In 2013, he had a contractor illegally put a GPS device on a high-ranking civilian police official he disliked, hoping to gather blackmail information, prosecutors said. 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.. 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. And from there, they said, it only got worse. 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. 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. 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. Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland have pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts, including witness tampering and obstruction of justice. 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. Federal prosecutors have indicated other charges may be looming for accomplices who helped cover up the crime. The ex-police chief pleaded guilty last winter in the beating and cover-up. As your Sheriff, I have made it my priority to protect public safety, speak up and against the grain to do what I know . The bag belonged to James Burke, the police chief in Suffolk County, and was stolen from his parked car in December 2012. "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. 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.. Also in the bag was a gun belt and ammo. "He's been through a lot in Suffolk County.". (TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland, 55, had each requested sentences that included. One officer told a federal agent that if that were true, "I'm a dead man," the letter said. Thats something out of the K.G.B., a prosecutor said at Mr. Burkes bail hearing in 2015. Conway argued that Loeb's account was less than credible. Anyone can read what you share. The co-conspirators were not identified in the letter, but prosecutors said their investigation is ongoing. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. Please enter valid email address to continue. My client denies all allegations. They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. 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 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 . 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. Credit: James Carbone, Michael O'Keeffe covers Suffolk County police and other Long Island law enforcement agencies. 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. "'We'll cover up the beating for you but, hot shot? A Suffolk County Police Officer begins the job at a salary of $42,000 per annum. The new facility, also known as a "residential reentry center" is meant to "provide assistance to inmates who are nearing release," according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. He has sued Burke and the Police Department. The victim, Christopher Loeb, addressed Burke in court. "Our investigation is ongoing," the US attorney said. But, Wexler said, "He also did bad if you were not on his side. Welcome to the official website of Suffolk County Sheriff's Office. 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. 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.. Burke is expected to be sentenced to 51 months in prison, according to a plea deal with the US Attorney. This page is not available in other languages. Charles. But, Wexler said, He also did bad if you were not on his side. With time served, he'll spend 35 months behind bars. Prosecutors called Burke's time as chief a "reign of terror.''. Burke's mentor, Spotawas sentenced to serve five years in prison in August 2021 after a jury found him and McPartlandguilty in December 2019 of witness tampering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy for their role in the cover-up. We've received your submission. Here is the full text of Burke's plea statement: "On December 14, 2012, I was the Chief of the Suffolk County Police Department. 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. "The charges [from the 2019 incident]were dropped because they were not based in true facts," Cassar said. Internal Affairs reports also found Burke had engaged in sexual acts in police vehicles and had a sexual relationship with a convicted felon. He was promoted to sergeant in 1991, when he was 26, and reportedly had Spota's ear. In a pre-sentencing letter to Wexler, prosecutors said "high-ranking officials" from other county agencies helped Burke silence potential whistleblowers after he pummeled a heroin addict who had taken his gun belt, ammunition, a box of cigars and a bag containing sex toys and pornography. The FBI in Pennsylvania is investigating the source of the oxycodone, sources said. 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. 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. 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. Mr. Spota had been a longtime mentor and friend of Mr. Burkes. A commanding officer was assigned to warn witnesses that they could face retribution if they cooperated. Sources say Bellone didn't want a security detail, but Burke told him there was a threat against him so he had one for a few months in 2012. All Rights Reserved. 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. Copyright 2023 Newsday. Capers was seated at the prosecution table during the sentencing but did not immediately comment afterward. The county has one of the largest police forces in America and includes both working-class villages and wealthy enclaves like the Hamptons. Hell be vindicated, he said. He realized what he did here, and he wants to own up to it, Mr. Conway said. Feb. 26, 2016. A Bag of Sex Toys, an Alleged Cover-Up and an Ex-D.A. He was convicted of assaulting a man in 2012 during an interrogation and obstructing a federal investigation. Before the sentencing, ex-Suffolk County police Chief James Burke apologized to police, the judge, the victim and the people of the community. A Suffolk County police scandal involving a beating and coverup now spills into the local prosecutor's office. 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.. a training of 6 months at the academy, candidates have to go through 18 months as their probationary periods. He also forfeited the Jeep. 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. All Rights Reserved. on Trial, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/nyregion/thomas-spota-corruption-trial.html. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. 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. In a pre-sentencing letter, prosecutors said high-ranking officials from other county agencies helped Burke silence potential whistleblowers after he pummeled a heroin addict who had taken his gun belt, ammunition, a box of cigars and a bag containing sex toys and pornography. The police chief pleaded guilty in a separate case, avoiding a trial, and served a jail sentence. 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 . Leto told jurors that Burke had a number of "unorthodox assignments" for him and other officers in the criminal intelligence unit, including tailing the stepson of Burke's girlfriend to see if he broke any laws. 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.''. Last month he was released from custody and transferred to a halfway house in New York City, Newsday reports. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "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 coverup 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. "I think that it's the beginning of the end of corruption. 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. 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. He has sued Burke and the Police Department, seeking damages. 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. 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. The police unions on Long Island are so wealthy they have formed a super PAC to flood local elections with campaign donations. Prior to Spota's trial, the feds were probing then Suffolk police chief James Burke for beating a handcuffed suspect who was charged with stealing the angry chief's duffel bag, full of the chief's nifty playthings. There is no requirement for his cooperation in other cases or to testify against anyone else. 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. 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. Paying more despite good credit? By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. When the police later arrested a heroin user with the bag, Mr.. At that time, I entered a room with others and encountered an individual who had been arrested earlier that morning on suspicion of burglarizing motor vehicles, including my own vehicle. 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. He said that one of those assignments was keeping tabs on newly elected Steve Bellone. ", Burke will be able to leave the facility only through a sign-out procedure for "approved activities.". 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. 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. 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. Stacey Sager reports on the sentencing from Central Islip. Their lawyers on Thursday placed the blame squarely on Mr. Burke. 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. SCPD members who witnessed the assault came under direct and extreme pressure from the defendants and others to conceal it, prosecutors said. 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.. 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. 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. The case was notorious on Long Island. Anyone can read what you share. Burke resigned from the force in October after a 31-year career. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burke's crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. Federal prosecutors indicated other charges may be looming for accomplices who aided the cover-up. Federal prosecutors have described a climate of fear and retribution cultivated by top law enforcement officials in Suffolk County, where subordinates worried their careers would be destroyed if they did not obey corrupt orders. 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. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burkes crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. 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. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream. In the 2012 incident that led to his downfall, Burke was exacting revenge on a man who broke into his SUV that year. 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. 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.. But defense attorneys insist that the plea deal is not a cooperation agreement. A federal prosecutor involved in the case declined to comment Tuesday. 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. 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. "That's basically how they put fear in [officers]. In a statement Tuesday, the agency said that for privacy reasons the department does not discuss whether a particular inmate is or has been the subject of allegations, investigations, or sanctions for misconduct in prison.. 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. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Central Islip federal Judge Leonard Wexler trashed Burke as a dictator during sentencing, when the ex-lawman apologized to Loeb. He was brought to a precinct house and shackled to the floor. But, Wexler said, "He also did bad if you were not on his side. Spokespeoplefor Suffolk police and the county declined to comment, saying they could not discuss pending litigation. "We will seek to hold accountable anyone who violates another's civil rights or attempts to obstruct justice.". Since the federal inquiry into Mr. Burkes actions began some three years ago, investigators have expanded their inquiries and are now examining the workings of the Police Department and the district attorneys office. This story has been shared 234,419 times. 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. 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 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. 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.". But in 2015, the prosecutors started investigating again, issuing grand jury subpoenas to police officers. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burke's crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. When Mr. Burke entered the interrogation room, Mr. Loeb was handcuffed and chained to an eyebolt fastened to the floor, according to prosecutors. He was released about 6 months early for good behavior, according to the New York Post. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. 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. The coconspirators were not identified in the letter, but prosecutors said their investigation is ongoing. 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 . Hollywood writers going on strike over fair pay in streaming era, Missing teens likely among 7 people found dead in Oklahoma, authorities say, Fish contaminated with "forever chemicals" found in nearly every state, Gordon Lightfoot, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" singer, dies at 84, CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue, At least 6 dead after dust storm causes massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Oklahoma governor signs gender-affirming care ban for kids, U.S. tracking high-altitude balloon first spotted off Hawaii, Bob Lee died from three stab wounds, medical examiner says, Missing teens may be among 7 found dead in Oklahoma, authorities say, Arkansas woman indicted for selling stolen body parts to Pennsylvania man, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell case: A timeline of events, DNA solves "decades-old mystery" after woman's remains found in 1995. Inside new mortgage fee rules, Retaining wall collapses in the Bronx due to severe weather. / CBS New York. The prostitute, who identified herself as Lee Ann, claimed she had rough sex with Burke. When the police later arrested a heroin user with the bag, Mr. Burke walked into the station house to confront the man, who was handcuffed to the floor of an interrogation room. They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. . 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. The governments key cooperating witness is James Hickey, a former top police official in Suffolk County. 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. Burke pleaded not guilty in December after being accused of beating a man who broke into his police cruiser in 2012 and then trying to hide the alleged assault. But new allegations against Burke kept coming, including one that he brazenly sent a group text to 10 other cops asking them to cover up the case, and that he somehow Burke had access to secret grand jury deliberations in the case. The former chief pleaded guilty to reduced charges in February 2016.[1]. 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. 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. Burke.). 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. The heart and soul of the governments case rests on the credibility of one witness, Mr. Krantz said. 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.. Loeb pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and was sentenced to three years in prison. Burke pleaded guilty to the charges and served time in prison. 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: . To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. He will be assisted in finding a job and housing. Its all part of a corruption case involving a former Long Island district attorney. November 3, 2016 / 6:33 PM Loeb pleaded guilty to reckless driving in April, according to a spokeswoman for Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney. Detectives and sergeants have been known to earn more than $200,000 a year. 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. 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. Burkes Manhattan lawyer, John Meringolo, denied that drugs were found in Burkes locker. Unnamed co-conspirators had warned some that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees, prosecutors said. Prosecutors called Burke's time as chief a "reign of terror.". I have been fighting this corruption in Suffolk County long before Spota was prosecuted and the media began reporting on it. Burke, 52, who was Suffolks 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 told the paper. 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. The man beaten by former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke has filed a second lawsuit stemming from a second incident where he alleges police again used excessive force. Mr. Burke has not cooperated with prosecutors and is not expected to testify at the trial of his former colleagues. At that time I, along with others willfully used unreasonable force and slapped and hit this individual causing bodily injury. 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. ), First published on November 2, 2016 / 5:48 PM. "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.

Everything Smells Like Celery, Boise State Vs San Jose State, Articles S