Newsbrief:
This
Week's
Corrupt
Cops
Story
--
It's
a
Twofer!
12/19/03
We didn't run the Corrupt Cops feature last week, but we try to make up for it this week with a double dose of sordidness -- and we're not even talking about Dallas, where it seems police officers can set up people to be arrested and imprisoned for possession of particle board and get away with it. No, this week it's all New York City, and the rot has invaded both the DEA and the NYPD. First, the feds: On Monday, Kevin Tamez, the number three man in DEA's New York office until a brewing scandal forced him out in October, was indicted on 214 counts alleging massive embezzlement and for ordering DEA agents to do work in the US and Europe for his own private investigation business. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the most serious counts of wire and mail fraud. Tamez allegedly bilked the DEA out of $138,500 in advance-cash claims, saying he needed the money for investigative purposes. But he actually spent the money on new suits from Joseph A. Banks, a Chevy Suburban, and repairs to the family hot tub, the indictment alleges. He also ran a private investigation company, disguising that fact from the DEA by using aliases. Tamez used DEA resources for his company, said the indictment, ordering agents in Salt Lake City, Baltimore, and Atlantic City to conduct surveillance on persons his company was investigating. His illicit use of DEA agents also extended to London and Switzerland. "Tamez abused virtually every resource available to him and exploited not only DEA resources around the country, but also law-enforcement resources abroad," said Deputy Attorney General Jim Comey. Meanwhile, a retired detective and an 18-year veteran of the NYPD are charged with ripping off drug dealers and pocketing the proceeds. Authorities are also investigating whether the two killed one of their own informants. Thomas Raschko and Julio Vasquez are accused of robbing a drug courier of $169,000 on November 26. The case looks strong -- the entire robbery was captured on police videotape by another police task force -- and shows the pair using a department car and wearing police raid jackets as they robbed the courier, an informant of theirs who had told them the day before he would be making the delivery. Early indications are that Raschko and Vasquez are involved in other acts of corruption, and others may be involved as well. NYPD is also investigating whether the veteran narcs are responsible for the death of Miguel Peralta, one of Vasquez' informants, who was found shot to death in a car the day before the robbery. But as of now, the only charges facing the pair are grand larceny and other offenses related to the robbery. Vasquez has resigned from the force, and both men are out on bail.
|
