Jersey
City -- Attorney General Peter C. Harvey
today announced that the Division of Criminal
Justice, in concert with the U.S. Attorney's
Office, has obtained a guilty plea from
a Jersey City Police Officer on charges
that he abused his office by extorting
cash payments from an illegal gambling
syndicate in exchange for protecting the
gambling enterprise from arrest and prosecution.
The state investigation targeting corruption
and other potential illegal activities
remains ongoing.
According to Vaughn L. McKoy, Director,
Division of Criminal Justice, Frank D'Agosta,
47, Jersey City, Hudson County, pleaded
guilty today before Hudson County Superior
Court Judge Elaine Davis to a criminal
Accusation which charged one count of
official misconduct – a second degree
crime punishable by up to ten years in
state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
D'Agosta is scheduled to appear before
Judge Davis on March 26, 2004 for sentencing.
D'Agosta also pleaded guilty in U. S.
District Court to similar charges filed
by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Pursuant to the Accusation and guilty
plea, D'Agosta, employed as a Jersey City
police officer since 1979, admitted that
he demanded and extorted more than $10,000
in protection money from the operators
of at least one illegal gambling enterprise
conducting business in Jersey City. The
Accusation charged that from April - June,
2003, D'Agosta demanded tribute or cash
payments ranging in amounts from several
hundred to several thousand dollars from
the illegal gambling operation. In return
for the tribute monies, the Accusation
charged that D'Agosta allowed the gambling
syndicate to continue its illegal operation.
"This
investigation targeted a corrupt police
officer who chose to break the law for
his own personal greed," said Attorney
General Harvey. "Law enforcement
officers swear under oath to uphold the
law and to safeguard the public trust.
Any allegation of criminal conduct or
wrongdoing by a law enforcement officer
will be investigated and prosecuted. Attacking
corruption is a law enforcement priority
for the Attorney General's Office."
In announcing the guilty plea, Attorney
General Harvey and Director McKoy noted
that the Division of Criminal Justice
has established a toll-free "Corruption
Tipline" for the public to report
corruption, financial crime and other
illegal activities. The statewide "Corruption
TipLine" is: 1-866-TIPS-4CJ.
Additionally, the public can log-on to
the Division of Criminal Justice Web page
at www.njdcj.org
to electronically report suspected wrongdoing.
All information received via the Division
of Criminal Justice "Corruption Tipline"
will remain confidential.
The Division of Criminal Justice investigation
was coordinated by Deputy Attorney's General
Christopher Romanyshyn and Perry Primaverra
of the Organized Crime & Racketeering
Bureau and the Special Prosecutions Bureau.
State Investigator's Christopher Donohue
and Brian Bruton of the Organized Crime
& Racketeering Bureau - North Unit,
led the investigation. Additional investigative
assistance was provided by the Division
of Criminal Justice - Special Prosecutions
Bureau Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) - Newark Office, Chief Ronald Buonocore
of the Jersey City Police Department,
and the Bayonne Police Department.
A copy of the Accusation and related documents
is available via the Division of Criminal
Justice Web page at www.njdcj.org.
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