Three former top Nassau County Police officials were indicted by a grand jury Thursday morning on charges that they conspired to and intentionally prevented the arrest of a Merrick teenager whose father was a financial benefactor of the police, the Nassau County District Attorney's office says.
According to multiple reports, Zachary Parker of Merrick, now 20, was charged with stealing more than $3,000 worth of computers after he allegedly broke into Kennedy High School in 2009.
Parker's attorney, Marc Gann of Mineola told Newsday that police never arrested him.
Gann said Parker's father, Gary Parker, who has friends in the police department, contacted school and police officials and asked them to handle the incident as a civil rather than a criminal matter.
The Long Island Press, which first reported the story in March 2011, says that Parker's father, Gary, is a business associate of a group called the Nassau Police Department Foundation, which says on its website that it was founded to help fund a new police academy.
Charged in the indictment are:
Second Deputy Commissioner William Flanagan, 54, of Islip. Flanagan is charged with Receiving Reward for Official Misconduct, a Class E felony, two counts of Official Misconduct, and Conspiracy in the Sixth Degree. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted. His annual salary as of Dec. 31, 2011 was $224,929. Flanagan submitted his resignation on Feb. 29.
Deputy Chief Inspector John Hunter, 59, of Oyster Bay. Hunter is charged with two counts of Official Misconduct and Conspiracy in the Sixth Degree. He faces up to one year in jail if convicted. His annual salary as of Dec. 31, 2011 was $177,874. Hunter submitted his resignation on Feb. 29.
Detective Sergeant Alan Sharpe, 54, of Huntington Station. Sharpe is charged with Offering a False Instrument For Filing in the Second Degree, two counts of Official Misconduct, and Conspiracy in the Sixth Degree. He faces up to two years in jail if convicted and sentenced consecutively. His annual salary as of Dec. 31, 2011 was $138,776. Sharpe retired on Jan. 5.
The investigation found no criminality on the part of the Nassau County Police Department Foundation, according to the DAs office.
"This is a sad day for law enforcement in Nassau County," said Rice. "These defendants violated their oath and the law when they prevented a suspect's arrest and took investigative direction from the suspect's father. The people of Nassau County deserve equal and fair justice, and they deserve public officials who will perform their duties free from undue influence."
The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District released the following statement:
"The district contacted the Nassau County Police Department in May 2009 concerning the theft of property from John F. Kennedy High School. The district completed necessary forms to file charges against the perpetrator. The district has fully cooperated with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office investigation into the circumstances of this matter."
The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Money corrupts absolutely. Wonder is the County will press any civil penalties against those charged?
inexcusable behavior rather than having them own up to what they've done and face the necessary discipline. This is endemic in Bellmore Merrick and other well off communities. The police enabled it.
As for the police, this was not a violent crime and I believe the merchandise was recovered to the district. The district and the Nassau DA had no complaints either with regards to this case. This unfortunately is being brought up now because fo the crusade against police for the downfall of the county. Truth be told, excessive borrowing from the 1990's with Gulotta and into the 2000's under Suozzi has caused a massive yearly debt service of over 300 million dollars of old debt yet-to-be retired that is not even from the current Executive Administration. Not to mention Medicaid costs are costing an additional 300 million approx. dollar benefit, and must be restructured, for being overly generous, and taken over on the state level. And specialized education is also costing a great deal spiraling well out-of-control. Thanks to the NY State education department and new policies from Secretary of Ed Arne Duncan. Pensions & insurance are results of the new health care mandate and a recovering stock market, not the fault of unions. I am not saying they shouldn't make concessions, but they aren't criminal
If you actually look at the situation, yes the way the police handled it was wrong. However, the good outweighs the bad in my opinion. Should Parker lose his case, the new police academy will lose a lot of funding. Holding these men who have served the county their whole life is wrong no matter how you slice it. For those of us in business, this is a client who paid for some special treatment and received it. The only time it becomes a problem, is when other clients hear about it. Had none of us ever known about his son being let off, the academy would be well funded, a small town's reputation is protected (believe me in a rough housing market, this is more important then you think), and in return we have to let a 20 year old with a drug problem off the hook? I hate to say it, but I'd have taken the money too. They didn't personally benefit from this. The COMMUNITY did. Small minds think in small pictures. Great minds think in big pictures. Just my 2 cents.