All Rights Reserved. He was promoted to sergeant in 1991, when he was 26, and reportedly had Spota's ear. Suffolk Police Department | Suffolk, VA Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke Sentenced to 46 Months "Our investigation is ongoing," the US attorney said. 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. 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. 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. on Trial, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/nyregion/thomas-spota-corruption-trial.html. We don't know.". 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. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. One officer told a federal agent that if that were true, "I'm a dead man," the letter said. The police unions on Long Island are so wealthy they have formed a super PAC to flood local elections with campaign donations. In Jan. 2017 Burke, who was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison, was transferred to the low-security prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. Spokespeoplefor Suffolk police and the county declined to comment, saying they could not discuss pending litigation. You told me no one would believe me," Loeb added. I think we still have a long way to go," said Trotta, who spoke at the sentencing. 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." In November 2016, former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke was sentenced to 46 months in federal custody. At that time I, along with others willfully used unreasonable force and slapped and hit this individual causing bodily injury. 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. 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. But, Wexler said, He also did bad if you were not on his side. Burke and others within the department maneuvered in a backroom plot to sabotage . "He's made mistakes. 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. 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. 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. ), First published on November 2, 2016 / 5:48 PM. The ex-police chief pleaded guilty last winter in the beating and cover-up. They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. 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. The Suffolk Police Department is proud to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). November 2, 2016 / 5:48 PM Loeb pleaded guilty to reckless driving in April, according to a spokeswoman for Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney. Two years. Prosecutors will say only that the investigation has widened and that it's not over. 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. 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. Inside the mind of a murderer: New clues in the hunt for the Long When Mr. Spota heard the inquiry was resuming, he went nuts, according to a court filing from the F.B.I. 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. 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 Robert Capers said in the letter. But before we delve into that, we should mention his long career in law enforcement. Credit: James Carbone, Michael O'Keeffe covers Suffolk County police and other Long Island law enforcement agencies. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. He will be assisted in finding a job and housing. 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. Loeb said at the time he required the walker due to dog bites sustained during his arrest. 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.. He's remorseful.". He has sued Burke and the Police Department. He will then have three years post-supervised release and pay a $250,000 fine. Ex-Suffolk County police chief James Burke gets 46 months in revenge / AP. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Prosecutors called Burke's time as chief a "reign of terror.''. 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. "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. 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. After 37 years, Suffolk County's police commissioner is retiring A Suffolk County police scandal involving a beating and coverup now spills into the local prosecutor's office. 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. One officer told a federal agent he was a dead man, if that were true, the letter said. 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. Officers subpoenaed by FBI agents investigating the 2012 beating were brought in and interrogated about whether they had talked, prosecutors said. Former Suffolk County police chief James Burke pleads guilty, takes He said that one of those assignments was keeping tabs on newly elected Steve Bellone. Those efforts continued even after the F.B.I. But in 2015, the prosecutors started investigating again, issuing grand jury subpoenas to police officers. He was brought to a precinct house and shackled to the floor. Two decades ago, as a sergeant, Mr. Burke had a sexual relationship with a prostitute, according to an internal affairs investigation that accused Mr. Burke of accidentally leaving his handgun with the woman, Newsday reported. Capers was seated at the prosecution table during the sentencing but did not immediately comment afterward. Long Island Serial Killer: Did Police Corruption Derail Investigation Burke pleaded guilty to the charges and served time in prison. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. A federal prosecutor involved in the case declined to comment Tuesday. Last month he was released from custody and transferred to a halfway house in New York City, Newsday reports. The former chief pleaded guilty to reduced charges in February 2016.[1]. 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. Welcome to the official website of Suffolk County Sheriff's Office. [21] Burke violently assaulted a man in custody who had stolen a duffel bag from Burke's police vehicle. 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. Disgraced police chief busted with oxycodone in jail cell - New York Post 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. "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. Officers subpoenaed by FBI agents investigating the 2012 beating were brought in and interrogated about whether they had talked, prosecutors said. He was named chief in 2012, the highest-ranking uniformed position in the department, which, like New York Citys, is led by a civilian commissioner. The federal inquiry has since expanded beyond Mr. Burke to look into a broader pattern of possible corruption in both the police department and the office of the Suffolk County district attorney, Thomas J. Spota. 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. 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.''. Questions of Burkes fitness to lead surfaced as far back as 1995, when he twice was found to have failed to safeguard his weapon. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. 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. A commanding officer was assigned to warn witnesses that they could face retribution if they cooperated. He also forfeited the Jeep. The ex-police chief pleaded guilty last winter in the beating and cover-up. 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. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. "Your abuse of power and the public's trust is appalling. The governments key cooperating witness is James Hickey, a former top police official in Suffolk County. 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. There is no requirement for his cooperation in other cases or to testify against anyone else. I am proud of the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Sheriff's Office. Christopher Loeb, James Burke's target in 2012 precinct beating, sues 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. 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 page is not available in other languages. Mr. Spota had been a longtime mentor and friend of Mr. Burkes. And we are here today because no one is above the law.. I have been fighting this corruption in Suffolk County long before Spota was prosecuted and the media began reporting on 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.. Officers subpoenaed by FBI agents investigating the 2012 beating were interrogated afterward about whether they had talked, prosecutors said. He had subordinates conduct surveillance on his girlfriends, prosecutors said. They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. . 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 . Loeb later pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and was sentenced to three years in prison; he was released last summer. Despite the efforts of the defendant and his co-conspirators to obstruct the federal investigation, he has been brought to justice.. 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.. The case is a rare instance in which a district attorney is the one on trial. Mr. McPartland, 53, was the chief of the offices public corruption unit. The bag belonged to James Burke, the police chief in Suffolk County, and was stolen from his parked car in December 2012. 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. 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. They thought they were above the law, said Justina L. Geraci, an assistant United States attorney in the Eastern District of New York. He was appointed by Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota as the chief investigator of the Suffolk County District Attorney's . 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. "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. As your Sheriff, I have made it my priority to protect public safety, speak up and against the grain to do what I know . "He's doing much better these days," Cassar said. Mr. Spota was a longtime Republican who ran as a Democrat to win election in 2001. Their lawyers on Thursday placed the blame squarely on Mr. Burke. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Copyright 2023 Newsday. Some were warned that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees. 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. Thomas J. Spota, center, leaving court after being charged with obstruction of justice in 2017. James Burke, Ex-Suffolk County Police Chief, Is Sentenced to 46 Months He asked for no prison time because he says his mother is dying of cancer. A police helicopter located him crouching under a tree and a police dog retrieved him, according to prosecutors. 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 what has been called an "unusual move," he was then criminally prosecuted by Spota and McPartland. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. In what has been called an "unusual move," he was then criminally prosecuted by Spota and McPartland. The county has one of the largest police forces in America and includes both working-class villages and wealthy enclaves like the Hamptons. Also in the bag was a gun belt and ammo. FBI agents arrest the former Suffolk County Chief of Police James Burkeoutside his Smithtown home on Dec. 9, 2015. That's corruption.". Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. 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. Former Police Chief James Burke Released From Prison: Reports 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. Stacey Sager reports on the sentencing from Central Islip. "He's been through a lot in Suffolk County.". 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. Chief Burke grabbed me by my cheeks and hit me on the top of my head, Mr. Loeb testified during his 2013 trial, during which he was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison. He was convicted of assaulting a man in 2012 during an interrogation and obstructing a federal investigation. 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. Steve Bellone was warned James Burke's past would lead to scandal Burke resigned from the force in October after a 31-year career. At least 11 current or former police officers and detectives who had previously remained silent about the beating testified before the grand jury that indicted Burke. (Mr. Loeb later received a $1.5 million settlement from the county and a separate confidential settlement from Mr. Burke, 56, who pleaded guilty to civil rights and conspiracy charges, was sentenced to 46 months in prison in 2016. It started with a duffel bag containing sex toys, cigars and a pornographic film. With time served, he'll spend 35 months behind bars. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Witnesses said the chief "went out of control'' after the handcuffed suspect called him a "pervert'' during an interrogation -- punching, screaming, cursing and threatening to kill him with a heroin overdose. Credit: Barry Sloan. He noted that more than 80 people had written letters seeking leniency and calling Burke a good man who helped many people in a 31-year career. 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.". 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.". 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. 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.. The Strange Rise and Violent Fall of Long Island's Dirtiest Police Chief Ex-Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke Sentenced To 46 Months In "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. 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 . 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.. 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. Its all part of a corruption case involving a former Long Island district attorney. 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. Mr. Hickey had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice, and Mr. Krantz said that he was testifying only to spare himself a harsh prison sentence. Federal prosecutors have signaledthat charges may be looming for accomplices who helped Burke cover up the crime. Mr. Burke not only survived that incident but also thrived. 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 is an award-winning journalist and the co-author of two books, "The Card" and "American Icon. Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland are also accused of requiring police witnesses to hire people from a list of lawyers who were expected to share information with Mr. Burkes legal team, prosecutors 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.. Paying more despite good credit? 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 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. 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. 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. Charles. The co-conspirators were not identified in the letter, but prosecutors said their investigation is ongoing. Feb. 26, 2016. Former Long Island Prosecutors Sentenced in Plot to Protect Police Chief At least 11 current or former police officers and detectives who had previously remained silent about the beating testified before the grand jury that indicted Burke. 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. During the assault, Loeb was handcuffed and chained to an eyebolt fastened to the floor at the Fourth Precinct. We are honored to serve and protect the residents of Suffolk County. 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. Former Suffolk Chief of Police James Burke to complete prison - Newsday 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. "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. The victim was a 13-year-old boy who died when other teenagers shoved rocks down his throat. 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.