On October 10, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced that three former NYPD officers were sentenced for conspiring to transport firearms and stolen goods across state lines.  Eddie Goris was sentenced to 36 months in prison, and Richard Melnik and John Mahoney both received 21 months.  

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated, “These three sentencings are sad occasions in the history of the finest police department in the country.  With them, we are that much closer to putting this sordid chapter behind us.”

According to court documents, Goris moved firearms and stolen goods across state lines that were defaced.  He took two trips to transport slot machines from Atlantic City to New York, and he two multiple trips to smuggle cigarettes across state lines.  During the final trip, he transported defaced firearms—some of which were high-powered rifles—from New Jersey to New York.  He was paid $30,000 during the schemes.

Melnik made multiple trips between New Jersey and New York to smuggle cigarettes. During his last trip, he smuggled two stolen slot machines from Atlantic City to New Jersey and New York.  He was paid $10,500 during the schemes.  

Mahoney also transported cigarettes and stolen slot machines on three different occasions.  He was paid $4,500 during the schemes.  

Goris received three years of supervised release and agreed to forfeit $30,000.  Melnik received one year of supervised release and he was ordered to forfeit $5,000.  Mahoney received two years of supervised release and he was ordered to forfeit $4,500.  

There are 9 other defendants involved in this case.  Some of the defendants have already been sentenced, and some are still awaiting sentencing.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Affairs Bureau of the NYPD.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation