The Associated Press contributed to this report. During this arrest the defendants physically beat, terrorized and threatened Christopher Loeb and during this arrest the defendants encouraged, directed and/or permitted a Suffok County police dog named 'Brick'to attack the plaintiff and as result of this attack by 'Brick,'the plaintiff suffered substantial pain and serious physical injury," the lawsuit states. . The former chief, James Burke, 51, who was known for his swaggering confidence as the leader of one of the regions largest police departments, was subdued in Federal District Court here as the charges against him were read aloud. This week, Mr. Spota goes on trial along with one of his top deputies, Christopher McPartland, in a case that could expose the inner workings of a law enforcement culture on Long Island plagued by longstanding accusations of corruption. Mr. Burke, the former police chief, once asked to install a surveillance device on another police officials car because, according to the government, he disliked her and wanted to see whether he could dig up dirt that could be used to end her career. a training of 6 months at the academy, candidates have to go through 18 months as their probationary periods. Questions of Burke's fitness to lead surfaced as far back as 1995, when he was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer for twice failing to safeguard his weapon. Officers subpoenaed by FBI agents investigating the 2012 beating were brought in and interrogated about whether they had talked, prosecutors said. Leto testified that the spying was under the guise of providing him security. 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The opioid was taped under a shelf inside the personal locker of Burke, who was sentenced in November to 46 months in the slammer for the beatdown of a prisoner and a cover-up of the assault. A union official falsely told several officers that Burke and "other high-ranking Suffolk County law enforcement authorities" had secretly obtained copies of FBI memos containing the names of people speaking with investigators. And we are here today because no one is above the law.. Most of Thursday's testimony centered on John Oliva - a Suffolk police officer under Burke who was transferred out of an elite gang unit and wiretapped when he was suspected of leaking information to the media. Unnamed co-conspirators had warned some that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees, prosecutors said. He was appointed by Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota as the chief investigator of the Suffolk County District Attorney's . You told me no one would believe me," Loeb added. Well fortunately today, for the first time in my life, my belief in the justice system has surfaced, because today, defendant Burke, there is law and this is order., First published on November 3, 2016 / 6:33 PM. A union official falsely told several officers that Burke and "other high-ranking Suffolk County law enforcement authorities'' had secretly obtained copies of FBI memos containing the names of people speaking with investigators. There were some bombshells dropped Thursday in the obstruction of justice trial of former Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota and his top aide Christopher McPartland, including an allegation that former chief James Burke ordered officers to spy on Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. The former police chief of Suffolk County pleaded guilty on Friday to federal charges stemming from accusations that he beat a suspect in custody, threatened to kill him and then coerced his fellow officers into covering up the misconduct. "My client is going to do his time like a man, and he's going to come out and be a productive member of society," Burke's attorney, John Meringolo, told reporters, including CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff. He was released last summer. "If you were with Burke, he treated you like gold, and you got tons of overtime," Trotta said. Federal prosecutors indicated other charges may be looming for accomplices who aided the cover-up. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. Copyright 2023 Newsday. Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland have pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts, including witness tampering and obstruction of justice. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. But defense attorneys insist that the plea deal is not a cooperation agreement. The ex-police chief pleaded guilty last winter in the beating and cover-up. Internal Affairs reports also found Burke had engaged in sexual acts in police vehicles and had a sexual relationship with a convicted felon. On Thursday morning, during opening statements, prosecutors laid out their case that Mr. Spota and his deputy directed a cover-up to protect Mr. Burke, pressuring potential witnesses not to cooperate with the federal investigation into the assault. He will be assisted in finding a job and housing. Most of Thursdays testimony centered on John Oliva a Suffolk police officer under Burke who was transferred out of an elite gang unit and wiretapped when he was suspected of leaking information to the media. Prosecutors will say only that the investigation has widened and that it's not over. "In terms of obstructing justice, it is hard to imagine a more serious example of this conduct than the highest-ranking uniform member of the police department assaulting a suspect and then orchestrating a cover-up of his actions for three years during which he suborned perjury and prevented witnesses from telling the truth," U.S. Attorney Ronald Capers said in the letter. Burke also has been tied to the unsolved Gilgo Beach murders on Long Island by a lawyer to one of the victims and a prostitute who claimed the former chief took part in sex parties.. Two Suffolk County criminal intelligence officers involved in the 2012 arrest of a Smithtown man convicted of taking a duffel bag out of former police chief James Burke's department-issued vehicle . prison terms for ex-Chief of Department James Burke. He also forfeited the Jeep. Mr. Burke was hoping to to dig up blackmail dirt on her, Mr. Miskiewicz testified, calling the episode something out of the K.G.B.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In a 2013 court hearing, Mr. Loeb testified that when he asked for a lawyer, one detective told him, This isnt Law & Order; youre not going to get an attorney.. Thomas J. Spota, center, leaving court after being charged with obstruction of justice in 2017. Witnesses said the chief "went out of control" after the handcuffed suspect called him a "pervert" during an interrogation - punching, screaming and cursing and threatening to kill him with a heroin overdose. Inside the courtroom, his victim, Christopher Loeb,locked eyes with Burke and said, "You abused your power, and I will never again feel safe living in Suffolk County," 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported. Then-Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke speaks with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone after a news conference in Hauppauge on March 19, 2014. Credit: Ed Betz By Tania Lopez tania.lopez . He is expected to testify that the defendants instructed him to pressure other police detectives into hiding the truth about Mr. Burkes assault from investigators. But, Wexler said, He also did bad if you were not on his side. Loeb was charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and other charges and pleaded not guilty during an arraignment in April 2019. "I feel Mr. Burke acted as a dictator,'' the judge said as the former chief sat stoically with his hands folded in front of his chin. In 2018, Suffolk County agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a federal lawsuit brought by Loeb after the assault by Burke and other officers. He said that one of those assignments was keeping tabs on newly elected Steve Bellone. At one meeting in 2015, Mr. Spota said that any police officers who flipped were dead and would never work in Suffolk County again, the filing said. Prosecutors said that Burke has two brothers who can care for their mother, and that one of the brothers was already living in her home, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported. The victim, Christopher Loeb, addressed Burke in court. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. November 3, 2016 / 6:33 PM RIVERHEAD, Long Island (WABC) -- The former chief of the Suffolk County Police Department pleaded guilty to charges of deprivation of civil rights and obstruction of justice Friday morning. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, sentenced in November to 46 months in the slammer, claimed the former chief took part in sex parties.. He realized what he did here, and he wants to own up to it, Mr. Conway said. Memorial Day Events In Smithtown + Complex To Be Build In Commack, Smithtown Police Blotter: 2 Catalytic Converters Swiped, Smithtown Students Learn Safety Tips Through Teddy Bears, Eggs, Take better care of your bones Join HSS for a new webinar on 5/3, JOB Needed as live-in companion/caregiver as of 5/1/23 (Suffolk County), Minimum Wage Would Increase On Long Island Under $229B Budget Deal, Smithtown Area Pets Who Need A Home: Cats, Dogs & More, Chikn-Fixn Opens In Smithtown, Bringing Unorthodox Breading, 6 New Businesses Opening In Smith Haven Mall, Pandemic Pivot: Former Firemen Turn LI Gas Station Into Fishing Shop, Elementary Students, Smithtown School Aide Save Life Of Choking Girl, LI Hockey Player: 'Really Special' To Represent USA In World Juniors. Mr. Burke has not cooperated with prosecutors and is not expected to testify at the trial of his former colleagues. James Burke, Ex-Suffolk County Police Chief, Pleads Guilty, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/27/nyregion/james-burke-ex-suffolk-county-police-chief-guilty-plea.html, saying he posed a danger to the community, leaving his handgun with the woman, Newsday reported. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burke's crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. One officer told a federal agent that if that were true, "I'm a dead man," the letter said. Robert L. Capers, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said the investigation was continuing and would seek out those who might have been involved in wrongdoing. You told me my word was no good against that of a decorated police chief, said Loeb, who is serving a sentence for a parole violation. I cant comment on the false allegations made in the lawsuit, Suffolk Police Benevolent Association President Noel DiGerolamo said, addingLoebs "conduct and behavior" speak for themselves. The man whose 2012 beating by Suffolk police led to prison terms for ex-Chief of Department James Burke and former District Attorney Thomas Spota alleges in a federal lawsuit that he was . The Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) is a local civilian agency established in 1960, and covers 5 out of the 10 towns in the county, them being: . After the interrogation, Mr. Burke pressured the detectives who witnessed the assault to conceal it. At that point, prosecutors said, Mr. Burke went out of control, screaming and cursing at Loeb and assaulting him until a detective finally said, Boss, thats enough, thats enough.. When the police later arrested a heroin user with the bag, Mr.. The Suffolk Police Department is proud to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). On Wednesday, former officer Kenneth Bombace, who admitted to assaulting suspect Christopher Loeb with Burke, testified he covered it up because Suffolk police officers feared a fate similar to Oliva's if they ever crossed Burke. Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke apologized to his victim, the judge, his family and residents of his Long Island community before being sentenced to 46 months Wednesday by a federal judge. Suffolk County has a custom, policy, pattern and/or practice of permitting, ratifying and acquiescing to the use of excessive force against the plaintiff because the plaintiff was a target of the defendants as a result of the plaintiff exposing corruption and the use of excessive force within the Suffolk County Police Department in a prior civil rights action against the county of Suffolk, the complaint said. At a court hearing after Mr. Burkes arrest, a federal prosecutor, James Miskiewicz, described a pattern of abuse, including the use of a contractor for the district attorneys office to install a GPS device on a deputy police commissioners car. In what has been called an "unusual move," he was then criminally prosecuted by Spota and McPartland. Anyone can read what you share. I think we still have a long way to go," said Trotta, who spoke at the sentencing. A union official falsely told several officers Burke and other high-ranking Suffolk County law enforcement authorities had obtained copies of FBI memos containing the names of people speaking with investigators. Prosecutors painted a miserable picture of a man who thought he had the power to beat up Loeb in front of at least three officers, then allegedly suggest that they give Loeb, a heroin addict, a so-called "hot shot," which is a deadly mix of heroin. In 2012, Christopher . The maximum possible sentence for the civil rights charge is 10 years in prison; for the obstruction charge, it is 20 years. The local police department had long faced allegations of coerced confessions and abuses of power, and critics raised concerns about the cozy relationship between the police and local prosecutors. Burke pleaded guilty to the charges and served time in prison. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. In the 2012 incident that led to his downfall, witnesses testified he went out of control after the handcuffed suspect called him a pervert during an interrogation - punching, screaming and cursing and threatening to kill him with a heroin overdose. Drugs were found in the prison cell of a disgraced former Long Island police chief serving time for beating up a man who stole a stash of porn and a sex toy from his official police vehicle and covering it up, according to a report. The man whose 2012 beating by Suffolk police led to prison terms for ex-Chief of Department James Burke and former District Attorney Thomas Spota alleges in a federal lawsuit that he was physically beat, terrorized and threatened by officers during a 2019 arrest. Robert Trotta, a retired Suffolk County Police detective and now a local legislator, has proposed changes meant to professionalize the department and take out some of the politics. Here is the full text of Burke's plea statement: "On December 14, 2012, I was the Chief of the Suffolk County Police Department. In 2013, he had a contractor illegally put a GPS device on a high-ranking civilian police official he disliked, hoping to gather information that he could use for blackmail, according to the presentencing letter. Loeb pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and was sentenced to three years in prison. "He's made mistakes. He's remorseful.". The county has one of the largest police forces in America and includes both working-class villages and wealthy enclaves like the Hamptons. Outside the courthouse, Robert Trotta, a legislator and former police detective, said he was happy with the sentence. "RRCs provide a safe, structured, supervised environment, as well as employment counseling, job placement, financial management assistance, and other programs and services," the website reads. Loeb drove across lawns to evade police, and motorists told police that he drove atmore than 100 mphon Patchogue-Mount Sinai Road, sometimes on the wrong side of the road, until he stopped at a gas station in Islandia and ran into the woods. Burke is expected to be sentenced to 51 months in prison, according to a plea deal with the US Attorney. He had subordinates conduct surveillance on his girlfriends, prosecutors said. Internal Affairs reports also found Burke had engaged in sexual acts in police vehicles and had a sexual relationship with "a convicted felon, known to be actively engaged in criminal conduct including the possession and sale of illegal drugs, prostitution and larceny.". Prosecutors called Burke's time as chief a "reign of terror.". Larry H. Krantz, Mr. McPartlands lawyer, on Thursday called Mr. Hickey a delusional and paranoid alcoholic whose memories could not be trusted, saying he would show Mr. Hickeys hospital records during trial. Central Islip federal Judge Leonard Wexler trashed Burke as a dictator during sentencing, when the ex-lawman apologized to Loeb. The assault prompted a federal criminal investigation that lasted more than four years and eventually led to the resignation not only of the police chief but also of the longtime Suffolk County district attorney, Thomas J. Spota, who was accused of trying to cover it up. He stole a duffel bag inside the vehicle that included a fake penis, a stash of porn and a box of cigars, according to court papers. Paying more despite good credit? He was brought to a precinct house and shackled to the floor. 2016 The Associated Press. After Mr. Burke was arrested, Judge Leonard Wexler took the unusual step of denying him bail, saying he posed a danger to the community. Burke became chief of the Suffolk County Police Department in 2012 after having served for nearly a decade as the chief investigator for Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota. Before that, Cameron served as chief after James Burke resigned the position over his role in the assault of a handcuffed prisoner. Burke was officially hired by the Suffolk County Police Department in 1986 as a 21-year-old. Both men started serving their prisonsentences early this year. They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. "RRCs help inmates gradually rebuild their ties to the community and facilitate supervising ex-offenders' activities during this readjustment phase. County officials said Chief James Burke turned in his resignation, which is. A Bag of Sex Toys, an Alleged Cover-Up and an Ex-D.A. Former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke to be Transferred to Pennsylvania Prison: Report, Former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke Sentenced to Federal Prison, Former Suffolk Police Chief Accused of Assault, Covering up Federal Investigation. The bodies of eight women, a man and a toddler have been found on or near Gilgo Beach since 1996. [21] Burke violently assaulted a man in custody who had stolen a duffel bag from Burke's police vehicle. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream, beating a man who broke into his police cruiser in 2012 and then trying to hide the alleged assault. Mr. Loeb responded to the thrashing by calling Mr. Burke a pervert and mocking him for the pornography he found in his car, according to federal prosecutors. "I think that it's the beginning of the end of corruption. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. The 30-year-old was released from prison in January after a Suffolk judge set aside his guilty plea in the Burke theft because of perjured testimony given by cops at Burkes direction, Newsday reported. "And somebody has to say, 'obviously we're not doing that,' right?" As your Sheriff, I have made it my priority to protect public safety, speak up and against the grain to do what I know . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "He's been through a lot in Suffolk County.". Mr. Spota, 78, served for more than 15 years as the top prosecutor in Suffolk County, on the eastern end of Long Island. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream. and the U.S. attorneys office opened an investigation of the assault in May 2013, according to a statement released by prosecutors announcing Mr. Burkes indictment in December. One officer told a federal agent that if that were true, "I'm a dead man,'' the letter said. And from there, they said, it only got worse. Federal prosecutors said in a pre-sentencing memorandum that the fallen top cops cover-up scheme included the recruiting of high-ranking officials from other county agencies to assist him in the obstruction and to give teeth to his threats.. James Burke, left, former chief of the Suffolk County Police Department, is taken into custody by FBI agents outside his home in Smithtown on Dec. 9, 2015. Credit: James Carbone By Robert E . Loebs attorney, Christopher Cassar of Huntington, said the alleged 2019 attack was linked to Loeb's efforts to bring Burke and other officials to justice after the 2012 assault. I and others did knowingly and intentionally conspire and took affirmative steps to obstruct, including conspiring with other participants not to cooperate with the investigation, so that the grand jury and the United States Attorney's Office would not find out the true events of December 14, 2012.". The incident began in Ridge, Suffolk prosecutors said in 2019, after Loeb nearly ran over a woman walking her dog while driving in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Thats corruption.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Please enter valid email address to continue. Questions of Burkes fitness to lead surfaced as far back as 1995, when he twice was found to have failed to safeguard his weapon. Former Suffolk County, New York, Police Chief James Burke was sentenced Wednesday to 46 months in federal prison after covering up the revenge beating of a man who stole a duffel bag. In May 2013 the FBI and the US Attorney's Office opened an investigation into alleged actions by Burke when employed as Chief of the Suffolk County Police Department: the alleged assault of a suspect in police custody, a subsequent cover-up, and coercion of witnesses. Burke . They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. Prosecutors said Burke also abused his authority by entering Loeb's residence as police searched for evidence, retrieving his canvas bag and other articles and jeopardizing a larceny investigation that victimized many other civilians "solely to retrieve embarrassing articles." Officers subpoenaed by FBI agents investigating the 2012 beating were interrogated afterward about whether they had talked, prosecutors said. Some were warned that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees. By the end of 2013, the investigation had stalled and no criminal charges had been filed because Mr. Spota, Mr. McPartland and others had pressured witnesses to lie under oath and to withhold information from investigators, prosecutors said. Also in the bag was a gun belt and ammo. The theft suspect, Christopher Loeb, was arrested after someone broke into the chief's department-issued SUV in 2012 and made off with a gun belt, handcuffs, magazines of ammunition, a box of cigars, humidor and a canvas bag that contained, among other items, sex toys and video pornography, authorities said. Loeb said at the time he required the walker due to dog bites sustained during his arrest. James Burke is a former Suffolk County Police Chief who got shrouded in accusations of being involved in Long Island serial killings after rumors of his prior involvements with local sex workers came to light, placing him at a possible crime scene. "You're talking about a man who is a two-time convicted felon, admitted heroin dealer, who did not make allegations that day that he was beaten up by anybody," he said. Internal Affairs reports also found Burke had engaged in sexual acts in police vehicles and had a sexual relationship with "a convicted felon, known to be actively engaged in criminal conduct including the possession and sale of illegal drugs, prostitution and larceny.''. As a result, officers who were present for the beating or heard Burke brag about it at a Christmas party stayed quiet for years, prosecutors said. It started with a duffel bag containing sex toys, cigars and a pornographic film. A federal prosecutor involved in the case declined to comment Tuesday. The series centers on the scandal-ridden former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, who infamously kicked the FBI off the case soon after he stepped into the position in 2012.. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. At that time I, along with others willfully used unreasonable force and slapped and hit this individual causing bodily injury. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, names the county, the police department and officers Shawn Petersen, Erik Pedersen, Frank Santanello, Mathew Kenneally and Glen Ritchie as defendants. Compared with those in other departments, officers in the Suffolk agency are well paid, making $125,000 in base pay. He has sued Burke and the Police Department. Burke, 56, who pleaded guilty to civil rights and conspiracy charges, was sentenced to 46 months in prison in 2016. He was released about 6 months early for good behavior, according to the New York Post. For a few minutes, prosecutors said, Mr. Burke assaulted the suspect, screaming and threatening to kill him until a detective in the room finally said, Boss, thats enough.. Burke pleaded guilty in February 2016 to obstruction of justice and violating the civil rights of prisoner Christopher Loeb, a self-admitted heroin addict who had broken into his department-issued SUV in December 2012. This accreditation signifies a compliance with higher standards of practice and enforcement of policies that are focused on community-based policing, a commitment to excellence and resource management, and sound training practices. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burkes crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. As a result, officers who were present for the beating or heard Burke brag about it at a Christmas party stayed quiet for years, prosecutors said. Its all part of a corruption case involving a former Long Island district attorney. Prison officials found oxycodone a controlled substance prescribed for pain management in former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burkes cell at the low-security federal lockup in Allenwood, Pa., sources told Newsday. Burke became chief of the Suffolk County Police Department, one of the countrys largest suburban police forces, in 2012 after serving for nearly a decade as chief investigator for Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to [email protected]. Burke, 54, of St. James, was charged in 2015 with assaulting Smithtown resident Christopher Loeb who was arrested for stealing a duffel bags with items from Burke's SCPD-issued SUV as well as other police vehicles in 2012. There is no requirement for his cooperation in other cases or to testify against anyone else. Last month he was released from custody and transferred to a halfway house in New York City, Newsday reports. Mr. Burkes lawyer said at the time that the surveillance was part of a legitimate investigation into whether the officer had been filing false time sheets. Metro-North conductor: Don't blame us for seat-hogging rid Woman has 'loud, full body orgasm' in the middle of LA concert, Bride killed, groom seriously hurt by drunk driver just minutes after leaving reception, All the red carpet highlights and star-studded fashionfrom the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala, After legal weed, NYC's once-wild 4/20 party just another boring street fair, How a retired detective snared his seventh 'Torso Killer' confession, The best-dressed celebs at the 2023 Met Gala: Rihanna, Gisele Bndchen, more, Kim Kardashians Met Gala 2023 look sparks comparisons to Playboy cover, Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson reunite at Met Gala 9 months after breakup, Khristina Williams previews the New York Liberty's 2023 WNBA season, Katy Perry will be temporarily replaced on 'American Idol' amid drama. All rights reserved. CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) --A former Long Islandpolice chief charged withbeating a handcuffed manfor stealing embarrassing items from his department vehicle and then covering it up was sentenced to 46 months in prison Wednesday. "Our investigation is ongoing," the US attorney said. / CBS New York. Before the sentencing, ex-Suffolk County police Chief James Burke apologized to police, the judge, the victim and the people of the community.
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