Three former NYPD police officers and a former prosecutor accepted strippers, jewelry, prostitutes, cash and expensive trips in exchange for gun licenses, Manhattan federal prosecutors said Tuesday, the Daily Beast reports.
The scheme put gun licenses in the hands of people with substantial criminal histories.
Former lieutenant Paul Dean, the second-highest ranking member of the NYPD License Division who retired in 2016, and ex-police officers Robert Espinel and Gaetano Valastro are charged with two counts conspiracy to commit bribery. John Chambers, an ex-assistant district attorney who worked in the Brooklyn district attorney's office from 1983 to 1985, is being charged with bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery.
He worked as an attorney who hawked himself as the "Top Firearms Licensing Attorney in NY" and, according to the complaint, gave members of the Licensing Division tickets to sporting events and Broadway shows, cash, an $8,000 watch and sports memorabilia.
"As alleged, for the police officers and expediters charged in this case, the critically important police function of issuing and controlling gun licenses was one they were willing to pervert for personal profit," said acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York Joon Kim.
"The alleged corruption pervaded the license division up to its senior level."
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