You have the general expectation that the police won’t participate in illegal activities and get involved in a federal case. This would mostly be true, however, in the case of one former Miami, Florida, police lieutenant, that premise would be wrong.
A 22-year veteran of the Miami Police Department was initially charged with to aiding and abetting a narcotics conspiracy. He pled guilty to these charges and also to conspiring to distribute cocaine and money laundering. The first two counts could have seen him in jail for the rest of his life, however he had his prison time reduced because he cooperated with the authorities, both federal and state, in order to bring those he was working with to justice.
The man admitted to the crimes and was truly repentant and said that he believed he had tarnished the badge that he wore. He said he had no excuse. Of course, the prosecutor said it was greed that caused the man to break the law. This may or may not be true, but it is apparent from his answers that he just got in too deeply and didn’t know how to get out of this situation.
It was said by the prosecution that this man, nicknamed “the milkman,” travelled to New York and the Dominican Republic from Florida to set up bank accounts for the operation he was involved in. He seemed to be a willing participant, but only the man who committed these crimes knows the truth.
Even though the man cooperated with the authorities since his arrest and has worn a wire to capture the conversations that he had with other criminals, the judge in his case was not moved to give him any less than ten years in prison for his wrongdoing.
Knowing what will get your charge reduced or mitigated is important. There is a wealth of information out there to guide you. Asking questions of an attorney who has in depth experience in this area is invaluable.
Source: The New York Times, “Former Miami Police Officer Sentenced for Aiding Drug Ring,” Dec. 02, 2015