Ex-Suffolk County police chief James Burke gets 46 months in revenge / CBS New York. 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. 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. 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. 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. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burke's crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. A commanding officer was assigned to warn witnesses that they could face retribution if they cooperated. Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke resigns amid controversy 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. In what has been called an "unusual move," he was then criminally prosecuted by Spota and McPartland. He said that one of those assignments was keeping tabs on newly elected Steve Bellone. Burke was furious after Loeb, then a self-admitted drug addict, broke into his vehicle and stole items, including his gun belt, Viagra, pornography and sex toys, federal prosecutors charged in a trial of Spota and his then-former aide, Christopher McPartland. 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. He asked for no prison time because he says his mother is dying of cancer. 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. 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. Convicted Police Chief Released From Solitary: Sources "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. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. Last month he was released from custody and transferred to a halfway house in New York City, Newsday reports. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. He had subordinates conduct surveillance on his girlfriends, prosecutors said. In what has been called an "unusual move," he was then criminally prosecuted by Spota and McPartland. 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. "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. 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. 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. "'We'll cover up the beating for you but, hot shot? The ex-police chief pleaded guilty last winter in the beating and cover-up. A commanding officer was assigned to warn witnesses that they could face retribution if they cooperated. You told me no one would believe me," Loeb added. prison terms for ex-Chief of Department James Burke. Mr. McPartland, 53, was the chief of the offices public corruption unit. Leto testified that the spying was under the guise of providing him security. A scandal sent a Long Island police chief to prison. Now it's brought We don't know.". Two years. Both men started serving their prisonsentences early this year. Thats something out of the K.G.B., a prosecutor said at Mr. Burkes bail hearing in 2015. 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 pre-sentencing letter. But, "If you did anything wrong in any way, he would persecute you, transfer you and ruin your career.". Before being named chief in 2012, he worked as an investigator for the Suffolk County district attorney. James Burke, Ex-Suffolk County Police Chief, Is Sentenced to 46 Months The maximum possible sentence for the civil rights charge is 10 years in prison; for the obstruction charge, it is 20 years. In Jan. 2017 Burke, who was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison, was transferred to the low-security prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. Credit: Barry Sloan. 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.. Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland have pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts, including witness tampering and obstruction of justice. 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. The bodies of eight women, a man and a toddler have been found on or near Gilgo Beach since 1996. They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. 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. 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. Some were warned that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. 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.. "Our investigation is ongoing," the US attorney said. They said, 'If you guys don't toe the line and keep lying, we are going to 'Oliva' you," said Oliva. 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. They thought they were above the law, said Justina L. Geraci, an assistant United States attorney in the Eastern District of New York. Here is the full text of Burke's plea statement: "On December 14, 2012, I was the Chief of the Suffolk County Police Department. 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.. The police unions on Long Island are so wealthy they have formed a super PAC to flood local elections with campaign donations. Hes very remorseful.. 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. Questions of Burkes fitness to lead surfaced as far back as 1995, when he twice was found to have failed to safeguard his weapon. Suffolk County Police Department - Wikipedia 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. He realized what he did here, and he wants to own up to it, Mr. Conway 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.. 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.". From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. He was released last summer. (Mr. Loeb later received a $1.5 million settlement from the county and a separate confidential settlement from Mr. 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. 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. 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.
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