Burke pleaded guilty in February 2016 to violating punch victim Christopher Loeb's civil rights and obstructing justice for leading a conspiracy to conceal his involvement in the assault. The convictions of Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland make it clear that the days of Long Islands good old boy networks combining politics, power and policing to benefit a select few, at the expense of the taxpaying public, are dead and gone, said Richard Donoghue, the United States attorney in the Eastern District of New York. Age: 79 A lock ( Copyright 2023 Newsday. "I hope it sends a clear message that no one is above the law and criminal conduct that betrays the public trust will be punished," the judge said of his sentence. Burke also enlisted the help of his long-time mentor, then-District Attorney Spota, and McPartland, his personal friend and then-Chief of both Investigations and the Government Corruption Bureau, to ensure that the witnesses kept quiet. He told jurors Spota grilled him on who he suspected had "flipped," or started cooperating with federal officials. .We need to remain focused on continuing our progress and ensuring that the days of the past never happen again.. Thomas Spota and one his top aides in the Suffolk County district attorney's office, Christopher McPartland, were convicted in December 2019 on counts of conspiracy, obstruction of . In particular, Mr. Burke hated one of the police officials, Pat Cuff, who had conducted the internal investigation against him in the 1990s, witnesses said. The administration panicked, prosecutors said. Mr. Burke later became a police officer. Burke was eventually found guilty in the incident andsentenced to 46 months in prison. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. He completed his prison sentence this year but refused to testify at trial against his old colleagues. Bellone said his actions were inspired by reports of political corruption in the district attorney's office. Northport, New York, John Marzulli Thomas J. Spota III (born 1941, New York) is a former American attorney and politician, who served as the District Attorney of Suffolk County, New York, serving from 2002 to late 2017, but was disbarred on June 10, 2020. Burke became a Suffolk cop and was promoted to sergeant; a 1995 department probe found that he had a sexual relationship with a prostitute who sold drugs, according to Newsday. The pair face up to 20 years in prison but will likely receive lower sentences due to federal guidelines, according to Newsday. After the assault, Burke ordered high-ranking lieutenants of the SCPD to ensure that the detectives and officers who had witnessed the assault would never reveal what they had observed. Hickey, now retired and facing sentencing himself, named Spota, McPartland, Burke, former Suffolk chief of detectives William Madigan and himself as members of a self-appointed group nicknamed "The Inner Circle." Leto retired in 2015, later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice and now is awaiting sentencing. "[12] Current Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini said in a statement following the sentencings, "The actions of these defendants represent the worst of law enforcement.". Ultimately, the 12 jurors chose to believe Mr. Hickey. [8] He was reelected in 2005,[9] and again in 2009 without any major-party opposition. [1] Spota resigned November 10, 2017, after he was indicted on federal charges of obstruction of justice in the investigation of Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke. Spota and. "My family will forever be marked by my disgrace.". ", (The Associated Press contributed to this report), * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts, Retaining wall collapses in the Bronx due to severe weather, Karl Lagerfeld legacy showcased in Met exhibit. Fax Line: 718-254-7508. Burke pleaded guilty to civil rights violations and conspiracy to obstruct justice in February of 2016 and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Mount Sinai, New York, CHRISTOPHER McPARTLAND Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community. Mr. Burke, 55, had already pleaded guilty in 2016 to the assault and the subsequent cover-up, a year after resigning from the force. Thomas J. Spota, the Suffolk County district attorney, and his top anti-corruption prosecutor were charged on . She said that Burke had pleaded guilty quickly after his separate arrest and that, as prosecutors, Spota and McPartland were supposed to be an "essential bulwark against police misconduct.". Some were warned that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees, prosecutors said. McPartland also asked the judge to consider how a severe punishment would impact his family and the suffering he said they already have endured. The thief took a duffel bag from the car that contained sex toys, a pornographic DVD and Viagra. He finished his prison sentence in April. A corruption saga that began with a prisoners 2012 beating in a police precinct and reached Suffolk Countys highest law enforcement ranks concluded Tuesday with a federal judge sentencing both former District Attorney Thomas Spota and his ex-aide to 5 years in prison. "Thomas Spota and Christopher McPartland are guilty of ruining the lives of so many . Both men had faced up to 20 years behind bars. The legislation Senator Flanagan sponsors has passed the Senate in both of the past two years but has died in . This story was reported by Nicole Fuller, Bridget Murphy and Michael O'Keeffe. Thomas Spota and one his top aides in the Suffolk County district attorney's office, Christopher McPartland, were convicted in December 2019 on counts of conspiracy, obstruction of justice . "Loeb had broken into Burkes official police vehicle and stolen his gun belt and ammunition, and a duffel bag containing cigars, sex toys, prescription Viagra and pornography.". He told jurors he acted as a middleman in a yearslong conspiracy to cover-up Loebs beating after being tasked with ensuring the silence of the three detectives. U.S. District Court Judge Joan Azrack told Spota and McPartland that they violated the public's trust and described their actions as "unconscionable" and as "shocking criminal conduct." The judge also sentenced the former DAs top aide and ex-chief of his anti-corruption unit, Christopher McPartland, to five years in prison for the cover-up, as well. In December 2012, then-chief of the SCPD, James Burke "physically and verbally assaulted a shackled prisoner, Christopher Loeb, who was under arrest and being held in an interrogation room at the 4th Precinct in Hauppauge," a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office said. You have not heard an apology, Boeckmann said. Mr. McPartland helped concoct a cover story that Chief Burke had just popped his head in to the interrogation room. Uli Seit for The New. Their behavior was outrageous, and their sentences today prove as much," said FBI Acting Assistant Director-in-Charge Maguire. The assault happened hours after the Smithtown man, then a heroin addict, stole a duffel bag from Burkes department vehicle with items inside it that included Burkes gun belt and ammunition, along with Viagra, sex toys and pornography. Proving obstruction of justice required the government to present evidence that the defendants acted with a corrupt purpose, a high legal bar. Former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas J. Spota and Government Corruption Bureau Chief Christopher McPartland Each Sentenced to Five Years in Prison Tuesday, August 10, 2021 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York The Defendants Were Convicted of Obstructing a Federal Civil Rights Investigation Vinegrad described Spota in a court filing as a "shattered man" whose age, declining health and record of public service supported a no-prison sentence. They were accused of helping cover up the 2012 police beating of a prisoner suspected of stealing sex toys and other items from a police chiefs vehicle. Local law enforcement eyewitnesses had been frightened into silence, as they feared retaliation against themselves and their families from within the Suffolk County Police Department and the District Attorneys Office.". The verdict was a hard-fought victory for the federal prosecutors and the F.B.I., whose investigation faced setbacks for years. I met with the Mrs. Lucero, the mother. [6], After passing the bar, Spota worked as an assistant prosecutor under Suffolk County District Attorney Patrick Henry, during the 1970s and early 1980s. Spota and McPartland both resigned from the District Attorneys Office in light of the charges against them and have since been disbarred. ", Bellone said Suffolk District Attorney Tim Sini has "restored integrity to the office. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York, the pair will be sentenced on August 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the courthouse in Central Islip. The remains of at least ten persons have been found on South Shore beaches, and are believed to be related. When they are sentenced, Spota and McPartland will face up to 20 years in prison. Mr. Spota set out to protect and defend Chief Burke, as he had before over a 40-year friendship, prosecutors said. Former Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota and a former top aide, Christopher McPartland, joined the ranks of the nation's incarcerated felons Friday after surrendering at separate federal. An official website of the United States government. He was convicted of obstruction, witness tampering, and conspiracy charges in December 2019 [17] and disbarred in June 2020. McPartland, 55, will begin his sentence Nov. 10. Mr. Spota said that if one police officer cooperated, Hell never work here again and I will see to it, according to Mr. Hickeys testimony. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. They depicted Burke as Spotas "professional child of sorts" and a wise elder who told a golf buddy after Burkes conviction that he shouldnt sympathize with the wayward cop because he "did it to himself.". Former Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota was sentenced to five years is prison Tuesday following his 2019 conviction for helping cover for ex-police Chief James Burke. Spota told a judge at his sentencing in August that, I hope not to die in prison alone.. Mr. Leto told jurors that he feared if he were truthful, the police chief would falsely accuse his sons of a crime or plant drugs on them. "To see any old man live the rest of his life in a prison cell, possibly dying in jail, that kinda sucks but you have to be accountable for what you did," Loeb added after court. In 2001, Spota won his first election as district attorney with the backing of police unions while campaigning on an anti-corruption platform. He was smiling. Spota recommended a new federal task force and said that legislation was needed to "attack the owners and the distributors of these programs, who are reaping enormous profits. The jurors reached the guilty verdict after deliberating for about seven hours over two days. Spota later hired Burke to work in his office as an investigator, promoted him to chief investigator, and vouched for him when he was appointed chief of the police department, one of the largest suburban forces in the country with 2,500 officers. Chief Burke thought nobody would believe his word over the police chiefs, according to witness testimony. To maintain the lie, Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland relied heavily on Mr. Hickey, the police commander who supervised those three detectives. Advertisement. [14] In October 2017, Spota and an aide were indicted on charges of obstructing the investigation of James Burke for police brutality. They also presented evidence that Spota, as part of his history of covering up for Burke, wrote a 2011 letter to County Executive-elect Steve Bellones transition team. I commend the tenacity and skill of this Office's prosecutors and the FBI special agents in toppling the defendants from their undeserved positions of prominence and in holding them to account for their reprehensible violations of the public trust.. A former Long Island prosecutor convicted of obstructing justice after a prisoner was beaten has begun serving a five-year federal prison sentence. Spota's attorney, Alan Vinegrad, told the judge his client is "a shadow" of his former self and a "fundamentally good" person who is devoted to his wife of 51 years, his three children and his grandchildren. Spota was convicted in December 2019 on federal charges of conspiracy . The defense teams for Spota and McPartland had lobbied extensively for sentences of home confinement and community service for their clients. They ruined lives and destroyed careers. Burke physically and verbally assaulted a shackled prisoner, Christopher Loeb, in an interrogation room in Hauppauge after Loeb broke into Burkes police vehicle and stole his gun belt and ammunition, and several personal items including cigars, sex toys and pornography. Vinegrad also raised the possibility of the former district attorney, who was vaccinated against COVID-19 becoming infected in prison and then possibly dying. In 2001 Republican-turned-Democrat Spota ran for District Attorney, and defeated three-time incumbent James M. Catterson Jr in November 2001, taking 58% of the vote. McPartland, who worked directly under Spota, also had built a close friendship with Burke, and was the first person who Burke called the morning he discovered that his vehicle had been burglarized. Former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota and a former top aide, Christopher McPartland, surrendered at separate federal prisons Friday, prison officials told Newsday. At an August 2015 meeting involving some of the people involved in the alleged cover-up, prosecutors said, McPartland warned that Loeb "did not get beaten badly and there were no marks and that nothing would happen as long as the people that were in the room with (Loeb) did not talk. Christopher McPartland, right, leaving his trial last month in Central Islip, N.Y. James Burke, center, the former Suffolk County police chief, pleaded guilty in 2016 to the assault of a man who had broken into his police car and the subsequent cover-up. Mr. Hickey decided to plead guilty to his role in the conspiracy and cooperated with prosecutors as their star witness, testifying on the stand for three days. "These men were the highest ranking prosecutors in Suffolk County and they flagrantly disregarded the law and the sanctity of their public office to protect an equally high-ranking, lawless police officer," she added. In a rage, Chief Burke kicked and punched him. Burke pleaded guilty in 2016 to the beating and cover-up, serving most of a 46-month prison sentence before his release to a halfway house. Burke also enlisted the help of Spota and McPartland, "to ensure that the witnesses kept quiet. Burke pleaded guilty to a civil rights violation and conspiracy to obstruct justice in February 2016 and was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment. "It has been a difficult five years and I have lost a lot," the ex-prosecutor said in part. The federal judge said prosecutors have enormous power over life, liberty and reputation, but the defendants substantially abused that power by helping to cover up Loeb's assault, forcing detectives to lie to a grand jury and prosecutors and thwarting a grand jury investigation. Three other police detectives had been in the room participating in the beating, and it was imperative that they all stuck to the same story. There were some bombshells dropped Thursday in the obstruction of justice trial of former Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota and his top aide Christopher McPartland, including an allegation that former chief James Burke ordered officers to spy on Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. Krantz cited what he said was McPartlands history of public service and good deeds, calling him a loving husband and father and someone who worked his way through college and law school before earning accolades throughout his career. Mr. Spota, a lawyer for the police union at the time, defended Mr. Burke and negotiated a plea deal that saved his career. Age: 55 Brooklyn NY 11201, Telephone: 718-254-7000 Former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine today after attempting to obstruct a federal investigation into the brutality of a prisoner by former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke in 2012. Former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota and a former top aide, Christopher McPartland, surrendered at separate federal prisons Friday, prison officials told Newsday. Chief Assistant US Attorney Nicole Boeckmann had argued for prison for Spota, saying he had failed to take responsibility for his actions to this day. As soon as Mr. Burke became police chief in early 2012, he demoted Mr. Cuff by four ranks and assigned him to guard a warehouse. ", He added that at the time he called for the resignation, "Tom Spota's power was at its peak and their criminal enterprise was in full swing. The former official in Suffolk County was found guilty of conspiracy after a trial that exposed a culture of corruption. Expand. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Spota was convicted in December 2019 on federal charges of conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and obstruct an official proceeding, witness tampering, obstruction of justice and being an accessory to Burke, U.S. Department of Justice officials said. When Mr. Cuffs son was caught with a gun, the district attorneys office threatened to upgrade the charges from a misdemeanor to a felony. August 10, 2021 CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) A former Long Island prosecutor was sentenced to 5 years in prison on Tuesday for helping cover up the police beating of a prisoner suspected of stealing sex toys and other items from a police chief's vehicle. "Because of their obstructive efforts, the federal investigation was unsuccessful and was closed approximately eight months later. They placed fear of retaliation inside the minds of those who may otherwise have been willing to cooperate, and they interfered with efforts of federal investigators who were trying to get to the bottom of a heinous crime. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream, Earth warming likely to pass limit set by international leaders, Street racing hit-and run crash leaves woman dead, man hurt in Brooklyn, police say, Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. They were accompanied by other members of the Hispanic community. They hugged their lawyers afterward. Loeb had broken into Burkes official police vehicle and stolen his gun belt and ammunition, and a duffel bag containing cigars, sex toys, prescription Viagra and pornography. No sales tax increase for clean water initiative: government must find another way, Holidays open the floodgates of family memories, March is an awareness month that hits home. While doing so, Azrack said Spota did "incalculable damage" to the criminal justice system after "not a momentary lapse" in judgment but a yearslong conspiracy that included threats against witnesses. Spota's career ended with his disbarment in 2020 and his sentencing to five years in federal prison in 2021. LONG ISLAND, NY Former Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota, 79, and his chief investigator, found guilty of obstruction by a jury in 2019 for covering up an incident during which a man was beaten after he stole a duffel bag from a former police chief filled with sex toys and pornography are set for sentencing. Spota and Burke had a kinship that dated to the ex-chief's teenage years in the late 1970s, when he was a star witness in a murder case that Spota was prosecuting. Loeb was paid $1.5 million after he filed a federal lawsuit against Suffolk County, a report by 1010wins said. Is the Riverhead IDA serving the publics interest? They're guilty," Loeb wrote on Facebook in 2019. He graduated from Chaminade High School, a private Catholic school in Mineola, New York. CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. He was one of the most powerful men on Long Island, serving as the top prosecutor in a suburban county with 1.5 million people. McPartland, who worked directly under Spota, also had built a close friendship with Burke, and was the first person who Burke called the morning he discovered that his vehicle had been burglarized," the release from the U.S. Attorney's office said. Rather, he engaged in a years-long cover-up.. He and Mr. Spota each face up to 20 years in prison. On Tuesday, Mr. Spota, 78, was convicted of participating in a yearslong conspiracy to cover up for Mr. Burke after he violently beat a man accused of stealing from him while he was the police chief. The assault of the burglary suspect happened about a year into Mr. Burkes tenure as police chief. Apr 26, 2018 at 8:20 pm. The verdict came after the jury sat for five weeks listening to evidence, including reports of secret meetings between Spota and McPartland, cell phone tower data, and phone records; Burke previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced, News 12 said. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. The case was assigned to the public corruption unit, led by Mr. McPartland, not the major crimes unit, where it would normally have been prosecuted. In 2019, a jury convicted Spota, of Mount Sinai, and McPartland, 55, of Northport, of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and acting as accessories to the deprivation of prisoner Christopher Loeb's civil rights. Mr. Hickey said that he stayed awake at night, feeling paranoid. The defense attorney also argued that McPartland should get less prison time than Burke because Burke was responsible for the underlying crime. Already a lame duck for foregoing a re-election bid, Spota announced his retirement just days after he was charged amid growing pressure from politicians and the public. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/17/nyregion/tom-spota-trial-verdict.html. According to federal prosecutors, Spota considered anyone cooperating with the investigation into Burke a "rat," demanded that a police officer find out who was cooperating, and threatened that informants "would never work in Suffolk County again.". He was hospitalized in a stress-induced delirium, and was screaming, biting and spitting, according to medical records shown at trial. One of the detectives present for the interrogation had to jump in to stop Burke from beating on Loeb, who was shackled at the time. Uli Seit for The New York Times. Despite that,. I met with them before the indictments. "The allegations of covert spying, threats made against perceived enemies, relentless intimidation tactics, and outright fear were spelled out clearly by federal prosecutors and I commend them for their outstanding work. [14], The federal inquiry subsequently expanded beyond Burke to investigate a broader pattern of corruption in both the police department and the office of the Suffolk County district attorney, Thomas J. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Boeckmann said Spota and McPartland got what they deserved. Previously, he served as news editor of Stony Brooks student newspaper, The Statesman, and was a member of the campuss chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. With many big projects about to seek agency benefits, the answer is critical. Ex-Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas J. Spota sentenced to 60 months in prison and $100K fine for obstructing a federal civil rights investigation. Loeb, the abused prisoner, also spoke in court Tuesday, telling the judge that Spota "should spend the rest of his life behind bars." Secure .gov websites use HTTPS "Burke, Spota and McPartland used the power and influence of their official positions, and the threat of retaliatory arrest and prosecution, to keep anyone from cooperating with that investigation," federal officials said in the release. Chief investigative reporter Jonathan Dienst on crime, corruption and terrorism. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. McPartland also addressed Azrack on Tuesday before hearing his sentence. All rights reserved, Met Gala 2023: Start Time, Theme, Guests & Everything Else to Know, Construction May Make Getting to JFK Airport a Nightmare for 3 Years: What to Know, 20 Students Injured in Long Island School Bus Crash With Pickup Truck, 25-Year-Old Makes $200/Hour Without a Bachelor's Degree: I Work Less Than 6 Hours a Day'. Kenneth Bombace, who also took part in the beating, testified under an immunity deal that he stashed his family in a hotel in 2015 before testifying separately before a grand jury about the conspiracy. Official websites use .gov As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The unfortunate truth is that we will be paying for it for years to come. Suffolk District Attorney Timothy Sini reflected on his predecessor's conviction Tuesday in a statement in which he said the agency he leads needs "to remain focused on continuing our progress and ensuring that the days of the past never happen again. Thomas Spota and aide Christopher McPartland were convicted in 2019 of running a years-long cover-up of an attack by former Suffolk County Police Commissioner James Burke on a shackled man . McPartland was also part of the pressure campaign to get cops to cover for the chief. THOMAS J. SPOTA [5], Spota was born in 1941 and grew up in New Hyde Park, New York, on Long Island. He said the criminal justice system in Suffolk isn't just broken, but corrupt by design. The defense said prosecutors were relying on Mr. Hickeys recollection of conversations that happened years ago, with no concrete evidence to corroborate his memory. With great power comes great responsibility and, as weve proven throughout the course of this investigation, Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland abused their power to skirt their responsibility to comply with a federal civil rights investigation. But Azrack said that by participating in the cover-up, both defendants sent the message that prosecutorial power in Suffolk can be abused, civil rights violations will be tolerated and that some people in the county are above the law. "These sentences send the right message to the public, that they can have faith in their criminal justice system, that the system is not broken and that corrupt police officers cannot and will not be protected by power-hungry prosecutors," she said. The sentencing guidelines are the subject of an oral argument set for June 30, federal officials told Patch. She ordered McPartland to surrender on Nov. 10. "Thomas Spota and Christopher McPartland are guilty of ruining the lives of so many other families. "Instead of serving the people of Suffolk County, these defendants brazenly abused their exceptional positions of power and public trust to protect their friends and hurt their enemies. During closing arguments, Krantz presented jurors with a list of "10 reasons why James Hickey cannot be believed" that included "raw self-interest" and a "psychotic break from reality.". Spota called Bellone's assertions "baseless" and said the county executive had a "vendetta" against him for investigating and prosecuting people close to him. Spota represented Burke years later as a private attorney when Burke faced internal police discipline after 1995 allegations which were substantiated that Burke engaged in sex acts with a known prostitute in police vehicles and failed to safeguard his service weapon. My family will forever be marked by my disgrace, Spota saidmoments before being sentenced. Not out of the woods: Lawyers want right to go after Tiger Woman has 'loud, full body orgasm' in the middle of LA concert, All the red carpet highlights and star-studded fashionfrom the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala, Bride killed, groom seriously hurt by drunk driver just minutes after leaving reception, 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, Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson reunite at Met Gala 9 months after breakup, Rihannas Met Gala bridal look makes fan question if she married A$AP Rocky, Inside Met Gala 2023: See celebs let loose at extravagant dinner, Khristina Williams previews the New York Liberty's 2023 WNBA season, Katy Perry will be temporarily replaced on 'American Idol' amid drama. Spota hugged his wife and his weeping daughter before leaving the courtroom in silence. Loeb was paid $1.5 million after he filed a federal lawsuit against Suffolk County for "being beaten while shackled to the floor of an interrogation room by former Police Chief James Burke in 2012 after stealing a duffel bag packed with a gun belt, ammunition, sex toys and pornography from Burke's vehicle," a report by 1010wins said. His attorney, Larry Krantz, lobbied for leniency for a client he called "an honorable, decent, good man" who had "a brutal fall from grace.". Language links are at the top of the page across from the title.
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