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. 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. 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. 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 . During the same meeting, Mr. Spota, Mr. McPartland and Mr. Burke discussed who was a rat and directed a police officer to remind other officers what happened to people who go against the administration.. 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. County officials said Chief James Burke turned in his resignation, which is. 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.". 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. A Bag of Sex Toys, an Alleged Cover-Up and an Ex-D.A. on Trial He will be assisted in finding a job and housing. 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. The new Suffolk police commissioner, Tim Sini, is a former assistant United States attorney from the Southern District of New York, and he has hired a former federal corruption investigator, John Barry, to review the departments internal affairs files. In 2012, Christopher . All Rights Reserved. One officer told a federal agent that if that were true, "I'm a dead man,'' the letter said. Central Islip federal Judge Leonard Wexler trashed Burke as a dictator during sentencing, when the ex-lawman apologized to Loeb. Some were warned that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees. 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. And from there, they said, it only got worse. Burke became chief of the Suffolk County Police Department, one of the country's largest suburban police forces, in 2012 after having served for nearly a decade as the chief investigator for Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota. 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. "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. 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. 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. The case is a rare instance in which a district attorney is the one on trial. Former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer was stunned to have found the remains of four young women on an isolated stretch of Long Island's Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach.. "Our investigation is ongoing," the US attorney said. Some were warned that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees. He was brought to a precinct house and shackled to the floor. Federal prosecutors have signaledthat charges may be looming for accomplices who helped Burke cover up the crime. Prosecutors, however, have said in court papers that Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland operated in a manner more akin to criminal enterprise than a district attorneys office.. Before that, Cameron served as chief after James Burke resigned the position over his role in the assault of a handcuffed prisoner. ), First published on November 2, 2016 / 5:48 PM. 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. Burke became chief of the Suffolk County Police Department, one of the country's largest suburban police forces, in 2012 after serving for nearly a decade as chief investigator for Suffolk County . Burke is expected to be sentenced to 51 months in prison, according to a plea deal with the US Attorney. "And somebody has to say, 'obviously we're not doing that,' right?" Both men started serving their prisonsentences early this year. Feb. 26, 2016. The defendant violated his oath and responsibilities as a law enforcement officer by exacting personal vengeance, assaulting a handcuffed suspect and abusing his authority as the highest ranking uniformed member of the Suffolk County Police Department, Mr. Capers said in a statement. a training of 6 months at the academy, candidates have to go through 18 months as their probationary periods. Mr. Spota and Mr. Burke have been close for decades, and the district attorney helped Mr. Burke secure his job as the top officer for much of Long Island, despite a sometimes checkered history. Former Long Island Prosecutors Sentenced in Plot to Protect Police Chief He is an award-winning journalist and the co-author of two books, "The Card" and "American Icon. 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. N.J. Burkett has the latest details from Long Island. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Leto testified that the spying was under the guise of providing him security. Burkes Manhattan lawyer, John Meringolo, denied that drugs were found in Burkes locker. That's corruption.". Former Suffolk Chief of Department James Burke pleaded guilty in 2016 to violating Loebs civil rights after admitting that he assaulted Loeb in a police precinct in 2012 and orchestrated a departmental cover-up of the beating. Paying more despite good credit? After 37 years, Suffolk County's police commissioner is retiring - WSHU And we are here today because no one is above the law.. Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. On that day I went to the 4th precinct in Suffolk County. A federal prosecutor involved in the case declined to comment Tuesday. Former police chief sentenced in beating of handcuffed man - CBS News Conway argued that Loeb's account was less than credible. A Suffolk County police scandal involving a beating and coverup now spills into the local prosecutor's office. The Strange Rise and Violent Fall of Long Island's Dirtiest Police Chief Ex-Suffolk officer: Burke ordered officers to spy on Executive Bellone "The charges [from the 2019 incident]were dropped because they were not based in true facts," Cassar said. Thats something out of the K.G.B., a prosecutor said at Mr. Burkes bail hearing in 2015. 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. They said, 'If you guys don't toe the line and keep lying, we are going to 'Oliva' you," said Oliva. Loeb was charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and other charges and pleaded not guilty during an arraignment in April 2019. James Burke (police officer) - Wikipedia "'We'll cover up the beating for you but, hot shot? He had subordinates conduct surveillance on his girlfriends, prosecutors said. He fought aggressively to expose sexual abuse by Catholic priests and was widely praised for prosecuting corrupt officials in both parties. A federal prosecutor involved in the case declined to comment Tuesday. Their relationship began four decades ago in an unusual way: As a teenager, Mr. Burke testified as a witness in a homicide trial in which Mr. Spota was the prosecutor. The ex-police chief pleaded guilty last winter in the beating and cover-up. 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. Suffolk County man sues police department for exposing corruption after The defense accused the government of turning Mr. Burkes longtime friendship with Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland into a crime, saying the conversations that the three men had during the federal investigation did not rise to the level of obstruction of justice. 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. "There was a level of justice here and that even somebody as high ranking as the chief of police can't engage in that kind of misconduct and that kind of corruption and that kind of coverup and get away with it," said Loeb's lawyer, Bruce Barket. The next day, he resigned as the Suffolk County district attorney. 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 former chief pleaded guilty to reduced charges in February 2016.[1]. 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. All Rights Reserved. Ex-Suffolk County police chief James Burke gets 46 months in revenge After the interrogation, Mr. Burke pressured the detectives who witnessed the assault to conceal it. 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. Steve Bellone was warned James Burke's past would lead to scandal Mr. Spota had been a longtime mentor and friend of Mr. Burkes. Burke resigned from the force in October after a 31-year career. All rights reserved. Hes very remorseful.. 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. He said that one of those assignments was keeping tabs on newly elected Steve Bellone. 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. 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. The once popular and swaggering chief of the Suffolk County Police Department, James Burke, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison on Wednesday for a series of misdeeds that. 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.. With time served, he'll spend 35 months behind bars. 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 . Burke, 52, who was Suffolk's highest-ranking uniformed cop for four years until he resigned in late 2015, was segregated from other prisoners after the drug was discovered recently, sources. 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. A police helicopter located him crouching under a tree and a police dog retrieved him, according to prosecutors. Its all part of a corruption case involving a former Long Island district attorney. The police unions on Long Island are so wealthy they have formed a super PAC to flood local elections with campaign donations. 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. 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. As a result, officers working the night of the beating or heard Burke brag about it at a Christmas party stayed quiet for years, prosecutors said. He also forfeited the Jeep. Federal prosecutors have indicated other charges may be looming for accomplices who helped cover up the crime. 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. Loeb pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and was sentenced to three years in prison. I am proud of the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Sheriff's Office. Burkepleaded guilty to the chargesand had asked to be sentenced to probation so he could take care of his mother, who is battling cancerand is in a wheelchair. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. A scandal sent a Long Island police chief to prison. Now it's brought 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 . During the corruption trial, which is expected to last four weeks, several current and former Suffolk County police officers will appear as witnesses. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. He's remorseful.". U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burkes crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The prostitute, who identified herself as Lee Ann, claimed she had rough sex with Burke. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. He asked for no prison time because he says his mother is dying of cancer. 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. Those efforts continued even after the F.B.I. 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 . "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. 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Christopher Loeb speaks to the media after former Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota and top aide Christopher McPartland were found guilty on all felony charges at federal court in Central Islip in December2019. 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. Burke pleaded guilty to the charges and served time in prison. 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.. This page is not available in other languages. CENTRAL ISLIP, Long Island -- A suburban New York police chief who orchestrated a department cover-up after beating a handcuffed man for stealing embarrassing items from his SUV has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison. Former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke Sentenced to Federal Prison Former Suffolk Police Chief Accused of Assault, Covering up Federal Investigation Last month he was released from. Late in the afternoon, the jury also heard from Anthony Leto, another former Suffolk police officer who admitted to assaulting suspect Christopher Loeb and covering it up with then-police chief James Burke. 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. CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- A suburban New York police chief who orchestrated a department cover-up after beating a handcuffed man for stealing embarrassing items from his SUV has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison. Stacey Sager reports on the sentencing from Central Islip. Mr. Spota was a longtime Republican who ran as a Democrat to win election in 2001. By: News 12 Staff / A former high-ranking member of the Suffolk Police Department testifying in the trial of former Suffolk District Attorney Tom Spota and his chief investigator said Wednesday he was demoted by James Burke when Burke became police chief. 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. Mr. Burke has not cooperated with prosecutors and is not expected to testify at the trial of his former colleagues. We are honored to serve and protect the residents of Suffolk County. Officers subpoenaed by FBI agents investigating the 2012 beating were interrogated afterward about whether they had talked, prosecutors said. Investigators are looking into the conduct of two of Mr. Spotas protgs Mr. Burke and the district attorneys top anticorruption prosecutor and any role they may have had in what federal prosecutors have described as a conspiracy to obstruct justice, three officials familiar with the investigation told The New York Times earlier this year. James Burke is former Police Chief in Suffolk County, New York. 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. Unnamed co-conspirators had warned some that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees, prosecutors said. James Burke, Ex-Suffolk County Police Chief, Is Sentenced to 46 Months 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. A commanding officer was assigned to warn witnesses that they could face retribution if they cooperated. 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. Burke.). A Bag of Sex Toys, an Alleged Cover-Up and an Ex-D.A. Before being named chief in 2012, he worked as an investigator for the Suffolk County district attorney. 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. 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. 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. The bag belonged to James Burke, the police chief in Suffolk County, and was stolen from his parked car in December 2012. They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke apologized to his victim, the judge, his family and his Long Island community before being sentenced to 46 months Wednesday. 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.. We've received your submission. 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.. Bellone responded in a statement: I am not surprised to learn of these additional corrupt activities as this is why I fired Jim Burke and called on Tom Spota to resign for running a criminal enterprise. 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. To prove Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland were guilty of obstruction, according to the defense, the government must show the two men knew they were asking others to lie. The charges against Mr. Burke stemmed from an episode in December 2012 when Christopher Loeb, a heroin addict who financed his $100-a-day habit by breaking into cars, was arrested on suspicion of stealing a duffel bag stuffed with cigars, pornographic DVDs and sex toys from Mr. Burkes police car. Thereafter, from approximately December 14, 2012 to December 2015 I was aware that there was a Grand Jury Investigation regarding the violation of Civil Rights being conducted by the United States Attorney's Office. Prosecutors said the woman grabbed her dog and dived on a neighbors lawn to avoid getting hit. In a letter to a judge this week, prosecutors said "high-ranking officials'' from other county agencies helped Burke silence potential whistleblowers after he pummeled a heroin addict who had broken into his SUV and taken his gun belt, ammunition, a box of cigars and a bag containing sex toys and pornography. The bag belonged to James Burke, the police chief in Suffolk County, and was stolen from his parked car in December 2012. The lawsuit filed by Christopher Loeb on Oct. 21 in the Eastern District of New York in Central Islipalso claims Suffolk officers encouraged, directed and/or permitted a police dog named Brick to attack him, resulting in serious injury. After 37 years, Suffolk County's police commissioner is retiring Former Police Chief James Burke Released From Prison: Reports Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland have pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts, including witness tampering and obstruction of justice. As chief of the SCPD, Burke had been involved in the Gilgo Beach investigations, and in fact, had fired Suffolk County Chief of Detectives Dominic Varrone in late 2011 just two days after Gilbert's body was found. He was convicted of assaulting a man in 2012 during an interrogation and obstructing a federal investigation. 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. 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. 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. But, Wexler said, "He also did bad if you were not on his side. Prosecutors called Burke's time as chief a "reign of terror.". Ex-Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke Sentenced To 46 Months In The case was notorious on Long Island. Inside new mortgage fee rules, Retaining wall collapses in the Bronx due to severe weather. When the police later arrested a heroin user with the bag, Mr.. 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.