police and FBI investigated the department for possible criminal activity. Chief Rice told FOX 5 that one of the accusations against him included the improper selling of impounded vehicles. No charges were ever filed and the chief was reinstated. As for the lawsuit, the police chief told FOX 5 on the phone he could not comment without consulting his attorney. The city's attorney said they had not been served yet, but knew of the potential for the suit. Hamilton says Chief Rice and the department continued to damage his reputation, even after he left the department and his "job-seeking efforts" by making false statements about him. "A career that I worked for 23 years, my life and my family everything that I stood for was crushed,” said Hamilton. The lawsuit seeks more than $8 million in damages. maureen.umeh@foxtv.com
MyFoxDC.com by Maureen Umeh - July 13, 2010
NEW CARROLLTON, Md. - Four former New Carrollton Police officers say their careers were ruined after they reported corruption inside the department. Now, they have filed a lawsuit . The former officers say they thought they did the right thing by coming forward with information about alleged illegal activity inside the police department. They say instead of being protected, they ended up losing their jobs. They are now fighting to get their reputations back. Jeff Hamilton worked for the New Carrollton Police Department from February 2008 for a year. A lifelong cop, he says he was recruited to help the relatively young police department grow. "I love police work," Hamilton said. "I love the integrity, professionalism and the honor. And a lot of it was lost." But he and three other former officers say there were problems inside the department. "When you get caught in the middle of police corruption, you're stuck, especially if it involves your commanders or your supervisors,” said Hamilton. Hamilton says that reporting the problems ended up costing them their jobs. Attorney Ellen Opper-Weiner represents the four former officers now suing the city. The lawsuit also names Mayor Andrew Hanko, City Administrator Michael Downes and Police Chief David Rice. "They're sworn police officers to uphold the law, and that's what they were trying to do,” said Opper-Weiner. "Three of the officers actually went to the mayor. The mayor did nothing." Court documents say the four reported "illegal activities engaged in by the police officers' superiors” and that eventually three of them "were forced to sign resignation letters after receiving retaliatory threats from their superiors.” The fourth officer, according to the suit, was terminated because of some "very minor rule violations." "One officer witnessed police brutality and did report to her superior,” said Opper-Weiner. The suit does not go into much detail about the alleged criminal activity. The mayor did place Chief Rice on administrative leave back in October 2008 while the Maryland State Police and FBI investigated the department for possible criminal activity. Chief Rice told FOX 5 that one of the accusations against him included the improper selling of impounded vehicles. No charges were ever filed and the chief was reinstated. As for the lawsuit, the police chief told FOX 5 on the phone he could not comment without consulting his attorney. The city's attorney said they had not been served yet, but knew of the potential for the suit. Hamilton says Chief Rice and the department continued to damage his reputation, even after he left the department and his "job-seeking efforts" by making false statements about him. "A career that I worked for 23 years, my life and my family everything that I stood for was crushed,” said Hamilton. The lawsuit seeks more than $8 million in damages. maureen.umeh@foxtv.com
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Police Officers and Alleged Drug Dealers Charged in Drug Case
Department of Justice Press Release
For Immediate Release
July 13, 2010 United States Attorney's Office
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Contact: (215) 861-8200
Police Officers and Alleged Drug Dealers Charged in Drug Case
PHILADELPHIA, PA—An indictment was unsealed today against Robert Snyder, Mark Williams, and James Venziale, all Philadelphia police officers assigned to the 25th and 39th Districts, as well as Zachary Young, Angel Ortiz, Christal Snyder, and Miguel Santiago, charging them in a drug conspiracy case involving heroin and related offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the indictment, the defendants planned and executed a scheme to steal heroin from Santiago and then distribute that heroin to another person whom the defendants believed to be a drug dealer and money launderer, but who was, in reality, an undercover special agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Joining in today’s announcement were DEA Special Agent-in-Charge John Bryfonski, FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Janice K. Fedarcyk, and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. According to the indictment, Young and Ortiz were involved in the distribution of heroin, which they obtained on a periodic basis from Santiago and other sources. In mid-April, Young and Ortiz began to develop a scheme to steal 300 grams of heroin from their supplier, Miguel Santiago. The indictment further alleges that Philadelphia Police Officers Robert Snyder, Mark Williams, and James Venziale abused their authority as police officers and agreed to assist Young and Ortiz in this scheme to steal heroin from Santiago. The indictment alleges that Young and Ortiz discussed with the Snyders, Williams, and Venziale various ways that they could use their positions as police officers to steal the heroin from Santiago. The indictment details how Robert Snyder, Williams, Young, and Ortiz implemented the plan after this discussion. On May 14, 2010, immediately after Santiago’s drug courier delivered 300 grams of heroin to Ortiz, Officers Williams and Venziale—who were on duty and in uniform—stopped Ortiz’s vehicle while he was in possession of the 300 grams of heroin, which had just been supplied to him by Santiago’s courier. With Santiago’s courier watching nearby, Officers Williams and Venziale made it appear as if they were seizing the heroin and arresting Ortiz by handcuffing him outside the vehicle Ortiz had occupied. According to the indictment, Christal Snyder, Robert Snyder’s wife, facilitated the conspiracy by passing information, frequently via telephone or via text message, between Ortiz, and Robert Snyder, Mark Williams, and James Venziale. The indictment alleges that, as a result of the co-conspirators obtaining the 300 grams of heroin without payment to Santiago, Ortiz paid Williams and Venziale approximately $6,000, and paid Christal Snyder an additional amount of currency. In addition to the conspiracy, the indictment charges Young, Ortiz, and Mark Williams with distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin and with using a telephone in furtherance of a drug conspiracy. Robert and Christal Snyder are charged with conspiracy and with using a telephone in furtherance of a drug conspiracy. James Venziale is charged with conspiracy and with distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin. Santiago is charged with distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin. He is the only defendant not charged in the conspiracy count.
Additional information regarding the defendants, all from Philadelphia, is available below:
For Immediate Release
July 13, 2010 United States Attorney's Office
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Contact: (215) 861-8200
Police Officers and Alleged Drug Dealers Charged in Drug Case
PHILADELPHIA, PA—An indictment was unsealed today against Robert Snyder, Mark Williams, and James Venziale, all Philadelphia police officers assigned to the 25th and 39th Districts, as well as Zachary Young, Angel Ortiz, Christal Snyder, and Miguel Santiago, charging them in a drug conspiracy case involving heroin and related offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the indictment, the defendants planned and executed a scheme to steal heroin from Santiago and then distribute that heroin to another person whom the defendants believed to be a drug dealer and money launderer, but who was, in reality, an undercover special agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Joining in today’s announcement were DEA Special Agent-in-Charge John Bryfonski, FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Janice K. Fedarcyk, and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. According to the indictment, Young and Ortiz were involved in the distribution of heroin, which they obtained on a periodic basis from Santiago and other sources. In mid-April, Young and Ortiz began to develop a scheme to steal 300 grams of heroin from their supplier, Miguel Santiago. The indictment further alleges that Philadelphia Police Officers Robert Snyder, Mark Williams, and James Venziale abused their authority as police officers and agreed to assist Young and Ortiz in this scheme to steal heroin from Santiago. The indictment alleges that Young and Ortiz discussed with the Snyders, Williams, and Venziale various ways that they could use their positions as police officers to steal the heroin from Santiago. The indictment details how Robert Snyder, Williams, Young, and Ortiz implemented the plan after this discussion. On May 14, 2010, immediately after Santiago’s drug courier delivered 300 grams of heroin to Ortiz, Officers Williams and Venziale—who were on duty and in uniform—stopped Ortiz’s vehicle while he was in possession of the 300 grams of heroin, which had just been supplied to him by Santiago’s courier. With Santiago’s courier watching nearby, Officers Williams and Venziale made it appear as if they were seizing the heroin and arresting Ortiz by handcuffing him outside the vehicle Ortiz had occupied. According to the indictment, Christal Snyder, Robert Snyder’s wife, facilitated the conspiracy by passing information, frequently via telephone or via text message, between Ortiz, and Robert Snyder, Mark Williams, and James Venziale. The indictment alleges that, as a result of the co-conspirators obtaining the 300 grams of heroin without payment to Santiago, Ortiz paid Williams and Venziale approximately $6,000, and paid Christal Snyder an additional amount of currency. In addition to the conspiracy, the indictment charges Young, Ortiz, and Mark Williams with distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin and with using a telephone in furtherance of a drug conspiracy. Robert and Christal Snyder are charged with conspiracy and with using a telephone in furtherance of a drug conspiracy. James Venziale is charged with conspiracy and with distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin. Santiago is charged with distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin. He is the only defendant not charged in the conspiracy count.
Additional information regarding the defendants, all from Philadelphia, is available below:
- Zachary Young, born in 1959
- Angel Ortiz, born in 1985
- Miguel Santiago, born in 1971
- Robert Snyder, born in 1980
- Christal Snyder, born in 1983
- Mark Williams, born in 1983
- James Venziale, born in 1978
If convicted, Young faces a maximum sentence of 104 years in prison with a mandatory minimum term of five years; Ortiz faces a maximum sentence of 212 years in prison with a mandatory minimum term of five years; Santiago faces a maximum sentence of 120 years in prison with a mandatory minimum term of five years; Robert Snyder faces a maximum sentence of 44 years in prison with a mandatory minimum term of five years; Christal Snyder faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison with a mandatory minimum term of five years; Mark Williams faces a maximum sentence of 84 years in prison with a mandatory minimum term of five years; and James Venziale faces a maximum of 80 years in prison with a mandatory minimum term of five years.
The case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI, with the cooperation and assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathy A. Stark and Maureen McCartney. An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI, with the cooperation and assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathy A. Stark and Maureen McCartney. An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Former NYPD Sergeant Gets Probation in Corruption Case
Former NYPD Internal Affairs sergeant William Valerio receives probation, fine in corruption case
The New York Daily News by John Marzulli - July 3, 2010
A former NYPD Internal Affairs sergeant was sentenced Friday to probation and a $5,000 fine for conspiring with a corrupt detective to obtain a fraudulent mortgage.William Valerio admits he helped Detective Luis Batista get bogus documentation of a termite inspection of a home. "I was trying to help a friend and this cost me a career," said Valerio, a 17-year veteran fired from the force. Batista, who was under investigation by the FBI for allegedly protecting a drug gang leader, pressed Valerio to find out who made an Internal Affairs Bureau complaint. But the sergeant did not disclose the information, federal prosecutor Lee Freedman said. Brooklyn Federal Judge Dora Irizarry said Valerio accepted responsibility for his actions. She took a swipe at Batista - recently sentenced to 15 years in prison - calling him a "walking plague."
The New York Daily News by John Marzulli - July 3, 2010
A former NYPD Internal Affairs sergeant was sentenced Friday to probation and a $5,000 fine for conspiring with a corrupt detective to obtain a fraudulent mortgage.William Valerio admits he helped Detective Luis Batista get bogus documentation of a termite inspection of a home. "I was trying to help a friend and this cost me a career," said Valerio, a 17-year veteran fired from the force. Batista, who was under investigation by the FBI for allegedly protecting a drug gang leader, pressed Valerio to find out who made an Internal Affairs Bureau complaint. But the sergeant did not disclose the information, federal prosecutor Lee Freedman said. Brooklyn Federal Judge Dora Irizarry said Valerio accepted responsibility for his actions. She took a swipe at Batista - recently sentenced to 15 years in prison - calling him a "walking plague."
Monday, June 28, 2010
18-Year Veteran Cop Arrested for DUI
Off-duty NYPD vet John Baboolal busted in DUI, suspended without pay
The New York Daily News by John Lauinger - June 27, 2010
A drunken off-duty city cop was busted on the Throgs Neck Bridge Saturday and charged with driving under the influence, authorities said. Police Officer John Baboolal, 41, an 18-year NYPD veteran, was traveling south over the span when he was pulled over by a Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority cop just after 1 a.m., police said. The NYPD suspended Baboolal without pay after his arrest. Baboolal was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court Saturday on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a spokeswoman for the Queens district attorney's office said. Baboolal was released without bail and is due back in court next month.
The New York Daily News by John Lauinger - June 27, 2010
A drunken off-duty city cop was busted on the Throgs Neck Bridge Saturday and charged with driving under the influence, authorities said. Police Officer John Baboolal, 41, an 18-year NYPD veteran, was traveling south over the span when he was pulled over by a Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority cop just after 1 a.m., police said. The NYPD suspended Baboolal without pay after his arrest. Baboolal was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court Saturday on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a spokeswoman for the Queens district attorney's office said. Baboolal was released without bail and is due back in court next month.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Jury Watches Cop Bashing Handcuffed War Vet
Jury watches video of Housing Officer David London bashing handcuffed Iraq war veteran
The New York Daily News by Oren Yaniv - June 19, 2010
Nobody disputes that the disturbing surveillance video screened for a Manhattan criminal jury Friday shows a housing cop bashing an Iraq war veteran with his baton. The question is whether Housing Officer David London, 45, was committing an act of police brutality or using necessary force to subdue an aggressive suspect. Prosecutors called London's beating of 28-year-old Walter Harvin in July 2008 an assault that the cop tried to cover up. But the defense insisted London's response was appropriate. In the video, captured on security cameras at the upper West Side housing project where Harvin's mother lived, Harvin is seen shoving and scuffling with London, who then beat the ex-soldier even after he was cuffed. The video is the main evidence in the case because Harvin, who returned from Iraq two weeks before the incident and suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome, has vanished. "He keeps hitting Mr. Harvin," assistant DA David Drucker said of the moment when the victim cowers on the floor as London keeps clubbing him. "If it was a boxing match, you'd step in and stop the fight." London then tried "to cover up his misconduct," Drucker claimed, by falsely signing a criminal complaint charging Harvin with two counts of assault. Defense lawyer Stephen Worth said Harvin was resisting and that if the tape had audio, jurors would have heard him threaten to kill the cop. "This is a use of necessary force," Worth said. "Officer London strikes him until he gets compliance." oyaniv@nydailynews.com
The New York Daily News by Oren Yaniv - June 19, 2010
Nobody disputes that the disturbing surveillance video screened for a Manhattan criminal jury Friday shows a housing cop bashing an Iraq war veteran with his baton. The question is whether Housing Officer David London, 45, was committing an act of police brutality or using necessary force to subdue an aggressive suspect. Prosecutors called London's beating of 28-year-old Walter Harvin in July 2008 an assault that the cop tried to cover up. But the defense insisted London's response was appropriate. In the video, captured on security cameras at the upper West Side housing project where Harvin's mother lived, Harvin is seen shoving and scuffling with London, who then beat the ex-soldier even after he was cuffed. The video is the main evidence in the case because Harvin, who returned from Iraq two weeks before the incident and suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome, has vanished. "He keeps hitting Mr. Harvin," assistant DA David Drucker said of the moment when the victim cowers on the floor as London keeps clubbing him. "If it was a boxing match, you'd step in and stop the fight." London then tried "to cover up his misconduct," Drucker claimed, by falsely signing a criminal complaint charging Harvin with two counts of assault. Defense lawyer Stephen Worth said Harvin was resisting and that if the tape had audio, jurors would have heard him threaten to kill the cop. "This is a use of necessary force," Worth said. "Officer London strikes him until he gets compliance." oyaniv@nydailynews.com
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Corrections Officer Arrested After Shooting Spree, 2 Dead
LI corrections officer arrested after shooting spree that left two dead
The New York Daily News - June 16, 2010
Police pulled over Kim Wolfe, 43, a Nassau County Corrections Officer, at 5:45 p.m. after cops say she fled the scene of one of the shootings. Inside the car was a 23-year-old female hostage, who may be the suspect's niece, cops said. 45-year-old Stacie Williams, a nurse's aide, was found shot to death outside Nassau University Medical Center, where she worked the night shift in the maternity ward. Several miles away, a 56-year-old man, a possible relative of Wolfe's, was also found fatally shot. A third man, believed to be the suspect's grandfather, was also injured in the shooting, but survived, AP reported. Police said a gun was found on the suspect after she surrendered peacefully.
The New York Daily News - June 16, 2010
Police pulled over Kim Wolfe, 43, a Nassau County Corrections Officer, at 5:45 p.m. after cops say she fled the scene of one of the shootings. Inside the car was a 23-year-old female hostage, who may be the suspect's niece, cops said. 45-year-old Stacie Williams, a nurse's aide, was found shot to death outside Nassau University Medical Center, where she worked the night shift in the maternity ward. Several miles away, a 56-year-old man, a possible relative of Wolfe's, was also found fatally shot. A third man, believed to be the suspect's grandfather, was also injured in the shooting, but survived, AP reported. Police said a gun was found on the suspect after she surrendered peacefully.
Friday, June 4, 2010
NYPD Cop Was Drunk in Deadly Crash
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly: NYPD officer in deadly crash was wasted
The New York Daily News by WIL CRUZ, KERRY BURKE AND BILL HUTCHINSON - June 3, 2010
Cop driving car that killed him, 2nd police officer was double the legal limit for alcohol: commish Officer Hoyoung Kim is drunk when he crashes his car in the Bronx last month, killing himself and an NYPD buddy and injuring four women they met at a party.
Cop driving car that killed him, 2nd police officer was double the legal limit for alcohol: commish Officer Hoyoung Kim is drunk when he crashes his car in the Bronx last month, killing himself and an NYPD buddy and injuring four women they met at a party.
An off-duty cop was drunk when he crashed his car in the Bronx last month, killing himself and an NYPD buddy and injuring four women they met at a party, police said yesterday. Officer Hoyoung Kim had a blood-alcohol level of 0.16, twice the state's 0.08 legal limit, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told reporters. Kim's colleague at the 32nd Precinct in Harlem, Officer Edwin Paulino, a passenger in the doomed car, was also sloshed with a blood-alcohol level of 0.21, a police source said. Asked if he was stunned by the toxicology reports, Kelly said, "I have no comment." The mother of two sisters critically hurt in the May 16 crash on the Bronx River Parkway lashed out at the deceased cops for taking her daughters on the deadly ride. "I don't understand why the police officer would drive a car knowing he had been drinking," Sabina Ramirez, 47, of the Bronx, said at Jacobi Medical Center, where her daughters, Jazmin, 23, and Iris, 27, remain in critical condition. "I don't know if one of my daughters will ever walk again," said Ramirez, referring to Iris, who suffered a broken pelvis, two fractured legs and a spinal cord injury. Crash victims Shirley Torres, 26, and Melina Ramirez, 27, no relation to the sisters, also remain hospitalized at Jacobi Medical Center. The women, according to their lawyer, accepted a ride home from Kim, 32, after he assured them he was fit to drive, and he and Paulino boasted, "Don't worry, we're cops." Lawyer Ken Litman conceded the women knew the officers had been drinking at the raucous surprise birthday party for a fellow cop in Pelham Bay, but said they wouldn't have gotten into the car if they knew the driver was so intoxicated. The women climbed into the backseat of Kim's 2009 Nissan Altima and Paulino, 25, got in the front passenger seat when they left the party just after 6 a.m. In the days following the accident, colleagues of the officers and even a sergeant at the 32nd Precinct insisted Kim would never drive drunk. Kim's twin brother, Juyoung Kim, appeared solemn when asked about the latest twist in the tragedy. "I do feel bad for the families," he said. "I can't imagine what they're going through, but we're also grieving." With Tanyanika Samuels and Robert Sgobbo kburke@nydailynews.com
Thursday, June 3, 2010
'Disgusting' grope cop guilty
'Disgusting' grope cop guilty
The New York Post by LAURA ITALIANO - June 3, 2010
A disgraced former NYPD community-affairs cop was convicted yesterday of groping two young women he'd offered to "help" with after-school program paperwork for their kids. The attacks -- in upper Manhattan in 2004 and 2008 -- left at least one juror utterly grossed out. "I think he's a scumbag," said the female juror, asking not to be named. "He's disgusting." Jurors heard graphic testimony from both victims, along with a transcript of a DA-recorded phone call in which Wilfredo Rosario oozed to one of the women, "Afterwards, when you have given me your mind, you will give me that body. You understand me?" Rosario, 41, was convicted in January of soliciting oral sex from a woman to whom he was issuing a summons in Riverside Park. He has yet to be tried for his most serious charge -- allegedly raping a fourth woman in 2003. He'll be held pending his sentencing July 1, at which time he faces a maximum of seven years in prison.
The New York Post by LAURA ITALIANO - June 3, 2010
A disgraced former NYPD community-affairs cop was convicted yesterday of groping two young women he'd offered to "help" with after-school program paperwork for their kids. The attacks -- in upper Manhattan in 2004 and 2008 -- left at least one juror utterly grossed out. "I think he's a scumbag," said the female juror, asking not to be named. "He's disgusting." Jurors heard graphic testimony from both victims, along with a transcript of a DA-recorded phone call in which Wilfredo Rosario oozed to one of the women, "Afterwards, when you have given me your mind, you will give me that body. You understand me?" Rosario, 41, was convicted in January of soliciting oral sex from a woman to whom he was issuing a summons in Riverside Park. He has yet to be tried for his most serious charge -- allegedly raping a fourth woman in 2003. He'll be held pending his sentencing July 1, at which time he faces a maximum of seven years in prison.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Policing with Honor
Policing with Honor with Randy Sutton
One cop's search for justice goes online
Randy Sutton, PoliceOne Contributor and author of three books about "policing with honor," takes on corruption with a new website and a steadfast determination
Greed and lust for power are not new human traits, they have been plaguing societies since the earliest civilizations were conceived. They are the components that fuels mans’ weakness and lead to the dark manifestations of corruption and abuse of power. Even those whose values are healthy and who have consistently displayed positive morality can be swayed by their temptations and it is a constant internal battle which must be waged if we are to overcome our thirst for the pleasures and the rewards they promote.
Corruption is a cancer that can erode and destroy organizations, governments, and even entire civilizations. It affects each one of us in myriad ways. We only need to examine the scandalous actions of corporate executives of Enron and Merrill Lynch to see how hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans had their financial security ripped away. Headlines abound of politicians at every level of local, state, and federal government enriching themselves monetarily or furthering their greed for power by selling their influence to the highest bidder while discarding their promises to the public they serve. Perhaps most embarrassing to me personally are the constant headlines in newspapers and television reports of police officers and law enforcement leaders who have given into the temptations of money, sex or power while they failed to live up to their oath “To Serve and Protect.” I’m Randy Sutton and I have fought for justice for more than three decades as a street cop, investigator and police leader for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and in the Princeton, New Jersey Police Department. During my years behind a badge I’ve given life and taken it. I have witnessed courage and cowardice, cruelty and incredible compassion and, as the years have passed, felt both disillusionment in my fellow man and pride in the many acts of benevolence and courage I have witnessed. I am a very fortunate man. I have survived several officer-involved shootings, had the opportunity to touch thousands of lives with my books and articles, spoken to thousands of law enforcement officers around the country on the subject of “policing with honor,” and worked alongside of other officers whose courage and integrity will inspire me forever. But I feel that I have not yet done enough.
Recently, I have been contacted by several police officers who discovered corruption and misconduct at the very top levels of their organization, and knowing their duty they took these suspicions and knowledge to various government and law enforcement leaders believing they would be protected. They were wrong. Not only were these allegations not competently investigated, but the very police leaders involved in the misconduct were given the names of the officers who came forward. What happened to these officers was predictable and unacceptable - their careers were destroyed and their personal lives damaged forever. When I stood before these men and listened to their horrors, I made a promise to them and myself that I would report and expose those responsible and work as an advocate for others whose lives and careers are threatened by greed, power and corruption. I decided to create a forum where honest men and women could expose those in positions of power who have abandoned their public trust to further their own interests. Where honesty, integrity, and the values of courage would be celebrated. I’ve created a website, SearchforJustice.us, to provide citizens, government employees and police officers the forum to report corruption and criminal misconduct — be it governmental or corporate. We will utilize sound investigative techniques to uncover and impartially investigate the allegations and, if verified, to expose the corruption or misconduct journalistically and publicly. We will also provide evidence to law enforcement entities who have legal authority and jurisdiction. The first investigation that “Search for Justice” will be centered around the police force in New Carrollton, Maryland, where the careers of several law enforcement officials were destroyed as they sought to expose the police administration’s corruption and misconduct. The website will also be devoted to justice and those who have the courage to pursue it. Together, we can Search for Justice with a unity of purpose that brings honest people together to stand up for the values that made the United States of America the symbol of strength and compassion that has for centuries drawn people to its shores in search of freedom, of opportunity and of justice.
About the author
Randy Sutton is a 33-year police veteran, having served 19 years with the Princeton (New Jersey) PD and 23 years with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and currently holding the rank of Lieutenant. His assignments have included patrol, Narcotics Bureau, Federal Task Force, Community Oriented Policing, Field Training, Supervisor of Advanced Training and he has earned Department awards for Valor, Meritorious Service, Exemplary Service, and multiple Life Saving Awards. Randy Sutton is the author of three books: “TRUE BLUE Police Stories by Those Who Have Lived Them,” “A Cop’s Life,” and “TRUE BLUE To Protect and To Serve” He travels extensively, speaking to law enforcement agencies and groups on the subject of ethics and integrity in a presentation entitled “Policing with Honor,” which also is the foundation of his column on PoliceOne.
One cop's search for justice goes online
Randy Sutton, PoliceOne Contributor and author of three books about "policing with honor," takes on corruption with a new website and a steadfast determination
Greed and lust for power are not new human traits, they have been plaguing societies since the earliest civilizations were conceived. They are the components that fuels mans’ weakness and lead to the dark manifestations of corruption and abuse of power. Even those whose values are healthy and who have consistently displayed positive morality can be swayed by their temptations and it is a constant internal battle which must be waged if we are to overcome our thirst for the pleasures and the rewards they promote.
Corruption is a cancer that can erode and destroy organizations, governments, and even entire civilizations. It affects each one of us in myriad ways. We only need to examine the scandalous actions of corporate executives of Enron and Merrill Lynch to see how hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans had their financial security ripped away. Headlines abound of politicians at every level of local, state, and federal government enriching themselves monetarily or furthering their greed for power by selling their influence to the highest bidder while discarding their promises to the public they serve. Perhaps most embarrassing to me personally are the constant headlines in newspapers and television reports of police officers and law enforcement leaders who have given into the temptations of money, sex or power while they failed to live up to their oath “To Serve and Protect.” I’m Randy Sutton and I have fought for justice for more than three decades as a street cop, investigator and police leader for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and in the Princeton, New Jersey Police Department. During my years behind a badge I’ve given life and taken it. I have witnessed courage and cowardice, cruelty and incredible compassion and, as the years have passed, felt both disillusionment in my fellow man and pride in the many acts of benevolence and courage I have witnessed. I am a very fortunate man. I have survived several officer-involved shootings, had the opportunity to touch thousands of lives with my books and articles, spoken to thousands of law enforcement officers around the country on the subject of “policing with honor,” and worked alongside of other officers whose courage and integrity will inspire me forever. But I feel that I have not yet done enough.
Recently, I have been contacted by several police officers who discovered corruption and misconduct at the very top levels of their organization, and knowing their duty they took these suspicions and knowledge to various government and law enforcement leaders believing they would be protected. They were wrong. Not only were these allegations not competently investigated, but the very police leaders involved in the misconduct were given the names of the officers who came forward. What happened to these officers was predictable and unacceptable - their careers were destroyed and their personal lives damaged forever. When I stood before these men and listened to their horrors, I made a promise to them and myself that I would report and expose those responsible and work as an advocate for others whose lives and careers are threatened by greed, power and corruption. I decided to create a forum where honest men and women could expose those in positions of power who have abandoned their public trust to further their own interests. Where honesty, integrity, and the values of courage would be celebrated. I’ve created a website, SearchforJustice.us, to provide citizens, government employees and police officers the forum to report corruption and criminal misconduct — be it governmental or corporate. We will utilize sound investigative techniques to uncover and impartially investigate the allegations and, if verified, to expose the corruption or misconduct journalistically and publicly. We will also provide evidence to law enforcement entities who have legal authority and jurisdiction. The first investigation that “Search for Justice” will be centered around the police force in New Carrollton, Maryland, where the careers of several law enforcement officials were destroyed as they sought to expose the police administration’s corruption and misconduct. The website will also be devoted to justice and those who have the courage to pursue it. Together, we can Search for Justice with a unity of purpose that brings honest people together to stand up for the values that made the United States of America the symbol of strength and compassion that has for centuries drawn people to its shores in search of freedom, of opportunity and of justice.
About the author
Randy Sutton is a 33-year police veteran, having served 19 years with the Princeton (New Jersey) PD and 23 years with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and currently holding the rank of Lieutenant. His assignments have included patrol, Narcotics Bureau, Federal Task Force, Community Oriented Policing, Field Training, Supervisor of Advanced Training and he has earned Department awards for Valor, Meritorious Service, Exemplary Service, and multiple Life Saving Awards. Randy Sutton is the author of three books: “TRUE BLUE Police Stories by Those Who Have Lived Them,” “A Cop’s Life,” and “TRUE BLUE To Protect and To Serve” He travels extensively, speaking to law enforcement agencies and groups on the subject of ethics and integrity in a presentation entitled “Policing with Honor,” which also is the foundation of his column on PoliceOne.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
East St. Louis Police Officer Sentenced on Civil Rights Conviction
Department of Justice Press Release
For Immediate Release
June 1, 2010 United States Attorney's Office
Southern District of Illinois
Contact: (618) 628-3700
East St. Louis Police Officer Sentenced on Civil Rights Conviction
A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on June 1, 2010, ANTONIO C. MCWHERTER, age 47, of Shiloh, Illinois, was sentenced in the United States District Court in East St. Louis for deprivation of civil rights. MCWHERTER pled guilty to the offense on May 27, 2010. MCWHERTER received three years’ probation with four months of home detention, fined $5,000, ordered to pay a $25 special assessment, and was ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $3,489. The violation occurred on January 30, 2006, in East St. Louis, Illinois, when the defendant, while acting under color of law as a police officer for the East St. Louis Police Department, struck an individual, D.C., in the mouth without legal justification. The assault occurred in the booking area of the East St. Louis Police Department. As part of MCWHERTER’s plea agreement, MCWHERTER agreed to immediately resign from the East St. Louis Police Department. MCWHERTER also agreed not to seek or accept any law enforcement employment, as well as any position or assignment in the military which would require him to supervise, care for, direct, or manage detainees or prisoners. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was handled by Department of Justice – Civil Rights Division Trial Attorneys Patricia Sumner and Jeff Blumberg and Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.
For Immediate Release
June 1, 2010 United States Attorney's Office
Southern District of Illinois
Contact: (618) 628-3700
East St. Louis Police Officer Sentenced on Civil Rights Conviction
A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on June 1, 2010, ANTONIO C. MCWHERTER, age 47, of Shiloh, Illinois, was sentenced in the United States District Court in East St. Louis for deprivation of civil rights. MCWHERTER pled guilty to the offense on May 27, 2010. MCWHERTER received three years’ probation with four months of home detention, fined $5,000, ordered to pay a $25 special assessment, and was ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $3,489. The violation occurred on January 30, 2006, in East St. Louis, Illinois, when the defendant, while acting under color of law as a police officer for the East St. Louis Police Department, struck an individual, D.C., in the mouth without legal justification. The assault occurred in the booking area of the East St. Louis Police Department. As part of MCWHERTER’s plea agreement, MCWHERTER agreed to immediately resign from the East St. Louis Police Department. MCWHERTER also agreed not to seek or accept any law enforcement employment, as well as any position or assignment in the military which would require him to supervise, care for, direct, or manage detainees or prisoners. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was handled by Department of Justice – Civil Rights Division Trial Attorneys Patricia Sumner and Jeff Blumberg and Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.
Monday, May 31, 2010
NYPD Cop Arrested for Helping Drug Dealers
Pension was in accused NYPD cop Emmanuel Tavarez's sights
The New York Daily News by John Marzulli - May 12, 2010
NYPD cop may have been just days away from scoring a tax-free disability pension when he was busted.
NYPD Officer Tavarez sold out badge to crime crew that posed as cops, feds charge
When NYPD cop Emmanuel Tavarez was busted for helping drug dealers last week, he may have been just days away from scoring a tax-free disability pension. The eight-year veteran had been approved for the pension by a panel of doctors for a line-of-duty knee injury, sources said. The case was on the board's calendar for this morning, but Tavarez won't be there - he's in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Federal drug agents arrested him last week on charges of outfitting robbery crew members with NYPD raid jackets and other police paraphernalia so they looked like real cops. He allegedly took part in stickups of drug dealers. His defense lawyer Lisa Scolari said in court yesterday that Tavarez was originally injured chasing a perp on a bicycle but decided not to retire. He later reinjured his knee, Scolari said - without telling the judge he was seeking a tax-free pension. Scolari said the cop had been a "phenomenal athlete" and was scouted by professional baseball teams. Magistrate Robert Levy approved a $1.8 million bail package but federal prosecutors are appealing the decision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Meyer argued Tavarez may flee to the Dominican Republic because he faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of the robbery conspiracy charges. jmarzulli@nydailynews.com
The New York Daily News by John Marzulli - May 12, 2010
NYPD cop may have been just days away from scoring a tax-free disability pension when he was busted.
NYPD Officer Tavarez sold out badge to crime crew that posed as cops, feds charge
When NYPD cop Emmanuel Tavarez was busted for helping drug dealers last week, he may have been just days away from scoring a tax-free disability pension. The eight-year veteran had been approved for the pension by a panel of doctors for a line-of-duty knee injury, sources said. The case was on the board's calendar for this morning, but Tavarez won't be there - he's in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Federal drug agents arrested him last week on charges of outfitting robbery crew members with NYPD raid jackets and other police paraphernalia so they looked like real cops. He allegedly took part in stickups of drug dealers. His defense lawyer Lisa Scolari said in court yesterday that Tavarez was originally injured chasing a perp on a bicycle but decided not to retire. He later reinjured his knee, Scolari said - without telling the judge he was seeking a tax-free pension. Scolari said the cop had been a "phenomenal athlete" and was scouted by professional baseball teams. Magistrate Robert Levy approved a $1.8 million bail package but federal prosecutors are appealing the decision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Meyer argued Tavarez may flee to the Dominican Republic because he faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of the robbery conspiracy charges. jmarzulli@nydailynews.com
Saturday, May 15, 2010
One Officer Seeks Bail as Ex-Officer Pleads Guilty
One Officer Seeks Bail as Ex-Officer Pleads Guilty
Two police officers — one current and the other former — appeared in the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on Thursday, each to deal with strikingly similar criminal charges related to the misuse of police authority. The former officer, Jorge H. Arbaje-Diaz, pleaded guilty for his participation in robberies of drug dealers set up to look like police raids. The current officer, Emmanuel Tavarez, appeared at a bail hearing on charges that he participated in an unrelated but nearly identical scheme. The overlapping appearances in United States District Court for the Eastern District, in Brooklyn, highlighted how similar the narratives were of a form of police corruption that Loretta E. Lynch, the United States attorney in Brooklyn, said “unfairly tarnishes the proud reputation of the thousands of law enforcement officers in New York.” Both cases involved violent crews that conducted more than 100 robberies in the Northeast over several years, during which members posed as police officers to gain entry into homes to steal money and drugs, prosecutors said. And both cases included real officers who used police equipment and threats of arrest, prosecutors said. “Though these cases are similar, there are no common defendants, and no evidence indicating that there is a connection,” said Robert Nardoza, a spokesman for Ms. Lynch’s office.
Mr. Arbaje-Diaz, a three-year veteran of the Police Department, had been assigned to the transit bureau in the Bronx when he was arrested, and he resigned from the force in 2008. He spoke tentatively as he pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and drug distribution conspiracy, his words barely audible. He told Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis that he repeatedly robbed drug dealers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, later selling the drugs he would seize. “At times, I committed these robberies while I was wearing my police uniform and badge,” he said. “At times, I would brandish my off-duty revolver and use my N.Y.P.D. handcuffs to restrain victims.” Mr. Arbaje-Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16. He faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Even as Mr. Arbaje-Diaz was winding down his case, Officer Tavarez was in the early stages of his own involvement with the federal criminal justice system. Prosecutors have accused Officer Tavarez of outfitting members of his robbery crew with raid jackets that bore the “N.Y.P.D.” insignia, along with badges, handcuffs and bullet-resistant vests. On at least one occasion, prosecutors said, he handed over his own service revolver for use in a robbery. Officer Tavarez, who has been suspended without pay, was making his third appearance since his arrest last week to determine whether he will be released on bail. He was ordered released last week on $1.8 million bail by a magistrate judge, but the government appealed to Judge Sandra L. Townes, calling him a danger to the community and a flight risk. Judge Townes said she would decide whether to release Officer Tavarez during another hearing on Friday.
The New York Times by A. G. SULZBERGER - May 13, 2010
Two police officers — one current and the other former — appeared in the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on Thursday, each to deal with strikingly similar criminal charges related to the misuse of police authority. The former officer, Jorge H. Arbaje-Diaz, pleaded guilty for his participation in robberies of drug dealers set up to look like police raids. The current officer, Emmanuel Tavarez, appeared at a bail hearing on charges that he participated in an unrelated but nearly identical scheme. The overlapping appearances in United States District Court for the Eastern District, in Brooklyn, highlighted how similar the narratives were of a form of police corruption that Loretta E. Lynch, the United States attorney in Brooklyn, said “unfairly tarnishes the proud reputation of the thousands of law enforcement officers in New York.” Both cases involved violent crews that conducted more than 100 robberies in the Northeast over several years, during which members posed as police officers to gain entry into homes to steal money and drugs, prosecutors said. And both cases included real officers who used police equipment and threats of arrest, prosecutors said. “Though these cases are similar, there are no common defendants, and no evidence indicating that there is a connection,” said Robert Nardoza, a spokesman for Ms. Lynch’s office.
Mr. Arbaje-Diaz, a three-year veteran of the Police Department, had been assigned to the transit bureau in the Bronx when he was arrested, and he resigned from the force in 2008. He spoke tentatively as he pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and drug distribution conspiracy, his words barely audible. He told Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis that he repeatedly robbed drug dealers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, later selling the drugs he would seize. “At times, I committed these robberies while I was wearing my police uniform and badge,” he said. “At times, I would brandish my off-duty revolver and use my N.Y.P.D. handcuffs to restrain victims.” Mr. Arbaje-Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16. He faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Even as Mr. Arbaje-Diaz was winding down his case, Officer Tavarez was in the early stages of his own involvement with the federal criminal justice system. Prosecutors have accused Officer Tavarez of outfitting members of his robbery crew with raid jackets that bore the “N.Y.P.D.” insignia, along with badges, handcuffs and bullet-resistant vests. On at least one occasion, prosecutors said, he handed over his own service revolver for use in a robbery. Officer Tavarez, who has been suspended without pay, was making his third appearance since his arrest last week to determine whether he will be released on bail. He was ordered released last week on $1.8 million bail by a magistrate judge, but the government appealed to Judge Sandra L. Townes, calling him a danger to the community and a flight risk. Judge Townes said she would decide whether to release Officer Tavarez during another hearing on Friday.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Cop Pleads Guilty To Stealing Heroin From Drug Dealers At Gunpoint
Cop pleads guilty to stealing heroin from drug dealers at gunpoint
The New York Daily News by John Marzulli - May 14, 2010
An NYPD cop pleaded guilty Thursday to robbing heroin from drug dealers at gunpoint and using his police handcuffs to restrain them. Jorge (Shorty) Arbaje-Diaz, 31, admitted he was part of a crew that pulled stickups in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. The cop even left his post patrolling the transit system to carry out one robbery in full uniform, the feds said. Arbaje-Diaz resigned from the force after he was arrested in 2008. He faces 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, prosecutors released new details yesterday about a second transit cop accused this week of being a member of a different robbery crew. A suspect fleeing a drug-related robbery in Philadelphia was carrying an NYPD badge bearing Officer Emmanuel Tavarez's number. Tavarez allegedly took part in a heist in New York City that netted more than $100,000 in drug cash.
The New York Daily News by John Marzulli - May 14, 2010
An NYPD cop pleaded guilty Thursday to robbing heroin from drug dealers at gunpoint and using his police handcuffs to restrain them. Jorge (Shorty) Arbaje-Diaz, 31, admitted he was part of a crew that pulled stickups in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. The cop even left his post patrolling the transit system to carry out one robbery in full uniform, the feds said. Arbaje-Diaz resigned from the force after he was arrested in 2008. He faces 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, prosecutors released new details yesterday about a second transit cop accused this week of being a member of a different robbery crew. A suspect fleeing a drug-related robbery in Philadelphia was carrying an NYPD badge bearing Officer Emmanuel Tavarez's number. Tavarez allegedly took part in a heist in New York City that netted more than $100,000 in drug cash.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Former city cop, snared in FBI sting, going to prison
Former city cop, snared in FBI sting, going to prison
The St. Louis Post- Dispatch by Robert Patrick - April 24, 2010
ST. LOUIS, MO — A judge sentenced former city police Officer Ronald H. Jackson on Friday to 18 months in prison for stealing from a woman in what turned out to be an FBI sting. Jackson, 58, was caught after he and another officer, Christian A. Brezill, pulled over and arrested a woman who was secretly cooperating with the FBI. Jackson had been tipped off that the woman's car trunk held merchandise stolen from a Best Buy store. He and Brezill split the goods, and Jackson gave some to the person who had provided the information, according to court documents and testimony. Brezill, 26, was sentenced last month to two years of probation after cooperating with investigators. Both men, who worked in the Police Department's 6th District, were indicted in October on a single federal felony charge of theft of government property. They pleaded guilty in December. Both will have to repay a total of $1,480 — the value of what they took. Jackson, a 30-year department veteran, retired under charges. Brezill, with roughly 18 months on the force, was fired. Jackson apologized in Friday's hearing to the court, city and Police Department. "I regret my actions. I know they were wrong," he said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith insisted that Jackson was the leader and said he is rumored to have committed similar thefts "numerous" times before. FBI Special Agent Anthony Bernardoni testified that he had received a tip in the spring or summer of 2009 that Jackson had been involved in a scheme with a person in the business of buying stolen goods. If a seller wanted too much money, Bernardoni said he was told, the buyer would turn down the deal and arrange for Jackson to pull over the seller's car and just steal the loot. That buyer has never been publicly identified. Jackson's lawyer, Clyde Cahill, insisted that Jackson was not the leader in the theft of the Best Buy goods, which he characterized as the result of both officers' spontaneous impulse to steal. Cahill also argued that Jackson's possession of a firearm during the crime should not be taken into account, since he was armed as part of his police uniform and the weapon did not play a role in the crime. U.S. District Judge Donald Stohr rejected both of Cahill's arguments and sentenced Jackson to 18 months, the bottom of the range of 18-24 months suggested under federal sentencing guidelines. Brezill told the Post-Dispatch last month that Jackson suggested they steal the goods. Brezill said he finally gave in after repeatedly refusing.
The St. Louis Post- Dispatch by Robert Patrick - April 24, 2010
ST. LOUIS, MO — A judge sentenced former city police Officer Ronald H. Jackson on Friday to 18 months in prison for stealing from a woman in what turned out to be an FBI sting. Jackson, 58, was caught after he and another officer, Christian A. Brezill, pulled over and arrested a woman who was secretly cooperating with the FBI. Jackson had been tipped off that the woman's car trunk held merchandise stolen from a Best Buy store. He and Brezill split the goods, and Jackson gave some to the person who had provided the information, according to court documents and testimony. Brezill, 26, was sentenced last month to two years of probation after cooperating with investigators. Both men, who worked in the Police Department's 6th District, were indicted in October on a single federal felony charge of theft of government property. They pleaded guilty in December. Both will have to repay a total of $1,480 — the value of what they took. Jackson, a 30-year department veteran, retired under charges. Brezill, with roughly 18 months on the force, was fired. Jackson apologized in Friday's hearing to the court, city and Police Department. "I regret my actions. I know they were wrong," he said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith insisted that Jackson was the leader and said he is rumored to have committed similar thefts "numerous" times before. FBI Special Agent Anthony Bernardoni testified that he had received a tip in the spring or summer of 2009 that Jackson had been involved in a scheme with a person in the business of buying stolen goods. If a seller wanted too much money, Bernardoni said he was told, the buyer would turn down the deal and arrange for Jackson to pull over the seller's car and just steal the loot. That buyer has never been publicly identified. Jackson's lawyer, Clyde Cahill, insisted that Jackson was not the leader in the theft of the Best Buy goods, which he characterized as the result of both officers' spontaneous impulse to steal. Cahill also argued that Jackson's possession of a firearm during the crime should not be taken into account, since he was armed as part of his police uniform and the weapon did not play a role in the crime. U.S. District Judge Donald Stohr rejected both of Cahill's arguments and sentenced Jackson to 18 months, the bottom of the range of 18-24 months suggested under federal sentencing guidelines. Brezill told the Post-Dispatch last month that Jackson suggested they steal the goods. Brezill said he finally gave in after repeatedly refusing.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Prosecutors Probe 3 Cops' Beating of Students
Beating of University of Maryland student by police probed by county prosecutors
The Washington Post by Ruben Castaneda - April 13, 2010
Prince George's prosecutors have begun a criminal investigation of three county police officers who beat an unarmed University of Maryland student with their batons after a basketball game last month in an incident that was caught on video and surfaced publicly Monday, authorities said. County police also ordered an internal affairs investigation of the three officers, Maj. Andy Ellis said. Ellis said the inquiry would also focus on a county officer who filed official charging documents that are contradicted by the video. "The video shows the charging documents were nothing more than a cover, a fairy tale they made up to cover for the officers' misconduct," said Christopher A. Griffiths, a lawyer for the student. "The video shows gratuitous violence against a defenseless individual." Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton said that one of the three officers had been identified and that his police powers have been suspended during the investigation. The other two officers will also be suspended as soon as they are identified, Hylton said. "I'm outraged and disappointed after viewing the video," Hylton said. "That's not the type of professional conduct we promote. Any employee who uses excessive force will be held accountable." Griffiths released the video Monday after county prosecutors dropped charges against John J. McKenna, 21. McKenna and a co-defendant, Benjamin C. Donat, 19, had been charged with felonies on suspicion of assaulting officers on horseback and their mounts. On Friday, a prosecutor dropped charges against Donat, also a U-Md. student. Griffiths is also representing Donat. The incident occurred March 3 near the university's College Park campus after the Maryland men's basketball team defeated Duke. After the game, students took to the streets to celebrate. Twenty-eight people were arrested or cited, sparking a debate between police and students over how and when it is appropriate to break up a group of revelers. At least part of the incident with McKenna was videotaped by another student. The video, which lasts about one minute, is a continuous shot. It was discovered by Sharon Weidenfeld, a private investigator who worked on behalf of McKenna and Donat. The video does not show Donat, although Officer Sean McAleavey's charging documents say the two men acted together. The video shows about two dozen students milling about on Knox Road near Route 1. About a half-dozen of them are pointing their cellphone cameras at riot police who are gathered between the students and Route 1. The video shows McKenna on the sidewalk as he skips and throws his arms in the air. He stops about five feet from an officer on horseback, the video shows. In the video, McKenna's arms appear to be in front of him, but he does not appear to touch the officer or the horse. His hands are empty. McKenna backs up, then two county police riot officers rush toward him from the street, the video shows. The officers slam McKenna against a wall and beat him with their batons. McKenna crumples to the ground. As McKenna falls, a third county police riot officer strikes his legs and torso with his baton. The video shows the officers striking an unresisting McKenna about the head, torso and legs -- more than a dozen blows in all. Because they are wearing riot gear, the officers who hit McKenna are not easily identifiable. In the video, county police officers and officers on horseback from the Maryland-National Capital Park Police are seen nearby. They do not intervene in the incident with McKenna. The officers form a line and move toward the students who had been milling about, the video shows, and the students move back.
Charging documents say McKenna and Donat provoked the beating by attacking officers on horseback. The video clearly shows the officers rushing McKenna and beating him, although the teenager had not touched any of the mounted units. The charging documents also say that the horses injured McKenna and Donat and make no mention of the beating by the officers. The video shows no aggression by the horses. The documents sworn by McAleavey allege that McKenna and Donat were running and screaming in the middle of Route 1, prompting an unruly crowd to form. As two officers on horseback from the Maryland-National Capital Park Police tried to regain order, McKenna and Donat "struck those officers and their horses causing minor injuries," McAleavey wrote. McKenna and Donat "were both kicked by the horses and sustained minor injuries," the charging documents say. Griffiths said Donat was beaten by county police with batons about a block away from where McKenna was beaten. The lawyer said the two do not know each other. Griffiths said both men suffered concussions from police baton blows. McAleavey did not return calls for comment. Lt. Stanley Johnson, a spokesman for the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, said that McKenna and Donat did not attack any of his officers or horses and that none of the department's horses kicked or struck McKenna or Donat. The charges against McKenna were dropped Monday without comment, Griffiths said.
The Washington Post by Ruben Castaneda - April 13, 2010
Prince George's prosecutors have begun a criminal investigation of three county police officers who beat an unarmed University of Maryland student with their batons after a basketball game last month in an incident that was caught on video and surfaced publicly Monday, authorities said. County police also ordered an internal affairs investigation of the three officers, Maj. Andy Ellis said. Ellis said the inquiry would also focus on a county officer who filed official charging documents that are contradicted by the video. "The video shows the charging documents were nothing more than a cover, a fairy tale they made up to cover for the officers' misconduct," said Christopher A. Griffiths, a lawyer for the student. "The video shows gratuitous violence against a defenseless individual." Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton said that one of the three officers had been identified and that his police powers have been suspended during the investigation. The other two officers will also be suspended as soon as they are identified, Hylton said. "I'm outraged and disappointed after viewing the video," Hylton said. "That's not the type of professional conduct we promote. Any employee who uses excessive force will be held accountable." Griffiths released the video Monday after county prosecutors dropped charges against John J. McKenna, 21. McKenna and a co-defendant, Benjamin C. Donat, 19, had been charged with felonies on suspicion of assaulting officers on horseback and their mounts. On Friday, a prosecutor dropped charges against Donat, also a U-Md. student. Griffiths is also representing Donat. The incident occurred March 3 near the university's College Park campus after the Maryland men's basketball team defeated Duke. After the game, students took to the streets to celebrate. Twenty-eight people were arrested or cited, sparking a debate between police and students over how and when it is appropriate to break up a group of revelers. At least part of the incident with McKenna was videotaped by another student. The video, which lasts about one minute, is a continuous shot. It was discovered by Sharon Weidenfeld, a private investigator who worked on behalf of McKenna and Donat. The video does not show Donat, although Officer Sean McAleavey's charging documents say the two men acted together. The video shows about two dozen students milling about on Knox Road near Route 1. About a half-dozen of them are pointing their cellphone cameras at riot police who are gathered between the students and Route 1. The video shows McKenna on the sidewalk as he skips and throws his arms in the air. He stops about five feet from an officer on horseback, the video shows. In the video, McKenna's arms appear to be in front of him, but he does not appear to touch the officer or the horse. His hands are empty. McKenna backs up, then two county police riot officers rush toward him from the street, the video shows. The officers slam McKenna against a wall and beat him with their batons. McKenna crumples to the ground. As McKenna falls, a third county police riot officer strikes his legs and torso with his baton. The video shows the officers striking an unresisting McKenna about the head, torso and legs -- more than a dozen blows in all. Because they are wearing riot gear, the officers who hit McKenna are not easily identifiable. In the video, county police officers and officers on horseback from the Maryland-National Capital Park Police are seen nearby. They do not intervene in the incident with McKenna. The officers form a line and move toward the students who had been milling about, the video shows, and the students move back.
Charging documents say McKenna and Donat provoked the beating by attacking officers on horseback. The video clearly shows the officers rushing McKenna and beating him, although the teenager had not touched any of the mounted units. The charging documents also say that the horses injured McKenna and Donat and make no mention of the beating by the officers. The video shows no aggression by the horses. The documents sworn by McAleavey allege that McKenna and Donat were running and screaming in the middle of Route 1, prompting an unruly crowd to form. As two officers on horseback from the Maryland-National Capital Park Police tried to regain order, McKenna and Donat "struck those officers and their horses causing minor injuries," McAleavey wrote. McKenna and Donat "were both kicked by the horses and sustained minor injuries," the charging documents say. Griffiths said Donat was beaten by county police with batons about a block away from where McKenna was beaten. The lawyer said the two do not know each other. Griffiths said both men suffered concussions from police baton blows. McAleavey did not return calls for comment. Lt. Stanley Johnson, a spokesman for the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, said that McKenna and Donat did not attack any of his officers or horses and that none of the department's horses kicked or struck McKenna or Donat. The charges against McKenna were dropped Monday without comment, Griffiths said.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Fired cop called 'horrible investment'
Fired cop called 'horrible investment'
Schenectady terminates police officer who's been arrested multiple times
The Albany Times Union by Paul Nelson - April 12, 2010
SCHENECTADY, NY -- Officer John Lewis' blemished 16-year career with the Schenectady Police Department, which include multiple arrests for drunken driving and domestic incidents, is over. Mayor Brian U. Stratton announced his decision Monday to accept an independent hearing officer's recommendation to terminate Lewis, who remains behind bars on unpaid leave. He has not been on active duty since March 2008. This marks the second time in 12 years that Lewis has been fired from the police department. Stratton said that despite his many arrests, Lewis, 40, has remained unrepentant. "Perhaps most unforgiving, he has never expressed even the slightest remorse for his actions or made any effort to accept personal responsibility for his conduct," the mayor said during an afternoon news conference in the City Hall rotunda. Stratton said he concluded after reading the report that Lewis "had clearly placed his own interests above those of the public he swore to protect and serve," and that the officer had "time and again acted with complete and utter disregard for the law and for the authority of his superior officers." The hearing officer, Jeffrey Selchick, issued the 85-page report last week. The disciplinary hearings focused on the five times Lewis was arrested from April 2008 to January 2009 on charges of harassment and violation of protective orders for his former wife, insubordination during an alcohol-related driving incident, another alcohol-related incident involving property damage and a domestic incident at his mother's Schenectady home. Lewis' attorney, James Tuttle of Latham, did not immediately return a call Monday seeking comment.
Stratton also bemoaned a ruling in July by Acting State Supreme Court Justice Barry Kramer to close police disciplinary hearings to the public. Under that longstanding system, a hearing officer selected by the city makes recommendations, and if the officer appeals the case goes to an independent arbitrator. The city has been pushing for Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett to preside over disciplinary hearings. The state Public Employment Relations Board also is expected to weigh in on the issue. Bennett and Police Chief Mark Chaires joined Stratton for the news conference. Bennett said Lewis should never be able to wear a police uniform again. "It's not appropriate for John Lewis to continue in law enforcement anywhere," he said. Like Stratton, he mentioned the money and time spent getting rid of Lewis. "None of us is more frustrated with the expense and delay than those of us with the management of the city," Bennett said, adding Lewis' fate "is a profound statement" that officers have to adhere to high standards that police brass expect both on and off the job. Chaires described Lewis as a bad hire who gives the 150-member department a black eye. "John Lewis was an absolutely horrible investment of taxpayer money, he said. "I could not agree with the decision more strongly; it's the right decision."
Lewis has been suspended without pay since late last year. He has 30 days to appeal the mayor's decision, which would then put it into the hands of an arbitrator, according to L. John Van Norden, the city's corporation counsel. This is not the first time Lewis was fired from the force. He previously used the arbitration process to successfully win back his job after being fired in 1998 for using a racial slur at the police station. More recently, he was acquitted in February of drunken-driving charges in Schenectady. In January, prosecutors dropped a contempt charge against Lewis stemming from his alleged violation of an order barring him from contact with his ex-wife, Alison Lewis. He suffered a stab wound in December during a visit with a girlfriend in Massachusetts. That same month, he pleaded not guilty to a 10-count indictment charging him with eavesdropping, stalking, aggravated harassment, computer trespass, computer tampering and tampering with a witness. In that case, Lewis is accused of using a former girlfriend's computer to hack into his ex-wife's e-mail accounts. Lewis also is facing charges stemming from a January 2009 fight with his brother, also a police officer, before damaging their mother's home. In March 2008, a City Court Judge acquitted him of harassment. Prosecutors had argued he fought with his ex-wife over custody of their son. Lewis filed a notice of claim contending the city conspired with his ex-wife to get him fired. Reach Nelson at 454-5347 or at pnelson@timesunion.com
Schenectady terminates police officer who's been arrested multiple times
The Albany Times Union by Paul Nelson - April 12, 2010
SCHENECTADY, NY -- Officer John Lewis' blemished 16-year career with the Schenectady Police Department, which include multiple arrests for drunken driving and domestic incidents, is over. Mayor Brian U. Stratton announced his decision Monday to accept an independent hearing officer's recommendation to terminate Lewis, who remains behind bars on unpaid leave. He has not been on active duty since March 2008. This marks the second time in 12 years that Lewis has been fired from the police department. Stratton said that despite his many arrests, Lewis, 40, has remained unrepentant. "Perhaps most unforgiving, he has never expressed even the slightest remorse for his actions or made any effort to accept personal responsibility for his conduct," the mayor said during an afternoon news conference in the City Hall rotunda. Stratton said he concluded after reading the report that Lewis "had clearly placed his own interests above those of the public he swore to protect and serve," and that the officer had "time and again acted with complete and utter disregard for the law and for the authority of his superior officers." The hearing officer, Jeffrey Selchick, issued the 85-page report last week. The disciplinary hearings focused on the five times Lewis was arrested from April 2008 to January 2009 on charges of harassment and violation of protective orders for his former wife, insubordination during an alcohol-related driving incident, another alcohol-related incident involving property damage and a domestic incident at his mother's Schenectady home. Lewis' attorney, James Tuttle of Latham, did not immediately return a call Monday seeking comment.
Stratton also bemoaned a ruling in July by Acting State Supreme Court Justice Barry Kramer to close police disciplinary hearings to the public. Under that longstanding system, a hearing officer selected by the city makes recommendations, and if the officer appeals the case goes to an independent arbitrator. The city has been pushing for Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett to preside over disciplinary hearings. The state Public Employment Relations Board also is expected to weigh in on the issue. Bennett and Police Chief Mark Chaires joined Stratton for the news conference. Bennett said Lewis should never be able to wear a police uniform again. "It's not appropriate for John Lewis to continue in law enforcement anywhere," he said. Like Stratton, he mentioned the money and time spent getting rid of Lewis. "None of us is more frustrated with the expense and delay than those of us with the management of the city," Bennett said, adding Lewis' fate "is a profound statement" that officers have to adhere to high standards that police brass expect both on and off the job. Chaires described Lewis as a bad hire who gives the 150-member department a black eye. "John Lewis was an absolutely horrible investment of taxpayer money, he said. "I could not agree with the decision more strongly; it's the right decision."
Lewis has been suspended without pay since late last year. He has 30 days to appeal the mayor's decision, which would then put it into the hands of an arbitrator, according to L. John Van Norden, the city's corporation counsel. This is not the first time Lewis was fired from the force. He previously used the arbitration process to successfully win back his job after being fired in 1998 for using a racial slur at the police station. More recently, he was acquitted in February of drunken-driving charges in Schenectady. In January, prosecutors dropped a contempt charge against Lewis stemming from his alleged violation of an order barring him from contact with his ex-wife, Alison Lewis. He suffered a stab wound in December during a visit with a girlfriend in Massachusetts. That same month, he pleaded not guilty to a 10-count indictment charging him with eavesdropping, stalking, aggravated harassment, computer trespass, computer tampering and tampering with a witness. In that case, Lewis is accused of using a former girlfriend's computer to hack into his ex-wife's e-mail accounts. Lewis also is facing charges stemming from a January 2009 fight with his brother, also a police officer, before damaging their mother's home. In March 2008, a City Court Judge acquitted him of harassment. Prosecutors had argued he fought with his ex-wife over custody of their son. Lewis filed a notice of claim contending the city conspired with his ex-wife to get him fired. Reach Nelson at 454-5347 or at pnelson@timesunion.com
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