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. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. James Burke Now: Long Island Serial Killer Update | Where is Ex-Police We've received your submission. 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. 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 was officially hired by the Suffolk County Police Department in 1986 as a 21-year-old. Inside new mortgage fee rules, Retaining wall collapses in the Bronx due to severe weather. 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. Leto testified that the spying was under the guise of providing him security. All rights reserved. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. [21] Burke violently assaulted a man in custody who had stolen a duffel bag from Burke's police vehicle. 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. The maximum possible sentence for the civil rights charge is 10 years in prison; for the obstruction charge, it is 20 years. I am proud of the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Sheriff's Office. We don't know.". But, Wexler said, He also did bad if you were not on his side. 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. Federal prosecutors indicated other charges may be looming for accomplices who aided the cover-up. Burke resigned from the force in October after a 31-year career. Prosecutors called Burke's time as chief a "reign of terror.''. In Jan. 2017 Burke, who was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison, was transferred to the low-security prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. But, Wexler said, "He also did bad if you were not on his side. she said. Copyright 2023 Newsday. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. on Trial, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/nyregion/thomas-spota-corruption-trial.html. 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. 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. / AP. James Burke, Ex-Suffolk County Police Chief, Is Sentenced to 46 Months ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream, beating a man who broke into his police cruiser in 2012 and then trying to hide the alleged assault. 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. 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. Despite the efforts of the defendant and his co-conspirators to obstruct the federal investigation, he has been brought to justice.. Before that, Cameron served as chief after James Burke resigned the position over his role in the assault of a handcuffed prisoner. 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. 2 more cops tied to Burke case retire from Suffolk force 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. 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. 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. 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 police chief sentenced in beating of handcuffed man - CBS News When Mr. Burke entered the interrogation room, Mr. Loeb was handcuffed and chained to an eyebolt fastened to the floor, according to prosecutors. James Burke: Complete coverage - Newsday 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. Before being named chief in 2012, he worked as an investigator for the Suffolk County district attorney. 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. 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. They said he kept liquor in his office and regularly drove drunk. who is james burke suffolk county police chief corruption long island 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. 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. As your Sheriff, I have made it my priority to protect public safety, speak up and against the grain to do what I know . That's corruption.". 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.. Convicted Police Chief Released From Solitary: Sources Unnamed co-conspirators had warned some that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees, prosecutors said. 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. He had subordinates conduct surveillance on his girlfriends, prosecutors said. Chief of the Suffolk County Police Department James Burke addresses Suffolk County legislators in Hauppauge on Feb. 2, 2012. Credit: Ed Betz November 18, 2015 Didn't find what you. He has sued Burke and the Police Department. Stacey Sager reports on the sentencing from Central Islip. He asked for no prison time because he says his mother is dying of cancer. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. 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. . The victim, Christopher Loeb, addressed Burke in court. "He's doing much better these days," Cassar said. N.J. Burkett has the latest details from Long Island. He said that one of those assignments was keeping tabs on newly elected Steve Bellone. 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. Former Long Island Prosecutors Sentenced in Plot to Protect Police Chief "That's basically how they put fear in [officers]. Also in the bag was a gun belt and ammo. 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. A commanding officer was assigned to warn witnesses that they could face retribution if they cooperated. 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. SCPD members who witnessed the assault came under direct and extreme pressure from the defendants and others to conceal it, 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. 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.